Grant Humphreys Mansion Wedding Denver | Dorian + Nathan

Historic Mansion meets Luxury Garden Wedding

Nestled in the heart of Denver, the historic Grant-Humphreys Mansion provided an unforgettable backdrop for a wedding that was equal parts timeless elegance and heartfelt intimacy. The mansion itself is located in the heart of Capital Hill in Denver making it centrally located for guests visiting Denver and those who already reside in the area. It is owned by the city of Denver as a historic asset but allows weddings on the premises throughout the summer months. This enchanting celebration wove together rich personal details, historic beauty, and artful touches that spoke volumes about the couple’s love story and values.

The day would simply not have gone on without the incredible planning team at Velvet Chaos who delicately put together every detail of the day. Seriously - there were so many details to keep track of and this planning team made the feat look effortless.

Getting Ready Details

Being with close friends and family is important when it comes to getting ready for your wedding day and this venue provides the opportunity to get ready on site which is such a luxury these days. Dorian had her makeup done by the talented Nicole Toledo who was able to do all the makeup for her and her friends upstairs in the masion near lots of natural light windows. The upstairs features lots of seating for everyone to be together and comfortably enjoy one another’s company.

The other getting ready suite is just across the hall so it is easy to stay hidden from one another when getting ready, while providing lots of space for the grooms party. I walked into Nathan and his boys watching a college football game and talking about golf while enjoying each others company prior to getting ready.

The First Look: A Moment of Intimacy

Prior to guests arriving we had the opportunity to enjoy the outside of the venue where there is a small park, a terrace with beautiful architectural columns, and a fountain that is surrounded by mature trees and the gorgeous backdrop of the Grant Humphreys mansion itself. Nathan was shocked and so overwhelmed seeing Dorian for the first time in her wedding dress, and had a lovely moment basking in the excitement of their upcoming wedding day shared with one another, family, and friends. We had clouds passing over us which created a beautiful soft lighting for the first look and portraits to follow.

Historic Garden Ceremony

The setting of the ceremony itself is in front of the mansion where guests are seated on the lawn looking up at the regal half circle shape of the front stoop where couples stand on the top of the steps for all guests to see. Wedding goers were greeted with champagne upon their arrival and enjoyed a sip of bubbly prior to heading to their seats for the start of the main event - the ceremony.

I liked that D+N did things a little differently for their processional. Rather than having everyone come down the aisle, the officiant, wedding party and groom came in from the front of the ceremony so guests watched them walk in from directly in front of them. Dorian had her grand entrance down the aisle with her father, following the adorable flower girl wearing white and tossing petals along the aisle.

They also had a ring warming ceremony where guests were able to see and pass their rings around during the ceremony to say a blessing over the marriage and become intertwined in the story of their love.

After vows and a heartfelt poem reading, the rings came back to the couple for the finale of the ceremony. A ring exchange and a first kiss as husband and wife conclude the ceremony. Another really unique thing was that D+N did not make their way down the aisle but rather did their kiss, and a theatrical dip front and center and proceeded to walk through the doors as guests had a view of them the entire time. I appreciated the variety and thought that went into the processional and recessional to ensure guests had a view of the couple the entirety of the ceremony based on the way the ceremony was set up.

Portraits in the Mansion

We got to do our portraits in two sections which was really fun to be able to break up not only the time we had taking portraits, but also the setting. During first look we were outside taking photos on the lawn, with the exterior of the mansion and highlighting the architecture. After the ceremony guests remained on the terrace outside so we were able to take a few portraits inside the mansion with the beautiful interior design including wood details, antique furniture, historic art and painting and dramatic lighting.

Dinner and Dancing:

After the ceremony, guests enjoyed cocktails and bites to eat on the terrace of the mansion before being invited inside for dinner. My favorite thing about couples doing their first look before the ceremony is that we are often able to make enough time in the schedule that they can go greet guests at their cocktail hour. Rather than doing a grand entrance at dinner time, D+N made their grand debut during cocktail hour and greeted guests just shortly after the ceremony concluded.

With the threat of rain approaching, guests were invited inside where they picked up handmade watercolor place cards with their names on them as a gift and table setting. The watercolor details were very personalized and thoughtful as a way to include color, art, and a gift for each person.

Dinner was a beautiful spread of multiple meat options, potatoes, veggies, and lots of salad and bread. Occasions catering absolutely knocked it out of the park for this one. I think I finished my meal in record time because it was so deliciously prepared. Speeches continued through the night with lots of laughter, a few tears, and many heartfelt and personal stories that drew guests into the experience of the night.

First dances were a surprise to everyone as I found out about 5 minutes prior that the groom was a trained dancer and had all the elegant moves to dip, spin, and show off Dorians beautiful dress for their first dance together. Nathan’s mom surprised us all during her mother son dance where she interrupted their dance and invited “all Nathan’s mothers” up to the stage including a variety of her best girlfriends who helped her raise him along the way. She noted that she wanted to include them because “it takes a freaking village!” to raise a child. All the women surrounded him in a circle and basked in the moment of the beautiful community of women who supported one another while raising their children all together. Talk about getting by with a little help from your friends!

A Cigar Bar

No wedding would be complete without an absolute banger of a playlist and a lively night to polish off an extra special day all together. DJ Dancing shoes DELIVERED on the party and the music throughout the night with a jam packed dance floor that never had a single minute of looking sparse.

Finally, the cigar bar on the patio outside was a perfect hangout where guests could snag a celebratory cigar and chat with one another while enjoying the lively atmosphere of the party. A detail included was a watercolor painting of the venue itself on custom matchbooks provided specifically for the cigar bar. We polished off the night with some flash portraits on the patio with drinks in hand and lots of love between the couple enjoying all their loved ones surrounding them on their special day.

The Team:

Photography – Madeline J Studios
Event Planning – Velvet Chaos
Venue - Grant Humphreys Mansion
Floral - Dahlia Dream Floral
Catering – Occasions
DJ – Dancin Shoes
Hair – Clementines
Makeup – Nicole Toledo