Featured Wedding: A Family Legacy

This month’s featured wedding is a bit of a departure (in that the ceremony and the reception were not held at The Little Nell), but it was too beautiful a wedding/story not to feature it on our blog!

Barb Pfeifer and Simon Longacre were wed Sept. 29 in Aspen at the Pine Creek Cookhouse, located in the stunning Castle Creek Valley.

Barb Pfeifer is the granddaughter of Friedl Pfeifer who helped build Aspen as a ski resort after WWII. Friedl was a member of the Tenth Mtn. Division during the war, and while training, he came to Aspen and fell in love with its mountains and snow. He returned after the war and founded Aspen’s first ski school and helped build Aspen’s first chair lift.

The Little Nell has named one of our six signature suites in honor of Friedl with “The Pfeifer Suite,” so we were thrilled to hear that Friedl’s granddaughter wanted to spend her wedding night in the room named after her departed grandfather.

The lovely couple surrounded by fall aspen leaves. Photo credit: Hal Williams

So how did you meet?

We met five years ago the weekend before we started college at Colorado State. I didn’t know anyone besides my roommate that first weekend, and Simon was the first guy I met there. It was the only phone number I ever gave out in my life! He was my first boyfriend.

Why did you choose Aspen for your wedding?

We visited here a lot in college since my dad and sister live here (I grew up in Montana with my mom). We are just a mountain couple. We love hiking, climbing and Aspen itself. Our favorite tree is the aspen tree. Simon proposed in an aspen grove on a horseback ride. We’ve had a couple dinners at the Pine Creek Cookhouse and had biked up there… we just loved the area.

Barb took time before the ceremony to take photographs with her horse. Photo credit: Hal Williams

What was the most unique aspect of your wedding day?

I did photos with my horse before the wedding, which meant a lot to me. I have had that horse for a long time. It was there for my high school grad photos, college photos, was there for the engagement… it had to be there for the wedding!

Dancing away to Jes Grew. Photo credit: Hal Williams

What was it like being in a suite that had your name on it?

I had actually never been in that space before! My sister and dad had, and I had a picture of the door from a long time ago. It was cool. We got to the hotel very late after all of the dancing and fun, and Simon saw the plaque about Friedl explaining who he was and what he did for Aspen. We were so tired but elated to be there. The next morning we had all of our close family come over with the bridal party, and we did a big brunch in the room. It was such a fun family moment, made that more special with the memory of my grandfather.

Family and friends gathered inside the Pfeifer Suite. Photo courtesy of Barb Pfeifer

Any tips for other Aspen brides?

Definitely a wedding planner made my life easier! I work two jobs, and in the summer I work six days a week. I can’t say enough about how amazing a job Bluebird Productions did as our planners. They made it fun and eco-friendly too. The advice that I got that I took to heart was don’t sweat the small stuff. If you see something out of place, it doesn’t matter! No one will know but you, so don’t worry about it.

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Barb and Simon live in Glenwood Springs, Colorado. You can find Barb giving great outdoor advice at Summit Canyon Mountaineering, or working on a private ranch in Carbondale. Look for Simon driving the Snowmass Shuttle this winter and as a friendly Aspen Parks and Open Space Ranger in the summer. The two spent their honeymoon in Thailand. Want more of their wedding? Click here: http://vimeo.com/53772655. For more on the photographer, visit www.halwilliams.net.