It’s Magazine Monday! And today we have a closer look at Kara and Jeff’s fall feast for the eyes — straight from our 2020 glossy pages.
IT’S FRIDAY, I’M IN LOVE // Sept. 27, 2019
Kara Hallstrom and Jeff Larsen’s wedding was iconic.
Designated icons — representing significant moments of their relationship — donned everything from their invitation suite to the guestbook to the wood welcome sign at their Sundance Resort nuptials.
A bumblebee for their “meet cute” on Bumble. A film festival pass for their mutual love of cinema. A woodsy tent for the “indoor girl who fell for an outdoor boy.” A ukelele for Kara’s childhood home of Hawai’i. And a Disneyland castle and Star Wars lightsaber for magical memories. “For a hot minute there were two lightsabers on the invitation, which Jeff loved,” Kara says. “But I had to draw the line somewhere!”
For their Friday fall féte, it had to be Sundance — their most favorite date spot. Kara calls the ceremony the greatest 30 minutes of her life. Surrounded by loved ones, vintage rugs, twinkling lights, and profound petals, Kara walked arm-in-arm down the aisle with her parents to an acoustic version of “Friday I’m in Love.”
They were married by a dear friend, Jeff Paris — “the other Jeff” in Kara’s life. During the vows, the groom expressed his heartfelt love and devotion, while the bride cheekily opened with, “You’ve ruined everything.”
Iconic.
SOURCES
Photography Alyssia B Photography (a #UVBvendor!)
Wedding Planner Briana Stewart
Venue + Catering Sundance Resort
Floral Design The Potted Pansy (a #UVBvendor!)
Cake Flour & Flourish (a #UVBvendor!)
Gown Leanne Marshall Designs at Alta Moda Bridal (a #UVBvendor!)
Flower Girl Dresses Chantel Lauren Designs (a #UVBvendor!)
Hair + Makeup Darcy Moody + Bronwyn Haws at Suggestions Salon (a #UVBvendor!)
Groom’s Attire Bonobos
Bride’s Shoes BHLDN
Invitation Design David Byrd
Invitation + Photo Printing Persnickety Prints (a #UVBvendor!)
Rug Rentals The Boheme Project (a #UVBvendor!)
Barrel Rentals Alpine Event Co. (a #UVBvendor!)
Welcome Sign + Reception Timeline Whitney Ka’ili
Photo Booth The Hand Drawn Photo Booth
Musician Paul Jacobsen
Lighting 360 Canopy
Guestbook Eccentricity (a #UVBvendor!)
Officiant Jeff Paris
PETAL ME THIS Kara and Jeff’s September Sundance soirée was woodsy and wonderful. Kara’s sister, Briana Stewart, is the editor of Utah Valley Bride, so they worked closely together to select vendors and plan every moment. A ceremony standout was the carpet-laden aisle with rugs from The Boheme Project. But the most important decor detail to Kara? The flowers, perfectly petaled by The Potted Pansy. “Flowers seem too simple a word for what Mandy did for the wedding,” Kara says. “She is a true floral magician. It’s as if every blossom was bursting with the same love I was feeling. I wish so much I could have saved every last bloom, pressed in hundreds of books of poetry.” These magical flowers were incorporated into every aspect of the design, from the hexagon arch to the aisle barrels to the sign-in and reception tables — with no two centerpieces the same.
PICTURE PERFECT Sweet touches enhanced Kara and Jeff’s charming celebration. Cassidy at Flour & Flourish created this three-tiered blue vision — complete with striking and sprawling sugar flowers. (Cassidy even coordinated with The Potted Pansy so that the sugar florals would match the real ones!) The bride’s nieces donned twirl-worthy and hand-painted frocks from Chantel Lauren Designs. Her flats gave the rustic ambiance a little sparkle. And Kara’s dress, a Leanne Marshall from the impeccable Alta Moda Bridal, was a dreamy bow-dotted chiffon with sleeves customized to flutter fabulousness. Effortless elegance at its finest.
SHOWERED WITH LOVE The forecast threatened rain, but instead the day showered with rose petals, bubbles, and emotion. Photographer Alyssia B charmingly captured these unforgettable moments. “She really brought our love story to life,” Kara says. “We were so lucky.” The timeline on the tables — lovingly drawn by the groom’s sister Whitney (who also made the wood welcome sign!) — was a pretty party starter. After guests dined on a Sundance barbecue feast and had their picture made by The Hand Drawn Photo Booth (complete with souvenir photo strips!), the bride’s parents gifted them leis flown in from Hawai’i. Their first dance was to “This Will Be Our Year,” with the lyric “took a long time to come” being particularly meaningful. After cutting the cake and thanking their loved ones, Kara and Jeff floated off into the night — with the first rain drops of the day starting their flight.
