Planning Your Wedding Day Timeline

March 27, 2023

The Planner: Rachael Mayo, Photos courtesy of Rachael Mayo, Pepper Nix and Kellie Jackstien

There’s a science to coordinating the schedule for your big day, and some timely elements may come as a surprise. Three Utah wedding pros share tips for orchestrating a wedding day timeline that feels perfectly in tempo.

THE DAY-OF-TIMELINE

Getting ready is one of the most special parts of a wedding day. Rachael Mayo of Rachael Ellen Events (pictured above) warns brides not to underestimate the time it takes to actually don the wedding gown. “This moment should be special and intentional,” Mayo explains. “If not properly planned, it can feel rushed.”

When it comes to directing guests to the right place at the right time, Mayo’s top tools are buffering and direction. First, give guests a 30 minute buffer for arrivals: if the ceremony begins at 5:00, write 4:30 on those invitations. At the event, have plenty of signage and staff to ensure your guests aren’t left to wander. rachaelellenevents.com

The Photographer: Pepper Nix
Photo courtesy of Pepper Nix

PHOTOGRAPHY FOR YOUR WEDDING DAY

The wedding day timeline fills up remarkably quickly, says seasoned photographer Pepper Nix, and the biggest “running-late” culprit is last-minute additions to the pre-ceremony moments. She recommends that couples make a list of all the getting-ready moments they’d like captured ahead of time, and to budget approximately 15 minutes for each photo, especially when arranging a group is required.

“Many brides don’t realize how much time last-minute additions eat up,” Nix says. With 15 minutes on the clock for each setup, fleeting additions such as a first look with Dad, a bridal party gift exchange or a boudoir shot can easily put you an hour behind schedule. “Plan to begin shooting 5 hours before your ceremony,” says Nix. “That allows for getting-ready shots, group photos of the family and wedding party, a first look and any other additions with plenty of daylight left for your ‘I Dos.’” peppernix.com

The Florist: Kellie Jackstien,
Photo courtesy of Kellie Jackstien

PLANNING YOUR WEDDING DAY TIMELINE AROUND FLORALS

According to florist Kellie Jackstien of Artisan Bloom, a full floral setup can take up to 12 hours. A perfectly bloomed and photo-ready installation requires a lot of planning, sometimes beginning days in advance. “Our florals often sit in various climate-controlled rooms for a few days before the wedding to ensure they will open right on time for the ceremony.” There’s a fine balance between lush and lack-luster. Be sure to give your floral team time to build your backdrop, but don’t leave florals cooking in the hot sun for too long.

The bouquet is another day-of consideration. “What you see on Pinterest isn’t always practical,” Jackstien warns. Pansies will wilt in moments, and daffodils will kill off other blooms in a bouquet. Instead, opt for heartier blooms like roses, hydrangea or peony for the base of your hand-held arrangements, and accent with seasonal blooms to add texture and personality to your bouquet. artisanbloom.com

Get more tips from Utah’s top wedding planners.

Sweet & Soulful Engagements at the Great Saltair

March 24, 2023

When planning their engagement shoot, Colorado couple Taylor and Cody knew they wanted to come to Utah for the stunning natural geography. However, instead of the traditional mountain views that might overshadow the couple, photographer Jackie Siggard suggested that they capture their engagement at the Great Saltair.

Richly textured grasses and a subtle color palette make for a timeless backdrop while perfectly framing the couple as the center of focus, allowing Siggard to fully capture the essence of love and joy radiating from Taylor and Cody.

Meet the Couple

Taylor and Cody met in middle school and officially started dating 12 years ago at ages 16 and 17. “Two dogs, five homes, and two states later we are finally tying the knot!”

The big question came when the couple took a trip to Keystone Colorado for Taylors birthday weekend. When they paused to take photos at the top of a mountain lookout, Cody surprised Taylor with a proposal. Unfortunately, the engagement ring that Cody had ordered was delayed in the mail so he popped the question with a rubber one which Taylor proudly wore for a week until the real deal arrived.

Tips For Shooting at the Great Saltair

Lighting can be a real challenge at the Great Saltair due to the lack of available shade. For the best results, Siggard recommends starting the shoot one to one and half hours before sunset. Couples must also be prepared to walk a ways, or to drive to a separate area, if they plan on taking photos near the water as the shore is far from the beginning of the dunes. Jackie also suggests bringing two outfits, one casual and one formal for varying looks.

Get more outdoor engagement photos ideas here.

Sundance Mountain Resort Wedding: Brigitte & Daniel

March 14, 2023

THE COUPLE

Brigitte and Daniel started their journey as coworkers at an aviation software company based in Houston. Brigitte, who works in human resources, saw Daniel, a software developer, as a friend for two years before the couple embarked on their first date. The two were together for five years before tying the knot during their September celebration at Sundance Mountain Resort.

THE PROPOSAL

En route to a dream vacation in San Sebastian, Spain, Daniel treated Brigitte to a stop in London, her favorite city. As a flower lover, Brigitte had Kensington Gardens at the top of her itinerary. While walking the grounds, she heard their song, which is by Kacey Musgraves, and thought it was a happy coincidence created by street performers. It wasn’t until she saw a sign popping the big question that she realized what was truly happening. “It was so sweet to see all of the effort Daniel made to create a complete surprise for me across the pond,” Brigitte says. She responded with the easiest of “yeses” and the couple spent the remainder of their vacation as an “engagement-moon” in Spain.

THE CEREMONY

Brigitte walked down an aisle laden with brilliant white florals, wearing a dreamily romantic Galia Lahav gown with full length off the shoulder sleeves, a flawlessly fit corset bodice and a voluminous floral lace skirt. The ceremony entrances were set to “Landslide,” Daniel’s late mother’s favorite song. Brigitte was wed to Daniel by a mutual friend, Jonathan English, who was the couple’s host for the London proposal surprise. Daniel surprised Brigitte once again and had the theme to The Princess Bride played to accompany his vows, referencing one of their first dates.

THE WEDDING

“Part of our wedding vibe was a love letter to Utah,” says Brigitte, who was born in Mountain Green. “I am so proud of where I’m from, and I wanted all of our friends from around the globe to experience all of the things I love about my home.” And experience, they did: Utah-local products and people were infused into every part of this celebration. The guests’ welcome bags featured Great Salt Lake taffy, and the welcome party was hosted by High West’s Whiskey Ambassadors while guests basked in the peaceful mountain ambiance of Sundance Resort.

Then came the party of Bridgerton-ball proportions. Cascading white-and-blush roses and wisteria draped the venue from floor-to-ceiling, pairing with sleek black signage to create the perfect London-esque backdrop for an evening of romance. “I’m a neutrals girl at heart. I didn’t want to select a palette that didn’t feel like me just because I was getting married,” Brigette explains. For added sentimentality, the event details featured blue herons, another nod to Daniel’s mother’s favorite things.

Brigitte entered her reception in a second simple and modern gown designed by Alyssa Kristin. The couple and their guests enjoyed a plated dinner including braised short ribs, pan seared chicken, vegetable strudel and fruit galette. Drinks included cocktails with a signature flair: each showcased a favorite liquor selected from two of the pair’s favorite bars. Dessert took the form of a show-stopping, five-tier cake in multiple flavors— strawberry lemonade, samoa and carrot cake.

THE PARTY

DJ Joune brought the celebration to life, ushering in the newlyweds with “Kiss to Build a Dream On.” Brigitte made her grand exit as Mrs. in a third head-turning ensemble, a short and party-ready number by Nadine Merabi, with enough sparkle to last through the couple’s three-week Italian honeymoon.

Utah Wedding Vendors:

Wedding Planning & Design: Fuse Weddings & Events, fuseweddingsandevents.com

Photography: Pepper Nix, peppernix.com

Videographer: Jared Wortley Films, jaredwortleyfilms.com

Venue & Catering: Sundance Mountain Resort, sundanceresort.com

Florist: Artisan Bloom, artisanbloom.com

Bride’s Attire: Custom Galia Lahav from Alta Moda Bridal, galialahav.com, altamodabridal.com

Groom’s Attire: The Black Tux and Hugo Boss,
theblacktux.com, hugoboss.com

Rings: Zadok Jewelers Houston, zadok.com

Bridesmaid Gowns: BHLDN and Saks Fifth Avenue, bhldn.com, saksfifthavenue.com

Groomsmen Suits: The Black Tux, theblacktux.com

Stationery Suite: Ann Elizabeth Print Studio,
annelizabeth.com

Signage: Twelve30Creative, twelve30.com

Rentals: Diamond Event and Tent, diamondevent.com; Vault Event Rentals, vaulteventrentals.com

Lighting: Moonlight Lighting, moonlightutah.com

Linens: Nuage Design, nuagedesigns.com

Neon Sign: Love at 1st Sign, loveatfirstsign.org

Hair & Makeup: Sly Beauty, slybeautycosmetics.com

Cake: Flour and Flourish, flourandflourishcake.com

Ceremony Music: Michael Lucarelli, michaellucarelli.com

DJ/Band: DJ Joune, djjoune.com

Subtle Winter Wedding

March 7, 2023

A subtle winter style shoot that felt different from a traditional winter wedding. A wide range of colors for the palette, the new and beautiful venue Twenty & Creek, and timeless yet unique accessories, all came together to create this ultra-elegant yet affordable wedding that captures Utah’s transitions from cool winter into vibrant spring.

THE INSPIRATION

For this shoot, the team followed one main concept: an attainable wedding. By renting with affordable vendors they really wanted to show how beautiful a wedding can be without breaking you bank account. With beautiful florals, decorations and accessories they were able to create this non-traditional yet elegant winter wedding.

THE PALETTE & FLORALS

The most unique aspect of this shoot was definitely the color palette. “I was looking for a wide range of colors of about eight to ten, instead of the traditional three to four,” says Kaushay Ford, the wedding planner for this event. With such a wide range of colors she focused on one primary shade: a dusty lilac. From there, splashes of green and blue hues branched off of this neutral purple. You see this primarily in the florals, with a winter-blooming showpiece: sweet pea. Around the sweet peas you see sprouts of cedar to give that wintery feel without gravitating to the traditional pine. This team wanted to show how to have affordable florals at your wedding. With a strong emphasis on the ceremony florals, they wanted to showcase that you can put your spending into one aspect that’s most important to you, rather than overly spending everywhere else.

THE VENUE

Twenty & Creek, a new venue in Sandy, Utah, provided a perfect setting for a timeless and subtle winter wedding. Photographer Amanda Shupe wanted to completely show off this elegant venue, especially the grand staircase, which she called: “A picturesque moment for a grand entrance.” Amanda really captured the bride’s room, but absolutely fell in love with the groom’s room. A navy and cobalt blue colored room, Shupe described it with one word: “Cool.”

ACCESSORIES & FASHION

To complement the subtle winter feel that the florals and venue offered, the team decided to utilize the fashion and accessories. The team selected sage green bridesmaid dresses to match a moss agate ring, which was custom designed for this shoot. More affordable than a diamond, colorful agate can easily highlight a bride’s outdoorsy personality. “The accessories were the finishing touch,” says Ford. As expected, the wedding dress was a show-stopping look, and easy to recreate with just four elements: pearls, lace, sheer details and flowing fabric. However, we can’t forget about the bonus bridal look: a short get-a-way reception dress, offering yet another fun way to showcase a bride’s personality at the end of the night.

THE TEAM

Photographer: amandashupe.com – @amandashupephotography

Wedding Planner and Designer: Kaushay.co – @kaushay.co

Venue: twentyandcreek.com – @twentyandcreek

HMUA: @sarahmichelleartistry

Florist: @tapestryfloral_

Cake: @lustr.creative_

Paper Goods: www.korynne.co/ – @korynne.co

Linens: www.specialtylinensutah.com – @specialty.linens.utah

Table Setting Rentals: @sarahlaynerentals

Gown and Exit Dress: www.utahbrideroom.com – @utahbrideroom

Bridesmaid Dresses: balticborn.com – @balticbornclothing

Suits: dctuxedos.net – @dctuxedos

Feeling inspired? Check out even more fresh wedding ideas here!

10 Bridal Capes from 2023 Couture Collections

March 2, 2023

INTRO

LaPointe Feathered Bridal Capes

Dripping with all sorts of cool-girl energy, LaPointe’s latest bridal line leans into the western-inspired boho feather accents. This boisterous veil brings all of the texture a bride could desire, while still leaving room for natural bridal beauty to shine up above.

Lela Rose: Trimmed Bridal Capes

The three bridal capes from designer Lela Rose are all about the simplicity. Delicate embroidered edging and dainty satin ribbons accentuate the elegance and grace of easily-flowing tulle accessories.

Marchesa: Full Lace Bridal Capes

For the royal treatment on your wedding day, look no further than an ensemble from Marchesa. This densely laced high-low cape perfectly pairs with a slim-fitting gown with three-dimensional floral texture.

Rosie Assoulin: Drama from Every Angle

Whether you go for ballgown beauty or a boho-chic vibe, designer Rosie Assoulin offers simple details to elevate any style. Try these two looks on for size: whimsical floral threads offer over-the-shoulder interest for the daisy-chain bride, while a simple tulle scarf with infinite tying possibility brings volume and personalization to a high-fashion base.

Sareh Nouri: Short and Sweet

Sweet and sophisticated, this vintage-inspired elbow-length bridal cape accents a classic crisp strapless lace wedding gown.

Viktor and Rolf: Applique Bridal Capes

Let the accessories do all the talking. In a NYFW runway in early 2023, Vikor and Rolf debuted a hooded sheer bridal cape heavy-laden with oversize floral applique details. Paired with a simple satin mini-dress, this accessory speaks for itself: the queen of bridal capes.

See more fashion inspiration from this season’s designers here.

Vintage Wedding Gowns from Lovers Bridal

February 27, 2023

Soon-to-be brides with an eye for sustainability have plenty of options for a low-waste celebration. Florals and food can be locally sourced, invitations and cards crafted from recycled materials, but what is to be done about the gown?

Salt Lake City’s Lovers Bridal Co. (a 2022 “Best of SLC” winner) offers an alternative to the “single use” gown by giving new life to vintage wedding dresses. Owner Kristina Batal has filled her shop on 800 South with one-of-a-kind gowns from bygone eras, beginning with the 1940s, and including a few pieces created as recently as the 1990s.

When making an appointment with Lovers Bridal—or “Joining the Love Club,” as Batal likes to call it—brides can request to try on specific dresses, or note a particular era, style or detail. Batal will find a gown in her collection to fit the bill. Often, brides will custom-tailor their picks for a personalized, modernized final look.

Occasionally, Batal will also help source a gown for a bride who is hunting for environmentally friendly wedding attire. Armed with a client’s wishlist, Batal has a knack for scouring estate sales, thrift stores and vintage collections to find the perfect dress.

But her true passion remains in that Say Yes To The Dress-style moment that she gets to share with her clients in person.

“There is a bit of bridal magic that happens in my store,” says Batal. “A bride’s number-one pick on the hanger often fits her like a glove. Everyone seems to have their perfect dress match.”

loversbridalco.com

806 S. 800 East, Salt Lake City

For more fashion inspiration visit here!

Celebration Makers 2023: Hoopes Weddings and Events

February 24, 2023

Your love story is something that is entirely ‘you,’ and your happily-ever-after should be just as unique. No two weddings should be exactly alike. Each wedding Hoopes Events creates follows that motto to bring your personality into the very heart of your wedding.

“The Hoopes Events style is to take the lifestyle of our couple and turn that into their perfect wedding,” says Tonya Hoopes, owner. “We believe in creating those unique special touches that have significance and meaning for each couple.” For more than a decade, her diverse team of planners has been creating events that showcase what makes your romance so special.

Investing in a talented and qualified wedding team is the key to a stress-free wedding, as well as a sure way to make your event one that you and your loved ones will never forget. But that doesn’t mean breaking the wedding budget.

“Just as each and every wedding is unique, so is every budget,” says Hoopes. “We don’t try to fit our clients into a look or location. At the end of the day, we want our clients to be happy, comfortable and feel good about working with our team.” Having a planner that knows which vendors fit your personality and budget, can handle the small details of your big day and are prepared to take your vision from the drawing board to reality really is priceless.

Hoopes Events loves making every wedding unique. Hoopes’ repertoire includes a Harry Potter theme, a gaming theme, skiing and snowboarding theme and many others. Although they are based in Utah, Hoopes has also done weddings in California, Nevada, Idaho, Wyoming, Montana and Colorado.

Hoopes Events also applies their expertise and knowledge to help couples live out their exotic, destination wedding dreams. They’re looking forward to their weddings in Tulum, Mexico and Guanacaste, Costa Rica the first part of this year. Here’s what Tonya has to say about destination weddings, “What most couples don’t realize is that a destination wedding, in many cases, costs less than a traditional wedding. What’s more romantic than a wedding at your dream destination surrounded by family and friends?”

“I am so inspired by each of my clients as I hear stories of how they met, where they work, details of their personal lives and so much more. I love following them through the rest of their life milestones; it brings joy into our days and reminds me of why my team works hard to ensure our clients special day is all about them!”

– Tonya Hoopes, Owner

Ask the Expert:

What’s Ahead:

The year 2023 is bringing new opportunities for couples: We’re so excited! The world is open and couples can look forward to endless opportunities for their wedding celebration.

Excited about:

We’re looking forward to mismatched dress colors and styles. This trend brings color pops to every wedding while allowing each bridal party member to create a look that complements them without distracting from the bride!

Fresh Ideas:

A wedding to remember is all about personal touches. What moves you? A breathtaking mountain view, a rustic cabin, an elaborate hall or a fairy-tale castle? Be willing to create that vision. A lot can be done to transform any venue into the wedding venue of your dreams.

Contact Hoopes Weddings and Events

Tonya Hoopes, Owner

435-414-0090

104 E. Fort Union Blvd., Midvale

hoopesevents.com

Wedding Trend Watch: Floral Texture

February 15, 2023

We recently spotted some of our favorite out-of-the-box bouquets from recent issues cropping up on inspiration boards, which can mean only one thing: floral texture and high-structure bouquets will have a big moment this 2023 wedding season. Whether you’re inspired by the dried fronds of the Utah desert or a vibrant and bursting palette of blooms, scroll through a few of our favorite arrangements to help bring more trending floral texture to your bridal bouquet.

Utah Bride and Groom’s Floral Texture Favorites

Go Neutral

Sure, when it comes to white wedding flowers, roses rule. But in this shoot at Washington Schoolhouse Hotel, Allsion Baddley of La Fete Floral and Design showcases atypical beauties like luminaria, astilbe, fuzzy grasses and skeleton fern to steal the show. “This is a very seasonless look,” she explains. “You can use most of these flowers any time of the year. Spring, winter or fall. They even work in the mid-summer when you’re wanting to cool off.”

For a set of decidedly masculine wedding details, planner Mara Mazdzer of Fuse Weddings and Events declares contemporization as the key. In this layout, refreshingly out-of-the-box elements such as live, cloud-like cotton, twigs and branches offer foliage options far from traditional floral texture. For the tablescape, Mazdzer invites stylish minimalist accents with high-structure rose and dried foliage.

Leading the floral texture craze, dried flowers are an increasingly popular way to bring a bit of character to arrangements. Echinops (or blue globe thistle) is a standout pod in the dried-bloom revolution. Here, limonium, feather grasses and begonia offer lightweight volume for a petite posy. See all the arrangements from this Desert-Inspired Bouquets shoot here.

Lizzy Bowden relies on tried-and-true eucalyptus to bring cascading life to this dainty bouquet. Lively green makes for a fresh and fragrant bunch including, spirea, veronica, garden roses, jasmine.

Floral Texture in All Hues

Can you say scroll-stopper? This unmissable orange arrangement by La Fête Floral & Design combines all our favorite citrusy sun-up hues, including dahlias, garden roses, gomphrena, ranunculus, bittersweet ornithogalum, and lively twigs bringing fresh meadow magic to the bouquet.

Taking cues from the black, magenta and gold floral wallpaper adorning the foyer at Utah brunch favorite Sunday’s Best, Decoration, Inc. created show-stopping yet low-profile centerpieces in bright and cheery magenta, warm coral, deep red and bubble-gum pink. Layers of floral texture and varieties included garden spray roses, dahlias, anemones, peonies, orchids and nerine lilies for bursting-at-the-seams lushness.

Lexie Sandberg of Carpe Diem Floral captures yellow’s spicy break-of-day hues using football mums, coxcomb, huechera, scabiosa, echinacea, ranunculus, zinnia and date palm berries, draping down the arm of the bride for peak aisle drama.

Varying sizes, shapes, and hues of roses bring intense visual interest to this table arrangement by Tinge Floral. Paired with a white chocolate cake, this table becomes a work of art with a signature loose bouquet. Get the full color-block wedding inspiration experience of this shoot here.

Get more floral texture inspiration from our Pinterest boards!

Valentine’s Day Brunch at Laurel Brasserie

February 13, 2023

Tell us: What sounds better than a cozy, intimate brunch to celebrate your love this Valentine’s Day? The old Hollywood decor of Laurel Brasserie and stunning architecture of the monumental Grand America Hotel in which it resides provide a romantic, urban castle backdrop for this splendid styled gallery by Ali Montemayor Photography.

“For this shoot, I was reflecting about the quiet moments before or after a couple says ‘I Do,’ where they could bask in their newlywed state without the congressional of guests in tow,” Montemayor says. “I figure they’d simply want to eat!”

Montemayor took one look at the Grand America’s specialty facade with its radiating decadence, and dubbed it the perfect setting for the modern bride and groom. This adoring husband and wife circled back to their wedding day bliss in high style, sampling stunning dishes from the brasserie’s freshly developed menu.

Dreamy Dress Rentals provided an elegant mini dress that combines the right amounts of modern meets vintage fashion. “This dress whispers bridal, instead of screaming it,” says Montemayor.

“Life after 2020 looks a lot different for couples, so I wanted to capture a moment of celebratory inspiration for those looking for a quieter, more intimate affair.”

Photographer: Ali Montemayor Photography | @alimontemayorphotography

Model: Shantell Sorenson | @_shantell_sorenson_

Dress: Dreamy Dress Rentals | @dreamydressrentalsutah

Location: Laurel Brasserie & Bar | @laurelslc

Elegant Bridals at Midway Ice Castles

February 8, 2023

“I try to shoot in a more editorial wedding style, which brings more of a high-end, artistic look for my couples,” says photographer Veronica Lybbert of V Photography.

For this dream styled shoot, Lybbert celebrated all things texture, layering rich fabrics and lush colors against the awe-inspiring backdrop of Utah’s annual Midway Ice Castles attraction. Bringing a solid foundation to the look, this model groom dons a deep navy suit which sleekly contrasts with the setting’s stark enclaves.

As star of the show, the bride’s gown is a vision in full-flowered lace, with gossamer straps perfectly framing smooth gold accessories. Known as The Sarah Gown from Utah Gowns’ collection, this bridal ensemble exudes elegance and beauty from every crease in its full skirt.

With beautifully icy galleries such as this, we almost wish spring would remain at bay.