Often times when people think of the words classic or traditional, it may sound as though we’re referring to dated and old-fashioned. However, St. George photographer Sindy Magana and her team created a look that evokes a timeless and romantic look that will forever be in style. Here’s how she did it.
Warm Hues and a Pop of Color
“I wanted to capture the unique fall feeling that Southern Utah offers. Our leaves didn’t turn until December, so I was able to capture the pops of color such as the green grass, and warm tones in the photos.”
A Gown Adorned in Lace
This elegant gown highlights the bride and accentuates her romantic look creating a sexy yet classy style that will be always be in fashion.
Romantic Poses
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“I love to capture the closeness between the couple; the electric sizzle that in-love couples often possess.”
Soft Twisted Hair
“The hair is twisted into a braid and swept over the shoulder to create a soft romantic look and feel.”
Color Gradient Cake
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.
A Bouquet of Fresh Eucalyptus and Roses
The eucalyptus works in contrast with the deep red of the roses creating a classic, timeless style.
Megan Saxton, in red, is Thanksgiving Point’s wedding coordinator. Her team, assistants and intern pictured above, help each bride create the perfect event.
Megan Saxton, the wedding coordinator at Thanksgiving Point, has assisted countless brides in creating the wedding of their dreams. In her years of coordinating epic events, she has developed 3 points of advice that she gives to every client.
1- Stick to Your Vision
Baked by Heritage Cakes
Megan advises brides not to let the trends of the day, or anyone on the outside tell you what you can and cannot do as you plan for your big day. You want it to be unique to you! Stick to your guns. Create something truly “you,” so you can look back on your big day 50 years from now with no regrets.
2- Make it Timeless
Florals by Linda Winnie FloralsCake by Annie’s Cakes Photo by Soda B Photography
According to Megan, one way to create a “you” wedding with no regrets is to incorporate lots of timeless elements. “Going through wedding magazines or old photos, you can always find something that is timelessly classy that you can use on your big day,” she says. Timeless elements won’t date your wedding, and will make for effortlessly gorgeous photos, even years from now, and you can always find classic styles that are still true today. Mixing traditional with trendy will create a mood that has your name written all over it.
3- Enjoy the Process
Wedding planning can be a huge stressor, so make sure you take the time to enjoy the moment of planning this huge moment. You get to create a style and a day for which everything is your choice. Luckily, Thanksgiving Point’s wedding team is well-prepared to help make planning a breeze.
Thanksgiving Point is an all-inclusive venue, with 6 indoor spaces and 5 outdoor spaces ready to accommodate guest lists from 5-1000. and will provide everything from planning with Megan and her team to catering and floral. They have an award winning chef who can fulfill all of your wedding-menu dreams, and established connections in every element of the wedding industry for the top recommendation in Utah.
When you have a Thanksgiving Point wedding, it’s never going to be the exact same process as the last bride who came through. They customize each wedding, and strive to make it feel unique. Their staff is prepared to give you the wedding of your dreams, while also making sure it’s a breeze to plan.
We are loving these tips that Finca restaurant shared with our friends at Salt Lake Magazine, and had to share them with you!
1- Use your personal style and vision for the wedding event, and infuse that into the food and beverage menu in fun ways. For example, maybe you got engaged over a bowl of seafood pasta and want to incorporate a dish to reference that. It doesn’t need to be the exact dish, just something fun that references a special moment.
2- Selecting a restaurant venue that matches your style can be a great way to get outstanding food and beverages at a reasonable price. A restaurant provides built-in decor, plus typically includes the tables/chairs, dishes, linens, etc. as part of their event pricing. So you may be able to just add a few vases of fresh flowers to complete the decor and have a beautiful setting for a fraction of the cost of a typical wedding venue.
Photo by Heather Nan
3- If you have favorite wines, work those into the event. Or leverage the knowledge of a restaurant sommelier to help select wines that match the style, food and budget of your event.
ROSE GOLD COCKTAIL Recipe by Finca
1 1/2 oz Ransom Old Tom Gin 1/2 oz yellow chartreuse 1/4 oz Licor 43 1/2 oz lemon 1 barspoon Amour Raspberry Rose Preserves (local made) 1 drop rose water Optional: rim with Madagascar bourbon vanilla dust
4- Plan a few fun cocktails with cheeky names that reference memories for the couple or unique interests that represent the bride and groom. The restaurant likely has a cocktail menu you could start with and rename two of them to serve as your signature cocktails, or you can use their expertise to develop something custom for the perfect wedding beverages.
5- Match the tone of the event with how the food is served. For a formal wedding or event, a plated dinner menu will be elegant and allow time to savor the meal and beverages. For a more casual event, buffet stations or heavy passed appetizers work well.
Photo by Keri Michelle
6- If you have a limited budget or want a casual event, consider other times of day and meals, like a brunch or lunch event. You can typically host a full brunch or lunch meal, or even an in-between meal event, for half the cost of a full dinner event.
7- Keep the dessert costs minimal with small bites or buffet desserts to finish a meal. If you’re using a restaurant to host your wedding event, you can also ask about creating the wedding cake or other favors as well.
THIS POST SPONSORED BY FINCA
Finca is a modern, Spanish-style restaurant with a from-scratch menu made from locally sourced ingredients. Located in downtown Salt Lake City, Finca is a unique and elegant venue with two private dining rooms, flexible space, and customized food and beverage menu options. Finca also provides off-site catering for weddings and events. For more information or to get a custom quote on your upcoming event, visit finca.com.
The not-so-secret secret for bringing your newlywed nest to life is, in a word, color. Vibrant accessories, richly hued furnishings and spirited wallpaper can turn any room from blah to ahhh.
It’s no secret that Utah’s iconic mountains and epic red rock make the state a hotspot for destination weddings. But behind the magic of those shots is a lot to consider for the big day. Couples have the daunting task of turning an outdoor location into the perfect wedding venue. Luckily, there are many companies, from event planners to rentals specialists that are there to help brides cover the basics of an outdoor destination wedding. Today, Diamond Rentals breaks down a list of outdoor wedding essentials, to make sure you don’t miss a thing on your big day!
Five Wedding Essentials:
Tents & Canopies
Let’s face it, Utah’s weather can be unpredictable at best. If you’re looking at taking advantage of those pristine sceneries, you’re going to want to have some insurance against the elements. Tents can provide a nice roof over your heads, or if you’re looking for full coverage, you can add walls as well. Weddings in the heat of summer or the dead of winter don’t have to be indoors either, as A/C and Heating units can be used to keep the entire tent a comfortable temperature.
Chairs & Tables
Utah Wedding Photographer
Each event has its own style, and furniture is the perfect way to showcase that style. Are you going for a nice, rustic, look? Some wooden crossback chairs and a farmhouse table will blend in perfectly. Or maybe you’re going for a modern look, in which case the metallic or chiavari chairs might be what you need. Diamond Event and Tent has dozens of options, so there is bound to be the perfect seating arrangement to fit your mood!
Linens
Linens offer a two-fold benefit to a wedding: they bring a huge burst of color to your reception, and they make cleanup a snap! White tablecloths are always a classic, but there is a veritable rainbow of possibilities that you can choose from! Try getting some solid-color tablecloths in your wedding colors, or you could make a bold statement with stripes and patterns. The tables are one of the biggest parts of a reception, and so it is really worth going the extra mile with them. Then when the party is done and the guests are gone, they can just be tossed in a bag and returned, which means no one has to stay late scrubbing down the tables.
Serving Equipment
Dishes can make or break the class level of a wedding dinner. You would be shocked how a little bit of color or pattern on your flatware can elevate your table settings. Try letting go of your plain, standard flatware and see exactly the difference it can make.
Flooring
No party is complete without a little room to boogie. Portable dance floors and stages are a great addition to your reception, both to keep the party going and to keep anything (or anyone) from sinking into the ground.
Rentals might seem like a hassle, but Diamond Event and Tent wants to make sure that your big day is as perfect as you could hope for. Delivery and on-site setup starts at $75. However, we have a deal for all of you! If you book an event from now through September, Diamond Event and Tent is offering free standard delivery for brand new customers! Just bring this coupon with you, or use the promo code “WEDDING18” (Subject to delivery availability). That way, all you have to worry about is choosing your favorite looks, and saying “I do!”
Every bride knows how stressful wedding planning can be. Let’s face it, everyone who has come within six feet of a bride knows the stress! Photographer Jessica Davies has seen far too many strung out brides, claiming that they wished they could just run away with their one true love instead. So she took that idea and let her creativity run wild with a darling vintage shoot at the South Valley Airport.
“This shoot was meant to be a reminder that weddings don’t have to be complicated, and at the end of the day, if you are married to the one you love, that is all that matters,” Davies says. “A wedding is about two people in love, and it is important that we don’t lose that perspective!”
Whether an intimate elopement in a two-seater plane, or a big to-do extravaganza, love is always our favorite part of wedding celebrations. But we can’t deny, this shoot has us dreaming of a romantic getaway.
Cameron Beckham & Michael Frantz
St. Regis Deer Valley
THE COUPLE
Photo by Jacque Lynn Photography
“We met on Hinge, a dating app that connects users based on our mutual Facebook friends,” explains Cameron of the Seattle-based connection. Michael (a portfolio manager with UBS Financial Services) led Cameron (a senior financial manager for Microsoft) on an adventurous first date that included skydiving and a spontaneous road trip to Portland. “The date continued with drinks at a Peruvian restaurant, Champagne and pizza, and ended with our first kiss in the middle of the street in downtown Portland,” Cameron says. After nine months of dating, Michael proposed on a Tuesday night, then surprised Cameron with a Portland getaway.
THE WEDDING
Photo by Jacque Lynn Photography
“Although we’re from Texas, my family has been skiing in Utah since the late ‘80s and bought their first condo in Deer Valley in 2005. I spent a summer living in Deer Valley after graduating from college in 2008 and fell in love with it in the summer time,” Cameron says. “I love the way St. Regis is tucked into the side of the mountain. Mike and I are really into skiing and hiking, so getting married at the base of a ski run surrounded by nature was a no-brainer.” The couple’s pastor flew from Christ-St. Paul’s in South Carolina to officiate.
THE MOOD
Photo by Jacque Lynn Photography
“Love is an adventure” became an underlying theme. “The décor was garden-inspired—a bit wild and ethereal. It turned out very magical,” Cameron says. Blooms, tableware and linens featured soft colors like blush, sage and rose gold. Tables showcased wooden block table numbers signifying shared activities including skydiving, scuba diving and spelunking. “We hired an artist to paint a live painting of the reception from the edge of the dance floor. Now, we have something to hang in our home to remember the night forever.” Guests threw paper airplanes for the couple’s farewell before Cameron and Mike rode away in a 1930’s limousine.
THE CUISINE
Photo by Jacque Lynn Photography
“I don’t eat red meat, so we wanted to provide a choice between steak and fish. We chose the trout to support local fishing and to give our guests a taste of Utah’s delicious trout, sourced from Ogden. The steak was another taste of home as it came from a ranch in Washington where we both live,” Cameron says. “The late night snacks were chosen as a nod to our personal late-night cravings. For him, it’s Dick’s, a local drive-in burger joint in Seattle. My choice was true to my southern roots and was inspired by Whataburger’s late-night breakfast menu, a fast-food chain my friends and I spent a lot of time at growing up.” Wine was an important part of the menu. “It was very important to my father, who is somewhat of a collector.”
THE TUNES
Photo by Jacque Lynn Photography
“Groove Merchants” turned up the party scene. “They were so fun,” Cameron says. Ed Sheeran’s “Thinking Out Loud” ushered in the newlyweds during their first dance as husband and wife.
light or dark, rum is the new darling of Utah’s party scene. The liquor—defined by its sugarcane base and Caribbean origins—is synonymous with tropical warmth. However, its easy compatibility makes it suitable for any soiree, big or small, at anytime of year. “Serve up a classic fruity Piña Colada or Mai Tai in the summer to quench thirst,” says Jack Rose Caravan co-owner and bartender Mike Burns. “Then, deliver buttered rum and spiced rums for the holiday season.”
The Jack Rose Caravan team pumps up the party fun meter. Not only do they serve up bevvies from a renovated, original 1960s Shasta trailer (talk about a photo op!), their entertaining bartenders craft rum-based cocktails custom to every party. The team suggests his-and-hers cocktails: a Strawberry Kiwi Mojito for her and a coconut rum and Coke for him. For extra sass and personality, they pair each drink to its own glass. “We serve dark rum in a lowball,” Mike explains. “A fruity cocktail is more commonly served in a tall straight glass or one that is curved, like a hurricane glass.” Garnishes for rum cocktails, of course, are famous. And we’re not just talking about tiny tiki-bar umbrellas. Match the drink garnishes with the wedding décor or perch one of the wedding flowers on the side of a glass. (Tip: Be sure all flowers are food safe.)
What rum does Jack Rose prefer? “We don’t have a favorite. We let our clients decide. All our events are custom and unique, so we personalize each event and the drinks to enhance the Jack Rose Caravan experience,” Mike says. Lucky for us, Utah is home to a handful of new rum distilleries. Try Dented Brick’s Antelope Island Rum, Sugar House’s Silver or Gold Rum, Outlaw Distillery’s Rum and Distillery 36’s Brigham Rum.
Culinary Crafts has had the pleasure of catering some of Utah’s greatest events! Sometimes, we are called to produce events in venues that have been designed specifically for catering. Other times, we have to be creative and think outside of the box to host a wedding in, say, a field, on top of a mountain, in an empty office building and even at a rustic ranch! We love when our clients ask us to go new places! If you are going to host an event in a unique space, however, here are some things to consider:
Water Source
Not only will you need to keep your guests hydrated, but water is needed for cooking and cleaning throughout the event. You’ll need to find out if there is a culinary water source, and if there isn’t, enough water must be brought in for the scale and scope of the event you are hosting.
Bathrooms
Check to see if there are bathrooms on the premises, and if there are enough for the number of guests attending the event. If not, you can rent mobile restrooms to add some bathroom option which will be much appreciated! And don’t worry, you aren’t limited to those blue honey buckets you see on construction sites. There are companies who rent high end restrooms for weddings and events. Our favorite is Royal Restrooms, pictured above!
Parking and Directions
Is there enough parking for the guests to be able to drive themselves? Is the road to get to the venue easy to drive and navigate? Depending on how remote the area is, sometimes it makes sense to offer transportation for your guests. This also applies if there isn’t a ‘parking area’ that can be used by guests. One solution? You can arrange busses to pick up guests at a central location.
Locks/Secure Areas
Are there locks or secured areas that we need to be aware of to get around the venue? Double check and find keys when needed — you wouldn’t want your food to be locked out!
Trash
No matter how you slice it, there will be trash left over from your event. You’ll need to consider how the trash will be collected and if you need to pack it out yourself.
Loading Area
If we are hosting an event, we will have lots of things to bring to make a delicious meal! We need an area to load in all of the food, equipment, dishware, etc. to make sure everything arrives on site and is accessible by the staff so they can get prepping.
Bussing Area
Is there a space for us to set up a ‘Back of House’ and/or bussing area? This is the area where we prep the food, bus the dishes, cook the foods that are prepped on-site, etc. If there isn’t a space like this, often one can be created by renting a tent.
Grilling/Cooking Accommodations
This ties to the previous note, but if you are cooking or grilling on-site, there needs to be space for a grill. If there isn’t a place already set aside for that kind of use, consider rearranging, or bringing something in. We’ve brought in tents for prepping food and made grill pits where needed. Keep in mind your venue, however. For example, grilling in dry brush is not a good idea. Neither is cooking food in a non-ventilated area, especially if smoke alarms are in place.
Stairs, Flooring, Grease
Are there lots of stairs for the prep area to the serving area? Are the floors super slippery? What about if there is a bit of grease that happens while cooking, will it damage the prep area? Serving the food must be done in a timely matter and we are moving as fast as we can, so lots of stairs and/or slippery floors need to be assessed to make sure everyone is safe during service. Often we will bring in a flooring piece to deter damage, however, if you are on cement or other porous floors, there will likely be stains. We often opt for a space for the back of house and bussing areas that are farther away and perhaps to avoid all of these problems.
Shade and Cooling
Summers in Utah can get to be miserably hot. Is there are a shaded area for our staff to set up under and your guests to seek refuge in from the heat? Or, if we are using a tent, is there an a/c option to keep the temperatures manageable? The safety of your guests and our staff is important to us and we want to make sure that no one is overheating or suffering from heat stroke – especially because the temperature in the sun can rise quickly and will rise even quicker in a prep kitchen.
Weather
Last but definitely not least, think about the weather. Of course, in Utah, you can never really guarantee weather patterns, but planning for all possibilities will make sure that you aren’t stressing out if you wake up to a downpour. You can rent a tent if it’s an open field or outdoor area, or have an alternate indoor space. Checking the weather reports can also help you choose what you’d like to do, but no matter what, make sure you allot a contingency into your budget! As a rule of thumb: if the 5 day forecast says 40% chance of rain or snow, you need to have a serious contingency plan. If it says 65% or higher, you’ll need to move indoors.
Although this seems overwhelming, hiring a team of professionals will make it easy. Culinary Crafts’s team of planners have tons of experience creating stellar events in all kinds of venues. We love unique spaces and are excited to help you with your one-of-a-kind event!
Photo by Heather Nan
Butter, flour, eggs, oil, vanilla and sugar combine to create a sweet, magical treat. According to wedding cake history, the tradition began with Roman grooms who smashed barley bread over their bride’s heads to seal the deal. Fortunately, we’ve come a long way since then. But one thing that continues to inspire today’s bakers, like Pippa Cakery’s Tauri Tucker, is the simplistic baking practices of ancient times.
Say goodbye to multiple tiers, over-decorative frosting and genetically-modified additives. Today’s artisanal cakes represent one ideal: wholesome ingredients adorned with minimal frosting. The best part? The pastry tastes delicious. Now, that’s icing on the cake.
A party without cake is just a meeting.” —Julia Child
“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
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. 
