The most elegant weddings are ones where every single detail was considered. Where colors and textures are layered and contrasted to engage your senses without overwhelming them. When weddings are crafted with an eye for design, the attention of guests moves slowly over each detail, taking them all in with awe without rushing to the next. 

My job as a wedding photographer is a fortunate one, I am lucky enough to be there for the purpose of taking in every detail. I come ready to capture these stunningly curated moments, immortalizing them in photos. My hope is that, decades from now, when you snuggle up and pull out your wedding photos, you’ll find details and moments that have faded from memory. But suddenly they’ll be as fresh in your mind as the day they happened. 

This luxurious wedding in the Utah mountains gave me plenty of such details to capture. Nestled in the heart of Midway, the overlooking Wasatch mountains offered their own inspiration for the day. The other vendors and I played with the harsh light, a modern color palette, and the gorgeous artistry of everyone’s work.

Warming Up a Modern Winter Wedding

The expertly balanced energy of this wedding began with the color scheme. Delicate winter whites, dusty greens, hints of blush and pale blue shockingly paired with black. Natural wood tones and touches of rust orange warmed up this unexpected color palette. That added warmth took it from modern to an elevated and inviting modern luxe. However unconventional, this color scheme quickly made sense when you realize how perfectly it represented the surroundings of this Utah wedding venue. From the snow capped Mount Timpanogos in the distance, to the blue midday sky, to the wintery plants still appearing through the icy ground – all of the same colors were present right outside the venue doors.

The nod to the surrounding nature continued throughout the wedding florals. Instead of using the flowers from the bride’s bouquet throughout the entire ceremony area, the florist opted for statement pieces made of rust-colored flora possibly sourced from very near the venue. These focal arrangements, thoughtfully placed along the grand staircase, complimented the couple’s grand entrance. Imagine passing stunning colors during your drive through Utah’s mountains, only to arrive at your wedding destination finding those same plants and colors gracefully styled throughout the event itself. 

Bits of that same rust colored plant showed up in the more traditional table arrangements too. Here they were paired with romantic garden roses and foraged greenery. Staci from Sweet Grace Floral even airbrushed the stems for an element of winter frost. Sleek black flatware and taper candles then juxtaposed these dainty floral arrangements.

Using Wedding Details to Represent the Happy Couple

The contrast of these sorts of details subtly represented the bride and groom’s personalities. A modern wedding theme does not have to mean stark minimalism and harsh lines. With the right additions, your wedding can be inviting and full of warmth even in the middle of winter.

The stage was set for guests as soon as they received the invitation stationery. It featured black paper with sharp edges paired with rough-edge fine art paper and a flowing script. Right away, this introduced guests to the personalities of the bride and the groom, and their unexpected but perfectly balanced pairing. 

And this balance continued throughout the ceremony and reception details, from the menu to the decor to the venue itself. For every clean line there was an organic addition to compliment it. Thanks to this balance, the bride still got to don the lacy dress of her childhood dreams. This more traditional dress choice still fit perfectly with the modern details, while softening them.

Plan Your Utah Mountain Wedding

As a fine art wedding photographer, I appreciate these sorts of symbolic nuances embedded in your wedding day planning. I am based in Utah, and have a special love for mountain weddings like this one. If you and your fiancé are drawn to the mountains, click here to learn more about working together for your special day. 

Other Vendors

Planning and Design: Britt Warnick Designs

Floral: Sweet Grace Floral

Venue: River Bottoms Ranch

HMUA: Lexi Harker Beauty

Dress: Utah Bride Room

Cake: Carisa’s Cake Company

Paper goods: Caitlin O’Bryant Design

Rings: Forge Jewelry Works