This year, the majority of my couples have done an engagement session, so I’ve spent plenty of time with them before the wedding. However, Steph and Tay live in Salt Lake City now so, except for a brief meeting at the wedding showcase at Saratoga Springs, we hadn’t met before the wedding. They are such incredible people, however, that as soon as I arrived, I immediately felt like I had known them forever. Incredibly warm and down to earth, Steph and Tay’s vintage inspired redwood fairytale wedding was absolutely perfect.

Steph and Tay met during run club and are huge lovers of the outdoors, so it’s no surprise they chose the redwood trees and creeks of Saratoga Springs as their wedding backdrop. I have photographed a lot of weddings at Saratoga Springs, but Steph and Tay were the first ones to ask me if they could get into the creek for some photos! Of course, I was thrilled to say yes and even packed some flip flops in case I needed to get in as well. Steph originally thought she would be wearing a short dress, but ended up falling in love with a gorgeous BHLDN dress with a long, flowing tulle skirt. Despite this, she still wanted to get in the creek, specifically stating she wanted to get her dress wet!

A true DIY affair, Steph’s mom Lisa helped plan and coordinate the entire wedding and literally every guest that showed up before the ceremony asked how they could help. Steph’s love of sea glass was incorporated in the sea glass spheres and bottles, as well as the bridesmaids’ dresses and the stone of her ring. The favors were handmade by the bride and groom, coasters made from branches of the fruit trees in their backyard, lovingly burned with their initials, as were the table numbers. Their beloved dog Cedar traveled all the way from Salt Lake City with them to be their ring bearer. My favorite moment of the wedding was when Steph and her mother danced together instead of the traditional father-daughter dance. Both Steph and Tay were raised by single mothers, so it was fitting that they honored her mother by both having her walk Steph down the aisle and with a mother-daughter dance.

• Venue + Catering: Saratoga Springs
• Dress: BHLDN
• Engagement Ring: Brilliant Earth
• Makeup Artist: Rose Hill & Crew
• Invitation Suite: Paper Culture
• Cake: Jen’s Cakes

Congratulations to Steph and Taylor! If you’re looking to book photograph for your very own redwood fairytale wedding, check out this blog post with redwood venues in the Bay Area, and then contact me or email me at alice@aliceche.com to photograph it!