1. Real Weddings

A Modern Mountain Wedding at La Caille in Sandy, Utah

Courtney McKinney (35 and a pharmacist) met John Watt (36 and a physician) at the University of Arizona when they were completing their medical reside

Courtney McKinney (35 and a pharmacist) met John Watt (36 and a physician) at the University of Arizona when they were completing their medical residencies. After weeks of work-related banter, John paged Courtney to ask her out on a date. “Yes, on an old-school pager, an ancient technology kept alive by the medical community,” Courtney says. “Because of his hectic schedule, he had to cancel twice before we actually made it out to dinner. But the third time was the charm.” When the couple wed in front of 90 guests at the chateau-style La Caille in Sandy, Utah, they chose a clean-lined, cool-hued style with plenty of cobalt blue and emerald green. “My only request for the florals was that they contained succulents to represent our time in Arizona," Courtney says. “We both gravitate toward a more modern, architectural aesthetic, and this was reflected in the geometric elements that appeared in our tablescapes, stationery and cake design." These elements included sharp stripes and chevrons. After saying their vows in La Caille's gardens against the backdrop of Utah’s Wasatch mountain range, Courtney and John hosted family and friends inside the greenhouse-like Grand Pavilion, where each table was topped with its own blue chevron-decorated cake. “Our goal was to throw a magnificent party,” Courtney says. “We decided what matters most to us, then we made it happen. That reflects us as a couple.” —Carolyn Meers

Courtney's side-braided updo by Holladay's Versa Artistry melded old-school romance with contemporary sensibilities.
Courtney and John exchanged vows under a pavilion on the grounds of La Caille in Sandy, Utah. "I wanted a beautiful outdoor, garden ceremony, and La Caille is simply picturesque," Courtney says. "It can’t be beat."
La Caille in Sandy, Utah, provided a classically romantic setting for Courtney and John's contemporary affair.
"We both gravitate toward a more modern, architectural aesthetic," says Courtney, who applied the eye-catching chevron pattern in cobalt blue to the escort cards.
Tables inside the greenhouse (some round, some banquet-style) were set with fresh white tablecloths and topped with succulents and individual cakes from Salt City Bakery in Utah.
A chevron runner adorned the long banquet table at the greenhouse reception at La Caille in Sandy, Utah. The table was topped with dense succulent centerpieces.
The La Caille property provided catering to suit Courtney and John's tastes, such as a french fry and aioli appetizer.
"We used small cakes on each table adorned with blue chevrons and accented with a succulents as our centerpieces," Courtney says. Each cake, made by Salt City Bakery in Utah, was set on a lighted stand.
Salt City Bakery created Courtney and John's contemporary three-tier cake with modern patterns such as stripes and chevron, which were used throughout the reception.
"Our grand exit was a sparkler-filled send-off," Courtney says. "We drove off--to the after-party, of course--in a blue 1942 Chevy."