Utah Valley Weddings Autumn 2023

LESLIE & BRADY

PHOTOGRAPHER:CAPTURED BY HAYLIE

PREMIER VENDORS

photographer / CAPTURED BY HAYLIE venue / KNOT AND PINE invites / BEAUTIFUL WEDDING ANNOUNCEMENTS food / PENGUIN BROTHERS dress / PRITCHÉTT flowers / THE PAINTED DAISY cake / FOR HEAVENS CAKES ring / SIERRA WEST JEWELERS suit / MR. MAC

THE WEDDING OF BAILEY & TAYLOR

PHOTOGRAPHER: LYNSEY STRADER PHOTOGRAPHY

PREMIER VENDORS

photographer / LYNSEY STRADER PHOTOGRAPHY venue / THE WHITE SHANTY

2nd photographer / BAYLIE LONGNECKER temple / LDS PAYSON TEMPLE

bride dress / PRITCHÉTT BRIDAL suit / DILLARD’S florist / MILLE FLEUR DESIGN

hair & makeup / SARAH BLACK MAKEUP cake / THE BAKING BLONDE CO

catering / FIORE WOOD PIZZA invitations / BRINNLEY GORDON

rings / MAIN STREET DIAMONDS balloon / BELLE OLSON

Do I really need a wedding video?

This is a question I know a lot of couples planning their wedding ask themselves. With videography becoming so popular in the last decade, I know it can feel like a foreign service that can be discounted when it’s all said and done. The amount of things that have to be planned and paid for, it can feel like it adds up super quickly! But don’t disregard a wedding video quite yet. There are so many pros to hiring a videographer that can’t be replicated by any other vendor or family member. If you are on the fence with adding videography, take a look at a few of the biggest reasons I’ve found to consider it worth every penny!

Photo and Video are the only LASTING investments you get to keep from your wedding! You put so much time into working with your florist, designing your invitations, treating yourself with that hair and makeup service, and planning an amazing meal/refreshment for all your guests. But when the dust settles at the end of the day, the food is eaten, the makeup is washed off, and the venue is all taken down and cleaned up. While all of these services are so important, they’re not lasting! Photography and videography is a forever investment, you will truly have it for the rest of your life. When so much effort goes into one day, don’t you want to take absolutely every opportunity to capture it?

One of my favorite tokens about the importance of my job as a videographer, is the fact that technology is becoming so prominent in day to day life. This means that not only will you get to enjoy the memories of your wedding, but so will your grandkids and their grandkids and so on and so forth.

Wouldn’t you love to have these types of memories of your parents and grandparents? So yes, videography can feel like another price tag, but considering the lifespan of your video may have you second guessing yourself.

Videography captures your day in a way that photos just can’t. I’ve heard it time and time again, “photos will do the job!” And yes, while I agree that photography is a timeless artform, there are aspects of your wedding day that photography doesn’t do justice for.

Video captures LIFE. And that sounds so silly! But imagine your photos with: the sound of laughter, the tear that rolls down your dad’s cheek, the sniffles between vows, the cheering of friends and family as you exit the temple, the way your newly walking niece waddles over to you, your first kiss as husband and wife. This is the type of life you will receive with videography. It’s all of these moments and all of the little

ones in between. Essentially, it’s the same comparison as watching a slideshow, versus watching a movie. They are virtually two different experiences. You’ll be amazed at what type of memories your video captures for you, especially the more time that passes.

If you plan on having a ceremony or sharing vows, videography is a no brainer. After polling a group of 5,000 people on whether or not they remember the advice given to them by their officiant on their wedding day, the necessity of videography is all the more apparent.

45% of people said they remembered some of what their officiant said. Only 8% of people said they remembered their ceremony

clearly. And a whopping 47% of people said they remembered none to little of what was said during their ceremony.

Isn’t this a heartbreaking realization? The climax of your wedding day, and even after a couple of months, let alone years, it could all fade away with time.

Hiring a quality and professional videographer to capture your ceremony is worth the service all in itself. Especially if you choose to write and share personal vows with one another on your special day. When it comes to hiring a videographer make sure they are familiar with audio coverage, and ideally have multiple cameras to capture your ceremony completely!

Weddings can be, and are expensive. So my advice is to put your investments into lasting services. Prioritize what is important to you and your fiance, as well as what you will wish you had ten years from now. You will thank yourself later!

- Kalli Obray

THE WEDDING OF ILIANA & BRANDON

PHOTOGRAPHER: MEG COOK FILM AND PHOTO

PREMIER VENDORS

photographer / MEG COOK FILM AND PHOTO venue / THE BARN AT OVERLAND florals / ROCKY MTN FLORAL catering / LANDMARK CATERING UTAH dress / THE PERFECT DRESS BRIDAL ring / KAY JEWELERS bar / FRESH MIXING LLC hair / LIFE IN BOBBY PINS makeup / DANIELLE MAKEUP cake / CAKES BY CAMRYN

THE WEDDING OF JENNA & GRANT

PHOTOGRAPHER: ABBE WHITE PHOTOGRAPHY

PREMIER VENDORS

photographer / ABBE WHITE PHOTOGRAPHY venue / WOODHAVEN POINT temple / JORDAN RIVER TEMPLE cake / JOELYN BETZ grooms ring / AMAZON brides ring / WILSON DIAMONDS floral garlands / COSTCO dress / BRIDAL BRILLIANCE catering / CRISP CATERING

THE WEDDING OF ADAH & JASON

PHOTOGRAPHER: MIRANDA’S PHOTOGRAPHY

PREMIER VENDORS

Were you featured in this spread? If so, please let us know! It is important to us to give credit where credit is deserved.

STYLED SHOOT

A CITRUS DREAM

PHOTOGRAPHER: LAUREN ZUFELT PHOTOGRAPHY

venue: Baird’s Garden, Provo/ Utah | hair: @manes_by_maddie | charcuterie board: @oakfordgourmet

makeup: @bbrwedding, @bbrbeautybyreese | balloons: @popculture.by.snaphappy

bridal gowns: Mary’s Bridal @marysbridalslc | macaroons: @noellebakes | cake: @cakebakedblondie

florist: @highmountainfloral | layout: Tablescape Design & Stationery | rings: Wilson Diamonds

STYLED SHOOT

AGRABAH HYMENEALS

PHOTOGRAPHER: LAUREN ZUFELT PHOTOGRAPHY

planner & designer: @kaushay.co | florist & designer: @highmountainfloral | venue: @glasshousevenues

paper goods: @roseblossomweddings | hair: @manes_by_maddie | makeup: @kelseyraybeauty

models: @eeshablogs @william_rahul42 | linens: @bbjlatavola | rentals & chandeliers: @allouteventrental

DANCING WITH THE CLOUDS

PHOTOGRAPHER: LAUREN ZUFELT PHOTOGRAPHY

model: Katie Smith @katiebradzsmith | florist: Bronte Stauss/ Bronte’s Florals @brontesflorals dress: Perfect Fit Rental @perfectfitrentals | hair/ make up: Mackenzie Crosland @mackenziecrosland

SUNSET SALT BEACH ELOPEMENT

PHOTOGRAPHER: ABBE WHITE PHOTOGRAPHY

dress: Dalliance Gown Rentals | suit: ASOS | rings: Rocky Mountain Diamond | florals: Abbe White Photography

DO YOU WANT TO MAKE YOUR SPECIAL DAY STAND OUT FROM THE REST?

From food to the honeymoon, you can make your day memorable for both you and your guests with these small twists on the traditional. From being involved in the Utah wedding industry since 2020, here are some of our favorite alternative wedding choices that we have seen.

FOOD TRUCK

Ditch the formal plated dinner and consider hiring a food truck for a couple of hours! Having a food truck can create a fun and informal environment that really puts your guests at ease and helps them enjoy themselves. A food truck is also a great option for outdoor weddings or venues that do not have a traditional kitchen or catering facilities. It can be a convenient and practical solution that still allows you to offer your guests a delicious and memorable meal. On the practical side, costs for a food truck are typically comparable to most catered plated dinners.

Food trucks offer a ton of variety and can allow your guests to try something fun and new. Some of our favorites that we have seen are taco trucks, grilled cheese trucks, donut trucks, and corn dog trucks. The most important part is to be creative and choose something that reflects you as a couple!

THE LATER-MOON

Another way to make your day extra special is to push the honeymoon a couple of months into the future. Tradition dictates that you have your wedding, your reception, and then the next day you are jetting off to your honeymoon as newlyweds! However,

planning a wedding can be extremely stressful and once the big day is over, it can be nice to just relax and be together as a couple. You have been spending months planning your special day, there’s no need to rush and have to plan a honeymoon on top of all of that as well! After your wedding, go ahead and book a local hotel or AirBNB and reminisce on the beautiful day you had planned for the past few months. Leave the stressing about flights, baggage, and passports for a few months down the road.

Once you are settled in as a married couple, start planning that later-moon! With your head clear from planning other important events, you will be able to focus on making this trip just about you two as a couple. Having a few months in between the wedding and the honeymoon also gives you the chance to save up money to use on a honeymoon as well.

WEDDING BRUNCH

While timing plays a major factor with this next twist, another way to make your wedding day fun and memorable is to hold a wedding brunch the morning before the ceremony instead of a typical dinner or luncheon. A wedding day brunch can help you get the party going early. Enjoy a delicious meal with your closest friends, then head off to the ceremony. This can take pressure off of fitting everything else in the rest of the day and spread out the events. And who doesn’t like breakfast food? You could try a waffle bar with fresh fruits, sweets, different types of syrups, and don’t forget the whipped cream!

MACARON TOWER

If you are looking for a unique twist on wedding cake and a memorable centerpiece for your wedding, a macaron tower might just be the perfect option. Not only are macarons a delicious choice, but they can be customized to match your wedding colors or theme, making them a versatile and stylish choice as well.

A macaron is a sweet meringue-based pastry that is typically made with almond flour, egg whites, and sugar. It has a smooth, domed top with a flat base, and a filling such as ganache, buttercream, or jam is sandwiched between two macaron shells. They are a basic, yet elegant cookie and the flavor options are endless. Macarons have a rich history and are a symbol of French culture and cuisine. They are often associated with elegance and sophistication, making them a popular choice for high-end bakeries and patisseries around the world.

Additionally, macarons are perfect for brides who are looking for a gluten free alternative to the traditional wedding cake. Since Macarons are already bite-sided, they do not require additional fuss for your guests to enjoy. A macaron tower is a sure way to set your wedding apart and make it memorable for both you and your guests.

Conclusion

You don’t have to fit your wedding into the perfect “traditional” mold. Don’t forget, this is your day! Spice things up in ways that reflect you and your relationship. You don’t have to stop here. Try these out or use these fun suggestions as inspiration to make your own fun twists!

GET IN the KNOW

WHAT SHOULD I LOOK FOR IN A CAKE DESIGNER?

Wedding cakes are an artist centerpiece . Pick a Cake Designer that speaks to you! Not all Cake Designers have the same skills and artistic style. For example, I specialize in stunning sugar flowers that almost look real. They are completely free of any pesticides or chemicals. Sugar flowers can also be made in any color, at any time of the year, and kept for years. Other Cake Designers specialize in buttercream flowers, handpainted cakes, etc. Their work is absolutely stunning too!

WHAT TYPE OF SERVICE SHOULD I USE?

We answer by asking what the bride and groom’s favorite foods are and if they would like to include any family heirloom items or specific colors to make sure all is to their taste. For the catering services, we suggest one of our favorites, “The Hybrid Buffet.” This starts with three or four passed hors d’oeuvres. Then preset the table with a beautiful salad. While the guests are enjoying their salads, welcoming toasts can be made. Once finished, they can go up to the buffet. This eliminates the rush and long lines. We also love to follow that up with a late-night snack to energize the dancers! The best caterers know how busy the Bride and Groom are and want to make sure they don’t miss out on all of the wonderful food they have provided. So, we make sure to set aside a bit of everything for them to take back to their room at the end of the night.

MOMENTS

HOW FAR IN ADVANCE SHOULD I COME WEDDING DRESS SHOPPING?

When it comes to wedding dress shopping, we always say the sooner the better! All wedding dress designers have various shipping dates, and most of them are out 16-24 weeks for shipping. We recommend coming in at least 6 months before your wear date. Coming with as much time as possible will result in having more options to choose from that are available within your timeline. Recognizing that not all brides have a 6-month + engagement timeline, here at Moments Made Bridal we carry a large in-stock collection of gowns. This means that you can leave with your dress on the day of your bridal appointment! This is an amazing option for brides who have a shorter timeline. The earlier you find your bridal gown, the more time you have for alterations and other wedding preparations!

Photo: Mattie Graham Photography

Photo:

Eileen Dunn @donetoyourtaste

Q&A from your LOCAL PROS

MANES BY MADDIE BRUNA VILLAGRA PHOTOGRAPHY

HOW DO I BEST PREP MY SKIN AND HAIR FOR MY WEDDING DAY?

Everyone wants to look flawless on their wedding day and putting in the time to prep is well worth the effort. For skin: Create a good skincare routine. Use a gentle cleanser, exfoliator, moisturizer and face oil to get super hydrated skin. Really focus on drinking water the week of your wedding. For hair: The night before your wedding, double wash to thoroughly clean your hair and scalp. Blowdry your hair straight and only air dry if you plan on using your natural texture in your hairstyle. With these tips you will be all ready for your big day!

WHAT ARE SOME THINGS I CAN DO TO PREPARE FOR MY PHOTO SESSION?

I know, we all wanna look our very best when it’s picture time, but when it comes to outfits my biggest tip is to choose something comfortable that will make you feel like yourself. Also, avoid doing any procedures right before your session that you might not be already used to, like changing hair color, getting a spray tan, etc. And most important, come ready to have fun! Your session will allow you to get to know your photographer and feel comfortable with them before the big day. Enjoy it!

HOW DO I CREATE A MEMORABLE EXPERIENCE FOR MY GUESTS?

Focus on the moments. My favorite type of event is one where there is something to do. When I walk in, is there a guest book to sign or pictures to look at? Is the venue just a big open room, or are there places to explore? Is there food laid out on a table, or is there a unique dessert station I can interact with? Food trucks, photo booths, yard games, s’mores bars, & slideshows are all great examples of moments that your guests can interact with while they wait for their turn to congratulate you. You will find that these elements are powerful tools to keep your guests engaged and even complimenting you long after the wedding is over.

FOR MORE EXPERT ADVICE for planning your wedding, visit uvweddingsmag.com

Maddie Gill @manes_by_maddie

Bruna Villagra @bvillagraphotography

Blake Barkdull @theblakevenue

THE BLAKE VENUE

Photo: Annie Neilson Photo

Photo: Bruna Villagra Photography

Photo: @beautifully_dunn

Nothing goes Better with White Than Tan

A custom airbrush spray tan is a must for your big day. When you are wearing white, you want to pop and be the main focus. The wedding day is all about the bride and YOU need to glow! When it comes to spray tanning, there are a few important things to keep in mind.

CUSTOM EQUALS QUALITY:

Spray tanning has come a long way over the years, and not all spray tans are created equal. The solution and spray techniques make all the difference. The high quality solution I use has zero orange undertones- so no more of the dreaded, embarrassing, orange spray tan! No matter how dark you want your tan, you will be beautifully bronzed and glowing. Never cut corners on quality product when it comes to your spray tan.

The techniques to apply the spray tan also make a big difference. Unlike a booth, where everywhere is sprayed the same amount, I carefully and artfully spray you for the most natural results. When searching for a spray tan artist, find an experienced artist who specializes and is comfortable doing bridal tans.

Photo credit: @forever.to.the.moon

Photo credit: @bagshawphotoandvideo

YOUR TIME TO SHINE

Whether your look is dark, medium, or light, a spray tan before your big events is always a good idea. On your wedding day you want to look like your true self, simply enhanced, smoothed, and glowing. The best spray tan is one people don’t notice. A spray tan works wonders for so much more than just your complexion. After a spray tan your teeth look whiter, your eyes look brighter, and your body appears more toned.

Communication with your spray tan artist is key. We discuss together your desired results before getting started and determine the best personalized color for you. It is important to discuss your natural skin tone, as well as the groom’s, so you two will look dreamy together as a couple. We also discuss the cut of your dress to ensure you will be glowing in all the right places. Another factor to consider is the time of year. You wouldn’t choose the same color tan in January as you do in July. A natural tan is seasonally appropriate. Most importantly, this is all about you, what you love, and how you feel your best.

GOLDEN MOMENTS:

After getting engaged your calendar fills up with important events. I love to work with brides throughout the entire bridal experience. From engagements, bridal showers, bachelorette parties, rehearsal dinners and most importantly your wedding day, don’t forget to book your spray tan one or two days before each event. These are monumental moments in your life and they should be golden! When you do your spray tans throughout your bridal experience, we will pin point together the exact custom tan you love and want for your wedding day. Don’t forget the added bonus, being tan for your honeymoon! The spray tan for your wedding day doubles as the tan for your honeymoon. You want to feel and look your best. A spray tan sprays confidence directly onto your body and who couldn’t use a little more of that, especially when you’re the center of attention!

I am always honored to be a part of someone’s special day.

Contact @hellosunshinetans and we can get you booked for all your golden moments!

Photo credit: @emilybphotofilm

Photo credit: @sadie.photog

ENGAGEMENTS // BRIDALS

BRIDALS

CAROLINE & DALLIN

PHOTOGRAPHER: CARLEE LEWIS PHOTOGRAPHY

Bride (Caroline Winward): @carolinehofeling, email: carolineewinward@gmail.com

Groom (Dallin Winward): @dallinwinward | Dress (Alta Moda Bridal): @altamodabridal

Studio (Studio Elevn): @studioelevn

BRIDALS

CHRISTINA & CADE

PHOTOGRAPHER: CALLI VANDENBOS PHOTOGRAPHY

dress: @alpbridal | florals: @chelet7 (Chele’s florals) | suit/tie: Nordstrom

BRIDALS HADLEE & RYAN

PHOTOGRAPHER: EMILY B PHOTOGRAPHY

dress: Bloomingdales | rings: Custom Ring Design (in provo) | suit: Suit Up

BRIDALS

SADIE & GABE

PHOTOGRAPHER: MIRANDA’S PHOTOGRAPHY

suit: Men’s wearhouse | flowers: @makandieflorals | dress: GBP Bridal @gbpbridal rings: Jamestown Jewelry @jamestownjewelry | hair & makeup: Kenzie Horton @hairbykenz_

ENGAGEMENTS CARLEY & PAYTEN

PHOTOGRAPHER: CARLEE LEWIS PHOTOGRAPHY

bride (Carley Jepson): @carleyyjep, email: carlosjepson@hotmail.com | groom (Payten Wyne): @payten_wyne33 makeup (Jakelie George): @jakeliegmua

ENGAGEMENTS JULIA & BOBBY

PHOTOGRAPHER: EMILY B PHOTOGRAPHY

catering: Caley’s Catering | dress: Pritchett Bridal | floral: Foxglove Flowers & Gifts

video: Films by Carina | cake: Frosted By Ash @frosted.by.ash | invitations: @ohsimple.design hair & makup: Pritchett Bridal | suit: Zara