A summer destination wedding at Red Cliff Ranch in Heber, Utah shows just how magical a pop of colorful delicate details can be.

THE COUPLE

Jamie and Zach met as college athletes at the University of Utah, Zach on the baseball team and Jamie as a gymnast. They dated for 8 years, traveling, surviving a year of long distance and finally buying a condo together! When they moved in, Zach decided it was time to make a big move.

“We dated for so long that I didn’t think he would be able to surprise me with a proposal, but he managed to pull off a genuine surprise,” Jamie says.

While on a holiday trip to Philadelphia visiting Jamie’s relatives, the couple went to an ice skating rink with the whole family. About 15 minutes in, Zach decided to show off and do some tricks for Jamie. Mid-twirl, he fell and shouted in pain so loudly that the staff quickly skated over to see what was wrong. As soon as Jamie made it to his side, however, he swung around on one knee with a ring ready in hand.

“At first, I couldn’t believe it!” Jamie says. “All I could say was ‘Is this real? Are you serious?'” The couple shared that Zach was actually so shocked that his prank worked that he forgot to ask the question for a few moments. Luckily, he remembered his words and Jamie realized he was, in fact, serious. Jamie loved every bit of the proposal, saying “It was one of the most romantic fairytale moments I’ve ever had.” 

Jamie & Zach were married six months later at the Red Cliff Ranch in Heber on July 14, 2018.

THE MOOD

Although the pair chose a ranch setting for their venue, they prefer artsy, vibrant city life to rustic ranch living. So, they decided to transform their event into a feminine, shabby-chic styled event. Using delicate details like lace, gold accents, candles and bright florals, they were able to put the perfect edge on the design. The bold floral arrangements by Five Penny Floral added a pop of color and personality that can’t be overlooked. On the patio where florals were less abundant, Jamie and her mother added cheery (and fabulous) floral pillows to the pavilion couches for an extra eye-catching setting.

Jamie was super hands-on when it came to wedding decor, creating signs, menu cards and other unique items to make the space reflect their relationship. “It was the most fun part of wedding planning for me!”

THE WEDDING

“We couldn’t have asked for anything more picturesque.”

Meadows at Red Cliff ranch provided the perfect setting for Jamie’s dream shabby-chic ceremony. Decor included a simple white drape over a rustic backdrop, grounded with bursts of blooms at the edges, delicate paper fans for guests and delicate floral accents throughout the area. The bridesmaids wore simple off-white lace dresses and carried vibrant bouquets, while the guys wore grey slacks with black suspenders and floral accents. Zach arrived in a 3 piece off-white sit, and Jamie wrapped up the procession in a striking lace ivory gown from Country Bride & Gent in Pennsylvania, with just the right amount of sparkle. Anita Gordon officiated the wedding, and her southern charm made the couple’s perfect day shine.

“She was straight-forward, funny, genuine and truly cared about getting to know us as a couple,” Jamie says. “Once the big day arrived, Anita took care of everything ceremony-related and put us completely at ease. She was incredible!”

THE MENU

While waiting for the happy couple to return from their bridal shoot, guests were treated to a cocktail hour, serving delicious summer welcome drinks and personal pizzas named in honor of the parents. Jamie and Zach each chose a signature cocktail to add a personal touch to the refreshments: an “Ice Ice Jamie” lemon vodka cocktail and a classic “Zach & Coke” for the groom.

The wedding dinner was an incredibly locally sourced buffett by Lori Tolbert Catering, and included Utah-grown elements in each dish. The summer berry salad used produce from Liberty Heights Market; Lori’s homemade Beer Bread was infused with Wasatch Brewery drafts; the BBQ beef tri tip came from Utah ranches.

“We wanted the menu to feel classy with a taste of summer,” Jamie says. “I really love the salad and homemade bread. Zach’s a meat guy, so as soon as Lori described the BBQ Plum Chicken and Tri-Tip Beef, all the bells went off!”

Dessert had yet another personal infusion, in the form of Zach & Jamie’s invention, the “S’more-e-o, served in a gorgeous arrangement and toasted over a custom-built open fire bar.

“First, you take a thin Oreo. Then, you roast the Mallow. You put the mallow on the oreo and add a Mr. Goodbar. Top it all off with another thin Oreo, then you stuff it in your mouth!”

They nearly skipped on the cake tradition, but after seeing the work of Happy Tiers cakes, they couldn’t resist! The dessert table ended up with three beautiful cakes: A giant fun-fetti cake for Jamie, a carrot cake for Zach and a pure double-chocolate pastry to top it all off, all displayed with gold accent and marble of course!

THE TUNES

Burgess Weddings sure have dancing, and a lot of it! Moonlight Utah installed strings of lights to the outdoor pavilion fr a romantic and whimsical dancing setting, and the party sure took advantage.  Zach & Jamie danced their first “Rumba” to ‘I Like Me Better’ by Lauv.  Jamie says: “For how much we practiced, I think it turned out great!”

And then as soon as they opened the dance floor to everyone, there was no turning back. Zach’s mom’s side is Greek, so the party started it off with a big and inclusive Greek Zorba dance that had everyone holding hands and jumping around in circles. Followed by hip-hop and wedding classics that got everyone out on the dance floor (and we mean everyone. Grandparents, nephews and everyone in between!). We’ve never seen such a fun-loving couple, or a more enthusiastic party!

Ashley Dehart, the photographer, shared that the party was the most welcoming and genuine wedding she had experienced in a long time.
“One of my favorite things was that Zach had so many funny ideas for his groomsmen photos! Usually the groom/groomsmen don’t care too much about photos, but he had so many ideas and it made everyone laugh and have fun,” DeHart says.  “Another special moment was when I asked Jamie to get into her dress on the porch for better lighting, and she was surrounded by all her bridesmaids and her mother, just oohing and aahing over what a gorgeous bride she was! It was so special and tender!”

Scroll on through for more images from Ashley, and to see the joy from the happiest couple!

But first, here’s a darling video of Jamie + Zach’s wedding day by Jocelyn DeHart.

Jamie and Zach ||Wedding Day|| from DeHart Films on Vimeo.