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2. real weddings
elevatephotography,katiewalker
92fall/winter 2014 T dlmweddings.com
Jen&KevinZaloudek
estes park’s flooding provided this couple with
a story to tell for a lifetime.
By alison roth
Planning a wedding is
difficult enough without an
addedbattleagainsttheelements.
Extreme flooding made 2013 an
especiallydifficult year for Colo-
rado brides. Jen and Kevin Za-
loudek were one of manycouples
scrambling, days before their big
day, to completelyrelocate and
re-plan their wedding due to the
extreme floods.
“Ihadreachedthepointwhere
I’dfinishedthelastbitofplanning
andwewerejustwaiting,”says
Jen.OriginallyfromTexas,she
movedtoDenveraboutnineyears
ago,andmethernow-husband,
Kevin,onaneHarmonydatein
2010.JenandKevin,aLittleton
native,heardabouttheflooding
inEstesPark,andquicklyrealized
thatitmightaffecttheirrapidly
approachingwedding.“Myheart
sank,notnecessarilyforme,but
forthepeopleofEstesPark,”she
says.“Iwasreallyoptimisticatfirst.
NeverinmywildestdreamsdidI
thinkthefloodwaterswouldwipe
outtheroads.”Littledidsheknow
thattheirweddingplanner,Mark
ChristopherofMarkChristopher
Weddings&Events,wasalready
workingonaplanB.“Westarted
seeingaerialfootageoftheroads
onTV,andthat’swhenIknewour
weddingwasintrouble,”saysJen.
From the moment theygot
engaged on a rainy10-mile hike
near Grand Lake, the couple
knewtheywanted to wed at
The StanleyHotel in Estes Park. “After about a month of planning on my
own, I realized I was completelyoverwhelmed,” says Jen. “That’s when I
hired Mark to help get me on track. I didn’t want anything to fall through
the cracks.” So when The StanleyHotel released Jen and Kevin from their
contract due to the severe flood conditions, Mark found the last two venues
available within a five-hour radius of Denver and helped Jen completely
re-plan the wedding in 48 hours. “I was contemplating getting married in
a school gym or backyard!” says
Jen. “But Mark found a church for
the ceremony, and luckilyone of
the available venues was The Ritz-
Carlton, Denver.” From the décor
to the food, The Ritz’s wedding
planners quicklyaccommodated
Jen and Kevin’s vision, and Jen got
to work helping wedding guests
find newaccommodations. “Mark
kept me calm,” she says. “He had
plan B in his pocket and I didn’t
even know.”
Allofthevendorscametogether
tohelpJenandKevinachievetheir
dream.“I’vealwaysbeeninspired
byoldartnouveauadvertisements
andarchitecturewithswirling
linesandsoftcolorcombinations,”
saysJen.“Sowepickedcream,gold
anddustyshadesofpinkforour
weddingcolors.”Asthewedding
dayunfolded,JenandKevinap-
preciatedhoweverythingcame
together.“Itwassuchamagical
day,”saysJen.“NeveroncedidI
thinkthisisnottheweddingwe
wanted.Itjusthappenedtobedif-
ferentthanIplanned.”
One of the couple’s favorite mo-
ments was when Jen met Kevin at
the altar. “I was so nervous walking
down the aisle until I faced Kevin,”
says Jen. “Then everyone disap-
peared; all mynerves went away
and I felt warm and calm.” Jen
wore her 100-year-old familyveil,
which was purchased in Brussels
byher great-great grandmother.
“All mylife I knewwhen I got
married that I’d get to wear this veil,” says Jen. “I was the fourth generation
to wear it.”
NowJenandKevinappreciatethedifficultiestheyexperiencedduringwed-
dingplanning.“Thewholethingwastrulyalifelesson,”Jensays.“Yougetso
caughtupinthedetailsandyoualmostlosesightofthebigpicture.Andwhen
everythingI’ddreamedofwastakenaway,themostimportantthingtomewas
gettingmarriedtomyhusband,whichistrulywhatmatteredintheend.”
something borrowed
Jen wore her great-great grandmother’s veil, which she restored with help from
the Denver Art Museum prior to the wedding.

3. “Itwassuchamagicalday,”saysJen.“NeveroncedidI
thinkthisisnottheweddingwewanted.Itjusthappened
tobedifferentthanweplanned.”
color clarity
Jen brainstormed many trendy color combinations, but wasn’t ready to commit until she found inspiration
in the color gold, with soft shades of pink and cream.
real weddings
93 dlmweddings.com T fall/winter 2014
elevatephotography,katiewalker
RESOURCES
Planner:
Mark Christopher
Weddings Events
Photographer:
Elevate Photography,
Katie Walker
CeremonyVenue:
Good Shepherd
Catholic Church
ReceptionVenue:
The Ritz Carlton, Denver
Florals:Bare Root Flora
Linens:
Chair Covers Linens
Bakery: Intricate Icings
PhotoBooth:
Red Door Photo Booth
Transportation:
Denver Limo
StationerySuite:
Reaves Engraving
Calligraphy:
Evette Goldstein of
prettywriting.com
Makeup: SteeletheSpotlight
Hair:
TheRitzCarltonSalonandSpa
Favors:
ChocolateLabDenver
Dress:
OlegCassini
lost found
It was important to Kevin that he and Jen wed in a
church, so Mark found one in downtown Denver that
fit their elegant wedding.
“Myheartsank,notnecessarilyforme,butforthepeopleofEstesPark,”Jensays.“Iwasoptimisticatfirst.Neverin
mywildestdreamsdidIthinkthefloodwaterswouldwipeouttheroads.”