Married on Aspen Mountain

Kelly Ann McColm and Daniel Conal McCarthy of Aspen, Colo., tied the knot at the top of Aspen Mountain on June 6, 2015.

The pair first met when Kelly Ann moved to town a few years ago from Texas, introduced by way of mutual friends back home who thought they would click. They were right – she and Dan hit it off instantly and started dating soon afterward.

After several years together, when the timing felt right, Dan popped the question while on vacation in Naples, Fla.

“He made me think we were going on the trip for his birthday,” she explained. “We were walking along the beach to dinner one night and he completely took me by surprise by proposing at sunset! We were meeting his parents for dinner afterwards and when we walked into the restaurant, my parents and best friend from home and her husband were sitting at the dinner table with his mother and stepfather. Dan had surprised me even more by surrounding us with our loved ones on that special evening.”

Having made many memories on Aspen Mountain from picturesque days in the summer and winter, they knew it would be the perfect setting for their big day.

“We wanted our guests to enjoy the beautiful, breathtaking views that the wedding deck has to offer,” Kelly Ann added.

Guests traveled from all over the country for the special occasion, stretching from their hometowns of Boston, Mass., and Fort Worth, Tex, to Washington DC, San Francisco and Los Angeles, Calif., Florida, and even London, Eng. A contingent of Aspen friends was also in attendance.

The wedding weekend began on Thurs., June 4, with a welcome party at the Bison Bar at the Grand Hyatt, catered by the Caribou Club. The rehearsal dinner on Friday night took place at the Caribou with late night dancing and cocktails afterward. On Sat., June 6, guests boarded the Silver Queen Gondola to arrive at the ceremony atop Aspen Mountain in full view of Highland Bowl. The cocktail reception followed in the Aspen Mountain Club with dinner and dancing in the Sundeck.

For the décor, Kelly Ann and Dan went with an upscale mountain chic theme, choosing turquoise and gold accents. “Beth from Aspen Branch came up with an overgrown wildflower design with bright colors and an authentic Aspen feel,” Kelly Ann added. “The weather was incredible – all four seasons in an hour We started up the gondola with rain, got to the top of Ajax with snow and as I walked down the aisle, the clouds parted and the sun came out for a beautiful summer sunset.”

For their honeymoon, the happy couple will be taking a beach vacation to Bora Bora.