The Chapel on the Rock Fact or Fiction Part 2 — The Perfect Wedding

The Chapel on the Rock is the perfect setting for the perfect wedding. My earlier post, The Chapel on the Rock – Perfect Setting introduced you to one of the most photographed sites in the country. This article takes you inside and you won’t be disappointed. It truly is the perfect setting for that perfect, quaint wedding. Just ask the multitude of couples who said, “I do” there or check out the wedding in After the Verdict.

Imagine a wedding where…

Perfect Roses

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Imagine a wedding with pink roses..
  • flowers adorn the simple stone sanctuary and wooden pews…
St. Catherine of Sienna Stained Glass
St. Catherine of Sienna Stained Glass
  •     the soft glow of candlelight illuminates beautiful stained glass …
  •     music fills the air….
Organ in the Chapel on the Rock

    You get the picture.

  The Rocky Mountain National Park

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Karen at Lily Lake in the Rocky Mountain National Park

The chapel sits in the Rocky Mountain National Park. These mountains attract visitors from all over the world, with good cause. If you haven’t visited yet, put it on your bucket list. When I returned to take photos of the chapel’s interior, my husband and I made a Sunday morning of it. We started with the 8:00 a.m. mass at Our Lady of the Mountains, the beautiful church responsible for scheduling the Chapel’s weddings. The priest began with a joke that made us all laugh.

An angel appeared to a 60-year-old couple celebrating their 35th wedding anniversary. He granted them each one wish — anything that their hearts desired. The wife wanted a cruise around the world. The angel gave her two first class tickets. The husband asked that his wife be 30 years younger than he. The angel made him 90. The moral of the story — Be careful what you wish for.

Colorado Rockies

Unless there is a wedding, the chapel will be open every day. Check with Our Lady of the Mountain for further details. Enjoy the peace, tranquility, and beauty the Chapel on the Rock offers…..We did.

A missing groom, a murdered attorney, a massive snowstorm—what else can go wrong with what was supposed to be a storybook wedding?

After the Verdict

Gutsy Colorado lawyer Briana Bertelli has just successfully prosecuted a serial killer…or has she? Betrayed in previous relationships, she’s vowed to remain single and dependent on no one but herself. All goes according to plan until her best friend’s wedding rehearsal.

Highly decorated, retired Special Forces veteran Kale McLaren has seen much death and is ready to experience a new life. Now the Chief Operating Officer of a global special ops organization, he’s looking forward to a relaxing weekend at a friend’s wedding.

The last thing he expects is to be brought face-to-face with death and the most intriguing woman he has ever met … Briana.

With the highest of stakes and time running out, can Briana and Kale combine forces to discover what happened after the verdict?

You do not need to read the first book in the series, Search Beyond Lies, in order to enjoy the second.

Search Beyond Lies is a work of fiction, inspired by true events.

On July 5, 2018, Brian Perri was reported missing on Mount Meeker, one of the most dangerous mountains in Rocky Mountain National Park. A selfie revealed his last known location was the summit. Search Beyond is a work of fiction, whose inspiration lies in a rare type of friendship J.C. Fischer and Kimo McEwen had with Brian where they put their lives on hold and jeopardized their safety and well-being to search for him.

The search was covered by the media far and wide. J.C.’s pleas for volunteers brought in many from along the entire Front Range. Why did so many come forward? It was J.C. and Kimo’s care, concern, persistence, loyalty, and dedication to finding Brian that exemplified true friendship—and that is a contagious type of friendship experienced by very few.

(C) 2024 Karen VDH Fischer

The Chapel on the Rock-Perfect Setting – FACT or FICTION?

The Chapel on the Rock, formally known as St. Catherine of Sienna Chapel, is the perfect setting for an intimate wedding. Situated in the Colorado Rockies, its beauty is revealed in its simplicity.

Colorado Rockies
The Chapel on the Rock, set in the Colorado Rockies

Pope John Paul II was one of a number of dignitaries who visited this chapel and it still attracts visitors both near and far. The Chapel on the Rock is the only real place in my novel, After the Verdict…And yes, it is the setting for a wedding.

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Bride & Groom Courtesy of Laura Grace Photography

This chapel, built on a rock is reflective of scripture — “[O]n this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.” (Matthew 16:18). And Hell did try to overcome it — twice.

Attempted destruction

The first time was with a fire in 2011 which destroyed the 60,000 square foot St. Malo retreat center. With the exception of an old stone fireplace, there was nothing much left of the lodge and guest wing. The chapel was untouched despite the fact it sits on the same 160-acre property.

The second time was with the devastating Colorado flood of 2013. A five-mile landslide started on top of neighboring Mount Meeker causing tons of debris made up of soil, rock, and trees to surge onto this same church property. In some places, the debris was 15 feet deep.

Although this landslide destroyed the beautiful, serene Cabin Creek Trail walked on by the Pontiff during his 1993 visit for World Youth Day, the wave of debris ended at the base of the chapel. Miraculously, the Chapel on the Rock was unharmed.

Chapel on the Rock

Prior to the “100 Year Flood” of 2013, plans were in place to rebuild Camp St. Malo. Unfortunately, with estimated costs of $4.4 million to rebuild and a determination that the future sediment and water flow was uncertain, rebuilding St. Malo on that site is indefinitely on hold. However, the untouched Chapel on the Rock is still open to the public.

Built in the 1930’s, Boulder County designated the Chapel on the Rock as an historical landmark. Weddings and masses are still held at this beautiful chapel. For anyone interested in reserving this chapel for a wedding, contact Our Lady of the Mountains Catholic Church in Estes Park, Colorado. It is available as the perfect setting. This chapel is not to be missed, if not in person, than in After the Verdict.

A missing groom, a murdered attorney, a massive snowstorm—what else can go wrong with what was supposed to be a storybook wedding?

After the Verdict

Gutsy Colorado lawyer Briana Bertelli has just successfully prosecuted a serial killer…or has she? Betrayed in previous relationships, she’s vowed to remain single and dependent on no one but herself. All goes according to plan until her best friend’s wedding rehearsal.

Highly decorated, retired Special Forces veteran Kale McLaren has seen much death and is ready to experience a new life. Now the Chief Operating Officer of a global special ops organization, he’s looking forward to a relaxing weekend at a friend’s wedding.

The last thing he expects is to be brought face-to-face with death and the most intriguing woman he has ever met … Briana.

With the highest of stakes and time running out, can Briana and Kale combine forces to discover what happened after the verdict?

You do not need to read the first book in the series, Search Beyond Lies, in order to enjoy the second.

Search Beyond Lies is a work of fiction, inspired by true events.

On July 5, 2018, Brian Perri was reported missing on Mount Meeker, one of the most dangerous mountains in Rocky Mountain National Park. A selfie revealed his last known location was the summit. Search Beyond is a work of fiction, whose inspiration lies in a rare type of friendship J.C. Fischer and Kimo McEwen had with Brian where they put their lives on hold and jeopardized their safety and well-being to search for him.

The search was covered by the media far and wide. J.C.’s pleas for volunteers brought in many from along the entire Front Range. Why did so many come forward? It was J.C. and Kimo’s care, concern, persistence, loyalty, and dedication to finding Brian that exemplified true friendship—and that is a contagious type of friendship experienced by very few.

(C) 2024 Karen VDH Fischer