Utah Weddings

What seemed like a wedding disaster – we’re talking a no-show officiant with just 30 minutes before the ceremony – turned into a beautiful metaphor for life’s unplanned moments. Dave and Emily reacted with grace and thanks to a close friend stepping in on a moment’s notice, their wedding turned out (dare I say) EVEN better. Ryan Hinman Films captured their story you don’t want to miss!

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From Ryan Hinman Films… I filmed this wedding last fall at a great private home in Sundance Utah. It was a very personal occasion, friends and family. A small affair. 30 minutes prior to the ceremony, the officiant told the couple she couldn’t make it. Some sort of scheduling mix up. A close friend of the couple stood in to marry them and it became my favorite ceremony of last year. Really personal, heartfelt and amazing. The vows were all “on the fly”.

From The Bride… My vision for the wedding included descriptions such as “ethereal, whimsical, magical….”  I wanted everything to be “flowy.”  I wanted to be completely comfortable and for everyone else to feel the same.  Thus the bare feet, flowing and simple dress, warm weather and soft grass.  We looked up the weather on the Farmer’s Almanac and saw that it hadn’t rained in 25 years around the date of June 23. 

We did not have an actual wedding planner but several friends and family members offered their “services” to make the wedding run smoothly.  My sister’s boyfriend offered to be the “go-to guy” on the day of the event.  He heroically coordinated a very complicated and stressful job of handling the shuttle process. 

We did manage to get ready in time for the 5:00 ceremony.  At 5:30, someone brought a message from David who was asking if I knew where the officiant was.  We called the woman who seemed to have completely forgotten about the event (despite several meetings in person ahead of time, multiple emails, confirmations, pre-payment and everything!)  We had to think quickly.  Tom Murray came to mind immediately.  He had officiated for my friends Sarah and Tommy De Angelo at their wedding almost 10 years ago.  I knew he was officially “qualified,” but I also share a special bond with Tom and I knew only he could rise to such an intimidating challenge.  We nervously discussed the way the ceremony would play out. 

My biggest desire was for Tom to acknowledge both of our parents.  I assured him that we would take care of our own vows and he assured me that he would know what to do from there.  David and I had wanted to write our own vows but never got around to it as it was buried beneath the busy work of wedding planning.  We even tried to discuss our vows the night before the wedding but kept getting caught up in all of the things that needed to be accomplished on the wedding day.  

Somehow it all flowed together, exactly as it should be.  I was so happy to have a friend be the one to preside over our marriage ceremony.  It bonded the 3 of us together, even closer, forever.  And it bonded David and I to all of our friends and family who were there to witness the day.  

Later, after everything was over and we were settling down to go to sleep, I finally had a moment with my husband for the one tradition that I had really wanted to introduce into my wedding day.  I had learned about it years before on a trip to visit some artist and creator friends with my Uncle Al, on the Hopi reservation.  I had asked one of the women on First Mesa about their wedding customs.  She told me that the bride and groom rise together at dawn, wash their hair together in the same bin and then braid their hair together, pieces of the bride’s hair, braided into the hair of the groom.  It was then that the couple were symbolically joined.  I took the pieces of my long, curly hair and braided it together with David’s long curly hair.  Now we were finally married.  It was truly one of the happiest days of my life. 

Photography: David Newkirk | Videography: Ryan Hinman Films | Wedding Dress: Haroon's | Band: Daniel Day Trio | Venue: Winslow Estate | Flower Crowns: Flowers On Vine | Rentals: Diamond Rental

Who says you need the crashing waves of the ocean to hold a beautiful beach party?  Not this talented group of Utah’s finest vendors.  They took a crazy cool desert setting and turned it into a beach bash for the ages, complete with lush florals from Bloomers, fab paper goods from Pink Piggy and a yummy lobster bake catered by Painted Pony.  Coordinated to perfection by Forevermore Events, it’s a toes-in-the-sand shindig you can’t miss.  See it all captured by Gideon Photography right here.

And a little behind the scenes lovely from Forevermore Media… you’re welcome. 

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From Gideon Photography… People everywhere long to feel their toes in the wet sand as they walk along the beach. This lobster bake beach inspired shoot in the desert of St. George shows that anything is possible. The many talented vendors involved made this shoot something magical. From the classic VW Chop Bus, to the amazing dress from BHLDN, and the fabulous table set up filled with the bounties of the sea.

Photography: Gideon Photography | Videographer: Forevermore Media | Coordination: Forevermore Events | Floral Design: Bloomers Flowers and Decor | Wedding Dress: BHLDN | Invitations: Pink Piggy | Catering: Painted Pony

Flowers are hands-down my favorite wedding detail. They’re beautiful, symbolic, smell good. Simply nothing sets my imagination off more than a perfectly sculpted bouquet or an etherial floral crown, which is why I’m straight up obsessed with this DIY shoot form the brain trust of Lizy’s Lilies, D’Arcy Benincosa, and April Benincosa. Flower earrings? Brilliant! Take a peek at the full gallery for more floral fixations.

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From D’Arcy Benincosa… Florals in the hair are popular, but what if you could take that natural feel, smell, and look of flowers and create stunning, living, flowing jewelry?

From DIY earrings to simple garland necklaces, this shoot brings new ideas to using flowers for a bride.

DIY Earrings:

Step 1: Gather your ingredients. A good rule of thumb is to have a leaf or piece of greenery for the backing and then lay a bud on top of it.

2. Prepare your focal flower. The focal flower needs to stay strong throughout a day filled with pictures and a night of dancing. For a flower an leaf, wire the stem by inserting the wire straight up through until it pokes just barely into the head of the flower. Trim your wire to the length of the stem.

3. Place your florals together. Wire the end of the florals and loop them to the ear piece.

4. Trim any extra wire or stems.

Floral Design: Lizy's Lilies | Hair & Make Up: April Benincosa | Photography & Styling: Darcy Benincosa Photography

By now you’re likely sipping on a red, white and blue bevy while soaking up the sun, just waiting for those fireworks to begin. But we couldn’t let this day pass us by without a little nod to the 4th! And if you’ve yet to pick out your festive outfit, let’s take a cue from Brittany, Alycia, Jackie  and Katie. With photos from Ivy & Stone, there’s more right here! From all of us at SMP, wishing you a safe and happy holiday.

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Photography: Ivy Stone | Cake: Dippidee Bakery | Fashion Blogger: Katie Cockrell | Fashion Blogger: Jackie Welling | Fashion Blogger: Alycia Crowley | Fashion Blogger: Brittany Maddux | Hair & Make Up: Vivian Johnson

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PS: A RECIPE FOR RED, WHITE AND BLUE CAKE | 4th of JULY FRUIT KABOBS | SPARKLER CAKELETS | 15 RECIPES FOR THE 4th OF JULY 

Everything is peachy keen for this couple. We love that the bride’s Southern roots inspired the theme with peachy-pink floral arrangements, warm lighting, and more fun and food (like the heavenly tiers from Layers Cake), than one could ever imagine. Heather Parkinson captured some lovely snaps from the day, and don’t miss the fabulous film from Chris McClain too!

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From The Bride… We named all the items on the menu something southern to add an extra layer: Southern style crab cakes with homemade remoulade, Tolbert smokehouse grilled chicken with caper butter sauce topped with fresh peaches, Georgia style fresh fruit, Caprese salad with blackstrap glaze, Heart and soul mac & three cheese, Old fashion barley bread. Beverages included: Homemade pink lemonade, watermelon water, cucumber mint, and orange blossom basil

We did ‘his and hers’ gelato flavors: pistachio, raspberry, coconut almond, vanilla bean, lemon custard, peaches & cream, and praline. And for the cake we had a butter vanilla cake with fresh peach butter cream and creamy coconut with coconut butter cream. The groom’s cake was chocolate fudge cake with salted caramel butter cream.

Unique elements that made up the wedding…my wedding dress. I’m from Georgia and went back home to find my dress. I got my dress from Bridals by Lori where they Film Say Yes to the Dress. That was a dream come true, Monte was the one that helped me with my dress. He actually helped Rivini design the dress I picked out. I wanted something timeless, So I had the dress altered from the waist up adding long sleeves and Alençon lace. I love lighting and have always said there’s something magical when you’re surrounded by lights, we had 125 Chinese lanterns hanging from strings of bistro lights all throughout the wedding venue, as well as lanterns lit in the pond. In honor of my southern roots I had my mother-in-law pick up some lace parasols when she was in Italy for each of the bridesmaids, we also rented parasols for the guest to use for shade. We had paper fans made with our monogram on it for the guest to use for the heat on that summer night. We had a huge white tent to cover the food with three romantic chandeliers hanging over the area. We had a popcorn bar, macaron’s, and gelato Bar, we wanted our guest to have fun and be able to walk around and see all the little details we added. We had monogrammed flower’s M & T and the pathway lit with lanterns when you first entered the venue to set the southern elegant tone we were wanting. The gift table was unique using an Audi from the family dealership with the trunk open and a sign saying” just married”. Our wedding Favors were very unique. Using my background and where I’m from in the south we had a fruit stand that said thanks y’all and a sign “She’s he’s Georgia Peach he’s the apple of her eye. Please take one of each.” We had peaches and apples and little brown bags to put them in.. We had chalkboards placed all throughout the venue, and directional signs to add a little bit more detail. For our sign in guest book we did a huge chalkboard that you stand in front of with a smaller chalkboard where our guest had written their advice for the bride and groom while we had a photographer take their picture. We tied peaches into the flower arrangements and the cake, we surprised the groom with a Utah Football helmet for a grooms cake because he’s more than obsessed with UTAH football. We had a sparkler send off and drove away in a red Porsche Boxster S. We had our fairy tale wedding come true.

Photography: Heather Parkinson | Videography: Chris McClain | Wedding Dress: Bridals By Lori | Cake: Layers Cake | Invitations: Jaffa Printing | Bridesmaids Dresses: Adrianna Papell | Catering: Lori Tolbert Catering And Event Services | Groomsmen Ties: J.Crew | Grooms Attire: Paul Smith | Groomsmen Attire: Men's Wearhouse | Bridal Hair: Randy Topham Cake Hair Salon | Bridal Makeup: Elise Russon Harris | Ceremony Site: Salt Lake LDS Temple | Entertainment/music: Joe Muscolino Band | Floral Design/Lighting: Brenda Robertson | French Macarons: Elise Kester | Paper Details: Ramey Giorgis | Reception Site: Garden Park | Rentals: Diamond Rental | Wedding Dress Alterations: Mary Rino

As a girl who grew up skiing in Park City, Utah, my heart holds a special place for the picturesque locale. I truly couldn’t imagine a more incredible spot to say “I do” than a luxe private home in this breathtaking mountain town! That being said, let me introduce you to Park City Rental Properties.

Whether you’re leaning toward a venue overlooking the sandy beaches or hoping to say your vows high atop the spectacular mountain range, you can choose a totally unique locale that comes with some seriously amazing benefits. Renting out a private home with Park City Rental Properties makes it easy and seriously stress-free to hold your ceremony and reception all in one place, and makes day of coordination simple! Managed by professional companies who can help with details from florals to finding the best photographer, it’s like having a wedding planner at your fingertips!

Boasting multiple bedrooms and tons of space, many of the luxury rental homes in Park City allow guests to stay close and enjoy the entire wedding weekend! Sounds pretty fabulous, am I right?! For more information and to book your dream Park City venue, head over here!

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Photo Credits: Lindsey Shaun

Go ahead and let your imagination wander on this one. Caitlyn and Nate tied the knot back in January, but thankfully their gorgeous formal wedding shoot with photographer Shannon Elizabeth is available for our viewing pleasure. We can’t get enough of the bouquet and floral crown combo from Merit & Vine, not to mention the bride’s gorgeous lace dress trailing the halls of the empty chateau… see it all here.

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Photography: Shannon Elizabeth Photography | Floral Design: Merit and Vine | Wedding Dress: Gateway Bridal & Prom | Suit: Banana Republic | Venue: La Caille

Mountain weddings speak to me. Blame it on the blues and purples and greens of the landscape, but they are my jam. Which makes this wedding, from Gideon Photography, right up there with all of my favorite weddings ever. Especially with the stunning floral design from Honey Of A Thousand Flowers!

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From Gideon Photography… Virginia and Joe had the perfect end of Summer wedding atop the mountains of Deer Valley above Park City Utah. The views were awe inspiring, the weather a bit scary at first, but cleared up just enough for a rainbow as the couple walked up the aisle. Guest came from all over the US to join this very special couple and celebrate their union. Laura Wright Events not only designed the perfect day but made sure everything went off without a hitch.

Photography: Gideon Photography | Videographer: Joey Houle | Event Planning: Laura Wright Events | Floral Design: Sarah Winward | Hair & Makeup: Signature Brides | Venue: Empire Lodge | Music: The Salamanders

You may know Park City, UT for Sundance Film Festival, but after today’s wedding from Erin Kate Photography, you’re going to have a new (very pretty) image to associate with the cute little mountain town. Spoiler alert: it’s this colorful and sweet as can be wedding, which is totally doing it’s part to put Park City on the map.

From the photographer… Lizzy & Tim live in the old mining town of Park City. Today, this town is known for it’s great outdoor activities and the Sundance Film Festival. Both Lizzy & Tim are from other states but have settled in a cute historic home just off Main Street. The perfect place for their nuptials was the Catholic Church just up the block. And just down the block their casual reception was held at the Town Lift Plaza surrounded by the Park City mountain resort and Town ski lift. The couples mint green scooter, adorned with pretty flowers, provided transportation from the ceremony to the reception for the bride and groom. They did stop at the High West Distillery to celebrate with their bridal party before making their big entrance over the town bridge into the plaza reception.

Lizzy & Tim chose colors of pinks, peaches, and greens to brighten their day. Bridesmaids chose their own dress in hues of taupe, pink, or peach. Groomsmen wore gray suits with peach ties, and brown shoes. Flowers included a mix of peonies, roses, dusty miller, poppy pods, and succulents. Cupcakes were provided for the guests and a chocolate cake for the couple. Guests enjoyed a midnight snack of different flavored popcorn. The party continued late into the night under bistro lights, paper lanterns, and the stars!

Photography: Erin Kate Photography | Flowers: Hope Stanley | Wedding Gown: Justin Alexander | Ceremony Venue: St. Mary's Old Town Chapel | Reception Venue: Town Lift Plaza | Caterer: Bridge Cafe | Hair & Makeup: Anna Mower | DJ: Liam Heffernan | Cake & Cupcakes: So Cupcake | Cocktail Stop With Bridal Party: High West Distillery | Getting Ready Robes: Plum Pretty Sugar | Wedding Consultant: Eileen Dunn

I know you’re all ready to throw snowballs at the next person to mention how much they love winter, but hear me out. Mint Photography sent in this snowy engagement shoot that will make you happy to grab your scarf on the way out your front door. Promise. It’s all red noses and pretty boots and it’s all right here!

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From the photographer… We recently visited Salt lake city, Utah and could not pass up the opportunity to shoot in such a gorgeous location! The area we were able to find was like something out of a movie! The sunlight coming through the trees and the snow on the ground made for an unreal color palette and the most amazing setting for this shoot. The session was inspired by the beauty of the natural surroundings and by the quote we found on a card at a local stationery store – “Every Day is a Beautiful Day.” We wanted to enhance the colors in the surroundings so we added gold colored pine cones and greenery, along with some “gold snow” aka glitter :) We also loved how Kassidy’s necklace incorporated the same shapes from the stationary we chose. Everything tied together so nicely and created a romantic, scenic, beautifully serene shoot. 

Photos And Design: Mint Photography

I’m just a tad bit obsessed with this bridal session. Ok, that’s a lie. I’m full on obsessed. The florals from Sego Floral are just beyond, the couple has style for miles and the images from Mandi Nelson are frame-worthy to say the least. It all makes for one stunning gallery, and you can obsess over every gorgeous moment right here.

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From Mandi Nelson Photography…This bridal session was simple, clean & naturally stunning. The flowers, full of different textures with a tinge of blush pink. The bouquet was full of air plants, anemones, peonies, ranunculus, jasmine, eucalyptus & the perfect touch of queen annes lace. Her dress was made by an Australian company, grace loves lace. The ‘Clare’ dress is absolutely breathtaking with sheer hand beaded sleeves and a lovely low back made with swiss embroidery lace & french silk. It is a gorgeous & timeless dress.

From the Bride…Alex and I met through my little brother. They were best friends at school in Hawaii. When he came home from college for the summer, we met and became friends. After a few months of him trying to court me, I consented to a date. Once I finally gave him a chance, I fell in love in no time. We spent our time bonding over our love for dogs, spent nights chasing stars, and tried to eat as much good food as possible. We are so opposite and we realized we were the perfect yin and yang. We got engaged in the gorgeous cliffs in Laguna beach, and we have had so much fun planning our wedding together since! I can’t wait to be his forever.

Photography: Mandi Nelson Photography | Floral Design: Sego Floral | Wedding Dress: Grace Loves Lace | Hair & Make Up: Red Scarlet Makeup Artistry

Today is our favorite day of the whole year, all due to the love that is literally wafting through the offices. And I ask, what’s more perfect for that Valentine’s Day love than a sweet, snowy engagement shoot from Erin Summerill Photography? Nothing. The correct answer is absolutely nothing.

From the photographer… Utah can be downright nasty and cold. Which is unfortunate around Valentine’s Day. When love is in the air, most couples might lean towards a cozy romantic indoor dinner. But if you’re bundled up and the weather isn’t too nippy, a romantic table for two outdoors is perfect for dessert and hot chocolate. Hot chocolate to warm you up, and dessert to celebrate something so sweet and beautiful as an engagement.

This valentine inspired engagement shoot brings together the fun, creativity of grade school valentine’s days gone by, with the romantic element of a table set for two, perfect for an engagement.

As the photographer, I enjoyed pulling together this playful shoot to show a few other options for engagements.

Photography: Erin Summerill Photography | CupCakes: Cravings | Cake And Dishes: Dippidee Bakery | Hair And Makeup Artist: Lisa Frehner

When it comes to saying “this is my favorite wedding ever on SMP”, I feel like I call wolf constantly. But really, this is my favorite wedding ever on SMP. From the Jenny Packham gown to the ridiculously gorgeous florals by Honey Of A Thousand Flowers to well, everything else – every.single.image captured by Ciara Richardson makes me want to stand up at my desk and applaud, and you can see why here.

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From the Bride…Jordan and I were good friends in college and had a lot of mutual friends. We went on a handful of dates while still in school but nothing really materialized until I was out in New York for my internship. He had just moved to the city to start working full time and I was interning at an advertising agency. We had a great time together that summer and kept in touch when I left to finish my senior year. We started dating “officially” that December and did long distance for about 5 months until I moved to the city for good!

What attracted me to my husband was his love for life. We would spend hours in the library or on the phone talking about anything and everything. Conversation came easy for us, and he always found a way to make me laugh! We dream big together and understand each other… life is exciting when he is around.

Since Jordan is from Ohio and I am from Dallas, keeping some family traditions was important to us as we planned and decided on where to have our wedding in Utah. The rehearsal dinner the night before the wedding was at Log Haven, which is where Jordan’s parents had their wedding reception 31 years ago. La Caille was a special place to me as my parents and sister also had their wedding receptions there. I wanted a traditional, intimate reception with our closest friends and family, so La Caille ended up being the perfect place for us to have our wedding. I took inspiration from all over and was engaged in every detail. From selecting the vendors, to picking the perfect dress, the choices had to feel just right. The grounds of La Caille are very French and whimsical, so adding a bit of glam and art deco with our invitations, my dress, and Jordan’s classic suit attire made it more “us.” In some ways it felt like a 20’s French garden party.

From the Groom…What attracted me to my wife was: Everything clicked for me right away with Nicole. I had never met anyone so interesting, funny, and completely breathtaking in my whole life. There was romance, butterflies, laughter, but also a foundation of complete compatibility and great friendship to build on and it’s all only grown since.

After a romantic dinner that overlooked the Christmas tree at the Rockefeller Center, we strolled down 5th Avenue admiring all of the window displays and eventually ended up walking around Central Park. We were admiring the city skyline while some of our friends set up candles all around the Lady’s Pavilion, which is where he then got down on one knee and proposed. I was completely surprised! It was a perfect, magical night.

Photography: Ciara Richardson | Flowers: Sarah Winward | Cake: Granite Bakery | Band: Joe Muscolino Band | Groom's Suit: Keith Lloyd | Bride's Gown: Alta MODA | Dinner Venue: La Caille | Getaway Car: Something Vintage Something Blue | Hair & Make-up: Enizio On-Site Hair and Makeup Artistry

Leo Patrone is responsible for some of my favorite weddings ever on SMP (just take a look at this one here and here). And after pouring through this gorgeous backyard beauty (filled to the brim with stunning florals from Honey Of A Thousand Flowers), I think it’s safe to say that reign of favorites will continue on, because it just doesn’t get more gorgeous than this. See it all here.

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From the Bride…We met in the 8th grade. I distinctly remember my friend warning me that every girl in our school ended up falling for Pat, and in that moment I assured my friend that I would never be one of those girls. I was so wrong! We dated long distance for 5 years before we were engaged.

Our engagement story: I was so surprised! I was living in New York City at the time, and he was in Boston. It was December 22nd, and he made me think he was at home with his family for the holidays, a package arrived at my work, which led me on a scavenger hunt through the city, complete with cold weather accessories and treats along the way. Eventually, the scavenger hunt led me to the Rockefeller Center ice rink, where I was given ice skates and an envelope which I was only instructed to open after I skated to the center of the rink, looked at the gigantic sparkly tree and counted to 100. I only made it to 35 when I opened the letter. It said, “turn around and say yes.” He was on a knee, and it was perfect.

We knew we wanted to get married in the summer, because I had always dreamed of an outdoor, midsummer nights dream-like wedding. We wanted our wedding to be filled with handmade, special details. I’m an artist, so I wanted to make everything! I hand bound our guest book, dipped the gilded leaves for the place settings and watercolored all of our invitations, place cards and table numbers. The tables were named after different locations that held significance to us, like where we first met and the address of our new apartment. We loved hearing how the guests interacted with the places. On one of our first dates, Pat surprised me by picking me up on a tandem bike to go to dinner, so it seemed fitting to choose a tandem bike as our getaway vehicle.

I don’t think we could have imagined a more perfect day. We were so lucky to work with people who understood our vision, and brought their own distinct aesthetic and creativity to our special day.

Photography: Leo Patrone Photography | Wedding Planner: Soirèe Productions Wedding & Event Planning Studio | Florist: Sarah Winward | Gown: Alta MODA | Bridesmaids Dresses: J.Crew | Catering: Heirloom Food Group | Suits: Brooks Brothers

Lovelies, this is what I call the perfect end to the work week: a breathtaking inspiration shoot that takes all things glamorous, mixes them with a big ol’ dash of golden glitter and adds just the right touch of fabulous details.  Think bundles of floral goodness from Lizy’s Lilies, beautiful images from Jessie Alexis and the calligraphy stylings of Melissa Esplin (just to name a few).  See it all right here.

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From Jessie Alexis Photography… In the case of this inspiration shoot, all that glitters truly is gold. Our goal was to create something bright, beautiful, and happy for the stylish bride. We feel that the gold-on-gold look can transition between season and styles, appealing to a wide variety of brides.

The flowers created by Lizy’s Lilies are both sweet and whimsical, perfectly perched in gold vases, surrounded by gold glittered candles. And of course, the bride’s bouquet is a a stunning compliment to the her rosette dress from Avenia Bridal. To complete the bride’s gorgeous look, Flavia Carolina with Versa Artisty worked her hair and make up magic.

I can’t say enough about the calligraphy! When this shoot was coming together, we knew we wanted to showcase how to incorporate calligraphy into your wedding beyond just addressing invitations. The place cards give such a nice, personal touch. Melissa’s talent with a pen is truly amazing!

Of course any party would be incomplete without a sweet little treat, and Erin’s Macrons are both visually stunning and beyond delicious. I love what these decadent nuggets add to the decor of the table scape.

Leah Alduous really nailed it with her invitation designs, especially with the amazing confetti save the dates! And the vintage couch from Odds and Ends Vintage Rentals was such a perfect fit for the overall feel of golden glamour.

Photography: Jessie Alexis Photography | Flowers: Lizy's Lilies | Dress: Avenia Bridal | Invitations: Leah Alduos | Rings: Sierra West Jewelers | Calligraphy: Melissa Esplin | Hair/Makeup: Versa Artistry | Macaroons: Dolce Bella By Erin | Vintage Rentals: Odds And Ends Vintage Rentals

Bridal sessions just might be one of my favorite things ever.  So pair some fabulous vendors with a crazy cool twist on the typical bridal session (an awesome mother + daughter element) and, well… color me happy, lovelies.  Because this isn’t just any old bridal shoot, it’s a drop-dead gorgeous day filled with breathtaking blooms from Calie Rose, fab paper goods from Polka Dots & Daisies and a whole lot of magical mother + daughter moments captured by Kristina Curtis.  See them all here.

And a pretty little film from Haizel Creations… enjoy, lovelies.

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From Kristina Curtis Photography… I love photographing bridal sessions with brides and their grooms, but don’t often have the opportunity to have their flower girl, or in this case, their daughter come along. This is where my inspiration began. I think it’s wonderful to have one-on-one time between the two of you dressed up like princesses before you say your “I do’s.” Your daughter/flower girl will treasure that moment forever (plus you’ll have beautiful photos).

Our inspiration photo shoot took place in the golden sunlight were we captured the love between mother and daughter as they danced whimsically on the sand and rocks along Utah Lake. With gold and ivory as base colors we brought in a lot of peach and blush tone flowers to off set the palette, yet still creating a warm soft feel for the Winter season we were shooting in. DIY tablecloth designed with a variety of lace ruffled together creating a delicate texture. On the table laid gold and ivory dinnerware with dainty napkins pined with vintage brooches. Gold teapot and vases fancied peach amaryllis, ruffly Juliet english garden roses, and blush peonies creating the bulk of the flowers with accents of hypericum berries, peach gloriosa lilies, spray roses, hydrangea, stock, and tulips. A touch of russian olive, mini pitt, and air plants were added for contrast. Bride’s bouquet handle treatment in a gold glitter velvet ribbon which coordinated lovely with the gold glitter seen throughout the table scape. Lastly, we wanted to have mother and daughter wearing coordinating flower halos that were different yet complimented each other. Mom wore one with an asymmetrical feel and daughter donned a full halo of petite roses and berries. Invitation suite was fashioned with water colored flowers lined with gold chevron.

Photography: Kristina Curtis Photography | Videography: Haizel Creations | Flowers: Calie Rose | Invitations: Polka Dots & Daisies | Necklace: Stamped Frosting | Makeup: About Face | Hair: Keara Wright | Flower Girl Dress: Peaches'n Cream Boutique | Table Banner: Quilted Polka Dot

I’m what some might describe as a holiday junkie. I absolutely cannot get enough, so the minute I put away the turkey on Thanksgiving, my mind starts to wander the next holiday waiting in the wings. Lucky for me, Brooke Schultz Photography is serving up a heaping helping of gorgeous that will help inspire my holiday decorating today, and perhaps will inspire a few lovebirds looking for a few stylish ways to style their engagement shoot. Get even more inspiration here.

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This shoot goes beyond ‘props’ for engagement sessions and gives brides inspiration to go all out with a fully styled engagement shoot.

The flowers are perfect inspiration for winter: ranunculus, cotton, thistle, and berries with oodles of cedar say holiday without being overkill or themed. The delicate wreaths are a simple and beautiful backdrop for winter cuddling, and would also be beautiful above a cake table. The swag garland in the window is another unique element that could also easily be translated to a drink station, cake table, or head table.

Photography: Brooke Schultz Photography | Flowers: Merit and Vine | Hair And Makeup: Vivian Makeup Artist | Models: Michelle Lier and Kyle White | Studio: Jessica Peterson Studio

When the bride mentioned she wanted floral to be the focus of her decor, everything clicked for me. You see, as I was looking through the images from Travis J Photography my eye was instantly drawn to the beyond-words beautiful flowers time after time. And then I saw Honey of a Thousand Flowers in the credits and it clicked again. A gorgeous wedding, filled to bursting with stunning blooms, and a super fun couple at the center. Perfection.

The pretty continues thanks to Ryan Hinman Films!

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Kevin had always dreaded his wedding day thinking it was going to be long and tiring. My goal was to make it as enjoyable as possible for him. He was busy studying for his med-school board exams during wedding planning, so I tried to add as many of his favorite things to make the day special for both of us. He LOVES desert so I chose his favorite cake from Magleby’s Fresh, as well as his favorite, Cafe Rio, for our luncheon’s food.

I was more worried about the decor. I wanted the floral to be the main focus with accents of candles, globes, and photography. I’ve spent a lot of time traveling abroad, so I had travel as a minor theme with small accents of maps and globes all over. Everything ended up coming together perfectly, and turned out just like I had imagined it.

We both wanted our wedding to be fun. We have been to so many boring weddings, and we didn’t want ours to turn out like that. The highlight of our wedding was having my uncles band ‘Joe Friday’ play. They play a lot of oldies cover songs, and are the perfect band for a wedding. Everybody can enjoy their music. It wasn’t just our friends dancing, but our parents, and their friends, and all of our families. It seemed like everybody was getting involved and having a good time. It was one of the only receptions I’ve been to in a long time that everybody stayed until the very end. When Kevin and I finally got out of there, it was still packed with people.

Photography: Travis J Photography | Videographer: Ryan Hinman Films | Florist: Sarah Winward | Dress: The Perfect Dress | Cake: Schmidts Pastries | Ceremony Venue: Oquirrh Mountain Temple | Reception Venue: Log Haven | Bridesmaids Dresses: J.Crew | Grooms Suit: Banana Republic

I don’t often make promises but the very first image from Pepper Nix Photography of the bride in her stunning gown is going to pull you in and I’m positive you’re not going to want to leave this one. Honey of a Thousand Flowers brought in trees y’all. Trees. The Utah fall foliage was so amazing that she had to bring it inside the soiree, and you couldn’t pay me to leave this gallery!

From the floral designer… This was a one year vow renewal and wedding celebration for Meredith and Chris. They had a destination wedding in Utah at the St. Regis in Deer Valley, Utah. The trees in the mountains were in full-color and created a wonderful setting for their celebration. They had a long head table down the center of the tent with all of their friends.

Meredith wore a gardenia in her hair like both her mother and grandmother did on their wedding day. Meredith’s mother contributed a lot of things to the wedding, like hand writing all of the guest’s name cards.

The wedding was held on a perfect Autumn day, and was a wonderfully cozy, candle filled autumn event for of their guests.

Photographer: Pepper Nix | Florist: Sarah Winward | Entertainment: Party Crashers | Ceremony and Dinner Venue: The St. Regis Deer Valley | Tent, string lights: RSVP | Venue coordination: Catherine Johnson | custom lighting gobo: PSAV

When it comes right down to it, it’s the floral design that makes a wedding in my book. And when you’ve got Sarah Winward by your side, it’s destined to be one super happy day. Add in all the rustic scenery an outdoor lover could imagine and you’ve got a woodland wedding dream-come-true. Jesse Erasmus snapped up all the photo goodness, and there’s even more right here.

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From the Bride…We wanted to essentially “dress up” the rustic scenery, so we played up this look with natural wood farmhouse tables, forest animal favors, masquerade masks, and loose and wild looking flowers. Then we tied it all together with black accents. It was gorgeous and whimsical and completely unexpected.  Our guests loved it!

Did you have a theme for your wedding? Absolutely. Having a theme helped make every decision a little easier. Our wedding design was based on a woodland motif. We planned our wedding in Utah because of the incredible scenery and wanted to make sure that both our out-of-town friends and even local friends, really felt a sense of the awe-inspiring beauty at the reception location.

If so, what inspired the theme? Basically the idea of having this dinner party deep in the forest, under the moon, with lots of twinkling necklace lights draped through the trees. Everything from our homemade wild currant and rosemary cookie favors and animal place holders to our wildflower arrangements and forest creature masks at the end of the night ran with the woodland theme. However we also wanted to throw an elegant party, which is where the neutrals and black colors come in. The refined palette really helped balance it from something that could have been kitsch, to something a little more polished-like a masquerade.

What family, cultural, ethnic, or other traditions did you follow? Jessica’s family is Polish, so there was plenty of vodka for the guests to partake in toasts.  For the main toast, at the beginning of dinner, Jessica’s parents offered an introduction to the bride and groom based on an old Polish wedding tradition. Two shot glasses were placed on a tray. The newlyweds were each told to take a glass and drink to the toast. One glass was filled with water, one with vodka, and the tradition says that whoever discovers that theirs is the vodka, will be made the head of the household.  

Describe your engagement: Dan proposed in a wobbly little rowboat on a cold, rainy Saturday on The Lake at Central Park. He nearly tipped the boat as he got down on his knee! People on the banks and bridges nearby were cheering and screaming for us! It was surreal.

Our favorite moment during the ceremony was: The end! Once we made our way back down the aisle, our wedding party immediately surrounded us with screams and applause. Everyone was so happy!!

Our favorite moment during the reception was: The dance party! Being with everyone on the dance floor and watching all our friends and family dance their pants off late into the night. It was cold out and yet everyone was sweating from having so much fun! It was one of the most fun nights of our lives!

The most unexpected event on our wedding day was: Having to ask our photographer, DJ, and late night taco cart to stay several hours past midnight! We had the property to ourselves all night so we let the party go as late as it could. We ended up dancing until the early morning hours!

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Wedding Photography: Jesse Erasmus | Wedding Planning: Mara Harwood of Events by LMG | Floral Deisgn: Sarah Winward, of Honey of a Thousand Flowers | Invitations: DIY | Ceremony: St. Mary’s of the Assumption Church | Officiant: Fr. Stanislaw Herba | Reception: Tillotsen Ranch in Oakley, Utah | Cake: Julie Hill at Layers Cake | Band: The Puddle Mountain Ramblers  | DJ: Wilson Chan of Mr. Wilson DJ | Caterer: Culinary Crafts | Linens: La Tavola Linen | Rings and Jewelry: Jay Lecompte of Cast of Vices (Los Angeles) | Weddng Dress + Veil: Vera Wang | Bridesmaid Dresses: Various | Jewelry: Kenneth Jay Lane  | Make-up: BeautyLush Hair and Makeup Artistry by Mary Ann Cruz Horne | Groom’s Suit: Martin Greenfield suit by Martin Greenfield Clothiers | Groomsmen: Own Suits