The sooner, the better, but we kindly ask that you reply no later than June 15th.
This is a fun wedding surrounded by the beautiful mountains in the summer! We hope you'll be comfortable and wear practical footwear. Loosely we're hoping for soft blues and greens, and an organic color palette for our photos. Ladies, a sundress and sandals will be perfect. Plan to have a sweater for the cooler evenings. Gentlemen, a sharp looking shirt, pants, and shoes will be fine. ...And sunscreen, you'll need sunscreen if all goes well and there's no rain!
Hosting our wedding at a backcountry lodge reflects our values and love of mountains. We are thrilled to share this experience with you! We ask you to be open-minded to this adventure and be flexible regarding its amenities. You will likely be sleeping an individual bed, showers must be minimal, and you'll need to bring linens or a sleep bag liner (can purchase one from the Lodge - let us know in advance though please). In this remote area, there will likely be no cell service, but satellite wifi is available at the Lodge.
We can host up to 17 guests overnight at the Lodge, and are planning to have a bed for each of you for both Friday and Saturday nights. See further details in the Accommodations section. In the RSVPs, please confirm if you will be: a) joining us overnight at the Lodge, and b) would you prefer a bed inside or a tent outside in the summer air.
The Lodge is located about 1hr outside of Ouray. When heading out of town, it's a 5 mile drive on a 2WD road, and then 2.5 miles up a jeep road that requires 4WD low. Let us know if you need help coordinating a ride either from Ouray to the Lodge, or just up the 4WD jeep road. There's likely going to be opportunities for car pooling or we could come pick up from the base of the jeep road (and you'd leave your car at the base on the side of the road). Otherwise, it's also a scenic hike up to the Lodge!
Water bottle or hydro bladder Backpack Bathing suit (if you want to go in the hot tub at the Lodge or in the Hot Springs in Ouray) Comfortable shoes Sleeping bag liner or bed linens (sheets & pillowcase) A towel or hand-towel for bathing Sweater or light jacket for cool evenings Sunscreen - we'll probably have some sunscreen and bug spray around for common use too. OTC meds for headaches or allergies Umbrella or a light rain jacket with a hood (otherwise, bring a cap if no hood on rain jacket).
Beyond these meals, please plan ahead to purchase food or snack items while in town: On Friday - cocktail hour and dinner On Saturday - a hearty breakfast, sandwiches for lunch, cocktail hour, and the wedding dinner. Snacks (fruit, granola bars, etc) will be available for light bites. On Sunday - pancake breakfast. Depending on people's plans, we could have supplies available for sandwiches and snacks. Please let us know if you'd like a Sunday lunch.
In Ouray, snacks and any other food items can be found at Ouray Grocery or Ouray Meat & Cheese Market. In Montrose, there are larger chain stores, like Safeway, Target, and Walmart.
If you travel to a high elevation without letting your body adjust to the new altitude, you may experience altitude sickness. Symptoms include headache and nausea. If you return to a lower elevation, your symptoms will likely go away without needing treatment. For mild altitude sickness, over-the-counter medicines can relieve your headaches. Other symptoms will improve once your body adjusts or you move to a lower altitude. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/15111-altitude-sickness
We'll have Zoe will us. There is also a dog named Brie, and a cat named Rei Skywalker who live at the Lodge. If you are allergic to cats or dogs, plan to bring some antihistamines.
Zoe is a rescue pup and has a lot of anxiety around new people. She is friendly and very sweet, but also quite shy and protective of Virginia & Steve. She's also most hesitant and unsure around males. When approaching her, talk to her, say her name, offer your hand for her to sniff... Most importantly, let her come to you once she's comfortable. Sometimes, it just takes ignoring her until she realizes you're a friend, and then she'll approach you for some loving pets.