Oct 19, 20205 min read

My Wedding

Updated: Oct 19, 2020

I know this isn't your typical Artist Blog post, but my wedding was an expression of my style and who I am as an artist.

October 13th, 2018, I married the man of my dreams and it was the most magical day.

Every girl dreams of her wedding day from a small age, and I was no different. But never in my wildest dreams did I think it was going to be as magical and beautiful as it turned out to be. I always said I was going to have a destination wedding in an Irish Castle in the middle of no where. Only a few people were going to be there, and it was going to be the most beautiful day.

I soon realized that I couldn't have it exactly as my 10 year old self desired, but when it all started to fall into place, I didn't want it any other way.

I used to scroll for hours on Pinterest, creating my perfect wedding and gained quite a following because of it. Because I gained so much from the examples and experiences of others on their big day, I wanted to share my tips, tricks, and vendors that we used.

Venues

Mormon Row - Bridal photos - You can't get married in a place like Jackson Hole and not take wedding photos in front of the Tetons. However, the pink house that matched my dress and flowers perfectly was a funny coincidence.

Trail Creek Ranch - There are a lot of different venues in Jackson Hole, since it can be the place for destination weddings. There are hotels in front of the Tetons, golf clubs or fields. We went and looked at quite a few before we found Trail Creek Ranch. The golf clubs were snobby and although those and the hotels would have been easier (having all the generators, food and stay included in the cost) it didn't feel like us. I wanted it to be surrounded by trees and feel more natural. Trail Creek Ranch was perfect. Our tent was in a field surrounded by trees and a pond. There was a beautiful barn and horses running around in the fields. We did our ceremony in an open field with the fall leaves around us. It was quiet and perfect. We also stayed in the cabins that they have for rent. They were perfect for getting ready with my bridesmaids and girlfriends.

Star Valley Wyoming Temple - As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, I was able to get married in a temple. This is where I was sealed to Ben for eternity. The Star Valley temple is slightly smaller than some other temples, but it was perfect for me. It was like getting married in a castle.

Flowers

FloralArt - Ian is one of the most talented florists ever. I showed him what I wanted (mostly Proteas to be the accent piece) and he created the most beautiful boutonnieres, bouquet, corsages, garlands, hanging plants, and arbor I have ever seen. I still think my flowers for my big day will never be beaten. Even though my bouquet was so heavy (I had to hold it with two hands).

Wedding Dress & Grooms Suit

Tailor Cooperative - Sadly you cannot see the texture and color of Ben's suit in the pictures. However, his suit is the coolest I have ever seen. It looked so good on him, and it was exactly what we wanted. Tailor Cooperative was great to work with. They made this suit exactly how Ben wanted it, and we picked everything down to the buttons, shoulders, and pockets. Nothing beats my man in that suit with a beard :)

Rachel Elizabeth Bridal - The wedding dress, for me, was the most stressful thing. It doesn't help that I only had a few months to get the perfect dress and living in Jackson at the time, with no dress stores did not help. We took a trip to Idaho Falls for a weekend and tried on some dresses, and I found the one. Although it wasn't perfect yet. I wanted it to be white, but it was ivory. I wanted it to have long sleeves, but it was short sleeved. I wanted to add embroidery, but it was plain. Because we were too short on time, we were not able to order a brand new dress in the color I wanted. I resolved to go to Utah and try my luck at some stores there. I could not find anything I wanted. However I did find Rachel Elizabeth Bridal and they said they could make the dress I wanted in time. It was a miracle. Almost every weekend I would travel down to Utah to try on the dress. The issue was that I still had the dress I tried on first in my head. The material they were using was different, not as flattering, and every time I put it on I just got sad and wished for the other dress.

Well, I couldn't handle it any more. I went to the store in Idaho falls, tried on that dress again and knew I had to have it. I asked that store what my options were and they were so rude. Here I was wanting to buy a dress from them, and they were telling me I was too big for the dress and needed to get it taken out. If I wanted to have long sleeves, I would have to cut off the entire train. And...I wanted embroidery...well too bad, I couldn't have it. I still bought that dress, right off the rack and left that awful place.

I was so nervous to go back to Rachel Elizabeth Bridal. I knew how hard they had been working on this other dress for me, but I knew that they would actually be able to do the things I wanted them to. When I told them the situation, they were so understanding. They said they could use the slip underneath the train for the sleeves, they let me pick out the lace embroidery that I wanted and they did it in such a short amount of time.

The reason why I tell you this long story is because I cannot express enough how grateful I am for Rachel Elizabeth Bridal. All of their dresses are unique. They are so great to work with and kind. They made this very stressful situation a bit less stressful. I cannot recommend them enough.

Hairstylist

Jackie Harmon - Frost Salon - I worked with Jackie over that Summer in Jackson doing wedding hair and makeup. She is the best. Not only is she the best at coloring hair (she is so gentle and quick but still does a better job than most people who just tug on your hair and take 8 hours), but she gave me the best hairstyles for the wedding and my pictures. I was totally obsessed with it and did not want to take it out ever.