River Bend Lyons Colorado Wedding | Madison + Thomas
Tucked away in the foothills of the Rockies, Lyons River Bend Wedding Venue in Lyons, Colorado is a venue where nature and modern design meet in perfect harmony. Nestled along the St. Vrain River, it’s a place that feels both serene and grand, with towering redstone cliffs, shady mature cottonwood trees, and the gentle sound of water winding through the property.
Couples are drawn to River Bend for its unique mix of natural beauty and thoughtful spaces. The ceremony site is set in a shaded grove with a big backdrop of rock faces and mature trees, offering a peaceful and intimate backdrop for exchanging vows. Just steps away, an open-air amphitheater along the river provides sweeping views and plenty of room for guests to gather, surrounded by the lush landscape.
For the reception, River Bend hosts dinner and dancing in their brand new modern celebration space. The expansive, light-filled hall pairs clean architectural lines with warm, welcoming details, while large doors open out onto a spacious patio. For this wedding Madison and Thomas opted to have their dinner on the patio and had their dance party inside the building. Out on the patio, guests can mingle under string lights, enjoy the mountain air, and watch the river flow as the celebration continues into the night. There is plenty of space on the grounds of the property to folks to get away from the loud music of the dancefloor and sit around firepits or along the creek and enjoy a more serene and relaxing environment to catch up with old friends and family members from afar.
It’s this combination—wild beauty, intentional design, and seamless flow between indoor and outdoor spaces—that makes River Bend is an incredible option for your Colorado wedding venue.
Madison and Thomas’s wedding was filled with thoughtful details that told their story in the most beautiful way. Madison’s engagement ring was a true treasure—an intricate vintage style piece that carried with it both character in the center circular stone with emerald cut sunburst style stones surrounding it. She paired it with a gorgeous full length wedding gown with a train that was fitted with a corset and a flared skirt on the bottom for a very vintage modern feel. There were other accessories gathered through a mix of thrifting and family heirlooms, giving guests and family members the option to pick from various broaches to add to their own attire and fit the black tie theme of the wedding. Each piece felt intentional, as though the past and present were stitched together in the details of her day.
Thomas’s style shined through in his modern black suit, paired with a brightly colored boutonniere, a small work of art in itself. Instead of a traditional single bloom, his boutonniere was crafted with a mix of colorful florals and touches of gold, tying into the whimsical, sculptural aesthetic of the day. It was a detail that spoke volumes about his personality—refined yet vibrant, timeless yet unique.
Even the paper goods reflected Madison and Thomas’s creativity. Their floral invitations, printed on waterproof material, were not only stunning but also practical for a riverside celebration. I loved being able to photograph them directly in the river that winds through River Bend, letting the water, stone, and light frame them in a way that felt completely connected to the venue itself.
Madison is a fellow photographer so the bar was set really high for the wedding day and especially the portraits. I really appreciated that we could get some more classic shots but she allowed me to experiment a bit and wasn’t afraid to pose and do some more editorial style portraits. I think “pose” can be a really dirty word in the wedding industry but I think the real secret is that everything that your photographer is having you do is posed whether you know it or not! Their direction even for candid moments is setting up a scene that is posed. That doesn’t mean that it is not candid or real but simply set up in a way that looks good.
The ceremony space is in a paved area underneath big trees so the lighting is perfect at all times of day, and easily accessible for guests from the parking area and the reception building. I really love that the River Bend in Lyons also features a large indoor space so if there’s any bad weather there is an option to go inside and still have a gorgeous ceremony. You don’t realize how valuable that is until it’s pouring rain. Or in our case it was about 100 degrees this day so being able to retreat into the cool AC was a really nice bonus after being outside for ceremony and photos. At night it cools off so nicely because of the proximity to the foothills.
A few highlights from this ceremony I love:
The Groom walked both his parents and her moms down the aisle
The couple switched places at the beginning of the ceremony so her guests could see her, and his guests had a clear view of him.
At the start of the ceremony the officiant had everyone take out their phones and get the opportunity to take a photo of the couple prior to the start of the unplugged portion of the ceremony. I appreciate when people are allowed to get photos because they are SO excited to see the couple at the start of the ceremony and I genuinely want people to share the joy of taking photos.
The couple literally danced down the aisle in excitement after the ceremony. I just LOVE love.
The florist KM Florals and Events absolutely knocked the vision of this wedding out of the park with her textural, brightly colored, and mixed medium fruit and floral arrangements. Similar to the clear invite suite the florals were “floating” on clear acrylic stands flanking either side of the ceremony pad. Florals layered tall to create lots of volume while cascading ones reached down the stands to create a ton of spill over effect. Another layer of depth was mixing in fresh fruit which matched the color palette of each arrangement. Bright orange cherries, lemons, limes, berries, oh my! Absolutely hands down some of my favorite florals to date!
The reception tables were outside on the patio which I absolutely loved because you truly get that Colorado mountain air at night. Listening to the rushing stream along the river while you bask in the love, dances, and speeches of your loved ones; nothing better.
As far as decor and themes go I would love to call this one: Vintage Garden Party Tarot. All the plates and cups on the table were thrifted by the couple so each and every place setting was individually selected and personalized to each person. I also appreciated seeing different drinks in all different cups and a variety of floral vintage plates perfectly set for dinner service. Whimsical florals brightly displayed on the tables carrying the sky high florals gorwing up and draping down along the table. Blueberries were strung in a way that made them look like a work of art among the florals while adding a pop of color and some texture along the table settings. Name cards were hand selected Tarot cards that predicted the near future of guests (with some of the more intense and negative ones removed from the deck) so that each guest could look up their fortune during dinner. The final piece that tied it all together was the cake with a hand made “Lovers” Tarot card on the topper that symbolized lasting love and good fortune for the newly married couple. Perfection.
Dances are down by the river in the amphitheater and allows guests to use the full gamut of the property (it’s large!). It’s so romantic to have first dances along the river with the steps where people can sit and easily watch from a seated position. At the end of the dances I appreciate that the DJ invited people to join in. There’s something so magical about seeing couples slow dance together during a wedding that gets me every time.
To end the night: we party.
Vendor Team:
Planner: Viva Events
Venue: Lyons River Bend
Photographer: Madeline J Studios
Florist: KM Flowers and Events
Catering: Fresh Plate Catering
