I think Zen is pretty awesome, but he’s a handful. And a half.

So long story short, no blog last week pretty much. But here it is finally, the conclusion to Sophie and Aaron’s Wedding Day!

Sophie and Aaron held a ceremony on the second floor of Empire Canyon Lodge at the end of March with bagpipes. I love bagpipes!

Gorgeous ceremony pieces by Every Blooming Thing

I love that Aaron is looking away and trying so hard not to cry!

This is Scott. He’s one the uber-talented Event Coordinators up at Deer Valley Resort. His weddings always go off without a hitch, which is one of the reasons I love Deer Valley SO MUCH!!!

Beautiful ceremony, and I loved the silly wiggle walk for their recessional! There were a lot of traditions at this wedding, Sophie is from Great Britain and Aaron being in the military, but I was so happy that even with incorporating so much into this weekend, they still took time to really OWN their wedding day, and no matter how many traditions they had to follow, they still found ways to make it uniquely theirs.

If you haven’t yet had the opportunity to experience the amazing culinary experience that is Fireside Dining at Empire Canyon Lodge, I do recommend it. You’ll have to wait though, their season just ended and Fireside Dining won’t reopen until the chairlifts do. But, if you are looking for a great restaurant in the winter, this is the place to go. We went there for dinner last year and it was amazing [and slightly odd for me - I felt like I finally got to be a Wedding Guest!]

Instead of a wedding cake, the couple opted for a grand selection of a dessert buffet, complete with three different chocolates to dip your fruit and other sweets into!

But Aaron really wanted to cut cake with his big sword [he said it;'s the only time he'll get to use it for real since it's decorative] so Deer Valley made them a small cake just for the two of them to cut. With a really big sword.

And then things got REALLY interesting. Sophie and Aaron are superb dancers, but didn’t want to hog the spotlight that evening. So to make their guests feel more comfortable, they hired dance instructors to teach everyone basic steps and then had a dance-off!

And how is this for crazy?! This guy comes up to me and checks my name and then says “Pepper, it’s Lenny!” I pause for a moment, and then OMG it’s Lenny Gottesman from Edina High School in Minnesota! We were on the Yearbook staff together, I was a Photographer and Lenny was one of the editors, and I can’t believe I ran into him at a wedding in Park City UT!!! If my high school reunion will be even a tenth as much fun as it was seeing Lenny again then I am definitely going. He looked a little different than I remembered, I don’t recall glasses, great hair or a gorgeous wife – way to go Lenny!!!

OK, the part I just wrote about Sophie and Aaron being great dancers? I may have been a little kind… But they were having a blast so who cares if they were any good!

In case anyone in wondering, Sophie’s parent are also from Great Britain, and everyone there wears little hats or feathers or bows or something expensive and festive in their hair.

This was awesome. For the last song, the DJ played Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen. All of the guests still partying the night away ran onto the floor, enclosed the Happy Couple in a circle, and everyone swayed and sang. It was AWESOME.

Congratulations you two!!! Thank you for sharing an unforgettable weekend with me!

Love, Pepper

Of the hundreds of wedding photographers in Utah, and from the thousands of weddings that were photographed, the editors of Utah Bride & Groom magazine select just 6 to showcase in their magazine each year. This is the fourth year that Pepper Nix Photography has been selected to be featured, and we would like to say to the editors of Utah Bride and Groom, thank you – clearly, you are brilliant, and you have excellent taste!

I have been waiting to show you this wedding ever since I learned that it had been selected to be featured, and I just got the PDFs this week from the editor to share the full article with you!  [The PDfs from Utah Bride and Groom are SO much better then the scans from my scanner...]

This great article [spread over 6 pages!] told in great detail of Sophie & Aaron’s courtship, wedding plans, and finally, the execution of their Wedding Day.

It was a fabulous article, but of course, there are limitations with printing and page space [honestly I could have filled an entire magazine with pictures from this weekend!], so here for you now are my favorites from their Wedding Day!

Meanwhile, while Sophie gets ready witht he bridesmaids, our Groom has been busy as well!

I love this!  What should be a tender moment of a mother preparing her son for his wedding day, and Aaron is making faces and patting her on the head!!!  Of course, this fits his personality.  And it’s not like Barbara was expecting anything different, she raised these twins from birth, she knows all the antics they get up to.  Barbara later told me this was one of her favorite pictures…

Andrew again, just being Andrew…  [Tip:  To tell the twins apart, check their faces.  Aaron wears glasses.  Andrew has contacts.]

A few of the wedding guests finish skiing for the day and pop in the brides suite for some drinks and to get ready!  [Eventually, maybe just one more glass...]

And it’s time to go meet Aaron for some pre-wedding pictures at Empire Canyon Lodge!!!

Action sequence!!!

Aaron and Sophie, thank you for such an amazing day!  I am so grateful we got those pictures beforehand, the weather was perfect for a beautiful March wedding in Park City!  Tomorrow, more Sophie & Aaron!  [I didn't think it was possible, but it gets even better!]

First there was the ceremony rehearsal [which mostly consisted of Sophie and Aaron making faces at each other and goofing around]

Then there was the amazing Rehearsal Dinner at the Hotel Park City in Ruth’s Chris [which consisted of everyone else goofing around - see Barbara's dress!] for all the family and friends who had flown into town to share the weekend with the Happy Couple!

Aaron’s twin brother Andrew entertained with tales of how competitive they were growing up and all of the trouble identical twin brothers can get into as teenagers!

But it was Aaron’s mom Barbara who stole the show, wearing her pink tutu dress [family inside joke] and getting all of the groomsmen their own jersey!

Thank you Barbara, the props were great, the stories unforgettable, you hosted a fabulous rehearsal dinner!

This call was different though.  This call was from Will, of Will and Nancy, the engagements I posted just a little while ago!  He told me the wedding was off, and even though I could hear the sadness in his voice, I just couldn’t be sad – In my heart, I knew this wedding wasn’t off.  We talked for about 15 minutes, and he kept telling me he was absolutely serious, the wedding was canceled, and I kept telling him “Will, I never say this to anyone calling me to cancel a wedding, but whatever you do, DON’T cancel the ceremony time.  If you guys need to elope to get away from the stress of it all that is totally cool – you have my blessing.  But this wedding isn’t off.  She’s madly in love with you and you with her.  This wedding is going to happen.”

I wasn’t surprised by the phone call I got weeks later, but I was delighted!  Nancy & Will kept their Temple Date, and forgo the reception and everything that goes along with it.  Everything except for me!  We had a few cold hours of fun at the Salt Lake City LDS Temple, where they emerged to find themselves married, blissful, and not surrounded by crowds and throngs of well-wishers.  It was a different experience for me as the photographer.  At an LDS temple wedding, I am used to having to guide a hundred or so guests for family pictures, and do it all with a smile, never raising my voice on what is considered sacred ground.  It can be a bit like herding cats, but reverently herding cats.  And my favorite time is when we’ve finished the family pictures as quickly as possible and the bride and groom have a moment alone together.  With Nancy and Will, there were no cats to herd.  It was all peace and happiness and love.  It was a beautiful and unique experience, and I cherished it.

Nancy and Will, congratulations, and thank you so much for having me there to document your elopement!!  I hope you spend the rest of your lives laughing together and making sandwiches.    [inside joke]

]]> http://www.peppernix.com/journal/2010/04/16/salt-lake-templewhat-do-you-do-when-a-wedding-gets-cancelled/feed/ 6 http://www.peppernix.com/journal/2010/04/14/deer-valley-resort-winter-wedding-silver-lake-lodge/ http://www.peppernix.com/journal/2010/04/14/deer-valley-resort-winter-wedding-silver-lake-lodge/#comments Wed, 14 Apr 2010 14:08:08 +0000 Pepper http://www.peppernix.com/journal/2010/04/15/deer-valley-resort-catherine-bens-wedding-day/ Cool.  I went to bed way early last night and strangely woke this morning at 6am feeling awesome and refreshed, and…  I got to watch the sun rise.  Well, kinda.  We live at the base of Little Cottonwood Canyon, so technically I am still watching the sun rise [it should clear the mountains in another hour], but still!  Sunrise.  Pretty cool.

It’s Day 3 of Blog week, where every day this week i will make a new blog post, and I’ve got a new one for you today!  A beautiful kinda winter wedding, for a beautiful kinda sunrise morning!  I say kinda winter, because the Bride and Groom were hoping to have it outside, but Park City can be a crazy place sometimes and you just never know what you’re gonna get at the tail ends of ski season.  They got snow.  Surprise!!

Not a lot of snow mind you.  But just enough that it kept the festivities indoors.  Indoors being Silver Lake Lodge at Deer Valley Resort.

The ceremony was a bit tricky for me.  Before the ceremony, I go to have my typical ‘hello I’m the photographer’ talk with the officiant, and before I get out anything else she informs me that she is a Right Reverend ordained by God, and that since this ceremony is then sanctified by God there will be no photography during the ceremony.  Huh?!  I had no idea that Episcopalians didn’t like ceremony pictures!  She finally says I can take a couple pictures.  That’s cool with me, and I agree to only take a few.  I think she was on to me, because then she clarified that a couple pictures was 2-3.  So we begin haggling over how many pictures are really necessary to document a ceremony.  We did not come to an agreement, but the final number I was given was five.  Oh, and a warning that if she heard more than 5 clicks she would stop the ceremony and ask me to leave.  Seriously.  This actually happened.  I informed the bride of this, who rolled her eyes and said to just do what I could, she’d never heard of this requirement before.  The Right Reverend had been making other changes as well, changing the music that was to be played for the processional and recessional, the order of the ceremony, where people stood, readings, etc.  This was all done in the 45 minutes before the ceremony was to start.  I personally think that Jesus would have liked ceremony pictures and Wagner’s Wedding March, but that’s just me, I think Jesus was probably a cool guy.  So here is what I got.

Brides, please talk with your ministers and pastors before your wedding and make sure photography is OK!  99.6% of the time it will be, but you don’t want to be that 1 out of 300 where it’s not OK!  This beautiful Bride and Groom were from out of state, don’t belong to this particular reverend’s church, and aren’t even Episcopalian.  A friend of a friend said her pastor would be great, and so they did that instead of the wedding planner’s recommendation.  And normally this would not have been a big deal, except no one knew the Right Reverend believes God disapproves of my clicking. So, nothing against Episcopalians [who are very cool] but just make sure that whoever is conducting your wedding ceremony, that you as the bride know ahead of time what is cool and what isn’t cool.  Lots of churches/venues have rules about where you can and can’t shoot, if flash is allowed, if you can move around or if you have to stay in one place, and how much insurance they require that you carry.  For example, I have never been allowed inside of a LDS/Mormon temple to photograph a ceremony.  The difference there is that everyone, including me and the bride, knows that I’m not going to get any pictures of her Temple ceremony.  Or that we’re definitely going to need 2 photographers to photograph that Cathedral of the Madeline ceremony [because we're not allowed to move around].  Or dozens of other places, each with their own set of rules which we respect and abide by.  Rules are not a problem, I respect rules absolutely, and I appreciate knowing ahead of time what we will need to ensure that I can meet and exceed the bride’s expectations.  I am just not a huge fan of surprises for my brides.  Catherine hired me and was expecting to receive many, many pictures of her wedding ceremony.  Instead she got 13.  So, communication is key, talk with your wedding officiant and see if they have any questions or concerns about photography, and do this before you hire them! 

Moving on to the reception!  I loved this reception.  The little cloud hanging over my head with the ceremony disappeared completely!  I didn’t care that Reverend was giving me crusties all night, it was too beautiful of a room and too rowdy of a crowd to not be completely swept away by everything!  Kellie Jackstein of Artisan Bloom worked with Lillie Garrido of Soiree Productions to come up with the most enchanting vision for Catherine and Ben’s New York guests!

A beautiful evening, a beautiful ceremony [with a few more than 5 pictures], and a gorgeous Bride and Groom.  Thank you Catherine & Ben!

Love, Pepper

PS:  The sun just officially rose for me here and my office is flooded with light, it looks like its going to be a very happy day!

Me.  A witness!  Seriously, do I have the world’s greatest job or what?!

Teresa and Rob’s wedding was my 338th wedding, and never in the previous 337 weddings have I had the opportunity to be a witness!

On Valentine’s Day, at the restaurant La Caille, Rev. Anita Gordon officiated over a very private ceremony and I was asked to be one of the witnesses and sign their marriage license!  Wow.  I don’t know that I’ve ever been so honored.  It was cold and freezing, and absolutely worth it!  We started off by taking pictures around the February grounds around La Caille…

I do have a strict rule of no alcohol for Pepper while I shoot.  Ever.  Do you want your pictures in focus?  That’s what I thought.  Anyway, Teresa and Rob insisted on sharing a bottle of champagne before the ceremony, and this one time, I made an exception.  Hey, I’m a witness!

After sharing a drink and signing the license, we headed out to La Caille’s Lower Patio for the ceremony!  I’ve done many MANY ceremonies on this Lower Patio, but this was the first time where i could just walk around front, no guests to worry about standing in front of!  It was really fun!

Wow.  Thank you both again, for sharing such a beautiful day with us.  We were absolutely honored.  Congratulations!!!

People always want to know the details, so in a nutshell here it is.  Yes, i was there for a wedding.  Yes, I was the Photographer at said wedding.  No, I did not pick him up, and no he wasn’t a groomsman.  But he was totally hot and he was a photographer, so I gave him my card, yadi yadi yada, we’ve been married for several years and have a beautiful son together!  So, you might say that Log Haven has a very special place in my heart.  Every single time I am on their Patio near the double doors that lead into the restaurant, I think, ‘This is where my life changed forever…” 

We arrived in plenty of time to take tons of pictures of the bride and groom, but the sun had already gone below the tree line and it gold COLD.  I bundle up pretty nicely when i am shooting, so it doesn’t really bother me so much, but at some point I will notice that my fingers will stop working properly.  This usually takes a while, about 20 minutes.  So when we had been outside for about 3 minutes and my fingers stopping functioning as they normally do, I got a bit concerned.

That’s right. I said zazz.

Some places could really use more zazz. But not St. Thomas More. I just was able to help one of my September 2010 brides find the perfect church for her ceremony, and guess where i helped her to find? Yup. St. Thomas More.

Heather & Mike were married in January at this gorgeous church, and I know I keep hearing from everyone that I need to show fewer pictures in a blog post, but I had WAY too much fun at this ceremony and I just can’t narrow it down any further! This wedding was just a few weeks after Christmas, so the church was still decorated for the holidays with trees and lights and other gorgeousness that was just a treat!

I love this moment. Right after a wedding ceremony, but before the bridal party reaches them after the recessional. It exists for only a precious few seconds, this fleeting moment where a newly married couple is alone and together and the nothing exists apart from them and their joy. Wedding Reception tomorrow!

Courtney and Andrew really wanted to have an amazing party for their guests who had traveled to be there with them not just from the United States, but literally from all corners of the globe.  I had many guests approach me to say confidentially “You know I saw Utah on the invitation, and I thought why Utah there’s nothing there!  But NOW I know why they chose this place…”

Deer Valley’s head chef, overseeing his work for the evening…

The three kinds of chocolate for your dessert dipping pleasure!

Two of the four available stews [this one is obviously a non-vegetarian option, but their vegetarian stews are amazing!!!]

How scrumptious is this?!  Rounds of french raclette cheese, melting slowly in front of the fire, onto plates and then served quickly to the guests.  Best.  Appetizer.  EVER.

How funny is this, there’s another couple at the wedding named Courtney & Andrew!!!  For a second, things got a little mixed up…

Mmmmmmmmmm….   Chocolaty goodness…..

Thanks everyone!  Thanks to Courtney & Andrew for having me there, and thanks to the entire Deer Valley staff for putting together such an amazing event!

Park City Utah has some of the best skiing in the world, and because of that, when couples are picking a destination location for their nuptials, instead of picking the ocean, they instead pick the mountains of Utah.

The coolest place [no pun intended] for a winter wedding is at Empire Canyon Lodge at Deer Valley Resort.  Not only does the staff go all out, bringing in a horse-drawn sleigh for your guests to enjoy and putting out the best hot cocoa bar this side of the Mississippi, but they also prepare an amazing meal known at Empire Lodge as Fireside Dining.  But I’ll tell you more details about that later.  First, we have a wedding ceremony to attend!

Courtney & Andrew held their ceremony right after sundown in the last week of January.  It was lit with only a few ceiling lights and lots and lots of candles.

I love Jewish weddings!!!!

And now, please join us for the Reception, complete with Fireside Dining!  Still not sure what Fireside Dining is?  Well I would love to show you!