The Engagement
Alicia and Luke were set up by Luke’s sister and her now husband. During their wedding festivities, Luke’s sister made Alicia and Luke golf together and the rest, as they say, is history. “We did two years of long distance during Covid and then Luke moved to Denver in 2022,” Alicia explains. Their engagement story is one for the books. A little funny, and a little frustrating, Luke and Alicia got engaged at the tail end of a lakeside walk. Luke had originally planned a sunset hike culminating in a romantic trail-top proposal, but his custom designed engagement ring he had made with his grandmother’s diamond was finished early and there was no way Luke was going to be able to keep the surprise a secret as he had to leave for an Alaskan hunting trip. His plan turned into a trip to the lake to let the couple’s dogs, Frank and Dave, swim in the heat and his proposal was unexpectedly interrupted by not one, but two hikers in a rarely hiked area. When Luke finally did get the chance to propose Alicia was shocked. “I was so in shock I asked him if the ring was real or costume jewelry!”
The Big Day
North Dakota born and Gillette, Wyoming raised, Alicia spent a lot of time in nearby Spearfish, South Dakota growing up. “I kind of grew up in the Black Hills, my brother lives near Sturgis and my parents retired to Spearfish,” Alicia says. “I wanted our wedding in a place where our friends could go and see where I grew up.” Alicia had always imagined a very whimsical, wildflower wedding and Aspen Acres Barn was the perfect setting to bring Alicia’s imagination to life. Special touches included wildflowers dripping from the ceiling, Frank and Dave as the couple’s wedding cake toppers, and nods to the outlaw wild west with cowboy hats and toy pistols. “Being in South Dakota, we always joked about outlaws. Our wedding was at the same time as the rodeo in Deadwood. We bought cowboy hats at the rodeo and during the grand march Luke’s sister and our brother-in-law had a shoot-out. It was our photographer’s idea to take the guns and take pictures with them,” says Alicia, smiling.
Words of Wisdom
Alicia shares this advice for engaged couples: “Don’t be an it is what it is bride, if you have a vision you need to be very clear about what you want so you’re not disappointed, down to the style of pictures you want. Make it you and whatever you love.”
Vendors
Flowers: Kayla Pikula @neithernor_collective
Venue: Aspen Acres Barn @blackhillsbarn
Photographer: Dan Thorson @dtfoto
Food: Old West Dutch Oven Catering Co.
Hair: Daniele Fletcher @danieledoeshair
Makeup: Jennifer Jezewki @createbeautystudio