Real Wedding: Historic Beauty at the Utah State Capitol Building

February 4, 2020

Catherine
& Branden

Provo City Temple, Provo + Utah State Capitol Building, SLC

January 19th

Photos by Jacque Lynn Photography

THE COUPLE

A matchmaker introduced the two executives (Catherine is a Chief Product Officer and EVP of Engineering at Domo, and Branden is the CEO for Gear.com). Four months in, Branden and Catherine headed to St. George for Thanksgiving weekend where Branden enlisted the help of his four children—ages 9, 10, 10, and 15—to help with a proposal inside Snow Canyon State Park. One hundred feet below an overlook where Branden and Catherine stood, the pint-sized foursome held a 30-foot sign that read, “We love you, Catherine. Will you marry our dad?”

THE WEDDING

Catherine and Branden chose the Provo City Temple because of its historic beauty. “We were privileged to have a friend of the family and General Authority Seventy, Elder Kim B. Clark, perform the ceremony,” Catherine says. A ring ceremony and reception at the Utah State Capitol followed. “A big reason for doing the ring ceremony and reception was to give the children an experience that would help mark the start for us as a blended family.”

THE MOOD

“With the grand backdrop of the historic Rotunda at the Utah State Capitol Building, we wanted a refined yet jubilant mood. We wanted our closest friends and family to feel the emotions and the love that we had experienced in our relationship with each other as we became a blended family with Branden’s children,” Catherine says. “We took our cues from the Rotunda, selecting florals in fuchsias and magentas. These colors contrasted beautifully with navy—navy velvet tablecloths, navy invitations and prints, all with touches of gold.”

THE MENU

Catherine and Branden drew menu inspiration from Germany, as both of them had served missions there for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Brats and pretzel bites started the meal, a winter salad followed, and entrees included Cabernet-braised short ribs with creamy polenta or chicken breast Marsala with artichokes and capers.

THE PARTY

The newlyweds kicked off festivities at the end of the ring ceremony. A gospel choir surprised guests by following the bridal party and singing “All You Need Is Love” while descending from the rotunda staircases. Later, Catherine offered a musical performance to the children: “Lighthouse,” an original composition written by Catherine and performed by a family friend Natalie Hill Jensen, accompanied by Catherine on the grand piano. “At night, when I would listen to the children’s prayers, they would always pray to not have bad dreams,” Catherine explains. “These children had lost their mother to cancer, and their tender prayers at night touched my heart. Because I have always composed music, I felt one of the most personal gifts I could give them at the wedding would be a lullaby, one they could listen to at night.”

“The lullaby was the most memorable moment for me,” Branden adds. “I had seen the incredible effort Catherine put into writing and refining the song, but to hear it in person, sung by Broadway singer Natalie Hill Jensen, brought tears to my eyes. It’s a gift to the family that we will treasure forever.”