Celebration Makers: Elements of Sage

Setting a meaningful intention for your marriage is an essential first step when planning a wedding. As you embark on this new journey, imagine grounding your ceremony in love, peace and purpose with a handcrafted holistic sage bundle. 

At Elements of Sage, owner and sage artisan Johanna Pay thoughtfully designs sage bundles to reflect the beauty of new beginnings. Her creations use locally and ethically sourced sage, herbs and wildflowers, ensuring sustainability with only natural components.

“Alongside sage, blending additional components can help refine intentions. While sage burning represents renewal and the clearing away of old patterns, other elements such as dried flowers are incorporated to enhance specific energies and embody warmth, happiness and health,” explains Pay.  

“Adding rose strengthens the heart chakra with love and unity, while lavender brings peace, calm and joy to comfort the union. Once we understand our clients’ motivations and intentions, our bundles provide a way for the couples to connect with nature, supporting their journey toward wellness and harmonious beginnings.” 

As you plan your special day, embracing an intention-setting sage ritual is a unique way to deepen your connection and enrich your celebration. 

Elements of Sage

P.O. Box 9152, SLC

elementsofsage.com | @elementsofsage

Top Tips

What’s Ahead:

In addition to our signature sage bundles, the collection now includes sage wedding favors and bouquets thoughtfully designed to bring a natural beauty to your wedding day.

Excited About:

Our new collection of wedding favors and bouquets! These new offerings are designed to set heartfelt intentions, clear old energies and enhance positive energy throughout your celebration.

Fresh Ideas:

Sage adds a powerful element to traditional wedding ceremonies, symbolizing blessings for the bride and the significance of the day. At a recent ceremony, the earthy aroma meandered through the crowd, connecting the couple to their guests. The officiant spoke about how the natural energy of the sage bundle serves to bless their union, creating a sanctuary of support for one another, emphasizing the couple’s bond and newly shared energy. It was truly magic

Real Wedding: Emily & Meg in Victory Ranch

Back east transplants Emily and Meg went from college teammates to forever lovers with a celebration at Victory Ranch.

THE COUPLE

College hockey teammates-turned-lovers, Bostonite Emily and Midwest-hailing Meg made the leap from friends to girlfriends two years after graduation. Three years after that, Emily planned a surprise sunset proposal at a family home in Wisconsin over Independence Day weekend. Meg returned the gesture with a post-golf engagement ring later that summer at Kamas’s Victory Ranch, which would later become the setting for their marriage vows. 

THE WEDDING

The couple decided they wanted to show off their new home state, so they invited nearly two hundred of their loved ones to meet in Kamas for an elegant and organic outdoor wedding nodding to Utah’s mountain landscapes. Stunning textural white florals teamed with thick greenery and a quaint pergola for a setup that perfectly blended with the course, while the bridal party’s green and burnt-orange attire echoed the hues of a mountain sunset. Linens detailed with a subtly topographic grain further echoed Utah’s geography. 

For their ceremony, both brides wore simple crepe gowns purchased in their hometowns. Emily wore a sleek one-shoulder number and rhinestone belt, while Meg donned an elegant ruched off-the-shoulder look. Rather than traditional heels, the pair wore matching Jimmy Choo sneakers to help them bust a move later in the evening. Their hand-written vows were officiated by a college friend and teammate, and were accompanied by special readings. “We selected readings that spoke more to the gay experience,” shares Meg. “It was important to us to make things tastefully intentional and authentic to us as a couple.” 

THE PARTY

After the ceremony, guests flocked to a custom-constructed pergola for an upscale family-style dinner of miso marinated cod (a favorite of the couple’s), filet mignon and pasta, with a s’mores station and mini dessert bar to follow. At the bar, Emily and Meg paid homage to their love of skiing with green, blue and black slope-grade inspired cocktails named after their favorite runs at Deer Valley and Loon Mountain resorts. In the clubhouse, Metro Music Club led all the guests as they grooved for hours on the intimate dance floor and cheered the newlyweds on in a special choreographed first dance. 

Rather than hosting a rehearsal dinner the night before the main event, Emily and Meg broke from tradition and opted for a blowout goodbye party instead. Guests reconvened at Victory Ranch the day following the wedding for pickleball and a pool party.

Then the couple, clad in stylish white suits, met their friends and family at Kimball Terrace for a country music-backed farewell dinner and dancing. Alongside a fun-filled dinner catered by Culinary Crafts, the brides honored their mothers with curated wine selections as the signature beverages. 

THE HONEYMOON 

After the wedding weekend, the couple had a ‘mini-moon’ in Park City, before embarking on a three-week New Zealand adventure a year later. 

UTAH WEDDING VENDORS

Planning and Design: Gatherist, gatheristco.com

Photography: Heather Nan Photography, heathernanphoto.com

Venue: Victory Ranch, victoryranchutah.com

Floral: Amber Reverie, amberreverie.com

Rentals and Pergola Build:Alpine Event Co., alpineevent.co

Catering:Victory Ranch, victoryranchutah.com

Stationery and Signage: Twelve30 Creative, twelve30.com

Hair: Kali Chris, kalichris.com

Makeup: Kristen Packard Artistry, kristenpackard.com

Reception Band: Metro Music Club, metromusicclub.com

Farewell Party Venue: Kimball Terrace, kimballterrace.com

Farewell Party Catering: Culinary Crafts, culinarycrafts.com

Farewell Party Band: Steven Bosco, stevenbosco.com

Videography: Ryan Hinman Films, ryanhinmanfilms.com

Mountain Majesty at High West Distillery

Western-inspired wedding design takes a luxurious spin at High West Distillery.

Experience the charm of the Wild West and the allure of a high end wedding in one fell swoop with rich color and delicate touches in an idyllic rustic venue.

The Intro

Kick off your wedding mood by showing your signature style in paper form. Carefully crafted by La Madeleine Studio, this perfectly matched paper suite employs a pronounced palette, elegant typography and landscape-inspired patterns to capture a beautiful balance between desert rustic and feminine luxury.  

The suite boasts an abundance of rich greens and deep tans, mirroring the verdant palette of Utah’s summer landscapes. Raw-edged paper invokes visions of hand-written love letters, echoed in a collection of vintage stamps on each personalized envelope. 

This bold foundation, adorned with dainty ribbons and coyly floraled illusion coverlets, tells guests to expect an adventure of an event, infused with all the pomp of wedding elegance. 

DESERT INSPIRATION 

When it comes to a mountain-magic wedding dinner, your event’s design can capture the allure of an iconic view and natural setting before guests even glance outside. “I was inspired by High West’s rustic charm and high-mountain desert landscape,” says wedding planner Kristin Spear of Soirée Productions, who curated this stunning vignette. “I wanted to mirror those natural textures in the linens and table settings.”

Utah-inspired textures inform every detail, with beds of salt supporting slender tapered candles, sleek iron chairs providing a strong base and a simple patterned linen giving an ode to the Wild West. Effortless florals appear to be sprouting directly from the table’s center, a magical moment repeated in the ceremony design, where rust, blush and gold blooms burst from every open space, nearly transporting the scene right into a mountainside meadow. 

HIGH WEST FASHION 

The ceremony’s subtle color scheme echoes that natural beauty, while allowing this couple’s high-fashion attire to have its own moment. A sleek blue suit garbs the groom, inviting a touch of classic formality to the wedding vision. The bride’s ensemble is a brilliant ode to cowgirl-chic, but with a high-fashion twist: Intricate ruching and high-gloss accessories marry with rough hems and a corseted bodice to deliver the best of both worlds.

CHEERS! 

During cocktail hour, simplicity and elegance abound, allowing the focus to be on the experience: a High West whiskey tasting full of the flavors of the state. Setting the mood, greenery and delicate blooms erupt from a stone mantel, appearing as native as can be. Bud vases add pops of color to each cocktail table, while on the bar, a customized whiskey bottle flanked by cascading tulips delivers a dose of personality to the celebration.  

UTAH WEDDING VENDORS

Planning and Table Design: Soirée Productions, soireeproductions.com

Venue: High West Distillery, Wanship, highwest.com

Photographer: Elisha Braithwaite, elishabraithwaite.com

Florist: Harvest Floral Company, harvestfloralcompany.com

Gown: Frankie Jane Couture Bridal, frankiejane.com

Suit: Smith Bespoke, smithbespoke.com

Jewelry: Wilson Diamonds,  wilsondiamonds.com

Models: Jade and Christian Chavez

Stationery and Signage: La Madeleine Studio,  lamadeleinestudio.com

Rentals: Diamond Event & Tent,
diamondevent.com

Hair and Makeup: Kali Chris, kalichris.com

Diamond Empire Band’s Emily Merrell’s Favorite Reception Songs

Reception entertainment masters share their top playlist picks to enliven your dance party

Emily Merrell makes her living hyping up a crowd at memorable receptions far and wide, as a member of Utah fan-favorite group Diamond Empire Band. She shared some of her go-to crowd pump-up songs to make your celebration a blast at every turn.

1. “24K Magic” by Bruno Mars

“Kick off the reception with this electrifying tune that brings instant energy.”

2. “Hey Ya” by Outkast

“Guaranteed to fill the dance floor with all generations with its signature dance move.”

3. “Respect” by Aretha Franklin

“Bring some soul to your playlist with a powerful anthem.”

4. “Don’t Stop Believing” by Journey

“Close out the night on a high note with a beloved sing along.”

Shape Up: Mixed Shape Stones to Watch in Jewelry Trends

Curate your one-of-a-kind bridal jewelry set with shapely stones in every piece. Photo by Blake Hogge

Bolder brides with a finger on fashion’s hottest trends will know that multi-stone and cluster rings are all the rage in the celeb world. 

“For more traditional bridal clients, the band is where we are seeing more mixed shapes of stones,” says Ericka Weissman, diamond buyer at O.C. Tanner Jewelers. 

Take a page from the trends book, and treat yourself to a stack of mixed-shape wedding bands to accompany your engagement ring. 

For added flair, consider a flashy eternity band. Unlike a traditional wedding band with stones on the top, it features bling all the way around the ring, another symbol of love. 

“Many clients who want something different, or may not plan to be regularly wearing a traditional solitaire engagement ring, will go for a larger eternity band,” Weissman says. “Radiants in a bezel setting, or ovals and cushions are all very popular choices.” 

TOP TO BOTTOM IN IMAGE

O.C. Tanner Collection Florence diamond ring in platinum,  $41,200; Kwiat Cushion diamond band in platinum, $38,000;  Kwiat Five Stone Ashoka diamond ring in platinum, $76,200;  O.C. Tanner Collection Grace diamond ring in platinum, $55,000;  Sethi Couture stacking bands, starting at $1,685.

All available via O.C. Tanner Jewelers, octannerjewelers.com

Celebration Makers: Artisan Bloom

Have you ever wondered what it takes to create your dream wedding floral landscape? The pros at Artisan Bloom have stunning design down to a science.

While the team is well versed in all styles of floral design, brides seeking the most show-stopping florals in the state turn to Artisan Bloom for their signature “Artisan Style,” featuring lush, heirloom-style blooms layered with summer foliage in truly breathtaking designs. With their impressive team of designers, Artisan Bloom’s design capability is quite diverse, always delivered with the highest level of quality and craftsmanship.

“We only source the best product—we are picky,” says owner and creative director Kellie Jackstien. Once curated and delivered, every stem is meticulously cut, hydrated and allowed to open throughout the week to get them to the perfect stage of ‘open’ before they’re utilized in each unique design. 

Artisan’s floral arrangements and installations have quite the journey before reaching wedding day: processing, cleaning and preparing inventory like vases and candles, last-minute sourcing, designing, night installations and of course the wedding day setup and takedown. When combined with inspiration calls and day-of work, that’s over 430 labor hours per event. When producing 3-4 weddings per week, that’s a lot of hours. That’s a lot of Artisans. But with over 20 years of experience, the Artisan Bloom team is positioned to execute each event with professionalism and style.

Top Tips

What’s Ahead

We’ve seen a shift in the last ocuple of years into bright, vibrant color—and we think a modern, monochrome wave is coming.

Excited About

Impressive installations are transforming venues into immersive floral experiences. With the right balance, these are turning into fabulous wedding-day focal points.

Fresh Ideas

Your events should be magical, memorable and personal. Don’t waste your energy on DIY—hire a professional and spend your valuable time enjoying with your loved ones.

Read more about our 2025 Celebration Makers here.

Sweet Sensations: Show-Stopping Wedding Cakes

This season, we celebrate a return to the eye-catching wedding cake. Let these sweet sculptures inspire you to make your menu’s finale an absolute showstopper.

SLEEK AND SIMPLE (Pictured Above)

Towering branches and a minimal acrylic stand offer a beautifully stark contrast to classic white tiers. Design by Cake by Alessandra. 

KEEP IT CLASSIC 

Victorian brides, welcome! All the vintage vibes of whimsical wedding dreams are swept up in this cake’s tradition-celebrating piping and subtle color, accented by a burst of magenta florals and fruit accessories.

Cake by Salt Cake City. 

BRIDAL WHITES

A petaled halo of luxurious white roses marries beautifully with hand-piped rosettes. Cake by Cake by Alessandra.

CENTERPIECE

Too often is the wedding cake delegated to an obscure corner away from the action. Bring it center stage with a family-style sheet cake, adorned with pressed florals to match any flower arrangements. Cake by Salt Cake City.

PETAL PERFECT

Let your last bite lean into your wedding day design, and incorporate all the colors, textures and florals that grace your tables, attire and beyond. Cake by Salt Cake City. 

WINTER WONDERLAND 

Embrace the cool colors and subtle sparkle of a winter wedding palette with a pretty powder-blue pastry accented with frosty foliage. Cake by Salt Cake City.

GARDEN AROMA 

The smell of fresh herbs fills the air around this cottage-chic design from Cake by Alessandra. Deep red tomatoes accent palette-knife petals, for garden-inspired goodness from every angle. 

MEADOW MOMENT

Give your dessert the backdrop it deserves: an explosion of florals and foliage accents a sleek design by Flour and Flourish.

ALL THE STOPS

Nothing truly says “dessert” quite like seven tiers of wedding cake magic. Fondant tufting, hand-piped details and layers of glitter deliver all the glitz to this design by Cake by Alessandra. 

FEMININE GLOW 

Bring on the ruffles—rice paper pleats adorn this stunningly modern design, fit for a garden reception, statehouse ceremony and everything in between. Cake by Cake by Alessandra. 

GILDED AGE

Embrace a caramel glow with a gold-brushed design for added color and glamor to your wedding design. This cake by Cake by Alessandra delivers elegance in spades. 

A WORK OF ART 

Rice paper sails and gold leaf add sculptural flair to a gallery-worthy cake by Salt Cake City. 

UTAH WEDDING VENDORS

Photography: Kate Osborne Photography, kateosbornephotography.com

Styling and Floral: Mille Fleur Design, millefleurdesign.com

Venue: Twenty & Creek, twentyandcreek.com

Rentals and Linens: Diamond Event & Tent, diamondevent.com

Cakes: cake. by Alessandra, cakeut.com; Salt Cake City, saltcakecity.com; Flour & Flourish, flourandflourishcake.com

Go Al Fresco for Your Wedding Dinner

Bask in the fresh mountain air with an outdoor wedding dinner, celebrating Utah’s epic views alongside your dream wedding design.

Planning and Design: Fuse Weddings and Events, fuseweddingsandevents.com

Photographer: Riley Kathleen Photography, rileykathleenphotography.com

Venue: Utah State Capitol Building, utahstatecapitol.utah.gov

Real Wedding: Emily & Andrew at River Bottoms Ranch

Emily and Andrew embrace classic style as a backdrop for their celebration full of new traditions.

THE COUPLE 

Private pilot Andrew first met his future wife in a bold introduction at a sunset market in California. Emily, a video game designer, was walking the pier when Andrew approached with a casual “Hey, What’s Up?” 

The pair walked the entire market talking the night away. At the end of the night, they exchanged numbers (and a cheeky kiss), and the rest was history. 

A few years of love later, the couple had rented a small plane to do some exploring on vacation in Midway, Utah. While making their final lap, Andrew gave Emily specific instructions on where to turn. To her surprise upon landing, she had created a heart with their flight path, which invited her beau to pop the question. She said yes! 

THE WEDDING 

A focal point of that fateful flight was a sprawling white barn property in Midway. When browsing Utah-based venues, Emily and Andrew were delighted to discover that the barn they circled was the stunning River Bottoms Ranch venue. “It was truly fate,” Emily says. 

The couple planned a laid-back, family-centered celebration with elegant blues and greens to accent the beautiful setting. 

The big day began with a sunny ceremony, flanked by arches of brilliant white florals. Emily walked the aisle in a flowing floral ballgown from Alta Moda Bridal, accented with pearls and a gemstone brooch. Her mother composed the ceremony music, playing an arrangement of “Ave Maria” and “Married Life.”  Drawing from traditional vow exchanges and hand-tying, Emily and Andrew added their own spin by making a ceremonial PB&J to seal the deal—a nod to their favorite adventure snack. The pair also exchanged hand-written vows, penned on sticky notes in homage to a love-note tradition in their home. 

The ceremony was full of family blessings, including a few moments shared with the couple’s dog Nalu, who also made an appearance in effigy on the groom’s cufflinks. 

THE PARTY 

Elegant blues and greens were the focal point of the reception within RBR’s barn space. Powder-blue linens stood beneath an impressive chandelier of greenery, peppered with white florals for texture throughout. 

Self-proclaimed foodies, the couple were very intentional with their reception menu. Coconut shrimp, bao buns, focaccia and caprese skewer appetizers honored the couple’s love of travel. For the main course, guests chose between teriyaki glazed salmon, a flame seared beef tenderloin with an herb compound butter, or butternut squash ravioli with browned sage butter. 

Fun-filled extras also popped up throughout the party, including a gelato cart, pretzel samplers, and traditional Ukrainian wedding bread. In Ukrainian tradition, presenting the bride and groom with bread and salt is a symbolic gesture that signifies hospitality, abundance, and the welcoming of the newlyweds into their new life together. During this ceremony, Emily’s parents offered bread and salt to us while her mother, Michelle, spoke the following words in Ukrainian: “With bread and salt, we place great hope in your future. May the Lord bless you, grant you health, happiness, and a long life, and may your love be as strong as this bread and salt.”

Two custom-crafted cocktails set the mood in high spirits, showcased on a menu hand-painted by the groom. Dancing commenced, with a first dance to Allen Shore, a bridal party choreography extravaganza and various other performances from family. 

At the end of the evening, per Italian tradition, Andrew’s grandmother put together a sweet bag of 5 colored chocolate covered almonds to signify five wishes for a future together- health, wealth, happiness, fertility and longevity. 

After the celebrations and send off parties, Emily and Andrew embarked on a month-long honeymoon on Kauai. 

 Venue- @riverbottomsranchhttps://riverbottomsranch.com/
In-House Planner – Hailey @riverbottomsranchhttps://riverbottomsranch.com/
Photographer – @heathernanhttps://heathernanphoto.com/
Florist- @bushelandapeckfloralhttps://bushelandapeckfloraldesign.com/
Bar – @topshelfutahhttps://www.topshelfutah.com/
Catering – @culinarycraftshttps://culinarycrafts.com/
Cake – @flourandflourishhttps://flourandflourishcake.com/
Rentals – @diamondeventandtenthttps://diamondevent.com/
DJ – @robbennionmusichttps://www.echotalent.com/robbennion
Videographer – @kalefitchhttps://kalefitchfilms.com/
Lighting – @moonlightutahhttps://moonlightutah.com/
Signage – @printmarkhttps://print-mark.com/
Table Numbers – @madebyjenhttps://www.instagram.com/madebyjen_/
Horses – @rockymountainoutfittershttps://www.rockymtnoutfitters.com/
String Quartet – @midwaystringquartethttps://www.instagram.com/midwaystringquartet/?hl=en
Linens- @bbjlatavolahttps://bbjlatavola.com/
Late Night Snack – @thepretzleconnectionhttps://www.thepretzelconnection.com/
HAMU – @kalichrishttps://www.kalichris.com/

Where to Buy Flowers for Valentine’s Day

With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, the days ahead are the time for card writing, reservation making, and gift-shopping (perhaps for something shiny). For a breathtaking gesture with a bit of Utah flavor, consider ordering a specialty bouquet from one of many talented floral vendors around the state. See below for a full roundup of Utah florist Valentine’s Day deals!

Utah Florist Valentine’s Day Deals 2025

Merci Floral

As seen in our 2025 Fashion Feature, Merci Floral is breakimng out the beauty once again. Their Valentine’s popup sale includes wrap bouquets and arrangements, starting at $55. Browse the bouquets at mercifloral.com.

@mercifloral

Jacquelyn’s Floral Designs

Jaquelyn’s Floral Designs, a Davis and Utah-County-based floral designer, has a perfect bouquet of Valentine’s Day flowers for your valentine, whether they prefer a bouquet of red roses or a more elaborate, custom bouquet with all of the colors of the rainbow. Inquire and place orders on Instagram by February 8. Wraps start at $35.

@jacquelynsfloraldesigns

Artisan Bloom

After two decades of service to Utah’s luxury Events Industry we have decided to embrace 2025 with a new floral offering. Two iconic, towering arrangements are available for purchase, full of stunning feminine hues.

@artisanbloom

artisanbloom.com

Every Blooming Thing (A Utah Bride Preferred Vendor!)

EBT in SLC has a lineup of modern twists on classic romantic gestures all lined up to make you look good this year. Whether you are looking to spend $65 or $300, the Every Blooming Thing team has a stunning classic option ready for you. See the full collection on their site here.

Every Blooming Thing

1344 S. 2100 East, SLC

Cactus & Tropicals (A Utah Bride Preferred Vendor!)

Let your love bloom with a little help from Cactus and Tropicals. Make V-Day perfection with a selection of a bouquet, blooming basket, or custom arrangement. Browse their many options at cactusandtropicals.com

Cactus and Tropicals

2735 S. 2000 East, SLC

12252 Draper Gate Drive, Draper

Jolley’s Gifts and Floral

Not only does Jolley’s Gift and Floral in SLC have a huge array of floral options to wow your lover, but this year they also are featuring a full lineup of Valentine’s-inspired apparel for any pink-loving lady.

Jolley’s Gift and Floral

1676 E. 1300 S., Salt Lake City

Native Flower Company 

If you’re looking for something more unique during this holiday of love, Native Flower Co. has gifts from bonbons to blossoms and everything in between. Show up to your Valentine’s dinner with their $250 bouquet titled “Love is Golden,” give your sweetie some sweet chocolate-covered Oreos or show your Galentine some love with their “Be My Galentine” candle. Gifts range from $14-$299. Delivery available.

Native Flower Company

1448 E. 2700 S., SLC

Orchid Dynasty

Orchid Dynasty has a collection of unique flora including orchids, succulents and much more. This year’s lineup includes a variety of unique bouquets that are sure to stand out this holiday. Prices for their Valentine’s Day special flowers and arrangements range from $50 to $300. Delivery available.

Orchid Dynasty

365 West 900 South, SLC

Blooms and Company

Rich and colorful, moody and marvelous! Blooms & Co.’s oh-so-classic rose bunches are available now, ranching from $60-$100 (and you know they have sweet treats on board as well!) See their full selection on their website this season.

Blooms and Company

1586 East 3900 South, SLC

Bloomique

With arrangements from $50-150, Provo’s quaint flower stop Bloomique is breaking out the classic Valentine’s hues for swoon-worthy gifts. Browse all their offerings on their site.

Bloomique

4746 N University Ave, Provo

Learn more about local florists and wonderful Utah Wedding Vendors here.