melissa + david :: devil’s thumb ranch weddings

Devil’s Thumb Ranch

Not too long ago, if you told someone you were going to have a wedding at Devil’s Thumb Ranch, they’d think it was going to be some sort of cool cross-country skiing affair. After all, Devil’s Thumb was known since the 1970′s as beautiful (but sleepy) Nordic ski facility. A nice warming hut/lunch room in the spoke of incredibly scenic trails near an old stagecoach line. I used to emcee events at the warming hut when I worked for KBCO, which was convenient as my date (later wife) was an avid Nordic fan.

I had heard much about the all the recent renovations, but was shocked to finally see the new 52-room lodge and just-finished spa. It’s all such a world class facility with a staff to match, yet the famed Nordic trails are still there and the land itself looks just as I remember. This is a low-impact high-end getaway.

Melissa & David

I first met Melissa at Sarah & Goran’s wedding at their ranch two Summers ago. Melissa is a school teacher in Denver (note all the kids in attendence) and David’s an aerospace engineer. Both love the mountains and wanted to share a beautiful high country Summer afternoon with friends and family from all over he U.S. Prepared for the usual brief afternoon shower, the clouds decided to spit elsewhere, but their intense moving shadows made for incredibly moving scenes. Loving over the photos, it looks like they were shot on three different days!

She’s a Betty

M & D are really into mountain biking. Her and the girls were having fun on the Devil’s Thumb tracks right up to the time I arrived to document getting-ready and the slipping on the dress. “Hey, we’ve got a wedding to attend to!” The mountain biking theme was lightly carried throughout the day, most noticeably by the reception table place cards … all named for famous Colorado mountain bike rides. There was a lot of fun dancing in the Devil’s barn that was moonlit on a clear night (bye bye clouds). The conga line went right into the Men’s restroom (above photo) for a short pit stop before wrapping around the reception!

Devil’s thumb ranch weddings by tomKphoto. Need a photographer for your Colorado destination wedding? Please press the CONTACT button at the top of the screen to see if I’m available.