Easy Love: Ingrid & Chris’s Park City Mountain Wedding

May 13, 2020

Ingrid & Chris had a rom-com worthy meet-cute: Ingrid went into OP Rockwell for a post-hike drink and struck up a conversation with the handsome bartender.

“I was not really interested in dating, and didn’t live in Utah at the time, but Chris changed my mind with his kind spirit, cute smile and killer bartending skills,” Ingrid says.

After two years of dating bliss, Ingrid won two limited permits to hike The Wave and Chris knew this was his chance. He got the blessing, the ring (which belonged to Ingrid’s grandmother) and a bottle of champagne hidden in his backpack and hiked alongside Ingrid until the two reached the perfect view. Ingrid said yes, and the duo celebrated with PB&J sandwiches and champagne.

THE WEDDING

These lovers made it official on September 28, 2019 in the perfect Utah ceremony at Rotary Park, Park City.* Beautiful mountain views and a shady grove that Ingrid called “the church of aspens” served as the backdrop for the vows and ceremony. Heather Thomas, a pastor from Missio Dei church in Salt Lake City, performed the ceremony.

Ingrid walked the aisle in a custom, Munich-made gown by Lilly Ingen Hoven Bridal and Chris wore a bespoke suit from Leone’s Custom Made.

The reception moved the party to Rockwell Listening Room on Main Street, just up the stairs from the bar where Ingrid and Chris first met. OP Rockwell brought the love-at-first-sight back to life, as the couple took bridals to reminisce the first bar meeting. The drink Ingrid first ordered from Chris – called the Foxtrot – was the signature cocktail at the reception.

*Rotary Park is not an official wedding venue. Park city residents can reserve the area for small gatherings for a fee. All décor must be packed in and removed day-of.

The Mood

Celebrating Utah easily became the theme of the event, with an autumnal palette of rich burgundy, deep blues and glittering gold.

“Many of our guests came from out of town so we wanted to show off the best that a Utah ‘mountain town’ has to offer,” says Ingrid. And with that came a relaxed, ski-town vibe that only swanky Park City can provide.

Ingrid’s line was packed with her best ladies (3 sisters and two sisters-at-heart), and Chris chose his best woman (his good friend Alex Hess), as well as a lineup of friends and cousins to back him on his big day.

THE MENU

“Our caterer (Paul Serpe, owner of Hidden Peak Dining) is a friend of Chris’ and we entrusted him with the menu,” shares Ingrid.

A focus on seasonal, local ingredients – and Chris & Ingrid’s easy-going personalities – drove the Utah-centric menu. Appetizers included burrata, vegetables and dips and olives, while dinner consisted of sprouted ancient grains, wild greens salad, local roasted veggies and a carving station with fennel roasted pork loin and marinated New York Strip steak with a chimmichurri sauce.

Consistent with the party mood, the dance party snacks were mini sub sandwiches and a late-night wing bar.

The Party

Wing-fueled guests busted their moves to songs from DJ Leo Bottrill, while the bartenders with Nice & Easy kept the Foxtrots and other liquid goodies flowing all evening long.

Chris and Ingrid shared their first dance to Louis Armstrong’s classic “La Vie en Rose,” but kept the party alive with a cut to Lizzo’s “Juice.”

Not forgetting a single element of hosting, Ingrid and Chris also included several dessert options for their guests: a small carrot cake for the couple’s cutting, larger gluten-and-dairy-free almond cake for family members with allergies and coffee service with each from La Barba. Cakes were made by Emily Carper and Becky Rosenthal of the Vintage Mixer.