An intimate, high-fashion affair comes to life in this fantasy elopement at Montage Deer Valley, arranged by a talented team of Utah vendors.
Drop in to a stylish, simple celebration at one of Utah’s most luxurious resorts. A visionary team of wedding pros came together to create this stunning and romantic inspiration for an elopement at Montage Deer Valley.
“The Montage is a luxurious and elegant venue nestled in the heart of the Wasatch Mountains, offering a picturesque setting for an intimate elopement,” says wedding planner Britt Warnick of Britt Warnick Designs. “The venue’s architecture is inspired by the grand lodges of the National Parks, with natural stone and timber construction, and large windows that allow for an abundance of natural light. The Montage offers a variety of indoor and outdoor spaces for ceremonies and receptions, including a grand ballroom, a rooftop terrace, and a lawn with a gazebo.”
Floral Rhapsody created an elaborate and beautiful head table design, filled with lush blooms in shades of neutrals and white, creating a romantic ambiance that set the tone for the entire evening. The planner Britt Warnick Designs curated the overall look and feel of the shoot, ensuring every detail was perfect.
Breanna White Photography captured all the beautiful details and romantic moments of the day, from the first kiss as husband and wife to the last dance of the night. Together, the team of vendors created a breathtaking and inspiring elopement shoot that would give couples ideas for their own intimate weddings.
This pair’s love story starts at Baylor University in the heart of the COVID-19 pandemic. Madison, a native Seattleite and a Ph.D. student in Genetics, and Tommy, a Chicagoan and software engineer, had their first date at Tommy’s apartment in April 2020, which he dubbed “Tommy’s Table” for the night. He won her over by making her favorite food, steak and bananas foster, and the rest is history.
THE PROPOSAL
Tommy’s intimate proposal included recreating their first date, down to the bananas foster, with just the two of them at their shared apartment. No photographers, no family, no friends– just the love that had grown between the two.
THE CEREMONY
Following a nine-month engagement, the couple finally made their marriage official in July of 2022 in a Catholic ceremony at St. Ambrose church in Salt Lake City with almost 100 of their loved ones present. “For us, marriage is a sacrament so the whole ceremony was very special to us,” Madison said.
Madison was adorned in her mother’s pearls but opted out of earrings to keep things simple and instead wore her oval-cut gold engagement ring and band. Her dress was a simple and classic square-neck white wedding dress with a front slit.
Madison’s bridal party was composed of her three college roommates, one college friend, her sister, Tommy’s sister and two high school friends. Her bridesmaids were adorned in powder blue dresses to match the wedding’s theme, chosen for the bride’s favorite color.
THE PARTY
After their limousine broke down on the drive from their ceremony venue to their reception and Madison’s dad had to pick them up and drive them the rest of the way, the newlyweds finally made their way to their reception at Alta Lodge, their favorite ski lodge.
Their reception continued with the powder blue color scheme while adding in some more pastels, and the couple were able to show off their love of the mountains in their outdoor party.
“I didn’t really have a vision besides marrying my best friend and celebrating with our friends outside in the mountains,” Madison said.
The menu for the night consisted of steak and salmon and an open bar. The couple’s three-layer, three-flavor cake consisted of a layer of coconut with coconut cream, a layer of chocolate with milk chocolate filling and vanilla with raspberry filling. The cake was decorated with images of trees and mountains painted with frosting, making the cake one of Madison’s favorite details of the night, along with the pastel-colored florals.
The couple had their first dance to My Best Friend by Tim McGraw, played by their DJ.
AFTER THE WEDDING
The morning after the wedding, the couple had brunch at the Alta Lodge. Because the couple had plans to close on their new home two weeks after the wedding, the newly married couple drove down to Sedona, AZ for their honeymoon to mountain bike and relax in a nice hotel after the stress of wedding planning and home-buying.
Let this color-packed, cultural-fusion wedding inspire you to bring your beloved traditions into the modern age
Planning and Design by Soiree Productions
Photography by Branson Maxwell Photography
FUSCHIA FAB
As a stunning ode to the lush tropical climate of India, Wild Earth Designs curates a dynamic palette of florals, setting the scene for this new-age ceremony. Hot pink anthurium, strawflower and delphinium play happily with sunny ermurus, tulip and amaranthus in a display of stylish lanterns that dazzles from every corner. Consistent with traditional Indian ceremonies, strings of marigolds echo the sun, inviting brightness and positivity to a newly-formed family.
The bride’s bouquet features ombre arrangement of blooms, transitioning from lemon yellow to delicate pink in perfect harmony.
MODERN MANDAP
Wild Earth’s vibrant, contemporary floral sprays also adorn the structure of a mandap, a traditional altar for Indian weddings, particularly Hindu and Jain ceremonies. The structures are draped with fabric and consist of four pillars that symbolize the four parents who raised the bride and groom.
With modern floral design (and the jubilant shift into wedding maximalism), a mandap can be transformed from the stage for a seated spiritual Indian ceremony into the backdrop for the familiar Western vow exchange with ease
PERFECT PALETTE
Full-throttle pigment doesn’t stop at the petals. A sweetheart table nestles in a full meadow of blooms, beautifully coordinated with a spread of color-soaked linens. Gilded swirls of sophisticated pattern enliven a bright tablecloth. Hand-woven rugs serve as the setup’s fashionable foundation, grounding the design in deep maroons and an elaborate motif.
In the paper suite, a peach-hued envelope anchors a collection of finely detailed paper goods, from a delicate paisley save-the-date with gold accents to a custom-cut fuschia schedule card. A second envelope boasting a warm mustard tint is a beautiful reminder to “respondez, sil-vous-plait.”
DOUBLE DUTY
Mixed-heritage weddings are always full of beautifully blended moments, but take every advantage of the spotlight and give both modern and traditional attire their special moments to shine. A strapless and full-skirted ivory gown sets the stage in elegance during the vows, while an vividly-blushed saree helps a bride ring in her happily every after with joyful color.
Each look is frosted with a unique set of accessories, including glittering gold bracelets and diamonds for the modern bride and rich gold foral earrings that coordinate with the bride’s traditional bangles.
Tying the two worlds together, intricate mehndi (or henna) designs adorn the bride’s forearms. Their twirling vines mirror the feminine floral motif of the wedding gown, while more traditional flower designs on the palms symbolize beauty and new beginnings.
When bride Ida was an undergraduate student at the University of Utah, her cousin recruited her to work in a lab, in order to help Ida get experience for dental school applications. After Ida joined the lab, she began noticing photos of another student in the PhD program and asked who he was. Her cousin shared that Nick, a fellow bioengineering PhD candidate, was researching in Paris and was scheduled to return the following semester. Ida was holding out for the right guy, and finally met Nick upon his return at a grad student night out. “As he walked up to me, I just knew this guy was different,” says Ida. “I thought he could be the one!”
THE PROPOSAL
Ida and Nick began dating in March of 2015. Fast forward to 2021, when Nick decided to treat Ida to the trip of a lifetime. Ever since childhood, she had wanted to go to Africa to see wild elephants, and Nick had developed a dream proposal in tandem with this dream trip. Nick and Ida traveled across Tanzania for two weeks, along with a photographer and videographer. At the end of the safari, everyone took a sunset drive through the Serengeti. To Ida’s surprise, Nick had hired trackers to look for elephants. They drove over a hill, and found a herd of hundreds of elephants waiting for them. Ida jumped from the car to watch them migrate across the field, and she turned around to find Nick on one knee. Her dream vacation ended in the perfect engagement story.
THE WEDDING
Drawing from her Persian roots, Ida envisioned her wedding as a luxury middle-eastern celebration that would make her feel like a Persian princess. After a venue hunt, the couple decided on Snowpine Lodge to host their intimate wedding. “We loved that it was up in the mountains, but also was slightly modern in its decor,” says Ida. “Nowhere else has a backdrop like they do, and the hotel was the perfect size.”
The couple also desired a timeless design, so their wedding memories would feel glamorous and refined for years to come. To accomplish this, Braelynn Tuitupou of Belle Bodas Events created a stunning palette of cream, blush and other neutral hues that contrasted with the mountain and achieved the elegance the couple craved.
THE CEREMONY
The ceremony’s backdrop was a breathtaking cream arch, laden with a wide variety of textured blooms that helped the arrangement stand out against the picture-perfect backdrop. The union began with a traditional Persian ceremony which includes sitting behind a sofreh aghd displaying symbolic items and reading Persian poetry by Hafez. Meanwhile, happily married women ground sugar over the heads of the couple while Ida and Nick fed each other honey to signify sweetening their lives together. Then, the couple exchanged traditional Western vows and rings and Nick surprised his bride by reciting part of his vows in Farsi.
During these festivities, Ida donned a strapless Karoza Bridal ball gown with enough floral detail to equal the show-stopping wedding design. Her jewelry and accessories included a custom diamond set, which Ida’s mother flew to Iran to design and bring to the wedding per Persian tradition. Ida’s parents also gifted Nick a Versace watch to wear with his sleek black attire.
THE PARTY
Back inside the lodge, guests prepared for dinner, hors d’oeuvres, cocktails and dancing. The menu included Utah favorites including bison and elk meatballs and smoked trout blinis, alongside more unique courses such as cauliflower falafel, vegetarian lasagna and a spread of traditional Persian pastries baked with love by the mother of the bride. A palette of light neutrals graced the design, with gray linens, blush (or gold) monograms and vine details adorning signage throughout the space. Every table showcased equally stunning blush-and-cream florals performing as the ceremony centerpieces.
After dinner, the couple’s culture came out in full swing. The duo hired both a DJ and a Persian drummer to play at their reception, and the newlyweds performed a variety of western and Persian dances for their guests. Following a first dance to “Can’t Help Falling in Love with You,” Ida and her father danced to both “This Dance” by Scott Thomas Laughbridge and to “Sattar” by Aroosi. The groom and his mother danced to “Close Your Eyes” by Michael Bublé, and then guests watched the bridal party perform a Persian knife dance, in which the bridesmaids take the cake knife “hostage,” teasing the groom to get money out of him. Once they’ve gotten enough money, they hand the knife over and allow the happy couple to cut their cake—in this case, a lemon poppyseed confection with strawberry icing.
Tailor Cooperative, one of Utah’s premier made-to-measure suiting shops, offers personalized advice to produce a one-of-a-kind wedding ensemble for the man of the hour
The dress gets most of the fanfare on the wedding day, but we say the groom deserves his “Say Yes” moment as well. Enter Tailor Cooperative, the Salt Lake City clothiers who specialize in made-to-order menswear.
“The first step I take with grooms is to go over what they already wear,” says Tailor Cooperative clothier Alessandra Vivo. “We talk about what they have in their closets, what fits they’re comfortable with and how those elements might fit into their wedding visions.”
Then comes the fun part. Tailor Cooperative has over 15,000 fabrics and 100 linings that gentlemen of all styles can choose from to craft a totally unique look for their big events. From the shirt to the suit jacket’s buttons, every piece of a TC suit can be personalized.
“One of the most fun elements of our suits is that each client gets a monogram inside the jacket,” says Vivo. “For weddings, the groom tends to put his spouse’s name along with the wedding date, but each customer gets two lines to put in whatever he’d like.”
When planning a design you’ll love for years to come, Vivo recommends a classic color with customized flair. Black, gray and navy are hues that will stay chic long-term, and can be delivered with a playfully patterned lining. “No one is really going to see the lining but you, so you can make it as fun as you’d like.”
But if one-of-a-kind is your vision, then bring on the color. Currently trending tones include greens, maroons, and a full range of warm tan and brown fabrics.
Tailor Cooperative custom suits require 4-6 weeks to complete. “Two months before the wedding is usually a safe bet,” Vivo says. “At that point, bodies won’t change much, and we still have time for measurements, construction and alterations for the perfect fit.”
Utah photography team Hayden + Megan capture a beautiful set of bridals in Northern Utah, among the mountain roads surrounding Tony Grove Lake.
This couple first met in a class in high school, making for the perfect meet-cute and a classic love story. The rest was history!
For their pre-nuptial bridals at Tony Grove Lake in Logan, Utah, Hannah & Bridger dressed to the nines, creating a beautiful memory ahead of their wedding day.
Bride Hannah donned a flowing gown with elegant bishop sleeves and button details, accented by a pearl-lined bow veil and a colorful bouquet from Lee’s Marketplace Floral. Her groom wore a sharp tan-checked suit, with a matching vest and vibrant floral tie to match the mood.
From the first save-the-date card to memorializing the final memories, turn to fine art-inclined venues and vendors to transform your wedding aesthetic into something gallery-worthy.
WE PROUDLY PRESENT…
If first impressions are the most important, then your invitation suite is the prime opportunity to introduce your guests to your personal wedding style. Christy Townsend—owner and lead designer of The Paper Vow (thepapervow.com)—creates luxurious, hand-painted custom stationery suites with the high-end couple in mind.
“Couples today think deeply about their invitations and how they can kick off their full wedding experience with that first perception,” Townsend says. “It’s all about their personal vibe, and the invitation is the perfect place to introduce what kind of mood your wedding will have.”
And this custom suite (above) sings of “rustic luxury.” Bespoke watercolors grace envelope liners and save-the-date cards, capturing Utah’s Carriage House venue and its surrounding landscape in artful splendor. Watercolor by Joelle Hanton Art. The Paper Vow can also include painted details from the day’s decor, portraits of pets and personalized monograms to be displayed on paper elements throughout the event—from menus to beverage garnishes.
The curation doesn’t have to stop there— Townsend’s attention to detail turns the full package into a work of art. When taking your suite from basic to luxury, paper becomes a medium all its own.
“A handmade paper with deckled edging, foil press or rich textures immediately elevates your invitation,” she says.
From there, it’s time to pile on the layers. Silk ribbons, blind-embossed typography, wax seals and more deliver the splendid, old-world flourish that your wedding craves.
EDIT NOTE: This article originally mentioned Sundance Resort. Carriage House is an independent venue, and is not associated wit the Sundance Brand.
CAPTURED ON CANVAS
COURTESY PAINTING WITH BAILEY
Bailey Moser of Painting with Bailey (baileymoser.com) captures your most cherished moments like you’ve never experienced. What began as a passion for acrylic landscape painting has launched her into a unique business providing couples with artistic, one-of-a-kind mementos of their wedding days.
Moser’s services include two forms of artwork: studio painting and live painting.
COURTESY PAINTING WITH BAILEY
Moser’s studio paintings happen after her clients’ wedding days. For these pieces, she takes photo and video references from your event and creatively translates them on canvas after the celebration. These paintings are ideal for anniversary gifts or capturing intimate elopements. They also provide a unique opportunity to include any VIPs who couldn’t attend the wedding, whether they be a pet left at home or a late family member.
For a one-of-a-kind experience on the wedding day, Moser can also paint your memories in real-time, capturing whatever special moment you choose.
“My favorite moment to capture is the ceremony exit,” Moser says. “Many couples pick the timeless and emotional ‘first kiss,’ but I love the movement and joy that can be captured in a painting of the ceremony exit. The dress will be flowing, and you can see the couple’s full faces.”
Although Moser’s work serves as a sophisticated preservation of the wedding day, her service also brings a level of cultured entertainment to the day’s turn of events.
“There are some slower spots in every wedding timeline, including cocktail hour or the moments right before ceremony seating begins,” says Moser. “In these moments, the entertainment aspect plays a big part—guests now have a more elevated experience. They have something to gather around to fill that space.”
Hoopes Events designs a dreamy wedding day fit for the finest of European nobility. Photography by Morgan Leigh Photography
FASHION FORWARD
Ask nearly any bride, and she’ll tell you—the most important element of her wedding plan is the dress. The lesson: Allow that perfect gown to inform your event’s theme and design. For this bride, a voluminous organza ball gown with detached sleeves inspires a world of provincial European magic.
The bridal party follows suit. This bride is blessed with a full court of maids, each dressed in a swath of color, lace and embroidered floral motifs fit for royalty.
Speaking of noble air, a bride with a stately eye needs more accessories than a simple veil. A bejeweled tiara fits the bill, adding the perfect dose of sparkle and extravagance.
NOBILITY-READY
Taking the theme in stride, a team of design pros takes a “more is more” approach to heart, transforming the pastoral grounds at Midway’s Homestead Resort into an opulently adorned reception site. Decadence graces every moment of the celebration, beginning with an al fresco luncheon table shining with gold accents—from slender candelabras to elegant gold chairs. Atop gilded chargers, quaint sky blue salad plates echo the floral motif introduced by the splendid set of gowns.
French garden party elegance weaves through the tablescape, emerging in winding strands of pearls, bunches of pristine white roses and lavish feather accents.
Across the property, a stylishly pleated tent illuminated by classic iron chandeliers fosters a fusion of old and new with a reception defined by a clean, white decor and richly textured floral arrangements. Nearby, a sitting area composed of vintage French lounge furniture invites guests to sip champagne and nibble pastries in high style.
PERFECT PATISSERIE
No garden-party celebration is complete without a mouth-watering spread overflowing with decadently baked and elegantly garnished pastries. Multi-colored macarons, triple-tiered mousses and a delicious array of other luxurious delights baked by Homestead’s chefs cover an outdoor dessert buffet, transforming the venue’s patio into a scene reminiscent of a French patisserie. Extend the experience by boxing up a few goodies and sending them home with guests as tasty favors.
THE PAPER EXPERIENCE
The quickest way to create an unforgettable luxury event is to ensure every moment is an experience for your guests. And when it comes to the paper goods, Ann Elizabeth Print Studio delivers style and substance in spades. Deep-colored and sophisticated botanical prints act as a design thread connecting each piece, from velvet-ribbon place cards to the sheer floral pocket housing the invitation itself.
Rounded edges on RSVP cards and an upscale, vertically-displayed menu evoke portraits hanging in a stately home or museum. Colorful programs printed on high-quality paper rest on each seat at the ceremony, giving each guest a guide through the events of the day.
Take center stage with a setting as special as you and your beloved. Aptly named, the sweetheart table is rapidly gaining favor among modern couples. Cherished as a striking focal point for the reception layout, it’s also an intimate getaway for bride and groom to enjoy within the bustle of the big day. What’s more, the lavishly styled vignette provides a picturesque backdrop for memorable photos you’ll savor for years to come.
Eliza and James’s first encounter occurred nearly a decade before their marriage, when they followed each other on social media. Eliza was a high school sophomore and James a senior upon their first connection, but until adulthood they remained virtual friends only. The two finally met in person in 2021 and the rest, as they say, is history.
One of the pair’s favorite activities while dating was sharing dinner together on the balcony of James’s Salt Lake City apartment. One evening about a year into their relationship, James surprised Eliza during their nightly meal by getting on one knee and asking her to marry him, with the lights of the city shining as his backdrop. Of course, Eliza accepted.
“We ate dinner on the balcony together almost every night the first summer we were dating,” Eliza recalls. “We like to say that is where we fell in love.”
THE WEDDING
The couple tied the knot in a bright June ceremony at a relative’s home in Salt Lake City. “I’ve always wanted to get married outside, in a place that is special to me,” says Eliza. “My mother was married at her family home and as the first child to get married in my family, carrying on the tradition felt right.”
Eliza’s wedding day vision included luxurious blooms and loads of color—a true garden party.
The first garden-chic moment (delivered by event planner Michelle Leo Events and Artisan Bloom) was the ceremony arch. A towering stone installation in the residence’s backyard served as the ideal backdrop for a bursting pink arch, where the ceremony vows and speeches took place.
Opposite James in his classic black, Eliza wore a multi-layered Lazaro A-Line gown with floral texture and a hand-embroidered floral veil to match the garden scene. Two bracelets from her late grandmothers played supporting roles in the accessory department, delivering shine to the bride’s otherwise sleek presentation. As Eliza walked down the aisle, she carried an equally sleek bouquet of pale pink calla lilies, in beautiful contrast to the full-bodied blooms which made up the event’s other arrangements. On either side of the couple, six bridesmaids wore peach-colored satin gowns, while the groomsmen stood uniformly in black suits and pink-accented boutonnieres.
The couple exchanged rings handed down by the groom’s family, following speeches about love delivered by James’s older sister and Eliza’s grandfather.
THE PARTY
Following the big “I Do,” the couple and their guests moved the party to a soaring sailcloth tent. In perfect harmony with the bridal party’s gorgeously paired attire, the guests’ attire also reflected the “garden party” theme. Every attendee arrived dressed to the nines in florals and linens, creating a guest lineup that appeared as curated as the design itself.
Peach and pink floral arrangements dotted the space, sitting atop vine-patterned linens that accentuated the garden-style appeal. Twinkling lights, strung along the seams and supports of the tent, sparkled in the reflections of tall floating candles, delivering a delightful dose of magic to the summer evening.
At the bride’s request, a side table included a “legacy display,” showcasing the wedding photos of family members, and tributes to loved ones who had passed away. “This was one of my favorite parts of our wedding,” Eliza says.
Guests dined on peach-and-burrata salad and an elevated version of “steak frites,” the bride’s favorite meal. Culinary Crafts presented hanger steak with chimichurri sauce and fries, with a side of classic Utah fry sauce. For dessert, two tiers of decadent wedding cake featured the couple’s favorite flavors: double chocolate and strawberry lemonade.
Following dinner, the party hit the dance floor. Eliza & James shared their first dance to “Forever After All” by Luke Combs, then spent the rest of the evening dancing with their loved ones. At the end of the night, the couple made their getaway in style, driving off in Eliza’s grandfather’s vintage Thunderbird before flying away to a Hawaii honeymoon.
