Welcome Gathering

July 4 Parade

Black Mountain Lodge at Arapahoe Basin Ski Area

The Big Event!

Ski lift ride up to the venue

Ceremony

Cocktail hour

Dinner and Dancing

After Party

Boat Brunch

Our Wedding

Well, 10 or 20 years is quite the span, isn't it? Originally, we met in Atlanta in 2006 at a friend's party. That was when Ron worked for a different airline than the one he works for today, and before he moved back to his home state of Colorado. Ron brought Matt out for a mountain adventure in the spring of 2007, for a little hiking in the snow in Rocky Mountain National Park. We did get a little lost, cold, and wet... and for some reason, Matt decided to not come back for a second visit. Fortunately, that adventure wasn't permanently scarring, and Matt moved to Colorado in 2010. and Ron moved back from Montana in 2014. Late in 2015, Matt posted on social media that he had the next January off, which got Ron's attention. We were already going to Palm Springs for the NGPA (National Gay Pilots Association) convention. Ron had plans to go to Tahiti afterwards, and Matt instantly agreed to join. (And what happens in Tahiti stays in Tahiti) Then we headed to Lake Tahoe to ski with friends, then onwards to Japan to ski, and finally back through Ron's old home of Hawaii. We called this trip the Big Pacific Tour. The fact the Matt was willing and open to this crazy itinerary was an awesome sign to Ron, and this started our life of crazy adventures over 10 years ago….and hopefully plenty more! ❤️

Our Story

Photos

Friday July 3 — 6:00 pm to 10:00 pmWelcome GatheringSaturday July 4The Big Day!Sunday July 5 — 10:00 am am to 1:00 pmBrunch Boat Cruise on Lake Dillon

Welcome Gathering: Friday's Welcome Gathering will be held at Bluebird Market in Silverthorne. There are around 8 different food stalls, plus a central bar area, where you can grab your favorite food and drinks, and meet and greet friends and family. A local band is scheduled to play live music from 6:00pm to 8:00 pm.

July 4: The town of Breckenridge hosts an <a href="https://gobreck.com/event/independence-day-celebration/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Independence Day parade</a> from 10am, and we will be there to watch! Meet us on the parade route in front of <a href="https://maps.app.goo.gl/5VnnMob2G7Spwj1J9" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Blue River Bistro</a>. Parking will be in high demand, so arrive early, or plan to take the free Summit Stage buses into town. Click <a href="https://gobreck.com/event/independence-day-celebration/#full_width_content_6" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a> for more parking and transportation info. Restaurants in town will likely be packed, so we might take the free gondola to Breckenridge's Peak 8 base area for lunch. From there, you can take advantage of more <a href="https://www.breckenridge.com/explore-the-resort/activities-and-events/summer-activities.aspx" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">mountain recreation offerings</a> like alpine slide, ropes course, mountain coaster, and more.

Sunday Brunch Boat Cruise: Ahoy! Join us for a relaxing cruise on a flotilla of pontoon boats as we sail around Lake Dillon. Brunch and light refreshments will be provided. Meet at the <a href="https://maps.app.goo.gl/jmM9QyngbsQbGQym9" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Dillon Marina</a> at 10:30 (high demand may require a second wave of departures). Plan to return ashore by 2:00 pm.Swimming is not allowed in Lake Dillon, so dress like a casual landlubber or in your favorite yachting wear. Ron awards extra points for crazy costumes!

More Event Info & Links

Arapahoe Basin is approximately a 90 minute drive from the center of Denver, so if you prefer, you can attend our wedding and return that night. You may also choose to stay in the area to enjoy the weekend's festivities and explore all the activities that Summit county has to offer. The area is a year-round playground, so there is an ample selection of small hotels and AirBnb lodgings to choose from. A top tip for our friends from "the flatlands": The venue we have chosen is at an elevation of 11,500 feet above sea level. The air is crisp but lacking the level of oxygen your body is used to. Even the fittest of visitors may find that spending a day or two in Denver will help them acclimate to our rarified mountain air. We will have a supply of canned oxygen at the events, which may provide relief of the symptoms of altitude sickness.

Lodging Ideas

We expect guests will have a range of travel needs, so we haven’t reserved a hotel block. Please start your search on AirBnB or VRBO soon—lodging fills up quickly on summer weekends in the Colorado high country. If you plan to take advantage of our party shuttle, we highly encourage starting your search in Keystone's River Run Village area. If you prefer hotels, there are several national and local options in the towns of Dillon, Silverthorne, and Frisco. For larger groups or families, a friend recommended The Block Silverthorne (an elevated hostel-style option) — we haven’t stayed there ourselves, but it may be worth investigating: <a href="https://theblocksilverthorne.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Block</a> . (Its location is not ideal if you plan on taking the party shuttle from River Run Village.)

Party Shuttle

We know lots of you will want to get your party on on our special day, but of course, we also want you to be safe, and we don't want anyone to run afoul of the law at the end of the night. Therefore, we will offer two party shuttles providing transportation from River Run Village (Keystone's main village) to the venue. For efficiency, we encourage you to arrange lodging in this area if you plan to take advantage of the shuttle, but we can facilitate other pick-up/drop-off locations around Summit County if there is sufficient demand. We encourage you to designate a sober driver, make new friends, and form carpools for travel up and down the mountain. There is ample parking at the Arapahoe Basin base area. Bear in mind that Uber, Lyft, and taxi service isn't as readily available as what you might be used to in larger cities.

Travel

Things to Do

If you'd like to know what food selections are offered before you complete your RSVP, you've come to the right place! We will do our best to make sure everyone's tastes and dietary restrictions are accommodated.

Matt & Ron

Matt & Ron

Photos