Jane Matthews & Mike Hersh

Wed July 19, 2014, at Park City Mountain Resort and Riverhorse on Main

Photographs by D'Arcy Benincosa

The second time was a charm for Atlanta duo Jane Matthews and Mike Hersh, who tied the knot in front of 55 guests at The Meadow at Park City Mountain Resort last summer. “It was a second wedding for both of us, so we kept it very intimate and casual,” says Matthews. “We knew we wanted a destination celebration and we knew Utah would be gorgeous in July. I’d never been to Park City prior to the wedding weekend, though Mike had, so I planned the entire event online!” (The couple were asked the question, “Why Park City?” so many times during the planning process, they created playful “WPC” wristbands for their guests.) Inspired by the mountain location, they incorporated rustic elements and wildflowers by Calie Rose Weddings & Events. Guests rode PCMR’s chairlift up to the breathtaking ceremony location, where bagpiper Marc Pehkonen provided the soundtrack, and then took the alpine slide down the mountain post-nuptials. “It was a huge hit with guests,” says Matthews of the adventurous transportation.

THE SCENE “We love great food and wine—it was a critical element of the evening for us,” explains Matthews. “We wanted the night to feel like a dinner or cocktail party rather than a wedding reception.” They chose to break bread with their tight-knit crew at Riverhorse on Main, thanks to the restaurant’s stellar food reviews and Main Street location.

THE EATS To get the party started, the staff at Riverhorse on Main passed trays of Kobe beef bites with Montana huckleberry goat cheese, roasted red beet with crispy potato and brie cheese, ahi tuna sashimi with ginger soy glaze and crispy wonton, and bacon-wrapped shrimp with jalapeño cream cheese. Guests chose filet mignon, halibut, or lamb for entrées, all served with rosemary potatoes, green beans, and baby carrots. “The filet was outstanding and the portions were huge,” says Matthews. “All of the guests raved about the food.”

THE SWEETS Riverhorse desserts and almond wedding cake with huckleberry filling from Midway Country Corner ended the meal on a sugar-high note.

THE DRINKS Guests sipped on two refreshing cocktails: Moscow Mules made with Tito’s vodka, ginger beer, and fresh lime, served in copper mugs, and Riverhorse Blues, the restaurant’s signature cocktail made with Stolichnaya blueberry vodka, St. Germain, muscato, and muddled blueberries.

MENU DETAILS

Riverhorse Salad

red wine vinaigrette, enoki mushrooms, local goat cheese, toasted walnuts

Filet Mignon

cabernet demi glaze,crispy onions

Macadamia Nut

Crusted Alaskan Halibut

mango chutney, lemon essence

Rocky Mountain

Rack of Lamb

olive tapenade, shoestring potatoes

Riverhorse Dessert Samplers

ice cream, cheesecake, fresh berries, chocolate truffles, plum torte, brittle

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Diane Berry & Mike Yanovsky

Wed August 23, 2014, at Boulder Mountain Lodge and Hell’s Backbone Grill

Photographs by Alex Adams Photography

Utah’s remote high-desert town of Boulder (population: 180) set the scene for San Francisco couple Diane Berry and Mike Yanovsky’s one-of-a-kind weekend celebration. “Mike and I both love the Utah desert,” says Berry. “It will always be the place we feel most at home. We spent much of our youth tucked away beneath the sandstone.” Inspired by “Alphonse Mucha, Navajo carpet weaving, animals, minerals, and other magic things,” the couple set out to cast an old love spell under a new moon. The ceremony was held on the lawn of Boulder Mountain Lodge; they lined the aisle with Pendelton blankets and rose petals, and worked with Kelsey Harper of Flower Girl Los Angeles to design the floral and foliage arch. With the help of event planner Hannah Campbell of L.A.-based Day of Gal, and Barbara Berry, the MOB, they created a memorable evening of dining and dancing under the stars, complete with fire pits, a live band, a photo booth with leather animal masks as props, and gifts of Navajo fetish animals and white gypsum and black tourmaline crystals.

THE SCENE The couple wanted their dinner menu to feature organic, locally sourced, and in-season ingredients, as well as gluten-free and vegetarian options, and they knew just the foodies for the feast: Blake Spalding and Jen Castle, chef-owners of Boulder’s beloved Hell’s Backbone Grill. “Blake and Jen are not only two savvy, lovely, and talented women, but they are also romantics and make food and cake that are to die for,” says Berry. “Just thinking about it makes my mouth water.” The restaurant customizes every wedding menu, and all of their food is organic, non-GMO, and completely handmade; much of it is sourced from their own no-harm farm just three miles down the road.

THE EATS Before dinner (see the menu below), guests noshed on house-smoked trout pâte with pecans on slabs of farm carrots, herbed goat cheese on cucumber rounds, radish with cultured butter and salt, and a farm pickle platter. For a midnight snack, they served roasted green chile and heirloom tomato mini moqui mac & cheese.

THE SWEETS The newlyweds sliced into a buffet of confections: naked chocolate cake with salted caramel buttercream frosting, lemon chiffon cake, brown butter carrot cake torte (the bride’s fave), and gluten-free chocolate chile flourless cake.

THE DRINKS They served up beer, wine, and margaritas made with rosemary limeade and RealSalt served in mason jars and garnished with edible flowers.

THE NEXT DAY Hell’s Backbone Grill prepared a farewell brunch of farm egg frittata with roasted green chiles, jack cheese, and new potatoes; pumpkin scones with a cream cheese glaze; an organic fruit platter; and coffee and tea.

MENU DETAILS

Black Powder Biscuits

with nasturtium petal and sage butter

Backbone House Salad

with organic peaches, edible flowers, honey-chile vinaigrette

Chilled Farm Radish Miniature Soup Shots

Koosharem Steelhead Trout

with tarragon and lemon butter, saffron and lemon-zest basmati rice pilaf with toasted almonds, organic vegetables from the farm

Pumpkin-Piñon or Chicken Enchiladas

with a sweet corn-habañero cream sauce, red quinoa pilaf, organic vegetables from the farm