Astrid and Julian Kirschenbaum were wed in Aspen in September, 2010. Astrid shares a few of her favorite moments with us here.
Why did you choose Aspen to tie the knot?
We chose Aspen because both Julian and I grew up going to Aspen, and our families both love it. We were both in Powder Pandas as kids. We also lived in Aspen for two years after graduating college. Julian was a ski instructor for the Aspen Skiing Company in Snowmass, and I was a yoga instructor at O2 Aspen.
Getting married at the top of Aspen Mountain wasn’t even a question. Having the welcome party at The Little Nell as well was the perfect way to start the weekend with as much luxury as possible and really set the indulgent mood.
How did the weekend work?
My mom did all the planning. She’s amazing. She made it so stress-free and easy that it felt like a breeze. We had a six month engagement and were limited on dates, so my mom came up with the idea of getting married on a Friday. It was GENIUS. This way all the weight was lifted off of our shoulders the second night of festivities, and we could really enjoy the third night (which was a hoe down at the T Lazy 7 Ranch on Saturday).
Thursday at Montagna was cotton candy/raw bar/oxygen bar/ice sculpture/fireworks! We wanted an “Aspen chic” kind of vibe, so we pulled out all the stops that evening to really get people excited. The fireworks were a semi-surprise (I saw the announcement in the newspaper a few days before, and all the yoga teachers were announcing it at O2 when I came in for yoga).
Friday was romantic/rustic/elegant. I went with what I thought would be best for the space and what I love, so there were tea lights, chandeliers, pink lighting and lots of white drapery. We used the dress as inspiration, which was a large madras of cream, blush, gold and shades of beige.
What were your favorite memories of the weekend?
A fox came right up to us during the exchange of the rings… and stayed until they were through. We thought of it as the presence of my late father and Julian’s late grandfather. (My mom often has a fox visiting her in Palm Beach, relaxing on her chaise lounge.) There were also two hawks flying overhead during the ceremony.
The food was incredible… amazing trout and a wonderful peach dessert. We danced in between the four courses and had a toast for each. It was a great way to space out the evening. The service was impeccable, and many of my guests told me that after the wedding.
We also had perfect Aspen weather. It was crisp and clear, with leaves as yellow as they get! Having lived in Aspen for two years, I know this was really perfect. We had a wonderful wedding.
Photography: Alice Koelle Photography; Venue and Catering: The Little Nell; Wedding Planner: DL Event Planning
