Tiara Rado Golf Course

Rehearsal Dinner

Orchard River View

Wedding Day | October 11, 2024

Wedding

Cocktail Hour

Dinner + Reception

Our Wedding

WHERE IT ALL BEGAN...

Melissa: I first was introduced to the idea of Ryan at the end of our friend groups bible study one Tuesday evening. The girls in the group were all gathered on the floor sharing all the parts of our lives, when one of my best friends, Kayley, said "OK, so...I want to introduce you to this guy". I proceeded with a quick "who?!". She said, "His name is Ryan, I saw him at a Chamber event! When I looked at his Facebook, he also used to work for the Rockies, so I think it's perfect!" Upon learning that the two had never really spoken, I was highly skeptical. Kayley proceeded to help me friend Ryan on Facebook and that is where the story ended...for about 3 weeks. Kayley and I were at her house enjoying taco's and margaritas as a late birthday celebration for me, which led to her finally convincing me that I NEEDED to meet this guy. I (we) mustered up the courage to message Ryan to meet for coffee and 20 minutes later we were texting back and forth about the millions of things we had in common. We set a date for a week out to meet up and quickly moved that date to the next day. We enjoyed the fanciest of Five Guy's burgers together and talked for hours. A few weeks went by and I left for a girls trip to Mexico, followed by Ryan's family taking a vacation to Mexico the week after. When he landed in Grand Junction, I eagerly went to his house to see him again. I was greeted by roses &amp; Reeses (smart man!) and he made things official and we decided to pursue each other by dating. From both attending CMU and working for the Rockies, to our love for running, sports (though one may love sports slightly more than the other ;)), our aligned faith and love for cooking - as the saying goes, the rest was history. Ryan is far more than who I prayed for endlessly and could have imagined in a future husband. He loves people well and seeks to know them deeply. While dating Ryan, I quickly learned that he is a man of integrity who fears the Lord. It did not take long for me to see how genuine he is in his care for others, as I quickly became the recipient of his unwavering love. I am excited to grow, learn, experience, cry, laugh and wake up every day next to his side. Every point of my journey up to meeting Ryan instantly became so worth it. I've been reminded of the Lords goodness in bringing us together and I cannot wait for the continuous joy that is to come.

Ryan: I met my amazing Melissa on a source of technolgy that I hardly ever use… social media! It was a lonely, cold Friday evening in January and I had huge aspirations of going to bed at the late hour of 8:30pm! Before brushing my teeth and washing my face, I made the courageous effort to see what the ole Facebook had in store for me (which usually entailed sharing Avalanche commentary with my Papa in Florida!). As the home screen popped up on my phone, I noticed I had a messenger alert (which most the time just comes from my family). But no! This time it came from a girl who friended me about a week back. Like most first encounters I quickly started to scout out, aka creep, on Melissa’s facebook page before responding back to her. Instantly, I was taken away by how beautiful she was in her pictures and that many of her photos revolved around her being with friends, family and co-workers. After some more scouting about where she was from and what her back ground was, I noticed pictures of her working at Coors Field with an offical badge around her neck! Right then, I had a sense that this girl could be something special to me. After about 15 minutes I messaged her back. What a wonderful decision! I instantly received a response back from her and at that point I already felt comfortable with Melissa, so I gave her my cell number. The converstion lasted another 30 or so minutes that evening, but from what was originally a cold, dark night became the start of a relationship I’ve been only dreaming about. Melissa’s story basically covers the rest :) However, for the better part of 15 months I've eagerly awaited and coveted the greatest feelings, thoughts and motivation to be Melissa’s husband. Her unyeilding values in her faith and family are what has driven me to her more than anything. Her selflessness and care for others is second to none and the way she strives to help others is unmatched of anyone I’ve ever seen.  She may still not believe it but she’s my true inspiration and my rock for what God’s plan is for us. I couldn’t be any more blessed to have a women who prioritizes putting God above anything else and trusts in Him to give us a great marriage.  From watching sports (not screaming at sports!) to the recreational activities, I have loved it all. It’s impossible to explain how excited I am to be married to Melissa and knowing our deepest values will never cease to change. That is the love we have for God, our families, our friends and for each other!

We are so excited to celebrate with you all as we begin this next chapter of our story. We cannot think of better people to begin our marriage with than those who have watched us grow up and have greatly impacted our lives. We love you all! With love,Ryan &amp; Melissa

Our Story

Photos

Wedding Party

Q + A

We do not have a room block at any specific hotel in the area. We recommend airbnb's in Palisade or any of the hotel accommodations below. Grand Junction is a 15-minute drive to Palisade.

Wine Country Inn Palisade

Courtyard by Marriott Grand Junction

Doubletree Hotel Grand Junction

Explore Palisade

Palisade is one of our favorite places to hang out! We highly encourage you to venture around Colorado's own Wine Country! Here are a few of our favorite places :) - The Palisade Peach Shack- Blue Beryl Winery- Carboy Winery at Mt. Garfield- Talbott's Farm <a href="https://www.visitpalisade.com/wineries-to-try" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">View more Palisade Wineries</a>

Travel

Things to Do