Celebration Makers: Elements of Sage

Setting a meaningful intention for your marriage is an essential first step when planning a wedding. As you embark on this new journey, imagine grounding your ceremony in love, peace and purpose with a handcrafted holistic sage bundle. 

At Elements of Sage, owner and sage artisan Johanna Pay thoughtfully designs sage bundles to reflect the beauty of new beginnings. Her creations use locally and ethically sourced sage, herbs and wildflowers, ensuring sustainability with only natural components.

“Alongside sage, blending additional components can help refine intentions. While sage burning represents renewal and the clearing away of old patterns, other elements such as dried flowers are incorporated to enhance specific energies and embody warmth, happiness and health,” explains Pay.  

“Adding rose strengthens the heart chakra with love and unity, while lavender brings peace, calm and joy to comfort the union. Once we understand our clients’ motivations and intentions, our bundles provide a way for the couples to connect with nature, supporting their journey toward wellness and harmonious beginnings.” 

As you plan your special day, embracing an intention-setting sage ritual is a unique way to deepen your connection and enrich your celebration. 

Elements of Sage

P.O. Box 9152, SLC

elementsofsage.com | @elementsofsage

Top Tips

What’s Ahead:

In addition to our signature sage bundles, the collection now includes sage wedding favors and bouquets thoughtfully designed to bring a natural beauty to your wedding day.

Excited About:

Our new collection of wedding favors and bouquets! These new offerings are designed to set heartfelt intentions, clear old energies and enhance positive energy throughout your celebration.

Fresh Ideas:

Sage adds a powerful element to traditional wedding ceremonies, symbolizing blessings for the bride and the significance of the day. At a recent ceremony, the earthy aroma meandered through the crowd, connecting the couple to their guests. The officiant spoke about how the natural energy of the sage bundle serves to bless their union, creating a sanctuary of support for one another, emphasizing the couple’s bond and newly shared energy. It was truly magic

Go Wild With Western Themed Menswear

Wild West, that is! For a Utah wedding, embracing the cowboy spirit is a must-have experience for a groom and his men. Luckily, local leather craftsmen saddle up to help.

1. Ettura Rivet Calf Belt, $395; and 2. Ettura Patchwork Alligator Belt, $950, UWM Men’s Shop, uwmmensshop.com  

  3. Custom Wool Hat, from $159, Fallen Sky Stone, fallenskystone.com  

Want to invite even more western style to your wedding day? Hire Fallen Sky Stone’s team to craft custom hats on-site for each guest with a luxury hat bar. (Pictured at top of page).

4. Ghostwood Bourbon Bag, $3,700, Hellhound Leather Co., hellhoundleatherco.com


Meticulously created by Utahn-native and master craftsman Gavin Ambrose, this celebration-ready bourbon bag features a beautiful rustic leather exterior and is entirely lined in a luxurious and durable English Bridle leather. Each bespoke bag is customized to your groom’s favorite bottle, and includes a custom valet tray for serving in style. 

5. Custom Wrapped Leather Flasks, $30, Hellhound Leather Co., hellhoundleatherco.com

6. Rattlesnake Jasper Bolo Tie, $395, Hell’s Canyon Bolo Co., hellscanyonboloco.com

7. JB Stetson Square Toe Dress Boots, $770, Bolt Ranch Store, boltranchstore.com

Get more menswear inspiration here.

Real Wedding: Emily & Meg in Victory Ranch

Back east transplants Emily and Meg went from college teammates to forever lovers with a celebration at Victory Ranch.

THE COUPLE

College hockey teammates-turned-lovers, Bostonite Emily and Midwest-hailing Meg made the leap from friends to girlfriends two years after graduation. Three years after that, Emily planned a surprise sunset proposal at a family home in Wisconsin over Independence Day weekend. Meg returned the gesture with a post-golf engagement ring later that summer at Kamas’s Victory Ranch, which would later become the setting for their marriage vows. 

THE WEDDING

The couple decided they wanted to show off their new home state, so they invited nearly two hundred of their loved ones to meet in Kamas for an elegant and organic outdoor wedding nodding to Utah’s mountain landscapes. Stunning textural white florals teamed with thick greenery and a quaint pergola for a setup that perfectly blended with the course, while the bridal party’s green and burnt-orange attire echoed the hues of a mountain sunset. Linens detailed with a subtly topographic grain further echoed Utah’s geography. 

For their ceremony, both brides wore simple crepe gowns purchased in their hometowns. Emily wore a sleek one-shoulder number and rhinestone belt, while Meg donned an elegant ruched off-the-shoulder look. Rather than traditional heels, the pair wore matching Jimmy Choo sneakers to help them bust a move later in the evening. Their hand-written vows were officiated by a college friend and teammate, and were accompanied by special readings. “We selected readings that spoke more to the gay experience,” shares Meg. “It was important to us to make things tastefully intentional and authentic to us as a couple.” 

THE PARTY

After the ceremony, guests flocked to a custom-constructed pergola for an upscale family-style dinner of miso marinated cod (a favorite of the couple’s), filet mignon and pasta, with a s’mores station and mini dessert bar to follow. At the bar, Emily and Meg paid homage to their love of skiing with green, blue and black slope-grade inspired cocktails named after their favorite runs at Deer Valley and Loon Mountain resorts. In the clubhouse, Metro Music Club led all the guests as they grooved for hours on the intimate dance floor and cheered the newlyweds on in a special choreographed first dance. 

Rather than hosting a rehearsal dinner the night before the main event, Emily and Meg broke from tradition and opted for a blowout goodbye party instead. Guests reconvened at Victory Ranch the day following the wedding for pickleball and a pool party.

Then the couple, clad in stylish white suits, met their friends and family at Kimball Terrace for a country music-backed farewell dinner and dancing. Alongside a fun-filled dinner catered by Culinary Crafts, the brides honored their mothers with curated wine selections as the signature beverages. 

THE HONEYMOON 

After the wedding weekend, the couple had a ‘mini-moon’ in Park City, before embarking on a three-week New Zealand adventure a year later. 

UTAH WEDDING VENDORS

Planning and Design: Gatherist, gatheristco.com

Photography: Heather Nan Photography, heathernanphoto.com

Venue: Victory Ranch, victoryranchutah.com

Floral: Amber Reverie, amberreverie.com

Rentals and Pergola Build:Alpine Event Co., alpineevent.co

Catering:Victory Ranch, victoryranchutah.com

Stationery and Signage: Twelve30 Creative, twelve30.com

Hair: Kali Chris, kalichris.com

Makeup: Kristen Packard Artistry, kristenpackard.com

Reception Band: Metro Music Club, metromusicclub.com

Farewell Party Venue: Kimball Terrace, kimballterrace.com

Farewell Party Catering: Culinary Crafts, culinarycrafts.com

Farewell Party Band: Steven Bosco, stevenbosco.com

Videography: Ryan Hinman Films, ryanhinmanfilms.com

Mountain Majesty at High West Distillery

Western-inspired wedding design takes a luxurious spin at High West Distillery.

Experience the charm of the Wild West and the allure of a high end wedding in one fell swoop with rich color and delicate touches in an idyllic rustic venue.

The Intro

Kick off your wedding mood by showing your signature style in paper form. Carefully crafted by La Madeleine Studio, this perfectly matched paper suite employs a pronounced palette, elegant typography and landscape-inspired patterns to capture a beautiful balance between desert rustic and feminine luxury.  

The suite boasts an abundance of rich greens and deep tans, mirroring the verdant palette of Utah’s summer landscapes. Raw-edged paper invokes visions of hand-written love letters, echoed in a collection of vintage stamps on each personalized envelope. 

This bold foundation, adorned with dainty ribbons and coyly floraled illusion coverlets, tells guests to expect an adventure of an event, infused with all the pomp of wedding elegance. 

DESERT INSPIRATION 

When it comes to a mountain-magic wedding dinner, your event’s design can capture the allure of an iconic view and natural setting before guests even glance outside. “I was inspired by High West’s rustic charm and high-mountain desert landscape,” says wedding planner Kristin Spear of Soirée Productions, who curated this stunning vignette. “I wanted to mirror those natural textures in the linens and table settings.”

Utah-inspired textures inform every detail, with beds of salt supporting slender tapered candles, sleek iron chairs providing a strong base and a simple patterned linen giving an ode to the Wild West. Effortless florals appear to be sprouting directly from the table’s center, a magical moment repeated in the ceremony design, where rust, blush and gold blooms burst from every open space, nearly transporting the scene right into a mountainside meadow. 

HIGH WEST FASHION 

The ceremony’s subtle color scheme echoes that natural beauty, while allowing this couple’s high-fashion attire to have its own moment. A sleek blue suit garbs the groom, inviting a touch of classic formality to the wedding vision. The bride’s ensemble is a brilliant ode to cowgirl-chic, but with a high-fashion twist: Intricate ruching and high-gloss accessories marry with rough hems and a corseted bodice to deliver the best of both worlds.

CHEERS! 

During cocktail hour, simplicity and elegance abound, allowing the focus to be on the experience: a High West whiskey tasting full of the flavors of the state. Setting the mood, greenery and delicate blooms erupt from a stone mantel, appearing as native as can be. Bud vases add pops of color to each cocktail table, while on the bar, a customized whiskey bottle flanked by cascading tulips delivers a dose of personality to the celebration.  

UTAH WEDDING VENDORS

Planning and Table Design: Soirée Productions, soireeproductions.com

Venue: High West Distillery, Wanship, highwest.com

Photographer: Elisha Braithwaite, elishabraithwaite.com

Florist: Harvest Floral Company, harvestfloralcompany.com

Gown: Frankie Jane Couture Bridal, frankiejane.com

Suit: Smith Bespoke, smithbespoke.com

Jewelry: Wilson Diamonds,  wilsondiamonds.com

Models: Jade and Christian Chavez

Stationery and Signage: La Madeleine Studio,  lamadeleinestudio.com

Rentals: Diamond Event & Tent,
diamondevent.com

Hair and Makeup: Kali Chris, kalichris.com

Diamond Empire Band’s Emily Merrell’s Favorite Reception Songs

Reception entertainment masters share their top playlist picks to enliven your dance party

Emily Merrell makes her living hyping up a crowd at memorable receptions far and wide, as a member of Utah fan-favorite group Diamond Empire Band. She shared some of her go-to crowd pump-up songs to make your celebration a blast at every turn.

1. “24K Magic” by Bruno Mars

“Kick off the reception with this electrifying tune that brings instant energy.”

2. “Hey Ya” by Outkast

“Guaranteed to fill the dance floor with all generations with its signature dance move.”

3. “Respect” by Aretha Franklin

“Bring some soul to your playlist with a powerful anthem.”

4. “Don’t Stop Believing” by Journey

“Close out the night on a high note with a beloved sing along.”

Shape Up: Mixed Shape Stones to Watch in Jewelry Trends

Curate your one-of-a-kind bridal jewelry set with shapely stones in every piece. Photo by Blake Hogge

Bolder brides with a finger on fashion’s hottest trends will know that multi-stone and cluster rings are all the rage in the celeb world. 

“For more traditional bridal clients, the band is where we are seeing more mixed shapes of stones,” says Ericka Weissman, diamond buyer at O.C. Tanner Jewelers. 

Take a page from the trends book, and treat yourself to a stack of mixed-shape wedding bands to accompany your engagement ring. 

For added flair, consider a flashy eternity band. Unlike a traditional wedding band with stones on the top, it features bling all the way around the ring, another symbol of love. 

“Many clients who want something different, or may not plan to be regularly wearing a traditional solitaire engagement ring, will go for a larger eternity band,” Weissman says. “Radiants in a bezel setting, or ovals and cushions are all very popular choices.” 

TOP TO BOTTOM IN IMAGE

O.C. Tanner Collection Florence diamond ring in platinum,  $41,200; Kwiat Cushion diamond band in platinum, $38,000;  Kwiat Five Stone Ashoka diamond ring in platinum, $76,200;  O.C. Tanner Collection Grace diamond ring in platinum, $55,000;  Sethi Couture stacking bands, starting at $1,685.

All available via O.C. Tanner Jewelers, octannerjewelers.com

Real Wedding: Lucy & Mitch’s French Countryside Wedding Design

Lucy & Mitch 
Private Residence, Draper 
June 8 
Planning & Design by La FÊte Floral & Events
Photographs by Mikki Platt

THE COUPLE

Lucy and Mitch met each other on a group date. The only problem—they were on different dates. Cut to 2023 and the stars finally aligned when Mitch asked Lucy out for the first time. Six love-filled months later, the couple was visiting New York when, on a walk through Central Park, Mitch surprised Lucy and popped the big question. She responded with an emphatic “yes!”

THE WEDDING

Mitch and Lucy were sealed in the Draper Temple. After the sealing, the wedding goers headed back to Lucy’s parent’s home for a grand backyard reception. The estate transformed into a  French countryside cottage and was infused with pops of powder blue against white linen, accentedwith lush greenery. 

Making her second wedding debut of the day, Lucy entered the reception in a demure Anne Barge ball gown adorned with silk floral brocade. The bride adored the gown so much that flowery motifs mimicking her gown made appearances in the stationary and signage as well. The bridal look was completed with classic white trimmed veil from Frankie Jane Couture Bridal, peep-toe kitten heels and simple pearl stud earrings. 

THE PARTY

Live floral garlands and decorative calligraphy lent an air of resplendency to the design, while a sweeping banquet table became a feast for the eyes framed with lush green arches and shimmering crystal chandeliers. A live string quartet set a romantic tone reminiscent of a regency-era soirée. Keeping with her passion for the arts, Lucy also hired live illustrators to capture the magic of the evening.The wedding day menu consisted of French favorites— crêpes and pomme frites—served from adorable vendor carts.

Guests also enjoyed a decadent dessert table piled high with macarons, pistachio cream puffs and more. When it came time to slice the cake, Lucy and Mitch cut into a classic two-tiered blue-and-white gateau. The top layer was a rosemary olive oil cake frosted with lemon curd, fresh raspberry and whipped ricotta buttercream. A vanilla bean cake with bourbon syrup, salted caramel and shortbread crumble made up the sugary-sweet bottom layer. After eating their fill of French sweets, the guests took to the dance floor, where tunes by Zak Osmond had them dancing into the evening.

Lucy donned her final look, a silk number by Ciao Lucia, and made her way through a sparkler-lit exit, hand in hand with her new husband. The couple made a smart getaway in a vintage blue Porsche and continued their post-nuptial celebrations during their Cancun honeymoon.  

UTAH WEDDING VENDORS

Planning & Design: La Fête Floral & Events, lafetefloral.com

Venue: Private Residence

Photographer: Mikki Platt Photography,
mikkiplatt.com

Videographer: Sarah Hunter

Florist: La Fête Floral & Events, lafetefloral.com

Catering and Bar Service: Culinary Crafts, culinarycrafts.com

Rehearsal Dinner: Hidden Valley Country Club, hiddenvalley.cc

Stationery Suite and Signage: Sophie Baddley, @s.martinedesign

Wedding Gown:Anne Barge, annebarge.com, via Frankie Jane Couture Bridal, frankiejane.com

Bride’s Shoes: Nina Shoes, ninashoes.com

Groom’s Attire: Nordstrom, nordstrom.com

Rentals:Diamond Event & Tent, diamondevent.com

Hair and Makeup: Marisa Rose, marisarosemph.com

Cake: Lustr Creative, lustrcreative.com

Reception Music: Strings of Elegance, stringsofelegance.com; Zak Osmond, zosmond.com

Live Illustrator: Mallory Clinger,
liveeventillustrator.com

Celebration Makers: Artisan Bloom

Have you ever wondered what it takes to create your dream wedding floral landscape? The pros at Artisan Bloom have stunning design down to a science.

While the team is well versed in all styles of floral design, brides seeking the most show-stopping florals in the state turn to Artisan Bloom for their signature “Artisan Style,” featuring lush, heirloom-style blooms layered with summer foliage in truly breathtaking designs. With their impressive team of designers, Artisan Bloom’s design capability is quite diverse, always delivered with the highest level of quality and craftsmanship.

“We only source the best product—we are picky,” says owner and creative director Kellie Jackstien. Once curated and delivered, every stem is meticulously cut, hydrated and allowed to open throughout the week to get them to the perfect stage of ‘open’ before they’re utilized in each unique design. 

Artisan’s floral arrangements and installations have quite the journey before reaching wedding day: processing, cleaning and preparing inventory like vases and candles, last-minute sourcing, designing, night installations and of course the wedding day setup and takedown. When combined with inspiration calls and day-of work, that’s over 430 labor hours per event. When producing 3-4 weddings per week, that’s a lot of hours. That’s a lot of Artisans. But with over 20 years of experience, the Artisan Bloom team is positioned to execute each event with professionalism and style.

Top Tips

What’s Ahead

We’ve seen a shift in the last ocuple of years into bright, vibrant color—and we think a modern, monochrome wave is coming.

Excited About

Impressive installations are transforming venues into immersive floral experiences. With the right balance, these are turning into fabulous wedding-day focal points.

Fresh Ideas

Your events should be magical, memorable and personal. Don’t waste your energy on DIY—hire a professional and spend your valuable time enjoying with your loved ones.

Read more about our 2025 Celebration Makers here.

Sweet Sensations: Show-Stopping Wedding Cakes

This season, we celebrate a return to the eye-catching wedding cake. Let these sweet sculptures inspire you to make your menu’s finale an absolute showstopper.

SLEEK AND SIMPLE (Pictured Above)

Towering branches and a minimal acrylic stand offer a beautifully stark contrast to classic white tiers. Design by Cake by Alessandra. 

KEEP IT CLASSIC 

Victorian brides, welcome! All the vintage vibes of whimsical wedding dreams are swept up in this cake’s tradition-celebrating piping and subtle color, accented by a burst of magenta florals and fruit accessories.

Cake by Salt Cake City. 

BRIDAL WHITES

A petaled halo of luxurious white roses marries beautifully with hand-piped rosettes. Cake by Cake by Alessandra.

CENTERPIECE

Too often is the wedding cake delegated to an obscure corner away from the action. Bring it center stage with a family-style sheet cake, adorned with pressed florals to match any flower arrangements. Cake by Salt Cake City.

PETAL PERFECT

Let your last bite lean into your wedding day design, and incorporate all the colors, textures and florals that grace your tables, attire and beyond. Cake by Salt Cake City. 

WINTER WONDERLAND 

Embrace the cool colors and subtle sparkle of a winter wedding palette with a pretty powder-blue pastry accented with frosty foliage. Cake by Salt Cake City.

GARDEN AROMA 

The smell of fresh herbs fills the air around this cottage-chic design from Cake by Alessandra. Deep red tomatoes accent palette-knife petals, for garden-inspired goodness from every angle. 

MEADOW MOMENT

Give your dessert the backdrop it deserves: an explosion of florals and foliage accents a sleek design by Flour and Flourish.

ALL THE STOPS

Nothing truly says “dessert” quite like seven tiers of wedding cake magic. Fondant tufting, hand-piped details and layers of glitter deliver all the glitz to this design by Cake by Alessandra. 

FEMININE GLOW 

Bring on the ruffles—rice paper pleats adorn this stunningly modern design, fit for a garden reception, statehouse ceremony and everything in between. Cake by Cake by Alessandra. 

GILDED AGE

Embrace a caramel glow with a gold-brushed design for added color and glamor to your wedding design. This cake by Cake by Alessandra delivers elegance in spades. 

A WORK OF ART 

Rice paper sails and gold leaf add sculptural flair to a gallery-worthy cake by Salt Cake City. 

UTAH WEDDING VENDORS

Photography: Kate Osborne Photography, kateosbornephotography.com

Styling and Floral: Mille Fleur Design, millefleurdesign.com

Venue: Twenty & Creek, twentyandcreek.com

Rentals and Linens: Diamond Event & Tent, diamondevent.com

Cakes: cake. by Alessandra, cakeut.com; Salt Cake City, saltcakecity.com; Flour & Flourish, flourandflourishcake.com

Go Al Fresco for Your Wedding Dinner

Bask in the fresh mountain air with an outdoor wedding dinner, celebrating Utah’s epic views alongside your dream wedding design.

Planning and Design: Fuse Weddings and Events, fuseweddingsandevents.com

Photographer: Riley Kathleen Photography, rileykathleenphotography.com

Venue: Utah State Capitol Building, utahstatecapitol.utah.gov