Adriana & Jose
3-11-12

The love story between Adriana and Jose began when they met at work. They found that they had the perfect recipe of “opposites attracting” and “common values” that makes their relationship so special. Mild mannered, fun-loving Jose tends to keep outgoing, extroverted Adriana grounded and content with living in the moment. They each married their best friends.

Their wedding was more than just a celebration of the two of them coming together. It was the moment when their new family became one, and Adriana realized that she and her infant son AJ and her best friend Jose were now a family and all had the same last name. AJ was born just a few months before their wedding. Adriana said the moment they were pronounced husband and wife meant so much more to her than just the two of them becoming one. It meant their new family had bonded in a way that she never imagined being so precious.

It was very special to both of them to have their entire families there. Adriana and her father Armando have a very special bond. When he saw his daughter for the first time in her bridal gown he said “You look good!” She responded, “Dad, I look good in a pair of jeans, this is a $2,000 gown!” They both laughed and he said, “Of course I meant you look beautiful sweetheart.” She really thought she would get very emotional walking down the aisle because of her Dad, but it was actually the moment she realized that she was marrying her best friend that got her the most emotional. Love is…an intense feeling of deep affection…oh so true!

 

Adriana and her mother Cindy had a blast picking out all of the intricate details for the wedding. They made a whole day of it one day by meeting with all of our Bellissimo vendors. Their day included their private Design Session at Bella Sera, then off to lunch, dessert at their cake tasting with Nancy’s Best Cake Design and the final stop at Vickie’s Flowers. Cindy said it was the most stress free, fun mother daughter day she had ever imagined. When they first arrived to meet with me at Bella Sera Adriana had no idea what she really wanted. She did know that she did not want pink at all. We had a blast designing their wedding décor and the overall ambiance. The most spectacular design element was to be their grand head table, and Adriana gave me total design freedom to come up with something I thought she would love. By the end of the session, she left just loving everything we had chosen. Did I mention the color she ended up choosing to go with her gorgeous sage green linens was………..pink? You guessed it! Dusty rose pink, sage green with accents of gold. It was gorgeous.

 When looking back on the whole pre-wedding experience, both Adriana and her mother said the value they received by choosing The Bellissimo Package at Bella Sera, and all of the vendor recommendations we gave them was invaluable in terms of time saved, reduced stress and how much they actually got for their money. Being pregnant and worrying about her gown was stressful enough, but planning a wedding at the same time should have put her over the edge. However, she said they were amazed at how little they really had to do, and they enjoyed every moment along the way.

When they arrived on their wedding day everything was completely decorated for them. Adriana was brought to tears. Her event manager Sari popped a Coors Light for her and she said she was in heaven. A few things stood out to be the most memorable for them: little AJ in a tuxedo that matched his Daddy’s, their cousin Anthony marrying them who was also a ring bearer in her parents wedding, Jose walking his mother Maria down the aisle and dancing with her during the mother son dance, Adrian’s mother carrying AJ down the aisle, their family bonding, the first dance, father daughter dance, their siblings in the wedding party, the Soprano’s theme song DJ Guy played as her father Armando got up to make a toast, and that everyone had a blast.

All of their guests said it was a gorgeous wedding. They heard dozens of guests comment on the beauty of the grand staircase, and the impact of the surprise unveiling of the dinner ballroom with the pink lighting and grand head table. All in all Adriana said her wedding day was carefree, awesome, and her guests were blown away. She couldn’t have been happier.

We will truly miss speaking with her about her wedding plans, but will be visiting them very soon at their family restaurant Armando’s to reminisce about all of the good times.

 To read the full review from Adriana go to the 3-11-12 wedding review at:
http://www.weddingwire.com/reviews/bella-sera-event-center-brighton/cca1115e711e54f4.html

 Wedding Photography: Mark Alison Photography / Wedding Venue: The Bella Sera Event Center / Package: Bellissimo / Lighting: Lighting and Design by Scott: Wedding Designer: Elisabeth Montoya-Bella Sera/ Catering: Bella Sera Catering / Cake: Nancy’s Best Cake Design / Flowers: Vickie’s Flowers / Bridal Gown – Mori Lee Designer from Amanda’s Bridal  / Décor: Bella Sera Event Center / DJ: DJ Guy / Linens & Chair covers: Belinda’s Creations

 

The Wedding of Kelsey & Boczak

Their Love Story…

The thing Kelsey loves most about Boczak is the way he loves her and makes her feel. She says it’s the best feeling in the world to know that the person she’s in love with loves her with all his heart and is never afraid to show it. She also loves the way that he loves her 4-year-old son – as if he was his very own!

Traditions and the Groom’s Heritage…

Boczak’s Mother is from Korea and she had her own mother bring back a ceremonial hanbok (the name of the dress) from Korea for Kelsey. This was very special to the bride to be able to have something that celebrated that side of Boczak’s culture the attire that they wore was traditional for Korean couples at a Korean wedding. The dress and hat were beautiful and all hand sewn. It meant a lot to the bride and the groom’s mother to include these very special traditions and symbolism into their union.

Meaningful Moments…

It was extremely important to Kelsey to have her four year old son Trey walk her down the isle alongside her father. Her son was not just a ring bearer, he has been the man in her life for the past 4 years and one she invested all her love in before meeting Boczak. Her Dad gave her away in the traditional sense with his blessing, and also walked Trey by the hand to meet Boczak symbolizing the union of the three of them into their new family. That was a very special moment for all of them. Another very special part was having their mother’s light the unity candles, and Boczak giving his vows to both Kelsey and Trey instead of just her.

Fondest Memories…

The couple has so many great memories of their wedding day. For the bride – getting ready with her bridesmaids and both moms, and then finally getting to the altar to see her future husband. The groom – getting ready with all of his best friends, sharing the traditions from his heritage with his mother, and getting little Trey ready in his tuxedo. They both said their reception was a blast seeing all of their family and friends enjoying themselves laughing and dancing, the toasts that were given, and watching little Trey entertain the guests with his Michael Jackson impressions. Kelsey stated that her favorite memory was their last dance when everyone was outside waiting for them. It was just the two of them dancing on the large dance floor all alone, and it was like nobody else existed.

Other very meaningful memories were having all of their family and friends there to celebrate with them from so far away the bride’s sister, who is in the marines and was stationed in Japan, got to attend which was very special. Boczak’s Mother came in from Arizona. Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, and Great Aunts came in from around the US, as well as her brother and his family from Florida. She was also thrilled that a very close childhood friend made it from Michigan. Having all these people go out of there way to travel so far to celebrate their day meant so much to both of them!

Event Design & Décor…

Their overall style was simple elegance. Kelsey came in with some basic ideas of what she wanted, and we helped her create the most beautiful ambiance. Their colors where light green and dark purple representing bright summer colors; green is also Kelsey’s favorite color. The color palette was classy, yet not too bright. Our bride admitted that what she had pictured in her head didn’t even come close to how gorgeous it actually looked when she walked in the door. She said she was amazed with all the little details like the hanging candles, floating candles, the ceremony aisle décor, the elegant cake table, and especially the beautiful candle background Elisabeth custom built on the altar. Everything was done so beautifully, yet kept simple, as she wanted it without a ton of color or flowers – just very elegant. Kelsey, Boczak and all of their guests loved it, and they loved their photos.

Overall Experience at Bella Sera…

Kelsey writes: “My overall experience with our wedding and planning was amazing! We only had three months to plan this wedding because of Boczaks orders with the Air Force. I can tend to be a control freak, worry wart and perfectionist, so I was worried that this process would stress me out and not be a fun experience. However, I honestly didn’t have a moment of worry or stress. Everything went so smooth and was so simple to get done and I have to give most the thanks to everyone at Bella Sera. It was so nice to find a place first of all that showed that they actually cared about us as a couple, but that was almost a one stop shop…being able to come in and pick out all the decor and lighting in one day was amazing. Then having the catering done by Bella Sera; the food was amazing and then all the vendors you referred us to were so amazing. It was a piece of cake to plan this wedding in three months with Bella Sera. The day of the wedding I didn’t have to worry or be in control of anything, which made my actual wedding day just a relaxing carefree day. I even took my son to the doctor that morning and went shopping with my mom! I hear such horror stories about planning weddings and everyone said you need at least a year to plan one. But the way Bella Sera has things set up is just so wonderful and made the whole process very enjoyable and fun for both of us! So a big thank you to all of you guys at the Bella!!”

All in all it was one of the best days of our lives and the memories we hold about that day are nothing but positive loving memories, everything about our day was perfect and it was an amazing way to start our lives together!

THE TEAM OF EXPERTS: Wedding Photography: Mark Alison Photography / Wedding Venue: The Bella Sera Event Center / Lighting: Lighting and Design by Scott: Wedding Designer: Elisabeth Montoya-Bella Sera / Linens & Chair covers: Belinda’s Creations at Bella Sera / Décor Embellishments: Bella Sera Event Center / Catering: Bella Sera Catering /

11-11-11 the Most Popular Wedding Day of the Year
Sarah & Aaron

Blog post written by Sarah…

A Thank You to Bella Sera

Aaron and I first met through some mutual friends. Then one day he stole my number out of my phone, texted me, and one thing led to another. We have been together ever since.

Aaron and I have had a very happy and interesting life together, and we could not wait to get married. The two of us have very different personalities but that is what keeps us in a good neutral place. In 2007, we discussed getting married, and since we consider ourselves the #1 couple, we decided the wedding date should be the #1 date of this year. So this is why we picked 11/11/11.

When we finally had the chance to get our 1st look at each other before the guests even arrived, and it was so magical. I came down the winding grand staircase and Aaron was waiting for me at the bottom. His response when he saw me was priceless. It’s amazing how different it is to see the man you’re going marry in that moment. By doing our “first look” beforehand, we had so much more time to take artistic and fun photos that were really important to us and could not have been done if we had waited after the ceremony. Mark Alison made sure everything was so perfect and captured all of the joy for us to remember.

I have been a princess ever since I could remember and wanted to find a venue that would be my castle on my special day. I researched many different venues within our 4-year engagement before we tied the knot. There were many nice places that I found, but they were too pricey, so I continued to look until I stumbled upon the perfect venue that met all my expectations, Bella Sera. We absolutely loved the look inside of Bella Sera, as it matched my princess personality very well. Once we met with Elisabeth and her crew, it was official; this was the place I wanted to get married. Elisabeth and her staff were very helpful, fun to work with, and the cost of the venue, was very affordable.

Aaron and I discussed a lot of different ideas for the wedding. He had decided that since I was his princess, we would go with the colors gold and burgundy, which are the colors for royalty. I thought that was a great idea and began my planning process. Into the planning he mentioned decorating the wedding with San Francisco 49ers décor (his all time favorite football team). He said, “You know the 49ers colors just happen to be gold and burgundy”. Hmmm? I am wondering if he planned this out the whole time, and, yes he did! Since I vetoed his 49er décor idea, I decided to surprise him and purchased a custom-made 49ers garter and did not let him see until he went under my dress to get it during the fetching of the garter tradition.

Our wedding day was everything and more than we could have asked for. Bella Sera went out of their way to make sure everything I wanted was taken care of and even did more to make it personal and extra special. Elizabeth came up with great ideas to show off the date of 11/11/11 that I would have never thought of including, but not limited to, a customized t-shirt embossed with 11-11-11 across the front.

We didn’t get married in our hometown, so our guests had to drive out to the wedding. Originally, we received some complaints from our guests about the distance, but once they arrived at Bella Sera and saw all the beauty it held and how great the staff was, they were all to glad to join us in the drive. I received so many compliments from my guests about the venue, the staff and how amazing everything was. They especially liked the personalization Bella Sera took the time to do for us.

If I were to ever get married again, I would want it to be to the same man, at the same venue, with the same photographer. It really was the best day of my life, and I would like to give a very big thank you to Elisabeth and Bella Sera. I will recommend them to everyone I know.

Sarah

TEAM OF EXPERTS

Colors chosen by: The Groom Aaron / Photography: Mark Alison Photography / Venue: Bella Sera / Event Designer: Elisabeth Montoya Bella Sera / DJ: DJ Rodriquez / Princess Bride: Sarah:) / Flowers: Sarah and her bridesmaids / Linens: Amelia’s Decorations

Elegant Romantic Wedding Celebration

On November 18, 2011 we had the honor of being an intricate part of the design and coordination for the wedding celebration for Ashley and Bryan.

Their love story began 8 years ago, and that very date is why they absolutely had to have 11-18-11 for their wedding date. Their story began back in August of 2003 while both of them worked at a Safeway grocer in Highlands Ranch during high school.  Bryan had been working at the store for about 9 months before Ashley got hired. That’s when things changed. All Bryan can remember thinking was “Wow….I don’t stand a chance with that girl.”  But it didn’t take more than a few months before the two of them really got to know each other and discovered they wanted to spend much more time together.  After spending countless days and nights together over the next couple years, they realized that there was something special about the two of them as a couple.  Every aspect of each other’s lives was better when they were together, which pretty much sealed the deal for years of happiness that followed. Then….even though it took Bryan 6 more years to make the next move, they finally wed on November 18, 2011 (exactly 8 years to the day) after they had met. Marrying their best friend is what made that anniversary date such a joyous and significant celebration!

In their spare time they love to escape to the mountains to eat at their favorite spot in Kittridge, take pictures of scenery, hike, snowboard, camp, go off-roading, or just forget about “reality”. In the summers they enjoy traveling around the states to watch and compete in diesel truck drag racing events (NHRDA) where they have made lots of memories and friends for life. When the weather is nice they spend their Sundays at the dog park with their favorite little girl, Nika.

What Bryan loves about Ashley?
“Ashley is unlike anyone I have ever met.  Over the years, she has become my absolute best friend and the one person I can turn to when life is attacking me from every possible angle.  To this day I can’t explain how she does it, but when I come home to her at the end of a hard day, the sight of her can make even the worst day imaginable better in the blink of an eye.  To this day, I can’t think of a time when she didn’t put someone else’s needs in front of her own.  This kind of selflessness, honesty and loyalty are extremely rare in this world, and it’s what makes me want to spend the rest of my life with her”.

What Ashley Loves about Bryan?
“What I love most about Bryan is the way he makes me laugh; and that he has that capability at any possible moment, horrible as it may be. I love that he has so much respect and love for his friends and family and would drop anything on a dime to help them out, without asking for anything in return. I love the way he looks at me and always makes me feel beautiful inside and out, even when I have my doubts. He is a hard worker and always strives to push himself further than he thought imaginable, which has brought him some amazing opportunities in life! I love that he shows all the traits to make an amazing future-father to our children”.

Why they chose The Bella Sera:
“We chose the Bella Sera for a few reasons. First reason being the beautiful atmosphere and the initial “wow” factor when we first walked in. Second was after we spoke with the leading lady, Elisabeth. When we saw her passion and love for this business she had us sold.  She explained our options and we decided the Belissimo package was as “worry free” as a wedding could possibly be! She spent countless hours with us over email, phone and in person which proved to us that she truly had our best interests in mind. You can’t find this type of service and honesty with such a beautiful end result anywhere!!! In our personal design sessions, she helped us transform the Bella Sera into the romantic, warm, glowing and elegant setting we had imagined”.
“Our guests said the food was awesome, it was a unique and beautiful ceremony and reception space, it was an extremely organized event, and the party was so much fun!!! They noticed how attentive Elisabeth and Mark Alison the photographer were, and how amazing they are at their jobs”!

Ashley’s advice to other brides:
“Remember this is your day, so don’t let anyone step on your toes, as you can’t please everyone. This day only happens once so don’t hold back on the things that are most important to you, everything always works out in the end”!

Some of the most memorable moments of our wedding day…

The look on Bryan’s face when he first saw his bride!

The girls getting ready in the dressing room singing “I’m sexy and I know it” if any of us started to tear up and become all sappy (happened more times than I can count).

Mark Alison steaming my dress, lol:

Bryan’s best man, Andrew Dornbush, coming into town from Phoenix, AZ for our wedding, which wouldn’t have been the same without him!

Seeing the Bella Sera come to life after our hard work and planning, just beautiful, it seemed unreal.

Dancing the night away with everybody, we had some talent out there!

And mostly, all the loving support from our family and friends who came to join us! Just magical!

Our families said that is was the most beautiful wedding they had ever been to and all the hard work paid off!  We would not change a thing”!! “We could not have chosen a more beautiful venue, perfect day, or better people to share our wedding with”!

Thank you!!!!!
Ashley and Bryan

TEAM OF EXPERTS: Wedding Photography: Mark Allison Photography / Wedding Venue: The Bella Sera Event Center / Lighting: Lighting and Design by Scott: Wedding Designer: Elisabeth Montoya-Bella Sera/ Catering: Bella Sera Catering / Floral Design: Ashley and her bridesmaids / Décor: Bella Sera Event Center Bellissimo Package / Linens by: Amelia’s Decorations

The Bella Sera, Wedding Reception Sites near Denver Colorado (Brighton).

Couples are drawn to the charm and romance of Bella Sera’s Grand Staircase, candlelit dinner receptions, and our one-of-a-kind romantic ceremony ballroom. They also love that there are dozens of unique outdoor backdrops to capture gorgeous, creative photographic images. Check out just a few in this blog post!

Who doesn’t love outdoor wedding images of a bride and groom surrounded by nature, interesting and creative backdrops, beautiful flowers, vintage brick buildings or mountain scenery? But planning an entire wedding ceremony and reception to be held outdoors can come with risks. Will it be too hot, or too cold, or too windy for my guests to be comfortable?  Depending on how the weather is on your big day, or how strong the wind is blowing, your guests could be placed in a situation wherein the only things they can remember of your wedding are the discomforts that they experienced. Wind is one of the biggest challenges for outdoor weddings in Colorado, causing décor to blow away, preventing guests from being able to hear the ceremony, overall discomfort, and let’s not forget about your hair and veil.

Bella Sera offers the best of both worlds for photography with Brighton’s charm of a farm town, lots of unique historic buildings, old downtown rustic backdrops, beautiful parks, railroad tracks and much more. Many of our couples have chosen to incorporate these backdrops into their photo plan.

Bella Sera is located in the heart of an Old Historic Downtown. There are dozens of rustic backdrops all within walking distance from the venue. The Tuscan charm of the Bella Sera, inside and out, creates the perfect combination of indoor and outdoor backdrops for every wedding regardless of weather conditions.

Since 2006 Elisabeth Montoya and The Bella Sera Event Center have been the driving force behind the annual Foster Children’s Bike Event. The event raises funds so Elisabeth’s organization can get brand new bikes, helmets, and locks for foster kids every summer. To date, this event has put over 500 bikes in the hands of foster children in the Brighton, Colorado area. The 5th Annual Foster Children’s Bike Event, held on Saturday, September 17th, helped put smiles on dozens of kids faces.

“I would love for more people to know about all the kids in foster care and what an amazing difference it has made to these kids to have something that is “brand new” and something they can call “theirs.” It’s incredible to see the reactions you get from these kids.  They are so grateful and it gives them so much freedom…especially if they are teenagers.” said Elisabeth Montoya.

In 2012, Elisabeth will be hosting the 6th Annual Foster Children’s Bike Event which is always looking for donations or groups of people who might want to pitch in and sponsor one child with a new bike and accessories.

For more information please visit The Bella Sera Event Center or contact Elisabeth via email at: elisabeth@thebellasera.com

Ben and Amber Burnett  ~ September 23, 2011

Their story began in Northern Colorado where Ben and Amber met while both working at FedEx. Ben a driver, and Amber an office manager, Ben began visiting the office a lot more frequently asking for office supplies, copies and anything else he could come up with just to see Amber. He soon found the courage to ask her out, and the rest is history. They have what it takes to make a great relationship thrive. They have different temperaments, yet similar interests and they love everything about each other.

When it came to their wedding style, they had a very clear vision for what they wanted which was, in their words, “classy and clean”. They chose Black, White and Plum, with hints of Silver. To keep it classy and simple the only flowers we used on their centerpieces were white orchids, and the bride selected white roses for her bouquet. For a “wow factor” her flower baskets were made of white roses, but she decided to fill them with red rose petals to add just a touch of pop to the overall ceremony decor. Their inspiration for the plum color came from a magazine photo of a dress, and they fell in love with the rich color. It was a challenge to match, but Bella Sera had the exact plum satin linen and it came together beautifully.

When it comes to wedding cake, it used to be a tradition to place many small cakes on top of each other as high as possible so newlyweds would then try to exchange a kiss over the top of the tower of cakes without knocking them down. Then frosting was introduced during the reign of King Charles II, and it was more than common for the bride and groom to get a face full of cake and frosting on their wedding day. Ben and Amber chose the latter. They geared up for this occasion with custom made bibs and safety glasses.  They made bibs out of black satin and decorated them to look like a tux and a wedding dress. They added a personalized touch by including safety glasses to the outfit – the exact brand Ben has to wear every day while at work. Let the cake smashing begin! They went at it, and the guests loved it!

Other personal touches the couple included was to have their ring bearer carry an antique box with a mini skeleton key instead of a pillow.  This inspiration came from their love of antique stores, and they actually purchased Ben’s ring at an antique shop in Estes Park. Their toasting goblets were given to them by the bride’s grandmother and included delicate charms on the base of the goblet.

The couple originally wanted to get married in the mountains.  However, when they saw the Bella Sera, they said they knew there was some competition.  They ultimately decided the Bella Sera was the place because the venue offered the best package and the atmosphere and décor were unlike anything else they had seen while searching for the perfect location.  As they stated, “We had no regrets about not choosing a mountain location, we loved our day!”

Words of advice from the bride…

1) ” If you are doing your own hair, pick a very simple style. I didn’t have a plan and took too long which caused me to not get any pics before the wedding”.

2) “Pick someone who is not in your wedding in any way, and have them make sure all of you ducks are in a row.  Let them in on your plan”

“All and all, everything we did for our wedding came together beautifully and we enjoyed every moment”.

THE TEAM OF EXPERTS: Wedding Photography: Mark Alison Photography / Wedding Venue: The Bella Sera Event Center / Lighting: Lighting and Design by Scott: Wedding Designer: Elisabeth Montoya-Bella Sera / Cake: Mother of the bride; designed and decorated by Amber / Floral Design:  Bride Amber/ Linens & Chair covers: Belinda’s Creations at Bella Sera / Décor Embellishments: Bella Sera Event Center / DJ: DJ Rodriguez  / Catering: Bella Sera Catering /

Several years before their wedding on July 15, 2011 Fernando and Nichole met at a party given for a mutual friend. What makes this couple so special is their big hearts and that they both love being with their families and friends entertaining and cooking for them. Nichole said Fernando was easy to fall in love with – always kind, never mad, always happy, never sad, so how could she not fall in love? Fernando loves cars, the Broncos and to be around family. He fell in love with Nichole because of her outgoing personality, her independence and hard work ethic, that she’s a great listener with a big heart and of course – her beauty.

Nichole is a stylist and loves doing hair, so she had this crazy idea to style all of her bridesmaid’s hair for her wedding. Her advice in hindsight is…”Don’t ever do this on your wedding day; it wasn’t such a good idea after all.” She ended up being the last one to get ready and all of her girls had to pitch in and help her. Thank goodness she had four stylists in her wedding party or her guests may have been waiting for a while before the ceremony could start. They had a very large wedding party. Her eight bridesmaids included her daughter, sister, niece, cousin and her best friends. Fernando was surrounded by eight groomsmen including his best friend, Nichole’s family members and several of his buddies.

David’s Bridal is where the bride found her gown. She said it was not something she would pick out by looking at it on the hanger. The woman at the shop said, “this dress looks like you”. So she tried it on and fell in love with it and the flowers and how it looked on her. The first thing her family said when she walked out with it on was “that dress is you all the way, it’s the one.” They were right!

The most important thing to the couple was having their family and friends there on their big day to celebrate with them. Seeing their mothers light the unity candle was very touching, as it represented the joining of the two of them starting their lives together. The bride’s mother made the cake. Nichole said “the cake was all my mom; she had the idea for it and I trusted her. It came from my mom and I loved it.”  The real “icing on the cake” was when the bride got to dance a special dance with her young daughter.

In terms of wedding style, colors and overall décor, the couple chose chocolate brown and coral because they loved the colors together and felt it was warm and represented their warm-hearted personalities. They wanted it to be very elegant and welcoming and they felt is was ‘just that’. Nichole said “Elisabeth, the owner, was as excited about our wedding as we were; we didn’t know what we wanted in terms of overall décor, but thanks to her she pulled everything together and we couldn’t be more thankful.”

“From the moment I walked into the Bella Sera I knew this was the place for us; they went above and beyond to please everyone” Nichole said. They both felt the staff got to know them in such a welcoming way, and they were made to feel like family. They were so pleased with their choice.

All of their friends were amazed and emotional when telling them what a great job they did on the wedding, which made them feel really great. The bride said her aunt wont stop talking about the beautiful wedding she went to at Bella Sera, and she still tells everyone about it.

THE TEAM OF EXPERTS
Wedding Photography: Mark Alison Photography / Wedding Gown: David’s Bridal / Wedding Venue: The Bella Sera Event Center, Denver, Colorado (Brighton) / Wedding Designer: Elisabeth Montoya-Bella Sera / Cake: The Bride’s Mother/  Linens & Chair covers: Belinda’s Creations

When it comes to the design and the “look and feel” of their wedding, many couples do not have a clear vision of what they want at the time they get engaged. This was not the case with Brandi & Cory who’s “Reverse Wedding” with Zen flair completely amazed their guests. They had a clear vision for the overall look of their wedding ceremony and reception at Bella Sera, and we simply complimented their vision with design and décor ideas included in our Bellissimo Wedding Package. Their reverse element idea was to have all guests wear all-white attire or white with khaki, while the couple stood out in brilliant colors of red & black. The Zen elements would be dispersed throughout.

All felt the anticipation of the wedding ceremony, as the groomsmen opted for a casual game of poker while the bride and her bridesmaids were busy sharing memories and posing for lots of gorgeous photos together.

As Brandi walked down the staircase, all eyes were on her with amazement. Her unique, brilliant red wedding dress was truly memorable and one the guests, and her groom, will never forget. Nothing could have complimented her more than to see Cory, the groom, by her side in his stylish black tux, long cravat tie, and bold red vest. The reverse effect they envisioned was unique and beautiful, and made for a very personalized wedding that was both meaningful and memorable to them. All eyes were definitely on the couple, as their bold colors stood out against the calm white background of their guests’ attire. A personalized monogram with their initials accented the overall look of their wedding ceremony, and made for a beautiful touch in their wedding photographs.

A Zen feel was incorporated on some of the reception tables and in their sand ceremony, while other centerpieces had more drama and softness through the use of height and fresh flowers. Elements of Zen Design were also accomplished with the clean lines, lack of bling and the peaceful, inspiring look of the river rocks in ocean blue tinted water with floating candles. The entire reception ballroom was illuminated with red lighting. Red represents beauty and is inheritently exciting, while providing grounded ness, trust and belonging. Guests were amazed as the dinner ballroom was unveiled and all attention was drawn to the beauty of the room and the special attention made to every detail on the dinner tables. And grand head table. The wedding party and newlyweds dined at an extravagant grand head table that was set under soft flowing white fabric and was the focal point of the entire ballroom.

A wedding wouldn’t be a wedding without some fun elements. Guests laughed and thoroughly enjoyed the personalized grooms cake as it was uncovered just before the cake cutting. Cory being a real estate expert, loved the personal attention his bride made on his cake and the play off  “Just Sold.” Guests also enjoyed four delicious varieties of M&M’s along with a slice of their gorgeous modern styled wedding cake.

We were thrilled to be a part of this very special and unique celebration for Brandi and Cory and wish them lots of love and laughter… as well as many “Just Sold” signs in their future.

Wedding Cake: Tanya Gardner / Wedding Florist: Shannon Ellers / Wedding Photography: Mark Allison Photography / Wedding Venue: The Bella Sera Event Center / Lighting: Lighting and Design by Scott: Wedding Designer: Elisabeth Montoya-Bella Sera/ Catering: Bella Sera Catering / Linens & Chair covers: Belinda’s Creations  / Décor: Bella Sera Event Center

When a photographer has a good understanding of natural light, the results can be amazing. Such is the case with these beautiful photos taken with soft ambient light shining through the Bella Sera’s windows. Each highlights just how beautiful and artistic wedding photographs can be with the proper use of lighting. When photographing in natural lighting, a lot of it comes down to timing and angles. Light is often the essential ingredient in a compelling and beautiful image versus one that is merely average. These photographs feature just a few of the gorgeous shots taken by our Preferred Photographers, Mark Alison Photography and All Digital Photo & Video. See for yourself how their attention to detail coupled with skilled lighting techniques
create these gorgeous and spectacular images.