A Snowy September Wedding on Aspen Mountain

Back in December of 2011, Meghan Sharkey was working at a startup in New York City that shared an office space with a social-media advertising company. Which meant that Arthur Greene sat right behind her. “We hit it off and became fast friends,” she says. “After a few months of happy-hour drinks after work, one simple kiss changed everything.” By July, their relationship was official. Four years later, Arthur joined Meghan and her family for their annual trip to Lake Ontario for the 4th of July.

Weather has a way of marking events in the couple’s relationship, and their September 23, 2017, wedding was no different! The couple spent over a year planning their celebration in Aspen, which was held at the top of Aspen Mountain with a ceremony on the Wedding Deck and dinner and dancing inside the Sundeck at the Little Nell. “Rain was in the forecast all week, and I was so nervous about how that would compromise our ceremony,” Meghan says. But as she and her bridesmaids boarded the gondola to the top of the mountain, the rain turned to snow, creating a magical setting that turned their early-fall celebration into a wintry one.

Keep reading to see more of their Aspen wedding celebration, as planned by Bluebird Productions and captured by Eric Kelley.

Instead of the golden aspen leaves that they expected in September, Meghan and Arthur treated their guests to spectacular views of snow-capped peaks.

Meghan has a soft spot for gnomes, so she had the little men make appearances throughout the day, hiding them inside welcome bags and even the bathroom at the reception.

“I knew that I wanted a dress with long sleeves but had thought I’d choose more of an A-line skirt,” says Meghan. “I was surprised to fall in love with such a fitted silhouette!” Her Pronovias gown was covered with floral lace and featured a sheer neckline. She paired the dress with a crystal-embellished champagne belt and a cathedral-length veil.

Arthur wore a light-gray suit with a special navy-blue tie by Kind Design. “The ties had a topographical print of Aspen Mountain on them,” says Meghan.

Meghan’s bridesmaids matched in navy-blue dresses by Hayley Paige, which they topped with faux-fur wraps. “The wraps ended up being a lot more useful than we’d thought!” the bride says, laughing. All of the women carried bouquets that combined ranunculus, roses, and hypericum berries.

The ceremony took place at the top of Aspen Mountain—at an elevation of 1,212 feet! There, Meghan and Arthur stood before an arbor wrapped in greenery and copper-toned blooms.

Meghan’s father walked her down the snowy aisle just as the whiteout was becoming soft flurries. By the time she reached Arthur at the altar, the clouds had began to part! “We wrote our own vows, and as soon as we started to read them, the sun came out,” Meghan recalls. “It was absolutely magical.”

After the snowy ceremony, guests headed inside the Sundeck for the reception inside a warm (and now sun-filled) space. Guests found their seat assignments on folded escort cards attached to Aspen tree branches.

At dinner, bare farm tables were decorated with artichokes and pomegranates tucked between blue taper candles, while round tables were accented with arrangements of dahlias and ranunculus in shades of red and pink. The Little Nell is known for its incredible restaurants, and their team delivered at the wedding as well. “It was some of the best food we’ve ever eaten,” says Meghan of the meal, which included butternut-squash soup, arctic char, braised beef short ribs, cheesecake, and pumpkin pie petit fours.

Ground Control from Élan Artists took to the stage, playing a high-octane show that kept the dance floor packed. They played “Free” by Zac Brown Band as the first dance and also did a rendition of “Mustang Sally,” in honor of Meghan’s mom, Sally.

Looking back on her big day, Meghan has some advice for brides-to-be planning: “You put so much time, effort, and energy into planning a wedding, so when the day comes, make a promise to yourself that you’ll go with the flow and enjoy it,” she says. “Once the wheels are in motion, there’s nothing you can do anyway! And who knows... sometimes the most unexpected surprises are the best ones!”

Wedding Planner: Bluebird Productions || Venue & Catering: The Little Nell || Bride’s Dress: Pronovias || Bride’s Veil: Toni Federici || Bride’s Shoes: Badgley Mischka || Bride’s Jewelry: Custom Haute Bride || Hair: Salon Tullio || Makeup: Vanessa Vieni || Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Hayley Paige || Groom’s Attire: Ralph Lauren || Groomsmen’s Attire: Suit Supply; Kind Design || Engagement Ring & Wedding Bands: Hearts on Fire || Floral Design: Bare Root Flora || Paper Products: Poste || Cake: D’Elissious Cake Studio || Ceremony Music: Silver City Strings || Reception Music: Ground Control from Élan Artists || Rentals: Premier Party Rentals, Pink Monkey Solutions || Live Painting: Agnes Russo || Videography: Elysium Productions || Photography: Eric Kelley