Wedding Season is Fully Upon Us

We are experiencing two to three weddings per weekend this month, and this trend will continue well into August, September, and October!

Every wedding is so unique, and every bride so lovely.

We already feel like we’ve seen it all, and there is no way anyone could surprise us.  With one wedding involving a horse as a part of the wedding party and walking down the aisle, another had Karaoke, and another played beer pong! 

We can’t wait to get some pictures of this year’s weddings, so if you’re a bride who was recently married here, or if you attended a wedding here, we would love to get some pictures.  Please send them to jnance@sundancemountainlodge.com.

New Quacks

Baby goslings have officially arrived at our pond!  It is as if, these fuzzy, little birds are announcing to the world, in their squeaky little quacks, that spring is finally here.  New life has begun!

The expectation of new life is in the air around here at SML.  We are finishing up more renovations on another building to nearly double the amount of rooms we already have available.  And wedding season is just around the corner, where we will see couples transformed into much more than just BF and GF!

All these new changes bring on a sense of expectation and excitement.  It is so interesting how the next season looks so much better than the current one.  We never seem to be quite content with where we are in life.  “The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.” 

But I think it is important to look into the future with this sense of wonder and excitement at what time will bring.  Perhaps it will be something as simple as brand new baby geese, or as grand as eternal marriage vows.

Whatever your future holds, be sure to find the simple joy in the newness of it all!

SML: The Underdog

The story of this hotel is a story of an underdog.  Sundance Mountain Lodge's story started out as a broken down, shattered hotel, with a bad reputation: the Falcon Inn.  Anyone who has lived in the Monument area for a while is well aware of the quality of the inn left in shambles. 

 ~Before~

 ~After~

People who stop by to take a look at our renovations tell stories of falling through floors, doors swinging wide open, and pay-by-the-hour rooms. 

When Gary Oakley (wedding photographer and owner of SML) decided to buy the Falcon Inn, recycle it, and turn it into Sundance Mountain Lodge, it was no small task.  Gary not only had to renovate the place, he had to change its poor reputation in the area.

 ~Before~

  ~After~

The former Falcon Inn had many obstacles to overcome before it could be called the Sundance Mountain Lodge.  The grounds were in serious neglect, and the ballroom had to be overhauled before elegant weddings and receptions could take place.

 ~Before~

~After~

Renovations are still taking place, and it is expected that another building will be done by this fall, providing an additional 24 guest rooms to our already 58.

It is so easy these days to give up on something broken; to dismiss the trash and throw it away.  But what a beautiful example to show our children-that you are not trash when you mess up; that broken things, and broken people can be renewed.

It is amazing to see how far the place has come in only two short years.  It is the hope that the recycling of this hotel will inspire others to overcome obstacles and be the successful underdog, the Hail Mary pass, and the Phoenix from the ashes.

An Evening of Wine and Nosh;

A New Take on Bridal Shows

Have you ever been to one of those stale, boring, cheesy bridal shows?  You know the ones, where you walk around and awkwardly approach vendors, and then watch an equally awkward fashion show. 

Well we want to change that.  All of us here at the lodge are getting so excited to host our very first bridal show together with Sara Viera Events and Magnifica Bella!  We will be serving complementary wine and tapas and giving out cigars to the special groom or father of the bride.  And no more vendor booths!  Instead, it will be a lounge-style atmosphere where you can sit down with a local business owner and just talk about your wedding over some delicious food and drink.

Wouldn’t it be nice to not feel pressured by a vendor?  It seems that cake shops and photographers are like vulchers, circling overhead as soon as you get engaged to feast on your limited wedding budget.  

And wouldn’t it be nice to narrow down the choices from a sea of wedding vendors?  At SML we want to help a bride make her day super special, in any way that we can.  And we think this bridal show is the perfect way to unobtrusively aid in that process, and have some tasty wine and appetizers while we’re at it!        

The bridal show will be on April 10 at 4pm and end at 8pm.  If you would like more information, email jnance@sundancemountainlodge.com.

We hope to see you there!     

Sacred Super Bowl

I recently watched an interview with Harvard Philosophy Professor Sean Kelly.  He said that when we watch sporting events, like the Super Bowl this past Sunday, we feel a sense of camaraderie that is almost sacred to our culture.  He said that by partaking in this social activity, and rising off the couch together, we get a small taste of what the sacred is, or should be in our lives. 

Even though this makes sense to a degree, it seems a bit silly to me.  I can’t help but laugh at the notion of a Super Bowl being sacred. 

But then I see the fans, hysterical for their own team.  And I see the players, in tears over the outcome of the game.  There is an emotional intensity in sports.  It is so hard to get past all the commercialism and media craze surrounding professional sports, that it’s easy to look past the simple truths portrayed in our American traditions.  Truths of loyalty, hard work, and determination run throughout the games.  Of course there are those players who play the game dishonorably, and conduct their personal lives shamefully.  But I think Sean Kelly was correct.  We can get a sense of what is sacred in our lives through seemingly silly activities.  We can connect to each other and choose the find more of the sacred in the world.

I know that this interview helped me to view the world, and the passion of sports fans in a completely new way.  I hope that it does for you too.  

Punxsutawney Predictions

The wind is blowing and the snow is falling in Monument and most of Colorado right now. 

This week, the little groundhog affectionately named Phil, “predicted” that we would be enjoying an early spring.  One more look out the window tells me that our faith in Little Phil is not well-founded. 

With every day being so cold and snowy, showing no sign of letting up, it makes me feel like I am actually living in the famous film, Groundhog Day.  The moral of this heartwarming movie is that Bill Murray’s character, Phil must choose to let go of his selfishness and let kindness rule his motives.  In a way, this is how we can overcome the chilly weather outside.  We can choose to put others ahead of ourselves, letting the warmth of kindness rule in our hearts. 

As the snow continues to fall and ice continues to form, take time to help others get through the winter more easily.  Shovel sidewalks and drive with caution.  Pull over to help stranded cars.  And take someone a hot cup of tea.  I have no doubt that this will bring on an earlier spring than the silly groundhog ever could.