Kristina & Max

Please, tell us your engagement story!

Max and I have been together since high school - 12 years! Our little sisters were best friends (we did not know each other) and they wanted to be sisters-in-laws, so they set us up! Little did they know it would work! Nearly 10 years later Max takes me hiking. He hates hiking, but he planned out a whole hike, packed the backpack, and put on some cargo shorts... After 10 years together I knew something was up! Then we got to a waterfall, it was just him, me and our dog, exactly what I wanted and he proposed. As we come down from the hike, I try to call my sister and lo and behold she doesn't answer - it's whatever, I will call her later - then we go to brunch to celebrate and I see my little sister sitting in the restaurant - he flew her out to come celebrate with us! We spent the day together and hit up one more bar - when I got there, it was filled with friends. Lastly, he tells me to pack my bag, and he takes me to one of the coolest hotels in town. Without a doubt, the best day of my life.

What made you choose your venue and theme? 

We wanted a venue that we could spend the weekend at with our family and friends! We love to camp and spend time in the mountains so we wanted all our favorite people to join us for a weekend in the mountains. We didn't have much of a theme - I would say classic black and white with lots of wild flowers was where we ended up!

We'd love to know more about your experience working with SuitShop!

We found you through friends who have used you before! We loved the online portal and how easy it was for all of Max's groomsmen (who lived all over the country) to find a suit and have it fit well and look amazing!

Tell us about your business and the inspiration behind starting it. 

Scarlet Gilia Creative is my stationery and design company. I am an architect by trade but I found that wedding stationery was such a fun, meaningful, and intimate way to design. There are a lot of things that come to mind when you think of wedding stationery - and I want to do the complete opposite of that! I feel so lucky to help people invite their most important people to their most important day. My goal is that when their guests open their wedding invitation, they know exactly who it is for without even reading their names. I love carrying those personal details throughout their day-of paper goods, making it a wedding that could only be theirs! From pets on beer cans to custom backdrops with their favorite quotes - it should feel totally and completely them!

Any advice for how brides/grooms-to-be can personalize their big day? 

Think of what makes you happy! Do you hate dancing but love karaoke? Do you prefer ice cream over cake? Do you want to get married by yourselves and then party with friends? Do you want to have everyone crack open a beer after you say "I do" and cheers as you walk down the aisle?  If so, then do it!!

Sometimes its hard to get past what you are "supposed to do" but it's your wedding, everyone else can get over it!