Real Wedding: Shannon and Matt’s St. Regis Celebration

January 23, 2024

St. Regis Deer Valley, Park City

April 9

Planning and Design by Canvas Event Design

Photography by Samantha Laffoon Photography

THE COUPLE

Shannon and Matt were both Midwest transplants to San Francisco when fate landed them both jobs at the same company. After hitting it off in 2016, the pair chased each other through several cities and jobs before finally landing in Denver. One weekend, Matt arranged for both of their parents to visit, and he proposed to Shannon during a walk through their favorite park. After Shannon’s enthusiastic “yes,” she was surprised yet again when, upon returning to the hotel, she discovered several of her closest friends had also flown in to celebrate.

THE WEDDING

Shannon and Matt truly embraced Park City’s ski culture during their late-spring celebration at St. Regis Deer Valley.

“We wanted to bring everyone together for an intimate ski weekend,” Shannon says. “Park City was one of the first places Matt and I took a ski trip together.”

The couple captured the theme with a one-of-a-kind stationery suite, featuring a custom watercolor of the wedding destination and elegant letterpress invitations, all bound with a custom-cut gondola tag. The personalization continued on paper pieces throughout the wedding: from welcome bags to bar napkins with the pair’s pup printed on them.

Color brought a cheerful vibrancy to the wedding’s still-snowy winter setting. Embracing a “frosty spring” palette, the event’s design featured a neutral foundation with natural textures such as wicker lanterns, cream sofas and oversized leather ottomans—all brought to life by a bounty of blooms.

“We wanted all of the events to feel refined and upscale, yet still welcoming, cozy and fun,” says Shannon.

THE CEREMONY

Guests, warmed by roaring fires and cozy blankets, looked on as Shannon walked the aisle in a custom-designed Anne Barge gown, wrapped in an elegant white stole to match her bridesmaids. Matt wore a custom navy suit by Joshua Gold—his fraternity-brother-turned-personal clothier—ski-themed dress socks and a pair of leather oxfords purchased on a Portugal getaway with his soon-to-be-wife. Both bride and groom kept accessories minimal, but Shannon’s engagement ring got a new partner in the form of her great-grandmother’s wedding band.

The couple signed a hand-painted Israeli Ketubah and were wed by Rev. Anita Gordon under a chuppah draped with Shannon’s late grandfather’s tallis. Their vows were hand-written, and their labradoodle, Kona, barked her own vows as well.

THE PARTY

Following a welcome dinner at The Vintage Room apres-ski bar honoring Matt’s Mediterranean heritage with a raw bar, focaccia and paella, the couple worked with the team at St. Regis to design a menu celebrating the seasonal specialties of Utah. This included braised leek soup, a beet and Heber Creamery goat cheese salad, bison with huckleberry and ruby trout with root vegetables. Each dish was paired with wine from the couple’s favorite regions, including Marlborough, Willamette and Sonoma.

Dessert was no small affair. “We both love cake, particularly indulgent, nostalgic flavors,” says Shannon. Their cake boasted three decadent layers: Oreo, Boston Cream and coconut cream.

Signature drinks were poured all weekend long, including scotch-spiked cocoa, fig-and-herb spritz medleys, campfire whiskey Manhattans and Lavender French 75, made with the couple’s favorite Botanist gin and a sprig of fresh thyme. The couple fully customized their bar, outfitting every shelf with their preferred spirits from around the world.

Music City Groove had all guests dancing for the duration of the evening, including during the couple’s first dance to a John Legend ballad.

THE HONEYMOON

Shannon and Matt spent the days after their winter wedding decompressing in the sunny Cayman Islands, and spent their first anniversary in northern Scotland.