I’ve Loved You All My Life

Rebecca and Zaine took “salt of the Earth” very literally at their Bonneville Salt Flats elopement. They originally met in elementary school and had a crush on each other, not knowing how much they would love looking back on those sweet moments on the playground.

“We were just kids, but even then, we had those innocent little crushes on each other. The kind where holding hands during a movie felt like the biggest deal in the world. We’d walk around the playground together, giggling and sharing secrets, completely unaware of how special these moments would become in hindsight.”

They ended up going to different high schools, but reconnected in college, and that sweet spark had turned into something even more special.

“We picked up where we left off, but this time we knew what we had was real love. From playground walks to planning our future, it has been the most beautiful full-circle journey.”

These two have known they were the ones from the very beginning!

Zaine proposed in March 2023 with a horse trail ride and champagne lunch straight out of a movie. “I did pretend to be surprised, but truthfully, I knew it was coming. I know him all too well—the way he was acting that day totally gave it away, but that only made it even more special. Every detail was perfectly us.”

When you’re with the love of your life since childhood, it’s impossible not to know them perfectly. And it’s inevitable that it would lead to a perfect wedding, right here in Salt Lake, Utah.

Deciding on a Bonneville Salt Flats Elopement

When it came to wedding planning, Rebecca and Zaine knew from the very beginning that they wanted to keep it small, just close friends and family—but they ran into more challenges than expected along the way when it came to balancing different requests and expectations.

“Ultimately, we realized what mattered most to us was having a low-stress intimate day, surrounded only by the people we couldn’t imagine getting married without, which, for the both of us, was our moms. So we chose to go with an elopement-style celebration that felt true to who we are. It wasn’t traditional, but it was perfect for us.”

At the end of the day, what matters most is celebrating the love you share with your new spouse, and sometimes the perfect way to do it is a Bonneville Salt Flats elopement!

“When looking at destinations, we fell in love with the Salt Flats! The Salt Flats in Utah were absolutely breathtaking, vast, pure, and almost otherworldly—like nature’s version of salt of the Earth, in its rawest, most beautiful form.”

And Rebecca and Zaine’s romance reflects exactly that—love in its rawest, most beautiful form.

Finding a Perfect Elopement Photographer

Rebecca’s top priorities included having a unique, intimate wedding with amazing photography, so it’s no wonder that an elopement is what it became. And these photos from Kimberly Crook prove that she got her wish and then some!

“I had been looking for months for a photographer in the Salt Lake City area. When I came across Kim’s page, I knew she was the one immediately—her ability to capture love between the couples was above and beyond. Her attention to detail and her ability to shoot film for photography were exactly what we were looking for. Kim went above and beyond planning every detail of our day to make sure that she captured everything we wanted to remember for the rest of our lives!”

We may or may not be daydreaming about these pictures well into the sunset, and beyond. When it comes to an elopement, the best photographer makes all the difference.

“Zaine and I cannot speak highly enough about our photographer. We are so glad that we chose her to capture our big day. She helped us plan so many details and posed us perfectly. She shot every detail of our day and was so kind and sweet. We absolutely loved how our pictures came out!”

Sweet and Salty Elopement Moments

Growing up, Rebecca loved watching Say Yes to the Dress with her mom (let’s be real, who doesn’t), and it made her wedding dress shopping experience extra special. “My mom and I went around to several shops just the two of us, until we ultimately found the one. My mom paid for my dress, which was a very sentimental moment that I’ll never forget.”

But that’s not the only sentimental aspect of what Rebecca and Zaine wore at their Bonneville Salt Flats elopement.

“Zane’s grandparents purchased his cowboy hat for him that he wore on our wedding day, and his uncle gifted him a Star Wars lightsaber tie clip that perfectly represented his personality.”

Even grooms should lean into the sentimental details of what to wear on their wedding day!

But back to her dress—it’s what Rebecca wanted to style her wedding around, and we can’t say we’re all that upset about it.

“My dress was purchased before everything else, and I really built everything off of that dress. Getting married at the Salt Flats, I knew I wanted to have pops of bright color to contrast with all the white salt.”

And those pops of color have us adding every single photo to our favorites folder.

Moms Are the Real Wedding Day MVPs

“One of my most special memories of the wedding weekend was when my mom and I went to Trader Joe’s, picked out all of our favorite flowers, and we made my bouquet together in our hotel room the night before. It was such a special moment with the two of us.”

That’s not even the end of the moms being the ultimate heroes of this wedding day, either. “Zaine and I flew out to Salt Lake City a few days before the planned wedding day. Meanwhile, our moms drove out from Northern California with my dress, his tux, and all of our wedding day essentials. The night before the wedding, my mom stayed the night with me, and Zaine and his mom had a room together. We both got to spend quality time with our moms talking about marriage, life, and how much we loved and appreciated the effect they have had on our lives.”

Who doesn’t love a sweet moment with your mom before you say I do?

Rebecca’s favorite moment from their Bonneville Salt Flats elopement was the moment she first saw her soon-to-be husband. “Zaine and I seeing each other for the first time and exchanging our vows was the most special moment of our lives.”

But the second-best moment—and it’s a close second—was right after. “That being said, after everything was said and done, we went back to our hotel room together, and I ate a full rack of ribs in my wedding dress, and we laughed all night.”

We can’t even argue with that!

Another sweet moment, for the newlyweds and their moms, was the first dance right on the Salt Flats. “Because our moms were our only guests, they really got to see every detail of the day up close and personal with us. When we did our first dance, they were both bawling their eyes out, comforting each other in pure joy.”

We’re crying too just looking at it!

Salt Lake Salted Cake

Some other cute Salt Flats elopement details we’re beyond obsessed with are their cake and champagne. “Zaine and I picked out the cake in a little cake shop in Salt Lake City the day before, and it tasted delicious. One of our closest friends had painted and bedazzled a champagne bottle for us that we opened on our wedding day.”

It’s all about the small details in a wedding like this one—and that’s what makes it so special.

After their Bonneville Salt Flats elopement, Rebecca and Zaine have a few tips. “Our advice to any couple in the middle of wedding planning is to think about 30 years down the road—what are you going to want to remember from your wedding day, and who are you going to want to remember it with?”

If you’re considering a sweet and salty elopement yourself, take this as your sign to do it! Not only will it make every moment of your wedding day even more memorable, but if the photos are anything like Rebecca and Zaine’s, you’ll be looking back on your wedding day in awe for the next 30 years and beyond!