Photos by Heather Nan Photography | Styling and design by Allison Baddley, La Fete

We Utahns are famous for a sweet tooth. The state’s refined taste for sugar has made national celebrities of bakers—Sweet Tooth Fairy, One Sweet Slice and The Mighty Baker—all winners in various TV baking competitions, all from Utah. Utah’s party scene featured candy buffets before they were cool and is currently creating a soda fountain revolution.

Cavity jokes aside, wedding stylist Allison Baddley of Le Fete says candy is more than corn syrup and sugar. It’s a, dare we say, sweet inspiration for a wedding. “Wedding inspiration can come from anywhere. With
so much neutrality the past few years, wedding design is begging for color and pattern,” she says.

If you are ready to party with colors aplenty, Baddley and her photographer friend Heather Nan shed new light on wedding design with four sugary-sweet patterns—bold stripes, iridescent waves, geometric kaleidoscope and monochromatic color blocking.

Waves

If you’re enchanted by mermaids or unicorns in your design, here’s a wedding style for you. La Fete’s Baddley dives deep into iridescent clouds of cotton candy. “This mood can go bad fast, but if you want a white, cream or beige wedding that makes your guests jaws drop, adding iridescence can help.”

Have your cake and eat it too

Fondant frosting blankets a “funfetti” vanilla cake with colorful sprinkles by Flour & Flourish, while delicate gelatin shreds decorate each layer. “Let the style of the cake shine,” says pastry chef Cassidy Harrison. “If a cake is simply frosted, go with varying layer heights. If you want to decorate with something unique, keep your cake’s shape simple.” Galaxy cheesecake and champagne cotton-candy cocktails from Cuisine Unlimited round out the space-age sweets, along with Maison Confiserie et Boutique’s pink vanilla cotton candy and cotton candy sugar strings.

Set a shimmery table

La Fete foraged feathery branches to add to a taupe-hued collection of protea, astilbe, lavender and Quicksand roses and blushing bride blooms. Pearlized glass vases and acrylic ghost chairs from Glass House add a see-through sheen to the milky linens and neutrally toned backdrop.

Don’t be shy

Hair and makeup artist Janelle Ingram creates ultimate sophistication with a classic chignon and flawless makeup. A dramatic shimmer-encrusted tulle ball gown ($5,500) from Bitsy Bridal elegantly pairs with Roberto Coin diamond pavé flower earrings in 18k white gold ($5,300) and a Pomellato amethyst Nudo ring with diamonds in rose gold ($5,800) from O.C. Tanner Jewelers.

Push the envelope

Announce your wedding day with something special. “Blush tones will forever be popular wedding colors, so I started there and added more depth and punch,” says Refine Studio’s Nikkol Christiansen. “An iridescent layer softens the pink and adds a fashion-forward statement to the suite. A modern edge takes form with unexpected type placement and minimal wording.” Jewel-toned cocktail rings—including this amethyst and rose gold beauty ($5,800) from O.C. Tanner Jewelers—add glow and glam to the mood.

Vendors

Photography: Heather Nan, SLC

Styling and design: La Fete, SLC

Invitations: Ann Elizabeth, Murray; Refine Studio, SLC; Ink Press & Co, SLC; The Write Image, SLC

Cakes: Flour & Flourish, SLC; Pippa Cakery

Flowers: Sage Floral, SLC; La Fete, SLC; Orchid Dynasty, SLC;
Tinge Floral, SLC

Hair and makeup: Janelle Ingham, Cottonwood Heights

Gowns: Bitsy Bridal, SLC

Desserts and cocktails: Cuisine Unlimited, Murray

Candy: Maison Boutique, SLC

Linens: La Tavola Linens, via La Fete

Photography assistants: Lexie Fuell and Claire White

Food styling: Derek Deitsch and Misky Merino, Cuisine Unlimited

Yellow chairs and tabletop decor: Glass House, SLC

Styling assistant: Carpe Diem Design, Layton

Model: Abigail Johnsen