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To Have and to Holden is our series where we interview real couples about their romance, weddings, and whatever else comes up along the way. Enjoy!
Sarah and Andrew had a Colorado mountaintop elopement this summer. For wedding rings, Sarah wore The Domed in yellow gold and Andrew The Hammered in white gold. Their day was magical - and that's including an unanticipated need for a tow truck. They're currently apart (Sarah is a nurse!), so they sat down at the computer and answered our questions from across the country.
How did you two meet and start dating?
Sarah
We actually met on a dating app! Our first date took place at this brewery called “Grandma’s House” that’s decorated... well, like a grandma’s house! They have vintage decor, games, and drinking vessels. Think: those glass Disney cups people collected back in the day, N64, UNO, and Connect Four. We went on a Sunday when they offered free cross stitching. So we sat, drank some beer, and made a mess out of thread.
How did you get engaged?
Andrew
Our engagement came to be after a long conversation about family and forgiveness. Sarah has inspired me to work on myself and all of my relationships. After realizing how important it was to forgive my mother, Sarah and I were both so happy and felt completely whole. We have been able to reach a place of incredible love and compassion for each other's entire being. I felt my heart heal and knew that I never wanted anyone else by my side. Sarah’s mother’s beautiful ring was on her finger soon after this conversation.
Tell us about your decision to elope!
Sarah
In true COVID fashion, we got engaged on September 3rd and got married on September 29th (I had to tell many family members and friends I wasn’t pregnant. Ha!). My parents knew each other for 4 months before they eloped. They were married for 38 years before my mom passed away in 2018 from pancreatic cancer. I had always leaned towards the idea of an elopement wedding. After my mom’s death, it pretty much sealed the deal of me wanting to elope. The idea of planning a big event, picking a dress, flowers, and decor all seemed like a painful reminder of who I’d be missing every step of the way...
Instead, Andrew and I wanted the day to be focused on the two of us and the love we share. Stress-free, easy, fun, and happy. We eloped with each of our best friends present and our two dogs as our witnesses — paw prints on the marriage license and all! After the vows, we had family meet up with us for some photos. We rented a large mountain house Airbnb for a handful of our friends and family to come celebrate afterwards. It was a Tuesday, so we had tacos catered and a small wedding cake that resembled a birch tree. It couldn’t have been more perfect.
What’s a moment from your wedding day that you’ll remember forever?
Sarah
We hired our elopement photographer and decided to do a 3 mile sunrise hike out to an alpine lake out here in Colorado. We rented a 4WD car to help us get to the trailhead. We had read reviews of the hike and knew the road could get rough. It was super early in the morning and pitch black. Maybe 15 minutes into the drive to the trailhead, the car slid back and went over a very large rock, causing the car to be lifted off the ground by the frame of the car... it quickly became clear we needed a tow truck.
Andrew
Thank goodness my best man was following behind us. We were able to drive back out to service and find a tow truck at 6:30 am. Sarah handled the setback like a champion. One more obstacle we worked together to conquer!
Sarah
After getting the car out, we ended up aborting the originally planned hike. Instead, we chose to drive to an area we were familiar with, which also happened to be where Andrew and I had our second date.
What’s some advice you have for couples planning a wedding right now?
Sarah
Everybody prioritizes differently. We eloped but still had all the fine details— velvet ring boxes, cute signs, and coordinating colors. Make your wedding what you want it to be and try not to get wrapped up in pleasing everyone else. In the end, all that matters is your marriage and the love you share.
Andrew
Don't overspend. Plan a wedding you'll love, but don't break the bank! What's most important is the two of you giving yourself to each other and the people there to support you. Everything else becomes background.
What was important to you in choosing a ring? What made you choose Holden?
Sarah
I love companies that think beyond numbers and profit and follow philanthropic ideals. When planning the elopement, Andrew and I tried to stick to small businesses and incorporate items we already had or could reuse at a future point in time. Holden's core beliefs aligned with ours and are what caught our attention from the beginning. Their customer service was extremely responsive — which was important since we were getting married after only 26 days of being engaged!
Holden had a ton of options to choose from and offered free engraving. We chose to get a line from one of our favorite songs engraved with the lyrics starting in my ring and finishing in Andrew’s. It may seem like such a small touch, but it brings forth so many emotions every time I see the words.
What does love mean to you?
Andrew
Love means total devotion - Accepting your partner for their strengths and flaws and helping them improve both! Love is consistent support even through the strongest disagreements. You provide a foundation for your partner as they continue to discover themselves in an ever-changing world. Love means tackling every challenge that comes your way and knowing your partner will always be there fighting by your side.
Sarah
Love is showing up, being present, and being seen. It’s keeping communication open and honest and striving for growth - both as a couple and individually. It’s having a life partner you can rely on. It’s taking things as they come - making the best out of a bad situation and turning it into laughter and a memorable story....love is also surprising them with chocolate ice cream in the freezer because the day prior they said they were craving it. : )
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