A perfectly rustic celebration at Solitude Mountain proves the perfect fit for two east coast mountain lovers.
THE COUPLE
Photos by Grey Giraffe Photography.
Coworkers-turned-lovers, Jaime and Danny nurtured their love for two and a half years before getting engaged atop a snowy peak in the Cascade Mountain range. Danny got down on one knee after leading his soon-to-be bride-to-be across a frozen lake, balancing on floating logs to get to the other side.
The mountain obsessed couple began their hunt for the perfect outdoor destination venue, and finally landed on Solitude Resort. Danny is from Seattle and Jaime from New Jersey, so Utah was a fairly central point for all traveling parties. “Solitude Mountain was the last venue we looked at during our weekend in Salt Lake City, and we knew within minutes it was our spot,” says Jaime. “They only had one date available, so as we left we looked at each other and said at the same moment: ‘I guess we’re getting married on the 24th of August!'”
THE WEDDING 
Sure enough, on August 24, 2019, two families came together for the celebration of Jaime and Danny’s big day. Guests congregated at a stunning ceremony setup at the top of Solitude’s Moonbeam lift, which the wedding party used to transport them, in pairs, to the aisle.
Danny and his groomsmen (as well as his sister Rachael, acting as “best man”) arrived first, followed by the bridesmaids and finally the bride herself, escorted up the lift and down the aisle by her father. They arrived at a small arbor bedecked with winding, rustic florals by Evergreen & Ivy, the men in grey suits and maids in dark gowns. The bride glided in wearing a thick-strapped Justin Alexander gown with a flowing train and sporting a simply cream bouquet to complement the simple grey and navy palette. 
After a touching ceremony led by a sister in law (leaving not a dry eye on the mountain), Danny and Jaime used the lift as a “getaway car” back down to the reception location, “Just Married” sign and all. 
THE PARTY
The afterparty was equally rustic and entirely envy-inducing.
Guests celebrated with toasts and a luncheon (normal wedding fare by Solitude Mountain Resort, including butternut squash soup and several entrée options), as well as a cornhole tournament and a night of dancing (trying to keep up with Jaime in her glitter-encrusted Keds). Neither Jaime nor Danny like cake, so they instead opted for a s’mores bar, contributing just another factor to their outdoorsy vibes.
On the wedding, Jaime:
“We are 100% biased, but our wedding was perfection. Planning a wedding from afar (we live in DC) is a scary thing. All of our vendors were not only timely and responsive, but constantly reminded us about the magic of Utah. We sincerely enjoyed the opportunity to encourage our guests to travel and celebrate with us in a new spot.”
Scroll on for more rustic nuptial inspiration from Jaime and Danny’s perfect mountainside celebration:
VENDORS
Photographer: Grey Giraffe Photography | @greygiraffephotography
Floral: Evergreen & Ivy | @evergreenivy
HMUA: Shar Mitchell | @shar.mitchell.hair
Gown: Justin Alexander | @justinalexander
Suits: Amazon
Venue/Catering: Solitude Mountain Resort | @solitudemountain
