Every wedding vendor team is created a little differently. In this series we explore how and why each couple selected the right wedding vendor team for their wedding day.
Soon after Will proposed to Ginna in August 2019, she began brainstorming for their wedding—a day she envisioned taking place the following fall near her childhood home in Virginia. Once a 300-person gathering was no longer safe to proceed with due to the pandemic, the celebration was pushed to the following spring. Then again to the following winter. And along the way of planning for that larger celebration, the couple decided that an intimate family ceremony would be their silver lining.
The couple turned to their wedding planner, Lauren Emerson of Lauren Emerson Events, to plan an elopement—on the same spring date they had initially rescheduled their wedding to.
The first, and biggest, decision for them to make for this petite affair was the location. Ginna and Will considered a few resort towns throughout Utah and Wyoming, but ultimately, it was one they’d ventured to on an early trip in their relationship that stood out. The sentiment wasn’t the only reason the Dallas-based couple chose Jackson, Wyoming, for their wedding destination—they also felt their families would enjoy the skiing, food, and art scene. It all came together perfectly when they chose Amangani as the home base for the micro-wedding.
“Venue and catering were top priorities for Ginna and Will. They wanted a location that allowed their families to enjoy their accommodations and not need to travel far on the wedding day for an amazing culinary experience. It really came down to envisioning the day and what venue spaces made the most sense for their [10 person] guest count. A large ballroom sectioned off gave the feeling that the occasion was a downsize. We wanted a venue that had an intimate setting that felt purposeful from the beginning. The library at Amangani suited the guest count perfectly, and was a small nod to the original wedding plans of creating the Downton Abbey library feel for the large wedding in Virginia.” —Lauren Emerson, planner/designer
While Lauren typically guides her couples to make one decision at a time, her planning style was thrown out the window for the sake of timing. With ever-changing mandates, she instead opted to plan with speed and certainty, and hired most of the vendor team (which was predominantly local) within a three-week period. Photographer Carrie Patterson, floral designer Lily and Co., hair and makeup artist Tanya Crocker, and Jackson Hole DJ were all contracted and brought on board to further build on the foundation of the wedding vendor team.
“A lot of the decisions made were based on social media, reviews from previous couples, and word of mouth. Jackson is a small town and a very tight knit community. We knew we absolutely loved Carrie Patterson’s style, and I had previously connected with her for another couple’s wedding. I remembered her kind and thoughtful personality, and knew she would be a great fit for Ginna and Will. She was also extremely helpful in pointing us in the right direction for other selections.
Another invaluable asset was Sarah Twedt at Amangani. She truly has a passion for creating a unique experience for couples and she put us in touch with our musicians who were an absolute dream team of jazz musicians.” —Lauren Emerson, planner/designer
Simultaneously, invitations needed to be sent, so selecting a wedding invitation designer was prioritized, as was an officiant to legally marry the couple. Emily Baird of Emily Baird Design dove in on all things stationery-related, while Michael Leach was confirmed to lead the ceremony.
“We wanted the design to be directly representative of the time and place. With winter melting into spring, we opted for blues, whites, creams, brown, and tan. Emily Baird created a one-of-a-kind invitation keepsake. She incorporated illustrations of fish found in the local river, elk from the reserve, and moose and bears from Teton National Park. We wanted to incorporate textures and textiles that were an extension of the already phenomenal design of Amangani without feeling like we were creating an environment that didn’t make sense. We utilized leather, faux fur, and a small woven piece on their menus.” —Lauren Emerson, planner/designer
While the chairs and table were provided by the property, specialty tabletop pieces—chargers,plates, bone flatware, and horn salt and pepper shakers that echoed the horn tumblers holding the day’s signature cocktails—personalized the celebration in a beautiful way, thanks to Xowyo Tabletop + Events.
Unsure if they needed a cake to cut, Ginna decided towards the end that it was a tradition she wanted to incorporate to make the day feel more official. A two-tier wedding cake from Absaroka Cake Company, with two different flavor combinations inside also provided a sweet ending to the petite reception.
