My Own Wedding at The Little Nell, Aspen

For my own wedding, I wanted something truly different and magical, someplace that spoke to my husband and me. We are both avid skiers, and my family has history with Aspen, Colorado, and so we found our ideal spot. At the summit of Aspen Mountain, reached by the Silver Queen Gondola, is one of the most scenic venues we have ever worked at: the Sundeck at The Little Nell.

The night before, we hosted our welcome party on the WET Deck, the rooftop at W Aspen, one of the hotels we like to frequent when we are enjoying Aspen. We served fajitas and margaritas. We had a bit of rain, as is common in summer, but there were plenty of umbrellas to tuck under, creating an intimate feel and giving us a chance to linger with our guests.

Wedding planning at The Little Nell is an involved process because there are a few limitations that require workarounds. The load-in is complicated, as most everything needs to be loaded in and out on the gondola. And then there's weather to consider, as pretty much any time of year could bring a little stormy weather, including hail and even snow. Luckily, for our summer wedding, we just had a bit of rain that passed right as we were ready to begin the ceremony.

For the event design, we chose lavender florals and a deconstructed arch for our ceremony. Inside the reception was a floral installation above the dance floor, long and low florals, and tapered candles for a soft, romantic feel to contrast the rugged mountains surrounding us.

At the reception, the standout was the food. I've had a lot of wedding cuisine over the years, and I can say for certain that The Little Nell serves the best of the best. And thanks to my fabulous team and especially Caren Cadena, it was the one wedding where I could actually sit down and enjoy dinner.

Piper Hatfield Destination Wedding at the Sun Deck Little Nell

Bride and Groom Portraits at the Sun Deck

Long table and place settings at Little Nell Sundeck

Tall taper candles and dramatic floral for Little Nell Sundeck

Watercolor of the Silver Queen Gondola at Aspen Mountain

Piper Hatfield and Hunain Dada Wedding Day

Bride and Groom under umbrella at Little Nell

Wedding Reception at the Sundeck Little Nell

A table with a mountain view at Little Nell Sundeck

Wide Room Reception Shot at Little Nell Sundeck

Floral Installation at Little Nell Sundeck

Dance Floor and Stage at Little Nell Sundeck

Long and low floral reception table at the Sundeck

Floral install and guest tables at Little Nell Sundeck

Jordan Kahn Band Grooving on Dance Floor

Gondola Ride down at Little Nell Sundeck

Welcome party on the WET Deck at W Aspen

Fiesta themed party at the WET Deck at W Aspen

Fiesta floral and linen at the WET Deck at W Aspen

Streamers and floral at the WET Deck at W Aspen

Modern fiesta themed party at the WET Deck at W Aspen

Bright colors for fiesta theme at the WET Deck at W Aspen

Daydream Lounge at the WET Deck at W Aspen

Cocktail Tables at the WET Deck at W Aspen

Bride and Groom at the WET Deck at W Aspen

Piper Hatfield and Caren Cadena Destination Wedding Planners for Piper & Muse

Piper HatfieldSeptember 15, 2026Comment