After almost ten years of dating, Jenn and Ben knew what they were most excited about: having their closest friends and family together to celebrate their marriage. Their September 19 wedding at Highlands Alehouse in Aspen brought that idea into focus, with a mountain setting and a day built around their people.

Before the wedding, they described what they were looking forward to in their questionnaire:

“Having all of our close friends and family in such a special place to celebrate our marriage after almost 10 years of dating!”

That answer is the best starting point for their film. The setting matters, but so do the voices, the reactions, and the people who have been part of their story along the way.

A mountain setting that felt like them

When asked how they pictured their wedding portraits, Jenn and Ben wanted greenery and mountains. Their one must-have image was a semi-candid photograph of the two of them with a mountain backdrop. Rather than a long list of posed moments, they were looking for something that felt like them, in a place they loved.

Highlands Alehouse, at the base of Aspen Highlands, gave their celebration a connection to that landscape. With planning and design by MAE & MAR, their day was organized around an outdoor ceremony, cocktails on the Alehouse deck, and dinner and dancing in a reception tent.

A little uncertainty in the sky, beautiful light for the ceremony

The weather kept everyone guessing. Rain was a possibility, but it held off until just after the ceremony. Jenn and Ben had beautiful light for that part of the day, with the fall Aspen setting they had hoped to share with their guests.

What stood out just as much was the support around them. Their friends and family were so excited to see them get married, and that feeling carried through the ceremony. After almost a decade together, this was a moment their people were ready to celebrate.

The ceremony, the speeches, and the people listening

Jenn and Ben chose not to have a couple’s first look before the ceremony. Their plans kept that meeting for the ceremony itself, followed by family and wedding-party portraits during cocktail hour.

They also asked for attention to the moments around the main events: Ben’s grandparents, and their own reactions during speeches and dances. Those requests say a lot about what they wanted to remember. A speech is more than the person holding the microphone; it is also the person hearing those words.

The reception schedule made room for speeches from Jenn’s dad, Jess, and Anderson before the first dance and parent dances. The ceremony, first dances, and reception were their three selected photography priorities, and the ceremony, vows, and speeches became central to the highlight film as well.

Room for the words, then room to celebrate

The finished highlight runs about four minutes. Giving it that extra room let the ceremony and speeches breathe alongside the celebration, rather than rushing from one part of the day to the next.

Once the first dance and parent dances were complete, the timeline turned to open dancing with DJ Natti. One especially fun detail in the evening’s plans: cookies passed on the dance floor. It is a small touch, but a fitting one for a day focused on enjoying time with the people closest to them.

Jewish traditions were also part of the celebration, including the hora. For many guests, it was their first time experiencing it. That shared experience brought another dimension to the party: people taking part in something new together while celebrating Jenn and Ben.

Explore Jenn & Ben’s personalized film gallery

Watch Jenn & Ben’s Highlands Alehouse wedding highlight on YouTube.

For the full viewing experience, visit Jenn & Ben’s personalized wedding film gallery. The dedicated gallery brings their film into its own presentation, with a simple link to revisit and share.

Planning a wedding, or part of the creative team? Explore the gallery to see how the finished film is presented beyond the blog.

To learn more about Summit’s approach to preserving the voices and moments of a wedding day, explore our Aspen wedding videography.

The wedding team