There’s the obvious parts of wedding planning, but there are also the things no one thought to tell you. A well-seasoned wedding photographer, Lindsey Stewart of Green Apple Photography, lets you in on one those secrets . . .
It’s your wedding day, and that is so exciting! A million to-dos are on your list, and your head is probably spinning. As a wedding photographer, I have photographed hundreds of weddings over the years, and I have seen lots of different kinds of weddings, all beautiful, but if I could give a pieces of advice to every bride, it would be the following:
Be yourself!
The happiest weddings are the ones where couples stay true to their own voice. Your wedding doesn’t have to have the most details or the most glamour, but what makes it memorable is when you involve pieces of yourself.
Do you love to read? Incorporate that!
Are you a low-key kind of gal? Keep your make-up simple.
There’s no right or wrong answer, but just remember that this day is about the one you love and the family sharing it with you. All those other bits and pieces are icing, which is delicious and fun, but just a bonus.
Flowers are one of the best parts of being a bride. It’s not everyday you carry a bundle of blooms around in your arms, wear them in your hair or ceremoniously toss them to your friends.
What you choose says something about you; it’s a part of your wedding day style. Consider what colors, shapes and sizes best suit you in our guide below.
Soft & Sweet
You know who you are. Soft shades of pink petals make for an inarguably feminine look. When choosing your wedding day blooms, look for garden roses, peonies, ranunculus and even double-flowering tulips (a less expensive peony look-alike).
Full of Flair
For the bride that’s not worried about being overshadowed, the bigger the bouquet the better. Choose flowers with serious volume and texture, like Delphinium or Queen of the Prairie. With flowers like these, they’ll make you’re bouquet something to talk about.
Wild & Wily
Grocery store bouquets don’t interest you? We get it. Some bridal styles call for a little something unusual. Flowers like protea and orchids are natural beauties, even when arranged in bouquets they still look wild and exotic.
Crisp & Clean
Simplicity will never go out of style—and you can count on that. If you’re a bride with an eye for simple design go with basic shapes, long stems and simple, singular arrangements. A bouquet full of white anemone or narcissus will add a crisp freshness to your bridal look, not overpower it.
On a day filled with laughter and happy tears, Stacia and Dustyn infuse glamorous and whimsical details into a summer scene staged beneath an aspen canopy.
A year and a half after meeting Stacia on Match.com, Dustyn surprised her with an engagement ring when she least expected it: on Valentine’s day. “I hinted to my girlfriends that I did not want to be proposed to on Valentine’s Day,” Stacia laughs, “but Dustyn somehow heard that I did not want to be proposed to on Valentine’s.” Nonetheless, Dustyn took advantage of February’s unusually warm weather to lead Stacia on a sunset hike to Ensign Peak where he proposed.
“I turn around to find him on one knee and I asked, ‘What are you doing?’ He said he had a ring and I said, ‘No. Get up, people are staring at us.'” Stacia, of course, said yes and now the couple has a funny engagement story to tell.
With the help of Fuse Weddings & Events, the Utah couple (who live in Herriman) hosted a summertime wedding at Deer Valley Resort’s Empire Canyon Lodge. A highlight of the ceremony was Stacia’s daughter Sami. “I put together vows to say to Sami and we had a birthstone ring made for her by my jeweler,” Stacia says. “It was so special. We wanted to make sure she didn’t feel like her dad was leaving her and that she knew she was an important part of this new family [with Dustyn].” The sweet family moment brought a few guests to tears.
Tinder may get a bad rap, but it worked wonders for Ellie and Ryan. “My good friend Ashley and I both had Tinder and we shared the same profile picture (a photo of the two of us),” remembers Ellie. Ryan’s friend matched with Ashley and showed Ryan the picture of Ashley and I. Ryan realized he had previously matched with me and so we all went on a double date. The rest is history!”
When it came time to get married, Ryan caught Ellie by surprise after a trip to Florida. “When we walked out to the baggage claim area both our families were there with a huge sign that said ‘Ellie will you marry me??’ I was shocked. His young nephew then ran up with the ring box in his hands. Ryan got down on one knee and proposed. It was so much fun sharing that moment with family and quite a few other people who decided to stay and watch the proposal. One lady even told us that once she walked out and saw the sign she decided to miss her bus so she could see the proposal.”
“Park City is near and dear to our hearts and we immediately knew we wanted to get married there.”
After working in the same company for quite some time, Jeff and Lindsay planned to meet for drinks with coworkers. When none of the coworkers could attend, Jeff picked up Lindsay for a date night of their own. “We both saw stars when I opened the door and saw one another standing there,” remembers Lindsay. “Drinks turned into dinner, dinner into drinks and we started dating immediately.”
Fast forward three years to Jeff’s surprise proposal. “Jeff took his best friend and my son to my parents’ house, decorated the whole backyard in my favorite flowers, and had a brand new white free people dress there for me to change into when I arrived. When I walked into the backyard all dressed up in my new “required” clothing, Jeff and my son were there in matching bow ties to propose to me. When I said yes, our parents and and a few friends came out from the side yard and we had an instant engagement party after!”
Forget that over-done, basic bouquet and the same arrangement that all ten of your friends had on their wedding day . . . what you need is something that is yours and something that is you: a horticultural homage to the many shapes and shades of your distinct taste. At least, that’s what the florists at Foxglove Utah think. And frankly, I’m with them.
Based in Utah Valley, this intimate-yet-booming (or should I say blooming) floral shop insists on creating designs that are unique and fitting for every customer and occasion.
“There is no cookie-cutter-arrangement, or mass-production at Foxglove,” owners Ryan and Courtney Carnell explain. In fact, before any botanical-handling commences, the designers find it critical to sit down with each client, share a soda (often caffeinated) in their darling gift-stocked storefront, and get to the heart of every event, its story, and most importantly, its people.
“For us, this is not a hobby. We genuinely care—sometimes we care too much—but honestly, when it comes to floral design, it has to be that way.”
I sat down with Katie Pendleton, one of the four designers at Foxglove (along with Courtney Carnell, Miriam Housley, and Lindsay Selk) who stressed the company’s “let’s get personal” characteristic.
Katie admits that one of the most rewarding things about her job, aside from the creativity and learning that goes into every project, is getting to meet people from all over Utah, share stories, and build positive relationships and experiences.
Now, it is true that there is an abundance of fabulous florists in this wedding-happy valley (lucky us!) but what has struck me about Foxglove and its tiny team is its sincere and candid approach to the local floral industry.
Up until our conversation, Foxglove had relied solely on word-of-mouth recommendations, yet they have flowered countless events all over the Wasatch front—a testament to their impeccable taste and earnest regard.
Foxglove’s local-flower-shop persona, paired with its Royal-Wedding-worthy designs, makes for a stress-free and regal event. The arrangements are artistically tailored, always boasting the best local and international blooms, vegetables, and succulents, and “every arrangement is recognized as a piece of art.”
The company stemmed from decades of trial and discovery by owner Courtney Carnell, and her sense of exploration is evident in Foxglove’s aesthetic. After years of studying floral design with numerous tastes, shops, and teachers from across the country, Courtney returned to Utah in 2013 with a newly-discovered sense of self that bloomed into her own floral studio.
“In a way, a lot of Foxglove was a discovery,” Carnell remarks, and every arrangement created embodies that sense of discovery. Foxglove exists to help customers unearth their own sense of self and realize how that might look in a large lavish spray or a bonny bouquet. “[Clients] come with ideas, and we provide artistic feedback.”
So, when life next calls for a celebration big or small, remember that Foxglove can give rise to your occasion. Or feel free to stop by for an iced drink and some good conversation – I meant what I said about the caffeine-and-candy-stocked storefront.
Photos courtesy of Foxglove
Visit foxgloveutah.com to view more of their work, order flowers, or speak with a designer.
Follow Foxglove on Instagram for more fabulous floral arrangements: @foxgloveutah
Thousands joined Derek and Moudi for a joyous day infused with the couple’s passion for food, adventure and community.
Derek Kitchen and Moudi Sbeity were already well-known from their farmer’s market presence selling Laziz Mediterranean spreads, but the power couple became heroes in the LBGT and civil-rights community for the landmark court case Kitchen v. Herbert, bringing marriage equality to Utah and the 10th circuit states, helping pave the way for the nation.
Then, Kitchen was elected to the Salt Lake City Council. But it all started when they met, fell in love and got engaged like any other couple. After months of online chatting, the men met in 2009 in Logan. “We spent the weekend visiting coffee shops, eating out and studying at the university library,” says Sbeity. “There was an energy of connectedness, understanding and attraction.”
The couple had much to celebrate at the Gallivan Center. After six years of cooking, traveling, exploring, sharing a home, starting and running a business and suing the state of Utah, Kitchen and Sbeity married in a ceremony surrounded by hundreds of their friends, family and supporters. “It’s this love for risk and adventure that builds us up everyday,” Sbeity says.
Metropolitan meets the mountains for Michelle and Mark’s ski-inspired soiree.
The two New Yorkers met through their mothers’ mutual friends. After some missed communication attempts, Michelle and Mark finally set up a first date: watching the Super Bowl with Mark’s buddies. “Michelle was thrilled to be on a date with a guy she didn’t know and three of his friends,” Mark jokes. “It goes without saying though, that day was a good one. The Giants won, the Patriots lost, and Michelle and I each found the person we want to spend our life with.” Two years later, Mark proposed during a Napa Valley trip.
Mark’s work in finance often brings him to Park City, so Michelle, a nursing student at Columbia University, started joining him. “We immediately fell in love with everything about the Park City area,” she says. “The beautiful mountains, the fantastic skiing, the great restaurants, shops and art galleries along Main Street, and the many luxurious mountain resorts.” The winter-loving upstate New Yorkers chose Stein Erikson Lodge to host their wedding. “None of our guests had visited Utah prior to our wedding, and many still comment about how much Utah surprised them.”
You’ve budgeted for every last penny and think you’ve accounted for every possible wedding expense, but what about the tip?Yes, tipping is expected, and it’s a great way to say thank you to all those vendors who helped make your wedding day special.
be prepared
Make someone responsible for delivering tips, usually the best man.
Separate each tip into separate envelopes—do this ahead of time, and label each one for the recipient.
Check to see if gratuity is already added into the bill. You don’t want to double-tip, and sometimes gratuity is taxable. Check with vendors on tipping policies.
Keep an additional envelope on hand with a little extra cash in case you forget a tip or need a larger one.
Set aside 15 percent of your wedding budget for tipping.
whom to tip
The maitre d’ will split his/her bonus with the wait staff (typically 15–20 percent of the food and drink bill); don’t tip them directly.
Caterers should receive 15–20 percent of the food and drink bill, but only 10 percent if there is a maitre d’.
Bartenders should receive 10 percent of the total liquor bill.
Powder and coatroom attendants usually receive about $.50–$1 per guest, or arrange a gratuity bill with the hotel or club management.
Parking attendants will usually receive $.50–$1 per car. Make sure to pay this before guests start to arrive and display a sign stating, “Gratuities have been arranged by the host.”
Limousine drivers receive 15–20 percent of the total limousine bill. Delivery truck drivers for florist, baker, etc., will usually receive $5–$10 each.
Musicians and deejay are optional, but if you do decide to tip them, $20–$25 each is appropriate.
