Q & A with Sarah Cook

Wedding Date: 9. 28.2020

Planning a wedding with the current state of the world that we now know as our day-to-day life can be difficult. There are still hundreds of couples trying to prepare for their upcoming weddings. Plans are still being made, and vendors are still needing to be booked. We thought it’d be a good time to give answers to wedding planning questions you didn’t even know you had. To do this, we reached out to Sarah Cook (now Sarah Riehl) one of our favorite September weddings, to help us help you, plan your big day.

1) What step would you recommend future brides to put additional focus on when planning their weddings? 

“I would honestly recommend enjoying the process. I know it seems dumb, and hard to do because once you are in the thick of it, it’s hard to just take a step back and remember that you are marrying your best friend. There are a lot of things that go into planning a wedding, but the planning process is something you will miss once you are finished with it. Once a week, just take a moment and remember why you are planning a wedding.”

2) What song do you think got the most people on the dance floor? 

“I think our first song to open up the dancing got the most people out, and right away! We used Whitney Houston – Wanna Dance with Somebody! Classic, but fun!”

3) Which was your favorite vendor you selected and why?

“My favorite vendor was definitely our DJ. We used Hampton Entertainment. I chose them at first because they are an all-female business, but stayed with them because the owner, Courtney, was amazing. Our DJ was Sarah, and she was nothing short of exactly what we wanted. She took the time to meet with us during planning to get to know my husband and me. She also helped with our rehearsal. Just when I thought I couldn’t ask for much more, they also threw in the lighting option and the Photobooth. Clutch.”

4) Why did you select WS over other potential venues?

“Honestly, I found Warren Station while trying to find an affordable venue in the mountains. I completely hit the jackpot. Not only is it the most affordable venue in Summit County, but the landscaping around the venue is breathtaking! Once we had our tour, we knew. The layout is perfect! The amphitheater is set so everyone can hear, and a venue inside that holds just enough people for party time! The only con was not living anywhere near the venue while planning.”

5) Any advice for brides who have selected our venue (inside scoop if you will)- planning tips, ceremony time, outside ceremony hacks, decoration, bar, etc.

“A few secrets:

– With an outdoor ceremony, the only thing you can plan for sure is to go with the flow with the weather. Mother Nature can’t be stopped, so…plan but also plan to throw out the plan.

– If you are planning on staying in the village, get a condo at The Springs. The path out from the hotel leads straight to the bridge to walk over for the ceremony! It’s a great place to hide from the Groom before. (also, the pools are awesome).

– Definitely spend as much time visiting the venue and the surrounding areas if possible! The village has so much to offer, and Keystone is larger than you might think. Wandering through the village will help you guide guests on things to do while they are there to celebrate because most of your guests will come to stay for a few days!”

6) Any travel planning tips for guests coming to the mountains?

“Pay attention to when you are getting married. I-70 has travel restrictions on the roads for most of the year because of snowfall. Keep tabs on the weather and make sure your guests are informed on the necessary precautions for travel. Let them know to pack for several weather possibilities, and to remind them of how much of an elevation gain they are experiencing. Also, most of our guests were from out of town and needed a gentle reminder to take it easy when it came to drinking. (Warren Station was excellent at informing our guests that alcohol affects people differently when they are in altitude).”

7) Any other mountain wedding planning suggestions?

“- Do a wedding welcome bag for guests as they check-in for the weekend, if you have time, obviously. This was a special touch that I got a lot of compliments on. It was a lot to take on (I cried at least twice over some of the items in the bag), but so worth it!

– We got a place to house the entire wedding party the week

before the wedding up until a couple of days after. Best decision. Most of our wedding party was from out of town, so it was nice to have everyone in one spot.

– Research travel options for people who cannot rent a car! Also, look up my wedding website on Zola if you need inspiration or help! A wedding website is the best way to communicate with your guests the information that they may require!”

Planning a wedding is tough, even on a good day. We hope that these tips and suggestions will help you through the thick of it. Happy planning!