A Vibrant Summer Wedding at The Oaks at Plum Creek Golf Club - Castle Rock Colorado Photography

Sarah and Diego's story began more than 23 years ago, when they met for the first time in a Westland Baptist Church youth group. It was a typical Y2K preteen place to make up silly jokes and explore the popular new Hot Topic and Orange Julius. While they were both part of the group, they didn't interact much together. Sarah was far too busy being cool and Diego was a big of a shy nerd. A short time later, the church dissolved and everyone went their separate ways. Diego ended up joining the Air Force and Sarah began a career in hospitality.

But their story didn't end there. Twelve years after youth group, they each received an invitation from a mutual friend who was getting the gang back together. A handful of the original group showed up to a restaurant on Larimer Square to reconnect and share about their lives, including both Sarah and Diego.

During the wonderful night of reminiscing, Diego casually mentioned that his goal for the year was to become a better dancer. Sarah was already into the dancing scene, always going to classes for swing, salsa, and country dancing. She invited him along, so one night they enjoyed an outdoor swing dancing class in the courtyard of Little Man Ice Cream – a local favorite. They danced, had the salted Oreo ice cream (yum), and watched the movie that was being projected onto the brick wall. It was the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

They quickly became inseparable. While they were dating other people, their relationship continued to grow and evolve. When living situations changes, they even became roommates as their lives and personalities were already so intertwined. Being foodies who loved trying new things and thriving on spontaneity, they realized that they simply existed together. Sarah decided to fulfill the dream of adopting a dog, so sweet 12-lb Remy came into her life. He quickly burrowed his way into Diego's heart as well.

One day Sarah announced her decision to begin yet another long-awaited adventure: moving to California! She vowed to never fall on ice or put mini boots on Remy ever again. This inevitability and the idea of leaving the good friendship they had built caused them to question the roles in one another's lives. Then one night after a long stressful day, over a couple of cocktails, they had to face a hard discussion of what they wanted out of life. That night, Diego made the bold, gin-fueled choice to admit that Sarah is what he wanted. Luckily, Sarah felt the same way. They shared a first kiss in the kitchen where so many meals and memories had been made. Then they panicked.

After many weeks of soul searching, not wanting to ruin their close friendship, they came to the decision that they were meant to be together. The decision for Diego was simple: he would move to California too! They began planning the big move and then BAM. The COVID pandemic hit and threatened to ruin their romantic plans of running away together. They took a leap of faith, packed up their belongings, and made their way to sunny San Diego. While they had another year of one-and-off long distance, they came out stronger and more in love with each other.

In September 2021, Sarah and Diego traveled to Colorado to celebrate their anniversary. Sarah wondered if he would propose with the ring she picked out a year prior, but he played it cool, convincing Sarah it wasn’t happening yet. They enjoyed a delicious anniversary dinner at a favorite restaurant in Larimer Square. After dinner, they strolled down memory lane nearby until Sarah spotted a large sign with flowers and twinkle lights that read, “Forever starts here. Sarah, will you marry me?” The “yes” was implied as she was too swept up in the moment. It took Sarah a few moments to realize that some of her oldest and closest friends were there also to celebrate the moment with her! Diego had been planning with them for months and coordinated having the sign, lights and a photographer friend there to capture that magical moment.

These two chose the beautiful Oaks at Plum Creek as the perfect backdrop for their big day. Their vision was a mix of Brazilian carnival vibes with black tie classic beauty. Everything came together beautifully with vibrant tropical florals and classic clean decor. Diego was all smiles and a few tears when he turned around to see his beautiful bride during their First Look. They included handwritten vows and made french press air-roasted coffee from Kaladi Coffee as their unity ceremony. Every single detail was well-planned and meaningful.

The couple's biggest wedding planning advice: "Don't try to pack too much into the day. Build in buffer time so you can relax before running to the next thing. Give your MOH and BM an essentials kit (lipstick, eye drops, water, etc.) to keep nearby so you don't have to run to the suite multiple times. Ask all vendors to check with you or your planner to make sure everything is right before leaving. Don't spend too much time talking to any guest so you can talk (briefly) with more of your guests. If they want to take pictures with you, let them know the photographer will get it (for time's sake)."

Vendor Dream Team:

venue // The Oaks Plum Creek

planning & coordination // L Elizabeth Weddings and Events

flowers // Anthia Floral & Design

sweets // No Cow Bakery

officiant // ReverendKim Tavendale

comedy // The Stick Horses

hair & makeup // Origins Salon, Raina's Hair Design, Beauty by Dolly

ring // Brilliant Earth

dance lessons // First Place Dance Studio

groom's attire // Zeglio Custom Clothiers, ALDO Shoes, Soho Style

dress + accessories // Luv Bridal, Prevue Formal and Bridal, David's Bridal, Lulus