Real Weddings

Real Utah Wedding: Shanna Stuhmer & Chase Birky

By Tessa Woolf July 16, 2015 Published in the June 2015 issue of Park City Magazine

NAMES Shanna Stuhmer and Chase Birky LIVE IN San Diego, but the bride’s parents live in Park City OCCUPATIONS She works for Classy.org, an online fundraising platform for nonprofits; he is a CPA and has his own firm, Blackslate. WHERE THEY MET At her friend’s birthday party, which he crashed to get out of a failed blind date; they danced, they kissed, and they never looked back HOW HE PROPOSED Under the guise of an important business meeting, he popped the question while waiting for a “client” to arrive; the “client” ended up being both of their families. NUMBER OF GUESTS 200 WEDDING TIME 5 p.m. THE NIGHT BEFORE They hosted a pub crawl down Main Street. WARM WELCOME An artist wrote all their guests’ names in chalk down the driveway towards the ceremony. COLORS White, blush, green, and cream PUPPY LOVE The bride’s dog, India, acted as ring bearer. FAVORITE CEREMONY MOMENT Being pronounced husband and wife by two very important people in their lives: the groom’s father, Tim, and the bride’s longtime family friend, Supreme Court Justice Ron Parraguire FAMILY ELEMENTS The bride’s father, Chris, helped design the wedding along with the bride’s mother, Michelle, and their planner; he grew many of the flowers used in the bridal bouquet. Their caterer recreated the bride’s favorite salad recipe from her mother: the Stuhmer Family Special Top Ramen Cabbage Salad. Before the FOB speech, the groom sabered a bottle of champagne with a sword that’s been in the bride’s family for generations. DINNER MENU Summer greens; mesquite grilled rocky mountain trout with sweet tomato jam; Utah flank steak with roasted potato hash; housemade gnocchi with charred corn, chanterelles, and browned sage butter; grilled vegetables DESSERT A gelato stand and champagne cake with cascading sugar flowers FIRST DANCE “Angels” by the XX AFTER PARTY An Alice in Wonderland–themed bash; they served mini burgers and milk and cookies THE DAY IN THREE WORDS Love, excitement, fun HONEYMOON A trip is in the works.