Emily + Ryan's Tabernash, CO Micro Wedding

Gardner-Lassila Wedding by Alp & Isle. Portraits-18.jpg

We are so excited to finally share Emily & Ryan’s Devil’s Thumb Ranch Micro Wedding, as featured on Martha Stewart Weddings:

Emily and Ryan met on Bumble and shared their first date at a popular wine bar in Santa Monica on August 1, 2017. Ryan arrived earlier than Emily, and he accidentally started the date with the wrong girl—he didn't realize until he saw her walk in. "Looking back, it is one of the funniest stories," Emily says, noting that it was nothing but uphill from there. "He texted immediately after he dropped me off. Always a good sign!"

In March 2019, the couple started having serious conversations about getting engaged, and even went ring shopping together. They had just purchased their first home, and on a quiet Saturday morning before the big move, Ryan decided to use that time to pop the question. Almost immediately, the couple began planning their wedding at Devil's Thumb Ranch in Tabernash, Colorado, for 160 guests. But just six weeks before the big day, Emily and Ryan knew they needed to rethink their plans because of COVID-19. "We attempted a few postponement dates, then a possible elopement plan, but ultimately, we were able to get married at our original venue," Emily says. "They were so amazing and worked with our new plan for a micro wedding." The couple looks forward to celebrating with all of their guests next year, but on June 20, 2020, they asked their parents, Ryan's brother, and Emily's best friend to join them for their nuptials. Thanks to the smaller guest count, everyone was able to stay overnight at the ranch.

They spent less than two months re-planning their big day with the help of their month-of coordinator, The Styled Soiree. The end result? An intimate outdoor ceremony with a view of the continental divide followed by a private dinner reception with tons of flowers. Emily and Ryan were starting their new life together in Colorado, so it was important for them to invite their guests to experience a beautiful part of the state—they made sure to pay homage to the locale amply throughout their small event.

Emily originally bought a simple wedding dress, but after her first fitting, she decided she wanted an ensemble that made more of a statement. She went with Dream Weaver, a strapless Anne Barge gown with a V-notched bodice, full ball gown skirt, and hand-beaded floral embossed jacquard. "When I saw this dress in all of its glory, I knew it was the one," she says. "There was nothing about it I wanted to alter and I knew it was just the one for me."

She paired her dress with a veil by Galia Lahav. She borrowed her mother's diamond bracelet; her mom also gave her an old handkerchief to place in the pocket of her wedding dress. She finished her big-day look with diamond earrings, an aquamarine diamond ring, and Loeffler Randal shoes.