Childhood sweethearts Sara and Willem seal the deal in a magnificently customized Snowpine Lodge wedding, with flawless details and classic energy.

THE COUPLE 

Sara and Willem met for the first time when they were teenagers at a mutual friends party, but it wasn’t until they were running into each other all over town that sparks started to fly. Nine years later, after a magical proposal atop Rice-Eccles Stadium, the pair tied the know at a magical Snowpine Lodge wedding.

THE MOOD

The crisp white linens paired with romantic cross-back chairs and simple all-white flowers helped achieve the couples overall hope for their simplistically romantic wedding day. “We essentially looked at each element individually and choose what we both agreed upon and we think it worked out perfectly,” Sara says. From the wood mounted table numbers to the coordinated invitation suite and seating chart, a surprise from the couples wedding coordinator, each detail fit the couples individual style perfectly. “Or wedding coordinator, Ashley, spent a lot of time making sure all of the details fit our style,” the bride explained.

THE WEDDING

After touring many great venues, Sara and Willem found their perfect place in Snow Pine Lodge. “What really sold us was the idea of having a ceremony outside followed by an indoor reception that still had exceptional views of the mountains,” Sara explained. The couple was married by a close family friend who officiated a romantic ceremony highlighting the couple equally as partners.

The snow dusted mountains (yes even in June) visible from all the windows at the Snowpine Lodge wedding, lodging and ski stop venue make for the perfect cozy location. “Each room is perfect from the cocktail lounge and ballroom to the bridal suite,” said photographer, Zandra Barriga. The couple wanted the weekend “to feel like a big family reunion,” and with the ball pit and a karaoke room, Snow Pine Lodge checked every box.

THE MENU

Food was an essential part of Sara & Willem’s celebration. Bacon wrapped dates, strawberry rhubarb crisp and braised short rib featured on the menu, all perfectly pairing with the couple’s must-have of “good, old-fashioned mashed potatoes.” The crowning jewel of Sara and Willem’s menu though, were their individualized cocktails.

“The bar manager at Snow Pine was kind enough to work with us to create unique cocktails with each of our favorite ingredients,” Sara describes. For the bride, “Strawberry Fields” was a cocktail with gin, fresh lemon, lime St. Germaine, and a champagne floater. For the groom, “The Watson”, named after their beloved English bulldog, was a creation with whiskey, lemon juice, local honey, ginger syrup, a splash of Islay scotch, and candied ginger on top. “They turned out amazing, by far the best cocktails we’ve ever had, and our guests absolutely loved them too.”

For dessert, the couple chose a beautifully curated cake with sugar flowers matching the bridal bouquet and centerpieces.

THE PARTY

The band at the reception played four 45 minute sets, meaning almost 4 straight hours of dancing (including a few breaks for snacking and drinking obviously). The dancing crowd did not die down a bit. “One of our top priorities was to have a lot of dancing as long as possible, and we were thrilled when the majority of the attendees danced late into the night,” the bride explains. The couple shared their first dance to “Crazy Love” by Van Morrison. The couple was joined by their parents, Sara by her father and Willem by his mother, and they danced to “In My Life” by The Beatles. 

Vendors:

Photographer: Zandra Barringa | @zandrabarringaphoto
MUA: Kennedy Fitzgerald | @fitzkennedy
Hair: Tabitha Walton | @wasatch_hair
Florist: Fleur and Stems | @fleurandstems 
Cake: Flour and Flourish | @flourandflourish
Dress: The Perfect Dress | @theperfectdressbridal 
Event Planner: Hoopes Weddings  & Events | @hoopesevents 
Rings: Tresor Jewelers | @tresorjewelers
Invitation Suite: Minted | @minted
Suit: HM Cole | @hmcoleclothing