Real Wedding: Joann & McKay’s Timeless Celebration at Sundance Resort

March 30, 2020

Two best friends-turned-lovebirds tie the knot in an intimate and multicultural ceremony at Provo’s Sundance Resort.

JOANN & MCKAY
Sundance Resort
June 8, 2019

THE COUPLE

Joann & McKay started out as close friends while attending Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. After graduation, Joann moved to NYC, where the pair’s paths crossed again and they began a long distance relationship.

“We were best friends, both too nervous to admit the deeper feelings we felt for one another,” Joann says. “When we reconnected, our feelings were just as strong as ever! Long distance dating made us cherish our moments together and helped us realize we didn’t want to live apart.

After four years of friendship and 18 months of dating, McKay proposed at a New Year’s celebration atop the Rockefeller Center in NYC.

THE WEDDING

Joann and McKay tied the knot on June 8, 2019, in a rose-laden at Sundance Resort’s Redford Center. Joann had never considered doing a Utah destination wedding until she saw Sundance resort int he summer. The bright greenery and secluded beauty was perfect for the couple’s ideal classic, intimate wedding.

Family and friends traveled from all over the world (from Norway to Ecuador) for a party-filled weekend to celebrate Joann & McKay, and all stayed in the luxurious suites and cabins across the Sundance Resort. The cabins were also utilized as a bridal suite for Joann and her bridesmaids.

THE MOOD

Joann designed her dream tradition-twist wedding with a deep emphasis on florals and elegant details. At the ceremony, a breathtaking floral arch by Bloom Girls Floral backed the vows. White and soft pink roses nestled in a mountain of greenery for the perfect romantic backdrop.

Joann walked the aisle in an open-baked lace beauty from Bijou Bridal in NJ, and McKay kept things classic in a dapper black tuxedo.

“I always knew I wanted to go all out with my wedding dress, and when I saw this princess style train and delicate beadwork, I knew it was the one!”

The romance continued into the reception with candlelit dining tables and elegant calligraphy on each place card, where the palette of wintery greens and delicate pale florals continued with added hints of dusty blue and gold. Bistro lights brought a cozy, intimate feeling to the afterparty.

THE MENU

The couple took full advantage of all the talent at Sundance, particularly in the catering department.

Their event had a cocktail hour with hosted bar and passed platters, a plated dinner and a double-fire-pit s’more’s station! Guests got to choose between dishes of moroccan chicken with spiced jus, vegetables and couscous, or a New York steak topped with tomato chimichurry and paired with fried Brussels sprouts, red potatoes and caramelized onions.

The desserts included double chocolate mousse bomb’s, white chocolate fudge and a Royal Wedding-inspired lemon and elderflower wedding cake with a salted caramel layer in the middle.

THE PARTY

One of the most important parts of the wedding celebration for this couple were the traditions.

“Our wedding was a melting pot of religions, traditions and cultures, but enjoying a good party runs deep in all of our veins,” says Joann. “It represented so many cultures coming together as one, and it was an evening we will never forget.”

The bride comes from a Hispanic and Jewish family and the groom has a strong American background. The party shook the whole Redford Center with their traditional Jewish dance, the Hora, as well as the traditional cumbia, which got every guest on the dance floor to groove to the Spanish tunes.

Joann & McKay shared their first dance to “You Are the Best Thing” by Ray LaMontagne. “It embodied everything about that day and the reason why McKay and I were celebrating our love.”

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