We Utahns are famous for a sweet tooth. The state’s refined taste for sugar has made national celebrities of bakers—Sweet Tooth Fairy, One Sweet Slice and The Mighty Baker—all winners in various TV baking competitions, all from Utah. Utah’s party scene featured candy buffets before they were cool and is currently creating a soda fountain revolution.
Cavity jokes aside, wedding stylist Allison Baddley of Le Fete says candy is more than corn syrup and sugar. It’s a, dare we say, sweet inspiration for a wedding. “Wedding inspiration can come from anywhere. With
so much neutrality the past few years, wedding design is begging for color and pattern,” she says.
If you are ready to party with colors aplenty, Baddley and her photographer friend Heather Nan shed new light on wedding design with four sugary-sweet patterns—bold stripes, iridescent waves, geometric kaleidoscope and monochromatic color blocking.
Wedding design inspiration by a kaleidoscope’s magical visual display of light, color and reflections, your wedding theme can be equally enchanting. Pointed prismatic patterns are captivating when created with warm, feminine hues. La Fete’s Baddley creates visual delight using bold angles and brave colors.
Swing from a chandelier
Orchid Dynasty reinvents the table centerpiece by constructing a sprawling, geometric pendant adorned with marigolds, dianthus and flowering smokebush. “Much like a couple becoming one, all points lead together,” florist Shelly Huynh says. “Inspired by a mandala, all points lead to a triangle. They all come together to a point.”
Be honest
Honest John Bitters adds flavor to a Cuisine Unlimited tangerine basil cocktail. Lemon-, tangerine- and raspberry-curd tarts top geometric-pattern dessert dishes from Glass House.
Go for the gold
“Hand-painted gold edging adds a sense of luxury to otherwise smooth paper selections,” says Ann Elizabeth of Ann Elizabeth Print Studio. “The unique geometric shape and fold of the RSVP card are unexpected and play off of—rather than repeat—the hexagon shape of the invitation.”
Keep it polished
Busy patterns call for simple complements like O.C. Tanner Jewelers‘ Pomellato Tango diamond earrings in rose gold ($30,400) and Mattia Cielo bangle with pavé diamonds in 18k white gold ($33,800). The simple silhouette of a Bitsy Bridal ivory beaded and embroidered-net-over-cashmere-chiffon trumpet bridal gown ($6,570) completes the look.
Utah Wedding Vendors
Photography: Heather Nan
Styling: La Fête
Paper: Ink & Press Co.
Flowers: Sage Floral
Gown: Bitsy Bridal
Hair and makeup: Janelle Ingram
Desserts and shakes: Cuisine Unlimited
Model: Abigail Johnsen
Linens: La Tavola
Want to see more? Check out our magazine!
Chelsea (a strategy consultant originally from Ohio) and Tim (an IT director hailing from Massachusetts) met shortly after they moved to the San Francisco Bay Area. “We were introduced by mutual friends at a rooftop party on a beautiful September day,” Chelsea recalls. Two years later, Tim proposed one “magical” October day. “He got down on one knee during a walk on Russian Hill at the spot of our first kiss,” she says. “He had arrived just an hour earlier on a cross-country flight from Boston, which included a secret Ohio layover to ask my parents for my hand in marriage.” Currently, Chelsea and Tim are planning to move to Park City. 
The skiers and mountain adventurers set their sights on Utah. “Living in California and having families and friends spread across the country, we wanted someplace unique that our guests could get to easily by plane.” Park City offered a centrally-located town for guests to explore, enjoy and savor. “Many of our guests had never been to Utah before and now many of them can’t wait to come back,” Chelsea says. “When we saw Blue Sky, we knew it was exactly the mountain wedding venue we were looking for.” Autumn was the season of choice. “We chose October because we both love the fall. The foliage is beautiful, and the temperature is perfect.”
The weekend reflected the couple’s love for mountain-chic elegance and good ol’ fashioned fun. “We wanted all of our wedding elements to complement the beauty of the mountains, yet add a flare of elegance and sophistication,” says Chelsea of the décor boasting shades of navy, copper and magenta with accents of yellow and mixed metals. “We viewed our wedding as two distinct parts: ceremony and reception. We wanted guests to leave the ceremony with love in their hearts and tears in their eyes. And we wanted them to leave the reception saying, ‘That was the best party ever!’”
“We picked a menu that showcased the season and mountain cuisine that we love so much for our family and friends who were coming from out of town,” Chelsea says. Jalapeño corn bread and a winter green salad kicked off the meal. Next up, guests enjoyed “Stream and Prairie” entrees of pan-fried Utah trout and Niman Ranch New York Strip steak, both served with smoked root vegetables. Sweet treats finished the mountain-chic menu. “We both love chocolate chip cookies and found a great local bakery, Midway Country Kitchen, to supply them. We also had a dessert bar with s’mores and apple fritters provided by High West.”
Dinner music ranged from Frank Sinatra to the Fugees. To satisfy Chelsea and Tim’s desire to have “the best party ever,” the DJ blasted popular tunes from their high school and college days through today, ending with an “epic” rendition of Journey’s famous “Don’t Stop Believing.” Bruce Springsteen’s “Happy” serenaded the newlyweds during their first dance. “We both fell in love with it the moment we heard it together and knew it was right for our first song,” Chelsea says. 
“The walk down the aisle,” says Chelsea. “Walking with my dad, Pachelbel’s ‘Canon in D’ playing, all my family and friends before me, the mountains in the background and all of the details from months of planning seen out of the corner of my eye. But as I rounded the corner, everything else faded away, and it was just Tim and me together in the world.” 
“I love to capture the closeness between the couple; the electric sizzle that in-love couples often possess.”
“The hair is twisted into a braid and swept over the shoulder to create a soft romantic look and feel.”
This cake is a combination of two cakes. The color on the bottom works to tie in all of the colors incorporated in the shoot. The lighter reds play off the golden tones in the place setting and lighting. 
The eucalyptus works in contrast with the deep red of the roses creating a classic, timeless style. 
Models: Tino Tuaila & Hannah Bagley
According to Megan, one way to create a “you” wedding with no regrets is to incorporate lots of timeless elements. 
