A Magical, Snowy Micro Wedding in Colorado

We love a winter wedding! ❄️ And Velia + Evan’s intimate Colorado celebration in the snow is a perfect example of why.

Environmental visual artist Velia De Iuliis + actor Evan Holtzman (who you’ll recognize from the Glen Powell film Hit Man) planned a magical micro wedding that embraced all the cozy, chilly, intimate romance that a wedding in the winter is best for. And these pictures from Tamara Hogue capture it all so beautifully.

“It was a really difficult decision, but in the end we chose a micro wedding because we wanted to focus on the intimacy of the marriage ceremony and hold space for this new chapter,” the couple says. “It was also important to us to be married surrounded by nature, and Dunton Hot Springs was the perfect location for a white wedding.”

The bride wore a show-stopping embellished strapless gown. There was a beautiful blanket of snow on the ground. And the 12-person guest list meant that the couple got to enjoy every moment with the friends + fam they’d asked to come to Colorado and share their snowy wedding day with them.

“Choosing a micro wedding allowed us to absorb all the small moments of the weekend and spend quality time together,” Velia + Evan say. 

Let’s take a look at their winter wonderland wedding!

“On our wedding day,” the couple remembers, “we woke up to a fresh blanket of snow.”

Very into Velia’s square toe lace up wedding boots from Daniella Shevel.

“I tried SO many dresses on and in the end, I bought my Galia Lahav dress online, having never tried it on! It was a risk, but I had a feeling about it,” Velia says of this strapless stunner of a wedding dress. “My Mama actually found it which was all the more special.”

“I was looking for a dress that was elegant, complimented the snowy surrounding and felt like a second skin. When I put the dress on, it made me feel so beautiful and strong. It was magical seeing everyone’s reaction to the fit and style of the dress, especially the embellishment on the bust. I love it!”

Evan kept things sophisticated for this snowy day with his black velvet Paul Smith wedding tuxedo and shoes from Too Boot New York.

“In the beginning, I felt the pressure of all the expectations of what our wedding would/should be like,” Velia says. “Amidst countless opinions and suggestions, I feared losing touch with our vision. However, the decision to pivot to a micro wedding and discovering our dream venue alleviated the stresses I had been experiencing, reigniting my excitement for the wedding planning journey.”

A Snowy Ceremony

Golden Hawk Protea created the whimsical florals that added bursts of color + life to the snow-covered ceremony setup.

Our Musical Choices
Processional
Since we got married in the snow, I asked my maid-of-honor’s husband to play the acoustic guitar as I walked down the aisle. He chose "Better Together" by Jack Johnson. It was perfect.
First Dance
This was a hard one. We have a lot of “our” songs but the lyrics weren’t really appropriate for a first dance. In the end, we went classic with “Can’t Help Falling in Love “ by Elvis Presley.

Our Favorite Memory
From the bride: "The week leading to our wedding we had serious concerns as Colorado was expecting to have a record snow fall and we were all traveling to remote Dunton Hot Springs, CO. As serendipity would have it, everything fell into place and we ended up having the winter wonderland wedding of our dreams. As Evan and I said our ‘I do’s’ snow flurries fell down around us. It was magical!

Also, dancing late night on the saloon bar top, where Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid had etched their names, while hiding out from a bank robbery was pretty great too."

We are absolutely obsessed with Velia’s pearly bridal headband from Lelet NY! Winter wedding perfection.

And those elbow-length white leather wedding gloves from Fratelli Orsini! Chic and practical!

“I also sewed my own neck scarf with the trim from my wedding dress,” says Velia, “which complimented my Galia Lahav dress so nicely.”

It’s no secret: we have a major crush on Galia Lahav and what the brand does with a bridal silhouette. Check out this enchanted Tahoe wedding, this red carpet mansion wedding, and this charming California wedding for even more gorgeous Galia Lahav brides.

Velia’s wintery white + greenery-filled bridal bouquet was created by Adela Flora.

When it came to wedding bands, Velia went with an antique ring and Evan chose to wear his grandfather’s.

“Because we were such a small group (12 guests), I let everyone have full freedom to wear what they liked,” Velia says of the day’s winter wedding guest attire. “It so happened that the group naturally gravitated towards dark tones creating a very cohesive look.”

The biggest perk of planning a micro wedding according to Velia? “I was able to really absorb all the small moments and take the time to sit and enjoy our joined families.” Our guide to how to plan an intimate wedding is a helpful place to start if you like the idea of a smaller guest list like Velia + Evans.

“I feel like Dunton Hot Springs really mirrored who we are as a couple and our adventurous spirit,” say Velia + Evan.

Definitely check out our collection of 29 Magical Micro Wedding Venues Across The US if you want to see even more jaw-dropping spot to host a smaller celebration.

So into the icicle-like glam of those wedding earrings by Freya Rose!

Thank goodness Velia tossed on this chic, cropped bridal jacket! We were getting chilly just looking at the pics! 🥶

A Celebration at the Saloon

“The reception and first dances was held in the beautiful saloon which is steeped in history,” the couple says. “It was actually the hideout for Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid after their bank robberies and you can find their names etched in the saloon bar top.”

Our Advice
From the bride: "Stick to your gut! In the beginning, I felt the pressure of all the expectations of what our wedding would/should be like. There are so many opinions, factors and suggestions being proposed that I felt like my intuition was lost in the abyss of choice. I was losing many nights of sleep, feeling like I would never find the right destination that met our requirements. We realized that the large wedding everyone expected from us was simply not what was right for us. Finding the courage to pivot and coming across the wedding venue of our dreams as a micro wedding, released all the stresses I was feeling and I regained the excitement of the wedding planning journey. Do what fits you best as a couple."

“Enjoy every moment!” Velia says. “I loved how intimate our wedding was. I was able to really absorbed all the small moments and take the time to sit and enjoy our joined families.”

Something Cute Co. knocked it out of the park with this small but stunning floral wedding cake.

Congratulations, Velia + Evan! Your Colorado micro wedding was pure winter magic. GWS wishes you both all the best!