Indian Lake State Park

Michigan Wedding Celebration

Schedule 

First things first - throwing a wedding during the uncertainty of a pandemic leaves us extra cautious and aware. With everyone's best interest in mind and in order to keep all of our guests safe and healthy, we kindly ask that you are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 if you are attending our wedding. Thank you for understanding ❤️ Next up - Crested Butte sits just under 9,000 feet in elevation. We want you to feel your best while you're here, so we recommend drinking LOTS of water &amp; remember to take it easy - you're on vacation after all! If you plan to hike or even just walk around town, make sure you have some water to keep that altitude sickness at bay. Also, sun screen is a must - the sun is intense up here! And lastly, you never know what the weather will be like in the West Elks in early June so bring those layers! We recommend throwing in that rain jacket and light puffy coat or fleece and leggings, just in case! Our contact info: Eliza (920) 629-7670Ryan (719) 439-3626

Important Information

As told by Eliza ... The first time I met Ryan was in 2008. It was my first winter in Crested Butte and a crazy record snowfall year. I was a lift operator working the bottom of the Paradise chair and as a new girl who had just moved to town, my favorite thing to do was to chit chat with locals in the lift line. I remember Ryan and his friend, Adam, coming through quite often. Neither of them had ski poles (weird) so they would scoot their way up to the load board in their long, baggy jackets. We introduced ourselves and continued to share smiles, one liners and brief pow skiing stories throughout the winter. Fast forward to 2013 - Ryan and I are at different points in our lives and run into each other outside the annual beer and chili festival on the hill. We exchanged numbers and I eagerly said that I'd be in touch. As expected, I made the the first call (and the first move!) Ryan played a little hard to get at first...but nevertheless, I persisted! After a few dates on and off the ski hill, I finally won over his sweet heart. On New Years Eve of 2013 we smooched at midnight and the rest is history in the making! The moment I knew that it was true love? Ryan patiently waited to ski with me on a deep, deep powder day and every powder day since 😍

Our Story

Photos

Here's the long and short of it - Crested Butte isn't exactly the easiest place to get to. But we promise it's worth it once you get here! And we couldn't be happier that you are coming to our little bit of paradise in the mountains to celebrate with us. Below is a list of a variety of airport options. We encourage you to take a moment and explore all flight options, you never know what you'll find out there for affordably priced tickets. Most of these airports will require you to rent a car to get to the valley. Once you get here, there is a great FREE public bus that runs throughout the day and night. This is a great option for us all to get to and from the bars, restaurants, shopping, wandering about town, etc. The Gunnison to Crested Butte bus schedule is listed <a href="http://www.gunnisonvalleyrta.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a>.The Crested Butte to Mount Crested Butte schedule is listed <a href="http://www.mtnexp.org/schedules-routes/summer/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a>. Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or need advice on anything!

Predominantly, DIA offers the most affordable flight options &amp; most major airlines fly into this airport. It's about a 4.5 hour drive to the valley from Denver.

Denver International Airport

The Gunnison airport is a great option, though maybe not as affordable as others. This airport is located 30 minutes south of Crested Butte.

Gunnison–Crested Butte Regional Airport

Montrose is a little over an hour away from the valley. Smaller airport, but potential to find good deals on flights.

Montrose Regional Airport

Grand Junction is on the western side of the state and is about 3.5 hours from the valley.

Grand Junction Regional Airport

Travel

There are a variety of hotel options in Manistique: <a href="https://www.choicehotels.com/michigan/manistique/quality-inn-hotels/mi421?mc=llgoxxpx" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Quality Inn &amp; Suites</a> <a href="https://colonialmotelmanistique.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Colonial Motel</a> <a href="https://www.choicehotels.com/michigan/manistique/econo-lodge-hotels/mi711?mc=llgoxxpx" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Econo Lodge Hotel </a> <a href="https://www.choicehotels.com/michigan/manistique/comfort-inn-hotels/mi168?mc=llgoxxpx" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Comfort Inn</a> <a href="https://www.airbnb.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">AirBnb</a> <a href="https://www.vrbo.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">VRBO</a>

Places to Stay 

Spring in the Gunnison Valley is such a beautiful time and allows for plenty of things to do. The town of Crested Butte offers great strolling and shopping; Elk Avenue is the main street and has a variety of coffee shops, restaurants, art galleries and stores, great spots for cocktails and beer, and plenty of benches and decks in the sun. Walk up town or catch the free Mountain Express. Check out the schedule <a href="http://www.mtnexp.org/schedules-routes/summer/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a>. This bus runs every 20 minutes throughout town and up the mountain. There are numerous rivers, creeks and the Blue Mesa Reservoir nearby for those of you who want to cast a few lines or get onto the water. SUP and raft rentals are available in both Gunnison and CB. Hiking in early June is a must in the valley - the fresh green leaves against the lingering mountain snow is quite the sight to see! Information on hiking can be found here: <a href="https://travelcrestedbutte.com/crested-butte-hiking-guide/." rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://travelcrestedbutte.com/crested-butte-hiking-guide/.</a> For an easy/moderate hike from town, check out the Lower Loop or the Woods Walk. For a wide, paved trail with gorgeous views, head to the Recreation Path that will lead you up to Mount Crested Butte. And bring those mountain bikes! Trails will definitely be dry on the south end of the valley (Hartman Rocks, Signal Peak) and at the north end, there should be a variety to choose from (depending on snow melt!) Check out <a href="https://crestedbuttemountainbike.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://crestedbuttemountainbike.com</a> and <a href="https://gunnisontrails.org" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://gunnisontrails.org</a> for more info.

Things to Do

Registry

Join us on Sunday, August 28th at Indian Lake State Park in Manistique, Michigan! Something to keep in mind for those unable to make it to the CO wedding, we are planning a casual party in the U.P. to celebrate with some of our fellow Yoopers/Midwesterners and anyone else wanting to make the trip to our new home in the U.P.We would love for you to join us there!! Please check back for more details ❤️

Eliza & Ryan

Eliza & Ryan

Registry

Please know that your presence at our wedding is the greatest gift we could ask for!! The time, effort and expense of traveling to be here with us is something we deeply appreciate in our hearts. However, should you wish to help us celebrate with a gift, our registry is below. xoxo