Category Archives: Beautiful Celebrations

Beautiful Celebrations, How-To Tips, Planning your event, Receptions

Non-traditional Bride Offbeat Wedding Ideas

February 5, 2020 Wendy Pettit Leave a comment

Are you considered a non-traditional bride? You’ve certainly come to the right place. Stick with us and read this quick and easy 2-minute article. You’ll be bursting with off-beat wedding ideas that will make the big day the most special one of your life.

Getting married is the one day of your life that you’ve been looking forward to for as long as you can remember, so you want to make sure it’s one you’ll never forget. That said, as a non-traditional bride, you realize there are so many traditions out there you feel you have to follow that you may well be worrying the day won’t really feel like it’s yours. Sound familiar? Don’t worry, continue reading!

Photo by Hitro4ka Pixabay

Non-Traditional Idea 1 – Leave the White Dress to Someone Else

When it’s time to unveil your outfit to the whole congregation you want to leave them speechless, and you want your other half to fall in love with you all over again. The classic white wedding dresses that we’ve all grown up with are great, but what if you want to take things in an exciting new direction?

blue wedding gown with bridesmaids for a wedding ceremony — Photo by LCSiLViU Pixabay

More and more brides are opting for colorful wedding dresses that add a touch of style and the unexpected to proceedings, so why not do the same? They’re just what you need if you want to let your bubbly personality shine through for the whole room to see as you walk up the aisle. It’s non-traditional, but it can be very fashionable!

Non-Traditional Idea 2 – Save the Flower Girl Duties For the Older Generation

There’s no better way to remind the whole room that weddings are about families than to have the older generation play their part. It can be all too tempting to have them give a reading or take some rest and sit on the sidelines, but they’re just like you — they want to get involved.

three generation wedding rings at salt lake city reception — Photo by Tia Chapman Photography

Plenty of brides are bucking the trend of having flowers girls follow them up the aisle and are instead opting for their favorite aunt or dear old nan to do the honors. The great thing about this is that it shows the whole family just what they mean to you and will give you plenty of chances to get some photos you’ll treasure for a lifetime.

Non-Traditional Idea 3 – Arrive or Depart In a Trolley

When you want to really make an entrance there’s perhaps no better way to do it than to show up at the ceremony in a vehicle no one would have been expecting. Limousine services are plenty, but consider hiring a Trolley to deliver or pick up the non-traditional bride and groom! What a memorable send-off by your family and friends, plus a unique entrance to your final destination, a romantic Salt Lake City hotel! Especially if you use a venue like Ivy House Weddings, located next to the historic Trolley Square in Salt Lake, you will add to the charm of having a Utah wedding. When you hire a trolley to get you there in time for the big celebration, or to pick you up afterward, you’re not just making an entrance — you’re making a statement that will last a lifetime. Ideal if you want to add one more special moment to the day that you’ll never want to forget.

dancing at utah reception venue — Photo by Pure Light Photography

Non-Traditional Idea 4 – Start the Music and Mingling Early

If you love to see your guests getting to know each other, spending time together, and just generally having a good old celebration, you need to get the records playing nice and early. A formal meal is a great way to get people into the swing of things, but why not opt for a buffet-style dessert that gets everyone out of their seats and socializing?

wedding buffet dinner for the non-traditional bride wedding party — Photo by Swensen Photography

There are so many different buffet dessert options out there that you’re going to be spoilt for choice. Not only that but if you get the music to come at the same time your nearest and dearest will know that it’s time to get the party started. Ideal if you want to enjoy the day you’ve waited a lifetime for that little bit more.

non-traditional bride chooses a Man of Honor to join the bridesmaids — Photo by Truly Photography

Non-Traditional Idea 5 – Add a Guy Friend to the Bridal Party

Guy friends have long been left on the sidelines by the bride to be, but not anymore. There are all sorts of traditions modern brides are turning upside down, and sticking solely to female bridesmaids is certainly one of them.

guy of honor at utah wedding at ivy house weddings and events — Photo by Truly Photography

If you want to spend the day with the people who mean the most to you as you celebrate the start of a lifetime of adventure with that special someone, it really shouldn’t matter what gender they are. There’s a whole host of ways to add a guy friend to your bridal party, so give it a little thought, get creative, and enjoy it.

Now that you’ve heard our words of wisdom, all you have to do is sit back and give a little thought to which one(s) you want to weave into the biggest day of your life. You might feel like you have a million and one things to do, but you only get to do it once so take the time to do it right and you’ll love every second of it.

About the Author

I’m Rebecca, a translator and avid traveler, a book worm and horror flick enthusiast. My job has given me the amazing opportunity to travel to dozens of countries around the world, and writing on Rough Draft gives me a chance to try to showcase some of them.

Beautiful Celebrations, Real events, Receptions

real utah wedding Samantha and Kade 10-11-2018

October 4, 2019 Wendy Pettit Leave a comment

Fall in love all over again as we remember this beautiful Utah wedding celebration of Sam and Kade. Their reception last fall was one of our most favorite events. What a lovely true-love couple with two beautiful families, as you will see in the photos.

True-Love Waits

First, this couple had some extraordinary patience before they finally tied the knot! In the summer of 2014, Kade and Sam met at Sevens Peaks Water Park. Only two days later, Kade departed on his LDS mission. For two years, they kept in contact through letters. Upon Kade’s returned home, they dated for a month before it was Sam’s turn to serve her 18-month mission. Once again, letters were their form of constant communication. Sam completed her service, and dating resumed. They were married eight months later. Now that is true love!

Inclusive Utah Wedding Reception Venue

For the desired elegant look, Sam chose three different base colored linens – slate blue, celadon, and navy blue. White topper toppers draped over each table with a crown centerpiece of the Ivy House standard candle hurricane with their boxwood wreath. Ivy House has several real candle options to choose from or the bride may bring her own. Ivy House employees set up tables, chairs, linens, and centerpieces before the wedding party arrives. One hour before the event, the families added a touch of twinkling mini-lights around the wreaths. That was it, simple, dainty, and elegant. Sam accented everything with other aspects of her dream wedding – red roses, burgundy and navy attire on immediate family, and mint green on the bridesmaids. One of Sam’s dear neighbors Julie Giddings, created the floral arrangements. It was all stunning as you can see from the photos.

Utah Wedding Caterer and Baker

Delicious sliders were provided by Black’s Sliders Food Truck, who source everything local, antibiotic & hormone-free, and fresh! Sam’s cousin Megan Hall created the stunning cake. As head pastry chef at Naborhood Bakery in Gardner Village, Megan does incredible work; likewise, fresh and delicious tarts and other sweets delighted the guests as well.

Idea for Little Ones

Here is a fun dual purpose idea for the little ones and older ones alike. Provide for your guests shot glasses full of M&M candies. These were a hit for the small children at the celebration. Plus they kept busy counting, sorting, and eating while their parents also enjoyed the little tribes. Many fun memories with cousins and friends will be remembered.

Traditional

This adorable couple chose to do the traditional wedding activities of tossing the bouquet (love those photos), finding and flipping the garter, cutting the cake, and the first dance. Then the entire wedding party broke out into a lot of dancing to the bride and groom’s chosen playlist over the impressive Ivy House sound system! Everyone had a great time, as demonstrated in the photos.

The Perfect Utah Wedding Dress

Sam found her dress at The Perfect Dress in Holladay, Utah. The sweet baby’s breath tucked into her hair was the perfect accent to her perfect dress. Sam made her bridesmaid’s headbands with silk flowers from Michaels. How creative is that! The couple’s rings are from the E-Wedding Band jewelry store in Provo. Kade’s ring is cobalt with rose gold, and Sam’s is rose gold with a glistening black sapphire.

Utah Wedding Photographer

If you are looking for a unique and exquisite photographer, check out Parker from Pure Light Photography. Romance was abundant as Sam and Kade danced, backlit with their shadows across the wood dance floor. His work is crisp, and he loves capturing the unique point of view.

We wish Samantha and Kade many years of joy and happiness as they begin their life’s eternal journey together. Thank you again for letting Ivy House Weddings and Events be part of your Utah wedding!

Photographer: Parker from Pure Light Photography @purelightpho

Videographer: Jenny with Happily Ever After Video in Sandy

Catering: Black’s Sliders Food Truck @blackssliders

Cake and Tarts: Megan Hall – Naborhood Bakery in Gardener Village

Flowers: Julie Giddings

Wedding Gown: The Perfect Dress @theperfectdressbridal

Rings: e-Wedding Bands @eweddingbands

romantic lighting at utah wedding reception — Notice the simple baby’s breath adorning Sam’s hair.

Beautiful Celebrations, How-To Tips, Planning your event

Avoid 4 Flower Mistakes at Wedding Venues in Utah

May 30, 2015 Wendy Pettit Leave a comment

Here are 4 common mistakes that Brides often make – Don’t fall into the trap!

Mistake #1 – Miscalculating the Cost

Realize that there are more to flower needs at wedding venues in Utah than just the bride’s bouquet and the groom’s boutonnière. There are bouquets for bride’s maids, corsages for mothers, grandmothers, boutonnières for uncles, groomsmen, flowers for centerpieces, throwing bouquet, buffet table and the list could go on. See basic lists of wedding floral packages here. Also, our prior Flower Basics blog post gives a lot of ideas as well. Whether you go extravagant or simple, don’t forget the costs of the vases for your flowers, the labor to create them, and any accents including pearls or simple ribbon. It is not just buying a bouquet from a big box store and plopping them in a jar. At least a little time, effort, and resources must be dedicated to it. If you do not hire a professional, then at least put a trusted family member or trusted friend in charge of all the flower needs.

Mistake #2 – Forgetting that it’s YOUR wedding, not a wedding found on Pinterest!

Don’t get too set on what you find on Pinterest and similar sites. A few photos to your designer is a wonderful way to capture the overall feel of what you want for your wedding. But allow your designer to make it personalized for you. Think of ways you can put your own style into your flower designs or let them run ideas past you.

From this Pinterest feel (above) to this Ivy House reality! (below)

Mistake #3 – Being stubborn and Insisting on Out-of Season Flowers!

Flowers can be seasonal. It is very common for brides to have favorite flowers they want for their weddings. Pink peonies are a good example. There are times in the year that a florist can absolutely not get any or enough of them delivered for an event. You either need to change your wedding date to accommodate the flowers you desire or be willing to compromise a little with the local flower shops. Seasonal flowers are not only less expensive; they are easier to obtain. Click here to find out what flowers are in season during your wedding month.

Mistake #4 – Considering only the Appearance of the Flower

Some flowers are incredibly beautiful but have an odor that wouldn’t please your guests. For example, Paperwhite or Narcissus is a very popular spring forced bulb, but some people find the odor quite offensive and gives them headaches in enclosed areas. Guests at wedding venues in Utah wouldn’t enjoy that! There are so many flowers that have sweet scents on their own. Other flowers have complimentary scents when grouped together. Your professional florist will know. Consider all the senses when choosing your flowers. One bride invited her aunt to supply flower bouquets at Ivy House. She simply used pink & white lilies cut from her garden with greenery. The reception hall was filled with the beautiful refreshing sweet fragrance of lilies.

Beautiful Celebrations, Real events, Receptions

Romantic in Red reception centers in salt lake city

April 30, 2015 Wendy Pettit Leave a comment

Reception Centers in Salt Lake City with Romantic Red roses

Recently the newlywed Anderson couple had their classy and stylish reception at the Ivy House, one of Western Gardens wedding reception centers in Salt Lake City.

Since the Ivy House is paired with Western Garden Centers, many of us employees have a particular love for plants, which extends to our observation of some of the floral arrangements that come through the reception center. I would like to personally compliment the Anderson couple on their taste in florals.

One can never go wrong with a classy and romantic red rose. The red rose has been a symbol of romance and deep love since the ancient greeks. Perhaps the rose holds this meaning because of how long the blooms of a rose last into the fall. Or perhaps it is how the beautiful color of love is held so delicately above the thorns and hardship beneath, symbolizing that even through hardship and trial, love can prevail and bloom. The red red rose is truly a metaphorical embodiment of the saying “Love Conquers All”. What a glorious declaration for a reception!

We absolutely loved how the Anderson couple chose a classic color arrangement (black, white, and red) and gave it a fun modern feel. The red, which usually tends to overwhelm this color arrangement, was used in such moderation that it created a glorious and stunning punch to the feel of the reception center. Plus, by displaying the red purely through roses and petals the effect held the complexity of the roses symbolism, but also held the simplicity of modern design.

To the Anderson newlyweds, we wish you an eternity of deep love and time together, red roses and wonderful memories. Thank you so much for making the Western Gardens family of reception centers in Salt Lake City part of your rose red memories. We at Ivy House Weddings wish you all the best!

written by Katelyn Pettit

Beautiful Celebrations, Real events, Receptions

Utah Wedding Venues Give Bride’s Choices

November 30, 2014 Wendy Pettit Leave a comment

Lexi and Connor had had their gorgeous wedding reception at one of Western Garden’s Utah wedding venues, Ivy House Weddings. Their base linens were Ivory topped with a navy topper linen. Atop this, the bride chose the reception center’s standard candle with their vibrant boxwood green wreath. This set a happy yet cozy mood reflecting the couple’s zest for life. Their guests were invited to put on fun attire and take memorable photos in the groom’s changing room where a photo booth was set up. The groomsmen were in charge of this activity and they had a blast doing it.

Ivy House is one of the reception centers Salt Lake City offers that has Cold Stone Creamery (Draper store) as one of their preferred caterers. Lexi chose to use them rather than self-cater, which is allowed by Ivy House. Along with the high quality ice-cream, the family provided several sheet cakes to serve the guests. A family friend created the masterpiece wedding cake which was displayed in the cake nook upon the Ivy House cake pedestal which is available if the bride is bringing her own cake rather than use one of our recommended cake designers.

Lexi and Connor hired Chelsey Rae Photography as their photographer who took beautiful photos of the couple outside before dark and of their special first dance as husband and wife in front of the romantic fireplace. Their evening culminated with the traditional Ivy House sparkler send off and with such a big crowd of family and friends, extra sparklers were brought in. The wedding venues Salt Lake City brings to our Utah brides are many, but few are as classic and easy to work with as Ivy House. As you view the many happy faces of the guests, you can see that Salt Lake City wedding venues like Ivy House are happy places to be.

Beautiful Celebrations, Real events

Special Guests at Wedding Venues in Utah

October 9, 2014 Wendy Pettit Leave a comment

It’s not every day that wedding venues in Utah can enjoy the appearance of a very special guest who comes to honor a beautiful bride and groom. We have photos to prove the visit of Elvis to Lara and Korey on May 10, 2014. He attended their romantic Utah wedding reception celebration at Ivy House Weddings and played a significant role in their farewell from the event.

This couple chose to have a simple ceremony with about 25 guests followed by a small reception for the closest of family and friends. Lara chose the stylish black and white Damask linen table toppers and runners over a hot pink base linen. These were included in her venue rental price. These colors set off the green boxwood wreath topped with hot pink rose petals with the classical tall silver candlestick centerpiece. With real candlelight and the fireplace, the ambiance was romantic and intimate. She used the Ivy House table ware package and self-catered with sandwiches and salads made by dear family and friends. Utah weddings can be affordable when the wedding venue allows the bride to make choices like these for her celebration.

Lara and Korey’s beautiful three-tiered cake was created by Granite bakery. The middle tier was lined with fully opened roses. The base tier was lined with seemingly perfect rose petals each delicately cascading over the one below it. Again the cake was in shades of pinks and whites set upon the black and white table linens.

Skyline Flowers created the bride’s bouquets, the boutonnieres, corsages, and simple rose petals for the tables. With close friends taking all the photos to document this momentous occasion, the wedding party of about 150 enjoyed simple socializing and the traditional bouquet and garter toss along with the bride and groom cutting the cake.

After a dazzling sparkler send-off, Elvis was their chauffeur driving the newlyweds away in his vintage pink cruiser! What an enjoyable and one of the most memorable departures from Utah reception centers!

Beautiful Celebrations, Ceremonies, Real events, Receptions

Real Wedding at Utah Wedding Venues – April 4, 2014

July 16, 2014 Wendy Pettit Leave a comment

On April 4, 2014, Ashley and Andy were the honored wedding couple at Ivy House Wedding reception center, one of Western Gardens Utah wedding venues. What an absolute gorgeous couple and beautiful ceremony and celebration.

Andy and Ashley chose to have their ceremony in a traditional chapel style set up. With 125 guest witnesses, their officiator Brian Arnett gave some beautiful advice to the couple soon followed by beautiful vows and pronouncement of man and wife.

While the newlyweds were congratulated and then enjoyed their photography session with Cody Moffat Photography, Ivy House staff made the quick change from ceremony to reception table configuration. Ashley chose a maize yellow base linen for her tables topped with silver pin tuck toppers. The Ivy House tall silver candlestick centerpiece added that final touch of class and style. Wedding venues in Utah that offer stylish and chic centerpieces as part of their package, are something to consider.

The family chose to self-cater with a beautiful collection of tasty desserts. About 400 guests enjoyed the dessert buffet of everything from chocolate mousse, lemon tarts, eclairs, dipped strawberries., and the list could go on. Now most Utah Weddings include the newest fad of a candy bar for the youngsters. Ashley and Andy were no exception. Lemon drops, candy necklaces, gummy bears, and lollipops made the favorite list!

As part of the decorations that evening, but actually as a wedding gift to the new couple, the groom’s father presented one of his original oil paintings to the couple for the beginning of their new life together. It was on display for all to admire as a symbol of his love for his son and new daughter.

Ashley’s cake was created by Jill Taylor with Sprinkle Belle Cakes. It was a three-tier masterpiece. The florist was Skyline floral and their photographer was Cody Moffat. They had hired a D.J. named Tommy with “Complete Music”. Wedding reception centers with tall vaulted ceilings like Ivy House create big sound that resonates beautifully and makes and atmosphere that is a lot of fun for everyone, whether you are dancing or just watching!

Beautiful Celebrations, Planning your event, Real events, Receptions

Wedding Venues in Utah with Real Events – December 12, 2013

July 12, 2014 Wendy Pettit Leave a comment

Wedding venues in Utah host fun couples like this beautiful couple at Ivy House wedding reception center at Western Gardens Downtown. The fun personalities of this couple Genevieve and Robert were on display with their cake topper – a bride and groom “packing heat”! They obviously are jovial but at the same time have a classical taste. The bride chose black base linens with white damask toppers. A simple calla lily with a touch of green accented as centerpieces.

wedding-venues-salt-lake-city-ivy-house-12-30-2013 4 — One of our recommended cake designers – Carrie’s Cakes

We allow our families to self-cater if they choose, but Genevieve chose to utilize our highly recommended vendors for catering and cake design. Utah Celebrations catered with fresh fruit, appetizers and hot drinks for the cold wintery yet romantic day! One of our favorite cake designers created her wedding cake. Carrie’s Cakes does beautiful and delicious work. They are truly works of art! Bacchus was their certified bartender for light alcohol service. Flowers were provided by Flowerama. Beautiful Utah wedding locations like Atrium Weddings, are reasonably priced wedding venues that allow your wedding celebration reflect your personality!

Utah Celebrations at wedding reception utah catering 12-30-2013 6 — Utah Celebrations is one of our preferred caterers!

So many guests said how much they liked the venue. Thank you so much! ~ Peggy, Mother of the Bride.

Beautiful Celebrations, Real events, Receptions

Real Events at Wedding Reception Venues in Utah – February 15, 2014

July 10, 2014 Wendy Pettit Leave a comment

The mother of this bride deserves to be awarded this year’s most dedicated mother of the bride award at all wedding reception venues in utah. Not only did support her daughter in all the stress and details of planning her daughter’s wedding, but she also dealt with the stress and time to make the wedding cake. That in and of itself is enough to make any mother have her nerves completely frazzled and ready for a day at the spa.

The cake is a solid four tiers of exquisite unique decoration styles on each level. It appears to have a fifth tier made up of gorgeous coral & white roses and blue chrysanthemums. She created a beautiful masterpiece that was the envy of any of any Utah wedding venues.

The couple enjoyed a beautiful sit down dinner for about 100 guests of family and friends that was hosted by Utah Celebrations. Their photographer was the wonderful local professional Margaret Evans.

Comments from Kate, the Maid of Honor, included “Everything was wonderful and everyone was very helpful. The facilities are absolutely beautiful too.” We invite you to check out wedding places in Utah like Ivy House Weddings for a stress free beautiful wedding celebration!

wedding reception mantel decorations

Beautiful Celebrations, Real events, Receptions

Real Utah Weddings – May 9, 2014

July 4, 2014 Wendy Pettit Leave a comment

Some Utah weddings are simple yet just as special and beautiful as those Utah reception centers that are extravagant. That is one of the beautiful aspects about Ivy House. A bride can dress is way up, or simply enjoy it as it is because it already has a stunning simple beauty and charm.

This event in May was a beautiful gathering with little fanfare but with a ton of love and happiness for this newly united couple. Victoria and Christian celebrated their marriage with about 350 family and friends at Ivy House. Our preferred caterers Utah Celebrations catered the event with delicious appetizers, sandwiches, and tarts. Cheers’n Swizzles was the alcohol provider and everyone sat back, relaxed and chitchatted the evening away. Victoria chose a beautiful Royal blue base linen with an elegant black topper. Along with our Chic mirror centerpiece with base candle, everyone was comfortable and enjoyed themselves. Their photographer was Manuel Rascon who kindly shared photos with us and you can see that he does beautiful work. This is his second time shooting at Western Garden’s wedding reception venues in Utah. He has been at our sister wedding venue Atrium Weddings in Sandy.