With boho in mind, Kevyn Bruce ventured out to Antelope Island along with models, real-life husband and wife, McKenna and Alex Wood. The simplicity of the greenery and gown alongside the setting sun gave us the warm and fuzzies, thanks to Kevyn’s photography skills, but she gave us a little inside scoop on the reality, “Kenna and Alex were such troopers at this shoot, while it looks like a warm dessert, it was actually freezing once the sun started to go down.”
THE INSPO
Kevyn found inspiration for this shoot through the scenery and variety of landscapes seen all over Utah. The Antelope Island backdrop perfectly flattered his Boho-inspired shoot, keeping its beauty even as the sun faded away.
THE DRESS
J Noelle Designs custom lace dress captured the effortless-bride-vibe for this shoot. Her custom designs give brides the ability to be unique on their wedding day without missing any detail. Boho-bonus: the hat!
THE BOUQUET
The simplicity of the eucalyptus bouquet did not distract from the scenery and more importantly, the couple! Using greenery instead of flowers is an inexpensive and natural look that can go with any style. We love how perfectly the green complimented the scenery at Antelope Island, which was captured beautifully in all of the photos by Kevyn, keep scrolling for more!
If your dream is to be fairest of them all on your big day, get ready for some major magic inspiration. A fairytale-worthy wedding like no other sparks from a team of visionary Utah vendors.
The Gown
Where the inspiration began. Betsy Barker of Betsy Couture told the team that she wanted to build a shoot around a “Scottish, medieval, royal and modern” gown, and the rest was history. Having just returned from Europe, where she romped around the castles, Barker was inspired to create a gown fit for a princess who would walk the halls of those old stone structures with power and confidence. And thus, her Juliette Gown was born!
With that oversized skirt, glittery tulle and a sumptuous sequin design and jaw-dropping sleeves, our wow-meter is off the charts! And that Amaroq Design crown? We are entirely smitten.
The Design
“This romantic shoot was definitely one that called for creativity,” says Brandon of M + B Events. “We were very excited to jump in and create something that had old world charm, but still felt like a modern day fairytale.”
Do you think they delivered? We vote one thousand yeses! Using vintage pieces and Scottish inspired accents, they designed a tablescape fit for Scottish royalty. With wild and bold floral accents by Ginger Fenton, candles, grape filled goblets and a mini picnic of bread and cheese, this incredible team were able to turn a large granite rock in the middle of the forest into a romantic and beautiful feast for two.
“I used a deep blue eryngium thistle to represent a traditional Scottish thistle, and paired it with a mixture of beautiful garden roses,” explains Ginger Fenton, of Ginger Snap Flora. “I added a creamy white Astilbe & Daucus carota commonly known as Queen Anne’s Lace for an airy softness. I always like to use a variety of greens to make things full and lush.”
M + B Events went above and beyond to put together the ultimate glow-up for Big Cottonwood canyon, transforming a shadowy clearing into a beyond-magical “I Do” location, complete with traditional hand-fasting to up that fairytale vibe.
Celebration to follow the vows are a must, and this team brought the class with a forest and fern inspired wedding cake created by Kristen Batt. Our Scottish Royal couple will later celebrate their reception with the custom invites, dinner menus and romantic quotes designed by the wonderful Katie Blakeley. All of this captured beautifully by the photography of Xan Craven.
Travel deeper into the fairytale with more of this dream of a shoot:
Whether it’s Utah’s snow-capped slopes or red rock canyons, the state boasts a long-held reputation as the ultimate outdoors destination for adventure-folk from all corners of the globe. If your wedding is at one of Utah’s many epic destination venues, why not celebrate Utah’s beauty with gorgeous nature-packed stationary?
Thick cards with colorful borders by Smitten by Design at The Write Image deliver a mountain lodge vacation right to your guests’ mailbox. They can ski or ride right into a retro resort postcard from majestic snowy peaks of your ceremony location.
Not a winter wedding? No problem. Lush botanical spreads have local flora of all shapes, sizes and heights sprouting right there on the page, showcasing Utah splendor before guests even arrive.
This beautiful, summer-ready session by Charity Rebekah Photography puts the beauty of love right up against the beauty of Utah’s most iconic backdrops, providing some incredible inspiration for the modern, outdoor-loving bride!
How lucky are we to have such beautiful photo backdrops like this available in Southern Utah, just a drive away? After adventuring around chasing sunlight on a bright morning earlier this year, photographer Charity Rebekah and her lovely couple of models, Ashlie + Jahren Makanoa, found this picture-perfect setting. Her goal was to welcome summer, and the combination of greenery and desert landscape did so perfectly! And even better than the jaw-dropping desert views are the visions of love from the happy couple – the Makanoas are quite obviously head over heels for each other. “This made them the perfect candidates for the shoot. At the same time they know how to have a good time and be silly! We laughed the whole day as we chased the sun, it was really such an amazing day.”
When it comes to fresh white florals on your big day, you may think that pale roses are your only option. While white buds rule tried and true, these Utah florists play mix-and-match to show you the endless possibilities when it comes to your bridal bouquet.
In a shoot for our 2019 print, Allison Baddley of La Fête Floral showcases atypical beauties like luminaria, astilbe, fuzzy grasses and skeleton fern to steal the show. Mix them all, for an all-frills handheld garden.
“This is a very seasonless look,” Baddley 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.”
When planning this stunner of a shoot, photographer Ashlyn French first found a location that screamed green. If you have a similarly-lush venue, this is the bouquet for you – the florist decided to pack the most petal-punch she could, to help the florals stand out against the greenery in the background.
An explosion of florals takes the cake from drab to simply fabulous. When paired with a classic gown and minimal makeup, this pleasantly-plump bouquet is the perfect cherry on top of a simple wedding, and the final touch to “making a bride feel super,” as French hopes.
With Utah being so cold and snowy this year, photographer Cassandra Farley wanted something that dripped with warmth, sunshine and joy. Luckily, florist Maddy Fairbourn of Darling Floral Co. had the perfect recipe: classic bridal blooms mixed with tropical favorites like antrhuriums, orchids, alstroemerias and sword ferns.
“When you think tropical, you might first jump to bright colors,” Fairbourn says. “But using all one color, especially white, makes [the bouquet] feel more modern and sophisticated.”
And we love clean, modern vibes coming from this arrangement! Take a page out of Fairbourn’s asymmetrical book for a bouquet that will dazzle both up close and from a distance, without sacrificing your clean color palette.
From “Here Comes the Bride” to “Almost Too Pretty to Eat,” Campus Floral nailed every detail of this sparkling Knot & Pine wedding. The bouquet, bursting with petals and greens alike, wows the senses and lets every guest know who the center of attention should be.
Meanwhile, dainty stems and fuzzy leaf friends adorn tables and treats, bringing even more rustic flair to the venue.
When planning this wedding, the bride wanted to stray from any sort of theme or color palette. Planner and floral designer Rachael Affleck loved the challenge to create something timeless and classic while staying true to the bride’s personal chic aesthetic. Affleck shares the design process:
“We opted for a classic black, white and silver palette that allowed for the beauty of the mountains to stand out.”
“I can’t forget to mention the 22 hanging floral installations in their clear tent complete with orchids and roses. We opted for hanging pieces to allow the tables to be primarily covered in candles so the dinner would have an intimate glow to it. It was a lovely night for a wonderful couple.”
“As far as the design goes, my favorite element has to be the black cake with white sugar flowers. Cassidy of Flour & Flourish created the most impeccable white orchids, ranunculus, tulips and garden roses to adorn this classic cake with a modern twist. The black felt unexpected yet totally timeless, which I loved.”
This Summer in Utah has been buzzing with love, and also mosquitos, but that didn’t stop this couple from having photographer Alyssa Sorenson capture their beautiful anniversary pictures.
THE BACKSTORY
Lily and Jack worked with Alyssa when shooting their engagement photos, but when she wasn’t available for their wedding day, the couple felt they had missed a few images in their portfolio of love.
With their two year wedding anniversary coming up, what better time to slip into her favorite white dress again?
“I love [Lily’s] never too late attitude,” Alyssa shared, “It is definitely never too late to get back into your wedding attire and celebrate your relationship.” And so they did…
SURPRISING SITUATION
The setting? Antelope Island. The kicker? Mosquitos.
Alyssa told us the mosquitos were apart of the story and she even found herself holding back on photoshopping them our of the photos. “I love to play with light, movement, and emotion.” Alyssa said, “Lily and Jack went along with my shenanigans like pros. They chased each other, got tangled up in the tulle from Lily’s dress, fell to the ground, and got right back up to do it again.”
Fighting with mosquitos without a care? That’s love.
THE DRESS
Lily’s dress is from Fantasy Bridal, and we love how the dress isn’t overpowering on her – its beautiful simplicity and elegance just adds to the shoot.
THE BLOOMS
The bouquet is by Alexa Johnson from Lilly and Iris: the greenery mixed with the golden pinks, yellows and whites blends seamlessly with the scenery at Antelope Island. Keep scrolling for more of this fun shoot. It really is never too late to capture your story, so share it with us if you do!
Salt Lake magazine executive editor Mary Brown Malouf is a consummate entertainer, oenophile, can recite the history of lace and personally knows every top chef in the city. How does a party master “go with the flow” when her daughter gets married? To all the mother of the brides out there, this is for you.
1. Prepare to be Surprised
Anna and Michal had been together for years; we all expected them to get married and yet when Michal proposed, it was a huge surprise to Anna. He went down on one knee at Log Haven on her birthday and presented her with a custom-made diamond ring that included some of her great-grandmother’s stones. He even hired a photographer to hide in the bushes and take candid pictures of the whole occasion and made sure my husband and I would be there right after the proposal to join them for champagne toasts and dinner. His meticulous planning for the proposal moment was a hint of how this wedding was going to be planned: I was not going to be the boss of this event—these two had very definite ideas. That was my surprise.
2. Remember Who’s Boss
Anna knew where she wanted to get married before she knew who she wanted to marry. Log Haven was always going to be the setting for her fairy tale. I closed my eyes and figured I’d find the money somewhere. And I braced myself for the onslaught of details and decisions ahead—I used to own a catering business so I’d seen the ugly underside of the beautiful occasion. At Log Haven, they had the incomparable and super-experienced Faith Sweeten to advise. So I stepped back and waited to be asked questions instead of making lists. The one thing I could do in preparation for the wedding, I did: Shut up and bought myself a pair of turquoise cowboy boots. Check.
3. Embrace the Family Affair
Anna’s father lives in Dallas and he has a lot of opinions, too. In fact, the whole union spotlighted all the complications of blended families and modern times. My 92-year-old father made the trip heroically from Dallas, nephews—one of them the officiant—drove from New Mexico and Texas, son and stepdaughter drove from L.A. Anna’s dad’s family was in something of a feud, so we had no idea who would show up. My dear first ex-husband came from Lake Tahoe. Michal’s parents came from Missouri and brought Polish relatives. AirBnB solved lodging problems. And the ringbearer was Boris, Michal’s giant Lab-Dane, who could clear a table of wineglasses with one happy swipe of his tail.
4. Say Yes to her Seven-layer Dream Dress
For Anna, it was, and always had been, all about The Dress. This was not going to be a simple linen shift. Anna flew to Dallas and went shopping with her father (who owns a fashion store in Texas) and his fashionista friend, thinking she’d come back to Salt Lake and find her real gown shopping with me and her bridesmaids. But, not surprisingly, I got a call. “Um, Mom. I think I’ve found my dress.” She sent me phone photos of her top three choices and told me which one she loved. I knew she felt she was disappointing me by finding a dress with her dad, but it was irresistably lovely—seven layers of blushing lace and embroidery and chiffon. And she was so happy. After all, this was her experience, not mine—I’d already had three weddings of my own.
5. Honorably Accept Your Given Job Duty
Because of my job at the magazine and the people I know in the hospitality business, I directed Michal and Anna to all the best in the business. Pamela Olsen of Native Flowers embraced their idea of lining the outdoor aisle with stone cairns leading to the flower-covered arch. Sublime baker, Lauralee Morrison at Cakes de Fleur was surprised but not intimidated when Michal showed up with several detailed sketches of the cake he’d envisioned while hiking with Anna—a fantasy mountain with a waterfall of flowers flowing down the tiers. They wanted the menu to focus on local food and there’s no one better than Log Haven’s chef, Dave Jones, for that. Amber Billingsley made her famous High West gelato to go with the cake. I helped Anna shop for bridesmaids gifts and made Boris’ ring pillow out of sari scraps. My sister and I arranged the rehearsal dinner—a casual Mexican-themed buffet at Rico’s warehouse, made possible by Jorge Fierro. The Most Involved Groom In Nuptial History, Michal had spreadsheets of guests, arrival times, lists of things to be purchased and when, hours for each event and really, what’s left for a mother of the bride to do?
6. Savor the Moment, That’s What
My son and I walked my father down the aisle. Our friend Travis Peterson from the Utah Symphony played the trumpet as the wedding party processed to Holst’s Jupiter. And as Anna and her father started down, flower cannons hidden in the cairns went off, showering the bride with rose petals. Michal wore a suit made by Anna’s father’s store in Dallas. I wore my cowboy boots and pink lace; I cried. My husband Glen had died the previous January—I missed so much him being there and being proud of Anna and Michal with me. His absence lent poignance to the happy, healing evening. Anna and Michal are doing it right—gather your friends and family around and hold them tight and remember to make the moment count. Of course, that’s something a mother of the bride should be teaching all along.
Photographer Chelsea Shattuck works with a team of free-spirited wedding pros to create this boho-chic inspiration shoot, to help every hippie in love with planning for her perfect, playful wedding day.
The first step? Finding the perfect location. For this shoot, Chelsea romped out to Jolley’s Ranch in Springville, Utah. Surrounded by trees and frolicking fields galore, the ranch is the perfect grounds for celebrating your peaceful, follow-them-anywhere type of love. Not to mention, there are countless barns, pavilions and wooded beauty to serve as a backdrop for your “I dos.”
Next stop, décor! The best way to set the mood for an event (nuptial or otherwise) is to find perfectly-personalitied furniture, floral arrangements and details to welcome your guests. For the ultimate free-wheeling, shabby-chic party, we suggest following Chelsea’s pastel-packed and natural lead. Drawing from the natural, dainty beauty of those chamomile daisies, Chelsea sourced a pair of woven, peacock-backed chairs from Evergreen and Ivy present the bride and groom with just a whiff of drama. Foraged tables of untarnished wood stumps showcase the stunning array of treats and details. Stark white platters and pails set the tone of simplicity. Antique tea sets serve up warm drinks and high style. And perhaps best of all, frilly doilies flank floral pastries by Loria Stern, which are the definition of too gorgeous to eat. The floral touches across all aspects of the decorating will bring your wild and free spirit along for the ride, trailing whimsy in its path.
Speaking of whimsy, prepare to take that charm to the next level with a mint-green photo bus, both for your faux-getaway enjoyment and the entertainment of your guests. This particular van is available for rent, from Photoboothbus, should you be in desperate need of darling for your big day.
The most tricky step for nearly every bride is finding her bridal look, as it is certainly one of the most important decisions of your big day. For a boho-esque wedding, woven gowns might just be the only fit. This delicate knit floral number at Something Borrowed Bridal on Ruby proves that lace is the way to go for an easy, breezy beauty on your wedding day. Throw in a simple and peachy makeup look and untamable curls, and you have yourself an innocent and pure look that Chelsea regards as the epitome of “bohemian bridal.”
For the final touch, all you need is a sunny and warm afternoon to chase the light through, and you are prepared to say “yes please, I do.” See more of this pastel-perfect shoot, and of Ruby & Sterling’s heart-melting chemistry below!
Editor-turned-stylist Tessa Woolf has been a long-time fixture of the Utah wedding scene since 2006 when she started as an editorial intern for Utah Bride & Groom magazine. Woolf harnesses a zeal for style, travel, writing and rosé. After years of scribing other people’s wedding stories, she is now penning her own love story. But before she said “I do,” her tribe of creative friends threw her a bridal brunch that was purely Tessa.
While it may seem daunting to impress an expert stylist and editor, Woolf’s gal pals know the recipe for high-fashion fun. Fuse Weddings & Events’ Mara Marian—along with Decoration Inc.’s Amanda Hansen and Blended Table’s Emery Lortscher and Colour Maisch—rewrite the rules for the bridal brunch.
1. MAKE HER JAW DROP
How do you create magical moments from the get-go?
Marian: When I design, I try to focus on what we call “unexpected design opportunities”—areas that don’t need a design element. Things like bars, tables, linens and seating are obvious, but they’re not going to blow your mind. Working with Amanda of Decoration Inc. is always fun because she also loves to play with space and design “off” the tables.
Adding color to the garage door panels was her idea, and it was such a fun welcome. Plus, they ended up being a steady photo backdrop for guests throughout the party.
2. RETHINK BRUNCH
What was the inspiration for the brunch menu? With an all-woman guest list in mind, Blended Table kept the menu heavy enough to be brunch-appropriate, then added easy, small bites that were also cute, including little pancake stacks, adorable round mini breakfast sandwiches, tiny hash-brown nests and small biscuits.
Tessa’s Bridal Brunch – September 30
• Mini Stacked Pancakes Topped with Blueberries & Maple
• Mini Breakfast Sandwiches
• Trifle Fruit Cups
• Hash Brown Nests
• Mini Biscuit with Clotted Cream and Jam
• Mini Lemon Tart, Chocolate Petite Decadence, Mini Olive Oil Cupcake with Mascarpone frosting
• Rosé Bar and Mimosas
3. SERVE ROSÉ ALL DAY
Or at least after 10 a.m. legally in Utah. Are mimosas not enough for brunch?
Marian: Tessa loves rosé wines. When we go out, it seems like she’s tried nearly all of them. As Amanda and I began planning the shower, having a single rosé option wasn’t enough for us. Rosé slowly evolved into a theme and ultimately became the central focus of this festive design. Because the Blended Table space is really a blank canvas, we brought in all shades of pink—from the linens and balloons to lounge furniture and florals. This personal detail was not lost on Tessa nor her friends.
4. MOVE GUESTS AROUND
Marian: How do you keep the conversation going? I always love interactive elements. Having something “to do” helps take pressure off introductions, small talk and forced socializing between guests who don’t know others and might find these situations a bit uncomfortable (more people than you might think!).
At a shower or cocktail party, I always plan some seating—but never enough seats for every guest. You don’t want to create an environment where everyone just sits and chats with the people they know well. Ideally, the party has a lot of energy and guests feel compelled to move around. In this case, guests could head to the bar to grab some rosé, chat with some folks, play rosé pong, grab a bite, take some pics or make a bouquet.
5. OFFER THEM A FAVOR… OR TWO
What inspired this bouquet bar?
Hansen: We tried to strike a balance of girly, glamour and edge. I knew Tessa had seen hundreds of arrangements in her day and thought an edgier way to add floral was to have a large bouquet bar. We kept the shades soft and girly, but displayed them against black for a more current look. We used seasonal blooms, including dahlias, fragrant garden roses, hydrangea and added some bleached and dyed fern for texture.
Marian: The reed diffusers were prosecco-scented and were from Katie Waltman Boutique. The boutique’s owner and namesake Katie Waltman, who attended the shower, is a good friend of Tessa.
Need more bachelorette party inspiration? Check out our full guide.
Taylor Swift’s “Style” gets stuck in our heads every single time we view this gallery, because a timeless bridal silhouette never ever goes out of style, in our book! This bride may not have that “red lip” topping off her look, but instead went for a much more traditional beauty look: cute-as-a-button natural glow, and an eyeshadow with just a touch of drama. Perfectly suited to her wildflower-orange bouquet, no? Put it all together, and you get the ultimate set of classic bridal statements.
Whether this groom embodies a “James Dean daydream” or a “James Bond heartthrob,” we haven’t quite decided, yet, but either way, those clean lines in timeless black and white give us all the old-time vibes we’ve been dreaming of.
This beautiful session by Megan Robinson Photography, plus one vision of couple serve as some incredible inspiration for the modern bride looking for timeless bridal imagery.
The bouquet is by Alexa Johnson from Lilly and Iris: the greenery mixed with the golden pinks, yellows and whites blends seamlessly with the scenery at Antelope Island. Keep scrolling for more of this fun shoot. It really is never too late to capture your story, so share it with us if you do!
