1. Real Weddings

Shari & Jason: A Garden Wedding in Mapleton, UT

With the Maple Mountains as a backdrop, Shari and Jason used a pink and yellow palette to add bursts of color to their garden wedding in Mapleton. Th

With the Maple Mountains as a backdrop, Shari and Jason used a pink and yellow palette to add bursts of color to their garden wedding in Mapleton. The Bride Shari Arnold, 31, photographer The Groom Jason Weaver, 28, photographer The Date August 13 On a visit to see her family in Utah, Shari and Jason, who met at the Hallmark Institute of Photography, decided to have a portrait taken by photographer Jonathan Canlas, whose work they love. Little did Shari know, Jason planned more than just sit for a portrait. At a scenic spot in Provo Canyon, Jason dropped to one knee and proposed with a ring he’d kept stashed in his pocket the entire day, with Jonathan shooting away to capture the moment.

The Reception Decor
The Reception
Shari and Jason exchanged vows in her sister’s beautifully landscaped backyard an hour before sunset, to avoid the August heat. The couple spruced up the site with a hand-painted aisle runner decorated with pink and yellow gerbera daisies, and pink and yellow ribbons running alongside the aisle with small gerbera daisy bouquets on every other chair.
The Couple
The Couple
The cake was one of the couples’ favorite parts of the wedding -- they chose a multi-tiered confection made of vanilla and chocolate cupcakes, adorned with frosted gerbera daisies on top. “There were enough cupcakes for people to snack on at the wedding,” Jason says, “as well as take some home after the wedding.”
Shari walked down the aisle wearing a strapless ivory gown by Maggie Sottero. She accessorized with open-toed ivory shoes embellished with beading to match the dress, and a simple Swarovski crystal choker. Her three bridesmaids (her sisters) wore homemade pink skirts with wraparound cream tops.
The backyard was decked out with seven round tables, topped with mint-green satin linens. For a splash of color, the couple added small cylinders of yellow Lemonhead candies to each place setting. The centerpieces consisted of tall, skinny glass vases filled with pink water, tall gerbera daisies, and branches to add dimension. “There were also hundreds of small candles scattered among the dinner tables, buffet, and cake table to add ambience once the sun went down,” Jason explains.