Jenna and Chris at Crystal Springs Resort

How did you meet?
We met while working at Mountain Creek Resort together. Chris would always find reasons to stop by and see me. Then there was a snowstorm he actually drove during to get snowed in with me while I was at work. Once our friendship began, it wasn’t long before we both knew that we had something special and became inseparable.

How did you get engaged?
Four years later, on top of a mountain overlooking Lake Tahoe, Chris asked me to marry him. Chris developed a love for Spartan racing which eventually took him to the world championship race. After completing the race, we rode the gondola up to the mountain top to check out the view. Chris asked to have someone take our picture, and I should have known something was up since that is not like him. But, that plan did not go well because the person could not figure out how to take the picture. In that last moment before moving on, Chris stopped and told me the real reason why he brought me up there, then got down on one knee! Luckily there was a group of girls with a professional camera nearby who captured everything. It was a complete surprise, and could not have been more perfect.

Details of the day!
I am a wedding coordinator at the Crystal Springs Resort, and Chris is the Assistant General Manager at the Mountain Creek Resort. We definitely have a lot of experience in the event planning world, and were beyond excited to plan our celebration and show our guests the most unique wedding ever seen. People still talk about our big day! We chose to get married at Crystal Springs Resort, in October. Fall has always been one of my favorite seasons, I love the burnt orange, vibrant red and yellow tones that paint a picturesque landscape over the Mountains surrounding the resort. For my bridal party, I went with a mismatched theme of blush and chose the dress and color that I felt made each bridesmaid look their best. To be different, I chose to have the bridal party walk with bouquets that were Hoops wrapped in white lace . I thought they were so different, a mix of a statement accessory but still bridal. The groomsman wore vibrant navy blue suits that made the bridesmaid dress colors pop, and blend together with their blush toned ties.For our theme, I wanted to be different and create something truly magical like a real life fairytale. We wanted to make the ceremony an impactful and memorable experience for our  guests. We decided to take our décor to the next level, and invited our guests to take their seats in an outdoor living room with a vintage Victorian theme. Choosing my vendors was such a fun experience. It was kind of like having professional friends come together to create this amazing dream team. I was able to trust them all as the artists they truly are, and allowed them to create freely. I worked with Magnolia Floral Decor, who provided the furniture for the guest seating. We had colorful velvet tufted sofas and chases, mixed with rocking chairs, loveseats with fringe detailing and wooden cross back chairs. We also had candlelit Crystal chandeliers hanging on trees nearby. It was such a romantic setting, portraying timeless elegance, and could not have been more perfect.
To add to the fairytale theme, I took a horse drawn carriage to our ceremony location. The reception details I wanted to look simple yet elegant. I also opted for a custom white dance floor wrap with purple lights surrounding the room. I added a statement sweetheart table backdrop, where my beautiful bridal hoops repurposed hung behind us. The guest tables had white sequin rental linens, gold flatware with a gold and white decorative plate to tie in with the white and gold dance floor. All my centerpieces were low with mostly blush and white flowers, and small pop of lavender, surrounded with blush votives. We also had a photo booth, memory table, and “our travels” table, with picture frames from all the places we have traveled to together during our relationship.

Why did you choose your venue?
Not just because I work there, but because it has such a natural beauty. I know the property inside out and had the trust and support from the venue to be creative with the space to plan a truly unique event. I wanted to incorporate the natural beauty of the surrounding mountain views. An advantage I have from working at the property is knowing it inside and out. Within the grounds, there is a natural quarry that has a sandy beach, with U-shaped rock wall. It resembles a natural amphitheater opening up to gorgeous mountain views. Up until my wedding, it has never been used for any type of event. Most people only have the opportunity to see this beautiful area while playing golf. The Quarry has been the best kept secret location on the resort property. I was lucky enough to have the trust and support from the resort, to allow me take my vision, and to do something no other couple has done before.

What was on your menu
For starts we had bread, butter and garlic knots along with a mixed greens salad. For entrees, guests could choose between braised beef short ribs, cod lion, pork chops or a vegetarian pasta. For dessert we had a custom fall dessert table and wedding cake.

All about your gown!
I chose to shop local, and found my dress at Enelda’s Happy Brides in Sparta. The dress is designed by Maggie Sottero. I loved the illusion back which dipped low, making me feel sexy yet classy. The design had a mix of lace and beading which shimmered in the light. When I tried it on, I saw myself wearing it and waking up to Chris.

What was your favorite moment?
Once we said “I do”, we jumped into our horse drawn carriage and rode back up to the resort. Inside the carriage was a bottle of champagne and two glasses ready to go for us. We had just got married and had this magical ride, where is was just us feeling like we were on cloud nine taking us to the party.

One detail you couldn’t live without?
The bridal bouquet hoops!

Did anything go wrong?
One of my bridesmaids realized while getting dressed that her heels were two different sizes- a size 8 and a 6. Luckily I had given the girls Cinderollies, and she had those to wear, which can be seen in some of my wedding photos. She sucked up and wore those shoes for the ceremony, so that those photos/video would be perfect and was a real trooper! My husband and I laugh about it now when i see those ballet flats popping out in the photos!

First dance song?
“I’ll Name The Dogs” by Blake Shelton.

Any advice for future brides?
Now that I have gone full circle with the wedding planning experience, my advise for future couples is to give more thought to budgeting in rentals items, find décor that inspires them, to make their weddings more personal and unique.

Honeymoon Location
Samaná in the Dominican Republic.