Dream Dress

This French antique-inspired intimate Utah wedding will have you stopping at every thrift store from the top to the bottom of the state looking for antique mirrors to decorate with. And—an antique dress.

Many brides know what it’s like to fall in love with a dress when you’re a little girl and dream about wearing it on your own wedding day. For Jamie, that’s exactly what happened. But she didn’t know if that dream would ever come true.

One day, fate made it happen. “I fell in love with this Pnina Tornai dress when I was in high school while watching Say Yes to the Dress, but never thought I could afford it. Years later I found it on a resale site and couldn’t pass it up—even though I was single and didn’t know if I would even get married. But it felt like fate, with it being my size and affordable.”

Fate Strikes Again

And then fate struck again! Or rather, it already had when she was younger, just like with her dream dress.

“Preston and I met when we were 13, his cousin was my next-door neighbor, so we would all get together when he was up visiting. After a while, we lost touch, but found each other again later on in our 30s and have been together ever since.”

For these two love birds, and especially this bride, it’s clear that they were meant to be together from the start, and that Jamie was meant to have her dream dress. And let’s be honest, one look at that exquisite gown and you’d have to agree.

And we haven’t even mentioned that stunning second dress—a thrifted beauty!

Preston surprised Jamie with a proposal up in Cascade Springs, a romantic setting that would reflect the beauty of their wedding day and amazing formals.

When it came to wedding planning, Jamie and Preston knew they wanted to keep it small, and keep it easy so they could enjoy the process with each other. “Wedding planning is always a little stressful, but having your best friend there to help when you get overwhelmed really makes it so much easier and fun.”

These two are serious about “marrying your best friend!”

Keeping it Simple for an Intimate Utah Wedding

Jamie’s priorities were simple. “Our top three priorities were having our families there to celebrate with us, getting great formals, and just getting married.” When you keep your eye on the prize, or rather the fact that you’re getting married to your best friend, everything else just seems to fall into place.

We’d say she got exactly what she wanted too—these formals are so stunning we wish we could hang them on our wall like an antique mirror.

As they were deciding on decor for their wedding, Jamie focused on what she already loved. “I love French provincial and antique things, so we went with something that would complement that style.”

That love for French antiques carried over to a stunning backdrop—made by Jamie and Preston themselves!

“We had a backdrop wall of antique mirrors and wall sconce candle holders that were really beautiful, that my husband and I made together.” Talk about a beautiful, chic way to tie in your taste and style, made by your very own hands, no less.

Their ceremony was a small, intimate gathering with their closest friends and family, and that was Jamie’s favorite part of the whole wedding. “We had our wedding and ceremony in our church. Getting to marry my best friend in front of the people we love the most was incredible.”

Marry Your Best Friend

Prioritizing an intimate Utah wedding was what made the planning process and wedding day so much more enjoyable for these two lovers. “I’m so happy we kept it small and didn’t spend a fortune on everything. Most of the decor was stuff I had been thrifting over the years to decorate my future house with.”

Take it from Jamie, thrifting antiques for your wedding is the perfect way to capture what you love, while celebrating who you love.

Jamie’s advice to couples who are in the middle of wedding planning is to remember why you’re celebrating. “Don’t stress too much about the details—the most important part is getting married, so don’t lose sight of that.”

Whether you’re having an intimate Utah wedding like Jamie and Preston, or the biggest French antique-inspired wedding you’ve ever seen, her advice holds strong. And most importantly, marry your best friend!