NY Giants Player Jack Stoll Marries College Sweetheart Carolyn Thayer in Rocky Mountain Wedding (Exclusive)

The NFL tight end and Thayer celebrated their nuptials with 200 guests at the luxury Broadmoor resort in Colorado Springs

NFL star Jack Stoll said "I do" with a view!

The New York Giants tight end, 26, married Carolyn Thayer on Saturday, June 29, at The Broadmoor luxury resort in Colorado Springs, Colorado, with 200 guests in attendance.

The couple chose the scenic venue, which is nestled in the Rocky Mountains, for its special meaning to both of them.

"Jack was born and raised in Colorado, and my mother’s family grew up spending summers at the Broadmoor," Thayer tells PEOPLE. "Plus, our offseason is spent in beautiful Colorado, and we wanted a venue where we could go back to spend our anniversaries in the future."

She says the historic resort, which first opened in 1918, is particularly lovely in the summer months, creating the ideal, nature-filled backdrop for their special event. "It is full of vibrant colors and blossoming flowers, set with the stunning Colorado mountains," Thayer explains, describing the venue as having the quaint feel of a European village.

"Enhancing the beauty of The Broadmoor but adding our own modern and timeless feel was our goal," she adds.

They also wanted their guests to be able to take advantage of the unique natural amenities and opportunities to hike, golf, swim, fly fish and go white water rafting. "Many of our guests made a mountain vacation out of our wedding weekend," Thayer notes.

To help bring their wedding vision to life, the couple worked with planner Erika Sandoval. At the time, Stoll was signed with the Philadelphia Eagles, and he and Thayer faced the logistically daunting challenge of planning a big event from afar while living in Pennsylvania.

"That is one reason we knew we needed a wedding planner to help find us the best local vendors and make this experience more enjoyable and less chaotic," Thayer explains, noting they felt "in great hands" with Sandoval.

The wedding festivities kicked off with a welcome party on Friday night at the Golden Bee, an old pub on the resort property that offers live piano sing-alongs and English pub food.

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On the big day, Stoll and Thayer first exchanged handwritten vows during a private first look just between them, before tying the knot surrounded by their loved ones in a ceremony officiated by pastor Russ Stutzman from their home church, Journey Church in Castle Pines, Colorado.

The bride, accompanied by her father, walked down the aisle to a string quartet performance of Elvis Presley's "Can't Help Falling in Love." She wore a Monique Lhuillier gown, which she says she was immediately drawn to for its "classic and timeless" look. "I knew I’d be able to look back 40-plus years and still admire the simplistic beauty of the gown," Thayer tells PEOPLE.

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She later swapped the gown for an Elliatt dress ahead of the wedding after party, held at a private bowling alley at The Broadmoor.

When the reception kicked off, the newlyweds hosted a cocktail hour, featuring signature drinks including the "Stoll Her Heart" spicy margarita and the "Louie" Old Fashioned, inspired by their goldendoodle.

Their guests then enjoyed a plated, multi-course dinner that started with a Broadmoor farm greens salad topped with poached pears. Entrées included grilled beef tenderloin with sweet potato gnocchi, white wine marinated roasted Atlantic salmon with herb and parmesan spaghetti squash, and a vegetarian option of wild mushroom tortellini.

Later into the evening, guests refueled with wagyu sliders and other small bites, followed by breakfast burritos and espresso martinis at the afterparty.

"We wanted to emphasize the importance of having an abundance of food for everyone since Jack and I are both foodies ourselves," Thayer says.

The newlyweds opted for two cakes — the first, a five-tier confection featuring white vanilla bean cake, vanilla whipped cream, fresh strawberries and American buttercream icing. The second was a dark chocolate mousse cake. Both cakes were decorated with white fondant and live orchid flowers provided by the couple's florist.

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Stoll and Thayer shared their first dance as husband and wife to — once again — "Can't Help Falling in Love." "It's a classic song that will never grow old," the bride says.

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Stoll and Thayer — who first met at a party at the University of Nebraska in 2019 and tell PEOPLE they were "inseparable" following their first date to a frozen yogurt shop — got engaged on April 3, 2023.

"Jack rented out a private rooftop in downtown Denver at the Jacquard Hotel. It was covered in rose petals and dreamy candles overlooking the Rocky Mountains at sunset," Thayer recalls, adding, "We wanted it to just be the two of us to truly enjoy the moment."

As she reflects on their wedding, Thayer describes it as "a dream come true."

"Growing up you always envision a beautiful wedding with a big white ballgown, and all the most important people surrounded by you celebrating your love. That is exactly what we got to do," she says.

Stoll and Thayer are now looking forward to starting a family — and embracing life's new adventures as they come. "With Jack's career in the NFL, the future is never certain and instead of being afraid of that, we truly embrace it together. We think of life as an adventure and seize every moment," Thayer says, calling Stoll her "best friend."

"We love being together and being able to embrace life side by side," she adds. "It hasn’t always been easy, but with positive attitudes and outlooks it’s been a challenge we’ve decided to embrace."

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