Day 50 of 365 Days of Boulderado Photos ~ Staircase Landing

This is a shot of the staircase landing that overlooks the Hotel Boulderado lobby. All of our wedding ceremonies take place on this landing. The bride and her father (or whoever is giving her away) walk down the stairs from the 3rd floor to meet the groom and officiant on the landing. The bride's guests are seated along one side of the railing, and the groom's guests are lined along the other.

Boulderado Brides

Wow! Some of us in the office are still in post-Wedding Show world, even though it was days ago. More than two hundred people attended our annual Bridal Show on Sunday to visit with local vendors and experience the Hotel Boulderado's ambiance and catering capabilities. Yuko and I worked down at the Registration Desk in the lobby, which meant that we met everybody as they were registering. Amidst all the craziness of registration, it struck me how there are so many different kinds of brides with very different tastes. This also applies to the vendors -- some are bubbly, some are shy, some are traditional, while others are more modern. I suppose it goes to show you that finding vendors who will help you on your special day is similar to finding a mate; you have lots of options, but only one is really the best fit for you. That's why brides love wedding shows so much -- there's several vendors present, and at least one is bound to be exactly what she's looking for.

Several brides who already have their ceremonies and receptions booked at the Boulderado were in attendance. I spoke with a few of them, and each one had a different reason for choosing us. "It's just so beautiful and elegant." "The staff is always very friendly and helpful." It's also true that the Boulderado is a one-stop shop for many bridal parties. Families from out of town can use our guest rooms, we offer ceremonies and receptions on our Mezzanine (or our Ballroom, for those larger receptions), the couple can stay in a Presidential Suite for their honeymoon, and everyone can get together for breakfast in Q's Restaurant. Boulderado brides are actively reaching out to be a part of the history of our hotel when they book with us. The very first recorded wedding ceremony took place here in 1911, and over the years thousands of people have been married on our staircase's landing. This is the history our Boulderado brides share in every time the "Wedding March" starts up on the Mezzanine.

That Staircase!

One of the most unique features about the Hotel Boulderado, in addition to its historic charm and stained-glass lobby ceiling, is the staircase that leads down to the lobby. This cantilevered (cantilever [can⋅ti⋅le⋅ver] noun: any rigid structural member projecting from a vertical support, esp. one in which the projection is great in relation to the depth, so that the upper part is in tension and the lower part in compression) staircase requires no external bracing or supports because of its design. The staircase was made with cherrywood lumber, but the hotel staff and historian are unsure as to where the wood originated. There are no cherrywood trees large enough in Colorado to produce the lumber yield required to build the staircase. The staircase extends from the Boulderado's basement all the way up to the fifth floor of the historic section.

Staircase, circa 1960

These days, the staircase is utilized in Boulderado wedding ceremonies, which are happening more and more frequently now that wedding season is upon us. The bride and the person who gives her away descend from the third floor and walk down to the landing between the lobby and Mezzanine. As they walk down the stairs to the landing, they are flanked by bridal attendants and groomsmen standing on the stairs. The wedding guests are seated along the railing on either side of the Mezzanine and watch over the ceremony. Once at the landing, the bride joins the groom and their officiant, and when they next take the stairs up to the Mezzanine to begin their reception, it is as husband and wife.

Bride and Father ~ Photo courtesy of Cafiero Photographers

Wedding Ceremony

One of my favorite things about this staircase is that it is original to the hotel, which means that since the Boulderado opened in 1909, guests have walked up the same way regardless of which decade they stayed with us. Helen Keller, who stayed at the Boulderado twice in her lifetime, must have held onto the railing for support and guidance as she made her way upstairs.

Luncheon with Boulderado Memories

Last week, Beverly Silva and I had lunch with three gentlemen callers -- Terence and Denis Keleher, and Tom Harrold (pictured below from right to left). Each of them have a special connection to the Hotel Boulderado.

Denis and Terence's grandparents were Leila and Lee, and they were married at the Boulderado on May 17th, 1911. Terence and Denis submitted the story of this wedding ceremony, the earliest ceremony to be performed at the Boulderado on record, to our Tell Us Your Boulderado Story campaign. (Read the whole story.)

Lee and Leila Keleher (above) the year before they were married.

Terence brought with him the original plate that was used to make the Kelehers wedding invitation, as well as a photocopy of the invitation.

Denis has been coming to the Boulderado for years, and would often stop in at one of the restaurants or at the Mezzanine Lounge, when it operated as a hip jazz lounge in the 1980s. Denis brought with him several matchbooks from the different establishments as they changed ownership over the years.

Tom was recruited by CU's basketball team in 1951. When he came to Boulder from Muncie, Indiana to investigate the campus, he stayed at the Boulderado. Tom was so talented he was named "Mr. Basketball," and as a member of the starting lineup, helped the team to many victories. When Tom's team held their 50th reunion, it took place right here on the Boulderado's Mezzanine, completing the circle of Tom's involvement with basketball and the Boulderado.

Beverly and I both enjoyed all the stories, pictures, and memorabilia that these kind gentlemen brought with them. It's precisely this kind of hotel history that we are striving to preserve in the Memories of the Boulderado collection.