Utah Valley Weddings Winter 2022-23

ASHLYN & BRADY

Annie Bakow Events

Wedding planning & floral design focused on curated details and luxury experiences

Mention "UVWMAG" for $500 off your booking with Annie Bakow Events www.anniebakowevents.com | @anniebakowevents

THE WEDDING OF

CAMREE & BEN

THE WEDDING OF DONIKA & MATT

PHOTOGRAPHER: BELLA ALDER PHOTOGRAPHY

THE WEDDING OF MACKENZIE & GARRETT

PHOTOGRAPHER: DEVRY REEDER PHOTOGRAPHY

ULTIMATE WEDDING GIVEAWAY Finalists!!

We have been together for 4 years now and have been engaged since April of this year. We meet online on bumble and I guess you could say I played hard to get because it took Jordan asking me out three different times before I finally agreed to go out with him. But once I met him I was in trouble! He was definitely the one. We then had found that we both had a lot in common one being that we have both been paralyzed in our life at some point which is such a crazy and rare thing to happen, but we clicked from there! We always say how we feel like it was just meant to be and that we are each other’s guardian angels!

We are planning on getting married next year so this giveaway would be so perfect for us! My Fiancé and I love everything to do with the outdoors! Our top favorites are hunting camping and fishing! But we also love fires and s’mores in the backyard, a walk to the park with our dogs or even house projects!

We love doing projects together! One of our favorite projects has been building our chicken coop in the back yard or our front porch that we love to sit on during the summer months while watching the sunset go down. Thanks for reading and getting to know a little about us!

We have been together for over 3 years and on October 1st of this year he asked me to spend forever with him. Kade and I come from two very different backgrounds, my family is from La Coruña, Spain and he grew up in Murray, Utah. When I turned 10 my parents decided to move to the United States to provide me with a better lifestyle since they were both unemployed and escaping from a crisis. On the other hand, Kade lost both of his parents at a very young age, and he grew up under the care of his grandparents. Our hardships in life allowed us to grow into people we are today, overcome obstacles throughout our journey, and ultimately it led us to each other. We met in high school from going on a double date with two other people. Getting to know Kade was like getting to know the perfect boy version of me, we rapidly learned how our goals in life balanced each other out and due to the circumstances from our past, we were able to grow together, instead of apart while still discovering who we wanted to be.

I am currently attending the University of Utah and pursuing a degree in Medical Laboratory Sciences. My fiance, Kade, is attending electrical school while working for Rydalch Electric. Our favorite hobbies include fly fishing, hiking national parks, and traveling! My favorite thing about him is how he laughs at everything I say even if it’s not really that funny and how he always cares to take the perfect pictures of me with my girlfriends. We love asian cuisine and listening to Morgan Wallen with our windows rolled down while driving down Big Cottonwood canyon.

We have been together for 3 and a half years. Since the time we were 13, we have been best friends. I met Carsen at a back to school party when we were in eighth grade and we immediately clicked. We were together that first year and then broke up and stayed good friends. We talked and dated other people but always found our way back to each other. We started talking again our sophomore year of high school and took things slow to see where things would go. A few months later we decided to get together. We dated our Junior and Senior year of high schools and graduated together. Later that year, he got an offer to Minnesota to play football three weeks before he left.

He played there his freshman year and is finishing up his sophomore year. Long distance has not been the easiest thing on us as a couple but it for sure has been the best thing we didn’t know we would need. It has taught us how to love each other and appreciate the time we do get with each other. There have been many ups and downs in our relationships, as there is with any, but no matter what we have fought for each other and we will continue to fight for each other every day.

Jordan & Demi

Carsen & Jaycee

Lizzy & Kade

We met almost 6 years ago at The Westerner! Need I say more? Just kidding, the deeper story to us meeting that very few people know is that I noticed Gene at The Westerner years before we actually met... at least 3 years. The first night I noticed him I called my best friend who was usually there with me, but wasn’t this particular night, and very enthusiastically told her about the handsome (hot) guy that was hip hop dancing on the dance floor. I saw him several times after that, and several times I tried to go dance near him, or next to him...and yet he never noticed me. He kept to himself and seemed there only to dance and wasn’t interested in much else. This continued for 3 years on occasion. Until one night... my “best friend” decided to step in and engage him with an everso-mature “my friend likes you!” I was mortified! I’m 29 years old... that is not how we do this anymore! I fled. But, he did ask me to dance. Which I didn’t realize all this time noticing him hip-hop dance, the man also swing dances??!!!!

And swing dances well! I was done for. We had our first date one week later, one I will never forget as I’ve never had so much fun on a first date, and the rest....well the rest was a roller coaster to say the least. 5 1/2 years later and a whole lot of growth for both of us. This Wedding will be a celebration of where we started, but mostly where we are going and growing and how beautiful our relationship has become along the way.

Our story began serving as missionaries in London, England. We served alongside each other for four months. Once Aidan had finished his mission and returned home to Wales we began writing weekly. During the next eleven months we discovered that, although we were raised in different countries, we had much in common in addition to our love of God and family. Our friendship grew as we shared our dreams and goals. We both knew early on that this relationship was different. Eventually Aidan moved to America and I finished my mission, putting us both in Utah at the same time. We finally had our first date and it was magical! What had seemed so perfect in letters, was even better in person! While dating we explored many of our common interests, even discovering some new ones. At the top of our list is being in nature. We love camping and fishing because it allows us to have quality, uninterrupted time together. Falling in love with your best friend is an amazing journey! We are excited for our next chapter as I start school to become a dental hygienist, Aidan begins school for construction management, and we plan our forever together!

You know that feeling when you’re running low on paper money and then just happen to roll doubles and land on free parking in Monopoly? Well, that feeling of surprise and excitement has been the definition of mine and Michael’s relationship. Michael and I met over a year ago, went on a few dates but the timing just wasn’t right for us. Then a year later, Michael took a chance and messaged me through social media. I’m so happy he drew that chance card so that we could “pass go” together and start creating a love story that has turned into my favorite story to tell. Both Michael and I thought we would forever be in dating jail where we couldn’t pass go or collect $200 and would just continue to have first dates for the rest of our lives. Now all our dreams are coming true with one of those fairytale types of love. If love is a game, we’re sure glad we played because we hit the jackpot. Now we look forward to filling our days with quoting The Godfather, eating delicious food, and playing every version of monopoly Hasbros has to offer.

Met online - typical in todays day and age. But our first date wasn’t so typical. We planned to hike the Tintic Mill in Goshen, UT. Unbeknownst to us, the state of Utah owns the land, making it illegal to hike. Not more than 100 feet on the property a cop showed up ready to finger print us, and give us both misdemeanors for trespassing. Since then, we’ve been on countless adventures together. Some of our favorites include visiting 4 of the 5 National parks in Utah, skydiving, countless BYU football games, horseback riding, rappelling, traveling across country in an RV, and of course, attending court and community service for our misdemeanors. We dated for a year, and have been engaged since January 2022. In March, we bought a labradoodle puppy named, Bear, and have absolutely loved having him in our lives. Jansen graduated from UVU in 2019 with a Bachelors in Family Science and is working on starting a business to help youth and young adults. I will graduate in Spring of 2023 with a Bachelors in Public Health from UVU!

Gene & Kari

Katelyn & Aidan

Katie & Michael

Kelsey & Jansen

I walked into class on my first day at a new school. Our teacher was explaining inferential arguments in geometrical proofs. Bryce, sitting at the front of the room, exclaimed, “This is so fun!” Immediately I knew that we needed to be friends because I did not think that this was fun. We were table partners in our calculus class a few years later. I invited him to my house to help me with my math in exchange for some homemade mac and cheese. We’ve been best friends ever since.

Bryce and I are both super competitive. We love board games, bowling, golfing, and also enjoy running. We were on the cross country team together and competed in a half marathon as well. Although we were just friends in high school, I have been chasing after him since the day we met. We left in 2020 to serve missions for our church. We began dating shortly after we returned home this summer and are now attending Brigham Young University.

Something that we have enjoyed doing together recently is planning our wedding! We have attended many of our friends’ weddings to get inspiration for our special day. We love dancing together and are currently choreographing the perfect first dance. It’s going to be a day to remember. We’re looking forward to celebrating (and dancing) with all of our family, friends, and hopefully all of you! Our story has been almost a decade in the making. We are so grateful for all of the incredible people we’ve met and adventures we’ve had along the way. We are looking forward to the many years to come!

We are high school sweethearts! We met in our sophomore year through the swim team at Maple Mountain. We became best friends and slowly started dating from there. We have now been together for 3 1/2 years. I am from Spanish fork and Ethan is from Mapleton. When we saw that the venue was in our hometown, we jumped at the opportunity. We both attend school at Utah Tech University, formally known as Dixie State. I am majoring in Early Childhood Education as well as studying to become an ASL interpreter. Ethan is a Marketing Major and hopes to get an internship this summer to pursue a career in the business field. We are both sophomores in college and we are looking forward to graduating with our bachelor’s degrees in 2025.   I love working with little kids and have recently become a nanny. I also teach swim lessons and survival swim lessons (which is teaching babies how to float on their backs). Ethan also enjoys being around kids just as much as I do. Ethan has been working at Jimmy John’s which is the best sandwich place out there. These work opportunities have given us the ability to go to school and adventure together. I grew up swimming and swam competitively for nearly 11 years. I enjoy doing nails and exploring St. George. Ethan played tennis and was on the swim team. Ethan loves to wake surf and ski with his family. He is adventurous and willing to try new activities. Ethan taught me how to wake surf and ski in 2019 and it is now some of our favorite things to do together. We have skied throughout Utah and have also skied in Colorado. We wake surf at Lake Powell throughout the summer as much as we can. Ethan and I enjoy traveling and going on vacations with our families. We both enjoy playing pickleball with our friends in St. George and having a good time. We are excited for this summer to start a new chapter of our lives. We have both tried to be independent and have worked hard so that we can have opportunities to do the things we love. We are ready and thrilled to take the next step in life together!

Something we both love is off-roading, razoring, and hiking. We went offroading on our very first date, and love to spend that quality time together in nature talking, laughing, and connecting.

Sam is the most amazing person I’ve ever met. I feel so lucky to know him, love him, and get to spend my life with him! Sam is selfless and caring, he constantly looks for ways to serve me and brighten my day. My roommates call Sam our “apartment boyfriend” because he takes out our trash, brings us treats, and is just best friends with everyone he meets. Sam is also the most romantic, sweet, and fun guy I’ve ever met. He slow dances with me in parking lots, leaves me flowers and sticky notes all over my car, tries Pinterest recipes with me, and is always planning the most creative dates. I adore him and am beyond excited to marry him.

Lexie absolutely lights up my world and makes me feel so loved and special. We’ve been dating for a little bit over a year; however, I knew right away she was the person I wanted to spend forever with. Lexie is the most kindhearted, smart, and hardworking person I know. Whether it’s making dinner, going grocery shopping, or doing homework together I just love doing life with Lexie. Her kindness and love for others is amazing and inspiring. I deeply love her with all my heart.

Bryce & Kierra

Samuel & Lexie

Ethan & Melody

THE WEDDING OF MAKAYLA & CADEN

PHOTOGRAPHER: BRINNA B PHOTOS

PREMIER VENDORS

Inspired by the moments that make time stand still, The Grand America Hotel is an idyllic destination for timeless ceremonies and honeymoon getaways.

THE WEDDING OF MARLEY & CODY

PHOTOGRAPHER: BELLA ALDER PHOTOGRAPHY

Things a Wedding Florist wants you to know.

by Ashley Legg of Urban Roots Floral & Events

After a lifetime of being in the wedding industry I decided to start Urban Roots Floral & events. As small children, my sisters and I were actively a part of helping my family with their wedding business. We were napping in bakery boxes, playing with the wedding dresses in front of the big mirrors, decorating cakes, setting up backdrops, and putting together floral arrangements. I have always loved making and designing things. and There is nothing better than arranging flowers! They are beautiful & magical. Flowers truly make everything better! In fact, studies show that flowers have a long term positive effect on people’s moods. They help people feel less depressed, anxious, and demonstrate a higher sense of enjoyment of life. Flowers symbolize joy and pleasure and I definitely believe this to be true! I know anytime I’ve been given flowers they have definitely brought a smile to my face and happiness in my heart. Have you ever wondered why flowers are always at times of sadness and at your happiest times? It’s because they truly make your sad times a little lighter and amplify your happy days. Designing flowers is something I truly love! I’ve been doing this since I was young; going to pick up flowers with my Nan from the wholesalers and looking at all the different

types and colors are some of my happiest memories. I used to love going into the special orchid fridge and picking one out just for me. Some of the most important aspects of flower arranging I learned from my Nan. I’d watch her for hours making beautiful masterpieces while she let me experiment with my own. Now, as an adult, I’ve wrangled some of my very talented family members into joining me and we are once again building a wedding dream team, including my talented sister Dustee. She is my life saver, always keeping me on track.

Our different styles blend together to create unique and one-of-a-kind arrangements. We love assisting in making our clients’ special moments come to life.

Photo Credit: Meg Cook

Trust your florist! Look at their work and check to make sure they have experience. I personally wouldn’t want to put anything but my best out in the world for people to see. Make sure your florist feels the same.

Share your preferences. It helps to know your style, colors, shapes and maybe your favorite flower or two.

Know your preferences but be open to new ideas. As much as you may want a specific flower, your florist has an abundance of knowledge and may be able to help you find something that works even better. Show your florist inspiration pictures, tell them what you love about them. Is it the style, shape, color? They can most likely create the same look with different flowers that are in season, more cost effective or work better together.

Don’t rule out faux flowers. They can expand your options and help create a more impressive bouquet. Just remember that faux flowers can be just as pricy as fresh flowers in many cases. One of my favorite things to do is mix faux and fresh for an incredible bouquet.

Florals are a valuable expense. Some could argue that less is more, but when it comes to flowers we think that more is absolutely the right choice! Nothing will transform your event like an abundance of flowers. When you look back at your occasion, and see the beautiful pictures with the table set-ups and bouquets it’s something you will never forget.

I hope some of these things are able to help you in the process of planning your event florals. We, at Urban Roots Florals & Events, would love to help you with any of your wedding or event planning needs!

Urban Roots Floral & Events

A few tips to help you achieve a wonderful floral experience.

Photo Credit: Meg Cook

GET IN the KNOW

SHOULD I HIRE A SECOND PHOTOGRAPHER FOR MY WEDDING?

A second shooter is designed to help the main wedding photographer for the day. Sometimes they come with the package that you’re purchasing, and other times they can be selected with an additional fee. If the main photographer has to step away for a glass of water, or to change batteries, a second shooter is a great way to ensure you’ve still got coverage! Second photographers are a great way to help things run smoothly, capture candid shots, and add their own unique style. Ask your photographer second shooter options when booking.

WHAT SHOULD YOU ASK YOUR CATERER TO ENSURE YOU HAVE THE MOST MAGICAL WEDDING?

If you are looking to create the most magical wedding experience, the question you should ask your caterer is how they take care of you so you can be fully present and enjoy every moment of your day. This includes having peace of mind, knowing that you and your guests are completely taken care of from start to finish. We provide a charcuterie board for the bride and groom so they are fed and taken care of while spending time with the people they love.

SOMETHING BORROWED BRIDAL

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE BENEFITS OF RENTING A WEDDING DRESS INSTEAD OF BUYING ONE?

Renting may not be for everyone, however, there are so many benefits that you may not have taken into consideration. First and foremost, COST! The rental cost of a dress is anywhere from a third of the cost to a tenth of the cost of buying a brand new dress. And that’s just the purchase price. Dry cleaning should always be factored into the price of purchasing a dress. Second, exchangeable value. When you buy a wedding dress, you can neither return nor exchange, leaving you with little to no options if you have a change of mind or size. Renting ensures that you will have a beautiful dress no matter what extenuating circumstances arise.

GRACIE NICOLE PHOTOGRAPHY

Gracie Huff

@g.nicolephoto

Brooke Holahan @somethingborrowedbridals

Photo: Map and Compass Photo, Olive Avenue Photo

Photo: Alexa Ditto, Lauren Wenn

Photo: Gracie Nicole Photography

LA BELLE VIE CHARCUTERIE

Tianna Evertsen @labelleviecharcuterie

Photo: Kyle Purvis, @ethan.riehle

WHAT

IF I DON’T HAVE A CAKE DESIGN IN MIND? WHY WOULD I WANT A BOUNCE HOUSE AT MY WEDDING? HOW DO I PICK A HAIR AND MAKEUP STYLE?

Wedding planning can be stressful with all the decisions that need to be made but your cake design doesn’t need to be one of them! Find a cake artist who will guide you to find a design that takes your breath away. Don’t be afraid to mix textures, colors, and styles to make your wedding cake unique to you two. Together you can find a design to suit your style, your budget, and your tastebuds to create the wedding cake of your dreams!

Bounce houses are the new wedding trend, and they are here to stay! Our luxury white bounce houses provide a unique, memorable, and fun experience for guests of ALL ages. They not only provide endless entertainment, they also add to the beautiful aesthetic of any wedding. Can you think of a more perfect photo backdrop for a bride and groom, than one of our white castles? With our clean, sleek white bounce houses your guests will have wedding entertainment that they have never seen before. Whether your guests are seven or seventy we guarantee that everyone will be jumping for joy on your big day! We’re fresh. We’re new. We are fully licensed and insured, and are ready to add a little bit of White Castle magic to your wedding day.

Erika Ellis

@sweetesbakeryprovo

Sara Burton @hewhitecastle.ut

MORE

FOR

Q&A from your LOCAL PROS

Photo: @tayrobison

Photo:

Samantha Stone

THE

WEDDING

OF STEPHANIE & TYLER

PHOTOGRAPHER: DEVRY REEDER PHOTOGRAPHY

Brian Symer Photography

THE WEDDING OF SUMMER & CADEN

PHOTOGRAPHER: KALI ATKIN FILMS

THE

WEDDING

OF VICTORIA & JACKSON

PHOTOGRAPHER: KALI ATKIN FILMS

Utah Valley Wedding’s Ultimate Giveaway Vendors! Presenting...

Northridge Valley

Northridge Valley is a gorgeous new venue in Mapleton, which saved local treasures such as a historic cabin that is now used for catering and such! They opened a little over a year ago and their 2023 dates are filling up fast! We are honored to have them as the featured venue in our Ultimate Wedding Giveaway!

Contact Info: @northridge_valley www.northridge.com 801-573-4249

Gourmandise

Gourmandise was opened 30 years ago by an immigrant family who wanted to bring European desserts to the city they’d made their own. In 2006, another immigrant’s entrepreneurial spirit, family’s bakery heritage, and belief that the modest bakery and café could become something wonderful laid the foundation for what Gourmandise has become today.

Contact Info: @gourmandisethebakery gourmandise.com 385-387-1780

Nicole Wimmer Photography

Nicole Wimmer Photography’s goal is to deliver clean, timeless images and capture genuine moments that you’ll be able to enjoy for years to come. Style is light, classic and timeless, she wants your memories to look like you and capture your love for each other. Some moments will happen on their own and other moments she will lead you into. Final outcome, beautiful memories!

Contact Info: @nicolewimmer nicolewimmer.com nicole@nicolewimmer.com

Kristen Whitehead Productions

Being a couple - Kristen Whitehead Productions works extremely well with other couples. They strive to show how extraordinary your relationship truly is, in a cinematic, timeless way. Though their business started just in 2019 they have been a huge success and done well over 100 weddings!

Contact Info: @kristen_whitehead_productions kristenwhiteheadproductions.com

Simply Mindy K

Mindy with Simply Mindy K has been an experienced hairstylist + makeup artist for 10 years now. She graduated from Cosmetology school in 2011 and has been working in the industry ever since. She is married to her best friend and is a mother to two sweet babies. Her list of accomplishments and awards is lengthy! Mindy is giving away: Hair and makeup, typically $300!

Contact Info: @simplymindyk simplymindy.net

Wish Blossom Flowers

Susie created Wish Blossom Flowers to bring beauty and joy to others. From the time she was a little girl, she was obsessed with flowers. Her mother would take her out and teach her all their names, and she soaked it up like a sponge. She would forage wildflowers and make magical gifts for others. Years later, she has over 21 years of experience and a personally trained staff that shares a passion for flowers and color design.

Contact Info: @wishblossomflowers wishblossomflowers.com 801-913-0068

Utah Valley Weddings

Your local discount wedding magazine! Or you might say, your “sophisticated coupon book”. ;) We pride ourselves on connecting with the highest quality vendors that Utah Valley has to offer, and getting great deals for our brides with them. Also, we will not advocate for a business that we don’t believe in! We strive to be Utah Valley’s most trusted guide for your wedding day professionals.

Contact Info: @utahvallyweddings uvweddingsmag.com 801-368-9039

ENGAGEMENTS // BRIDALS

BRIDALS JAIMI & NATHAN

BRIDALS

SAVANNAH & JAKE

PHOTOGRAPHER: PEYTON GERBER FILMS

Dress- @sweetheartbridal | Tux- Men’s Warehouse | Men’s Ring- Bronxton | Women’s Ring- Molly Jewelry US Makeup- @cherisa.mua | Hair- Navy Salon

ANNA & SAM

PHOTOGRAPHER: SHANNON VOLMAR PHOTOGRAPHY

SKYLER & SHAWNA

PHOTOGRAPHER: BELLA ALDER PHOTOGRAPHY

Photo video- Bella alder photo film | Hair Makeup - Brachen Alder | Jewelry - turquoise and teepees llc Dress- Charolettes bridal

STYLED SHOOT DANIELLE & JAMESON

PHOTOGRAPHER: CARLEE LEWIS PHOTOGRAPHY

SOUTHERN CHARM WEDDING INSPIRATION CELEST & BRIAN

PHOTOGRAPHER: SARAH LAYNE PHOTO & DESIGN

Photographer & Planner: Sarah Layne Photo & Design | Venue: Magnolia Grove Reception Center

Makeup: Savanah Norman | Dress: Sarah Layne Rentals | Floral: Sister Stems | Cake: Maile Cake Design

Table Setting & Decor: Sarah Layne Rentals | Table Linens: Magnolia Grove Reception Center

Rings: Forge Jewelry Works | Invitations: Paper & Lace Boutique