A Creekside Picnic, a Secret Deck of Cards, and a Colorado Queer Engagement
Aidan (she/her) and Mikaela (she/her) both wanted to propose, so they each did. Their Colorado queer engagement came in two parts: a picnic on the edge of Bear Creek in Morrison, then a handwritten deck of cards slipped into the drink menu at Run for the Roses, the Denver speakeasy where they had their very first date. Along the way came color-coded spreadsheets, “honey-do” post-it notes and a long search for a beach venue in Mexico, where they fell in love.
A Colorado queer engagement that started with a Bear Creek picnic
Mikaela: Aidan and I both knew we wanted to propose to each other, but Aidan was adamant about going first. My proposal came later.
Aidan planned for weeks to make sure her proposal was just right. She knew she wanted to do it in Morrison, Colorado. This location was special because on July 12, 2022, Aidan noted in her phone that during a concert there at Red Rocks she knew she wanted to marry me (under a full moon).
The day of the engagement, Aidan told me she had a special date planned. I was driving and Aidan was trying to direct me to the location of the picnic setup from The Perfect Picnic, but we kept getting lost. Aidan was freaking out.
When we finally arrived, we walked down a flight of wooden stairs to a beautiful picnic on the edge of Bear Creek, adorned with flowers, champagne and decor. A sign sat next to the table that read “Next To You Forever”. “Next To You” by John Vincent III is our song (it became our first dance song at our wedding).
Aidan got down on one knee and I said yes! We sat next to the creek enjoying charcuterie and champagne, and watched a video Aidan put together of all of our family and friends counting down the days to the engagement.
A Denver speakeasy proposal at Run for the Roses
Eight months later, it was my turn. The day before Aidan’s birthday, I planned what Aidan assumed was a surprise birthday date. I ended up taking her back to the location of our very first date, an underground speakeasy in downtown Denver called Run for the Roses.
This fun cocktail bar uses a deck of cards to display its drink menu. I wrote on my own deck of cards and hid them in the drink menu deck while Aidan was away from the table. When Aidan opened up the drink menu, she found the deck of cards I had written. I proposed with a ring hidden in my jacket, and the staff brought celebratory champagne.
Our engagement meant the world to the both of us. We knew for the longest time that we were going to get married, and finally taking the next step towards that was extremely special. Aidan and I both found a way to tie our history and memories into both engagements that were unique and special. This was the beginning of our future, and what was important to the both of us was providing that experience we felt we both deserved.
Engagement ring shopping for a round diamond and an oval
We both proposed with rings! We purchased them off the same website, Keyzar Jewelry, and they both have the same setting type. Aidan’s is lower profile, mine is higher profile, and we picked out two different stone shapes. I wanted and have a round diamond, Aidan has an oval.
We shopped and visited multiple jewelry stores together to get accurate sizing and an idea of the style we each wanted. We would plan dates around ring shopping, and it made the process extremely fun.
Wedding planning on opposite schedules, with post-its and Excel
When Aidan and I were planning, we utilized The Knot and WeddingWire to search and find venues and vendors that were inclusive and fit our vision. We wanted to make sure the process was as easy as possible and organized enough for us to be able to communicate while we were on opposite work schedules (Aidan worked during the day and I worked overnight shifts). This difference in schedules led to creative communication through many “honey-do” post-it notes and decisions over text messages.
We started with an organization planner but ended up creating a multi-tab Excel spreadsheet. Each tab covered a specific category: one for the wedding party (their sizes, gifts, order of procession), the guest list (addresses, confirmation we sent the save the dates and invites, their seating arrangement, RSVP status), to-dos, inspiration photos, etc. It was color coordinated and everything (thanks to Aidan’s organizational pet peeves).
Finding an LGBTQ-friendly destination wedding venue in Mexico
Aidan did extensive research to identify potential vendors, with Google searches alongside The Knot and WeddingWire. We knew we wanted to have a destination wedding in Mexico (that’s where we fell in love), and on the beach.
We spent weeks comparing and contrasting private venues, locations and resorts to find the perfect match. Our primary concern was finding a location that was inclusive and LGBTQ friendly. We eventually came across Blue Venado on Paamul Beach. Looking through their photos and reviews, we discovered they had hosted numerous gay weddings. They eventually came to be our perfect fit!
A documentary-style wedding photographer for our elopement
Our engagement turned into our elopement. We brought our two dogs and Aidan’s son with us to sign our marriage license.
We searched for photographers who had previously worked with same-sex couples and had a documentary style of photography. We made sure the editing style matched what we found aesthetically pleasing and would be something we could look back on 40 years from now and still find beautiful.
After reaching out to a few photographers, we chose Alina! She immediately created a warm and welcoming environment that sparked even more excitement into our new chapter.
Captured by Alina Kay Photography
Engagement Rings Keyzar Jewelry
Engagement Vendor The Perfect Picnic
