How did the two of you meet? Tell us your story:
We met in the ninth grade (Jordan was 15 and Heather was 14). We didn’t take much notice of one another until a year later; we each started to appreciate the other while going out with friends or planning school activities. Then one day at age 16, while trying to think of a Homecoming dance date, Heather thought about asking Jordan and butterflies flew in her stomach. She’s been in love ever since. It only took two weeks for Jordan to ask Heather out on a date, Halloween six years ago this October. Only two months later Jordan was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease and spent the next year in and out of the hospital, undergoing several surgeries. That time, more than anything, brought us together. After getting through “sickness and health,” the rest was a cake walk.

What was the theme  or design inspiration for your wedding?
The Sharpe family ranch is far away from any main roads and distractions and at sunset, the views are so breathtaking it feels like magic could happen! We wanted people to take that all in, the raw beauty of the mountains and the array of colors that turn as the sun sets. We loved how the bright flowers (that matched the sunset) popped on the green grass so we brought that green inside with the tablecloths. The rest of the magic came alive at night with tons of candles, pin-spotting, and up-lighting.

Tell us about the bridal attire:
I (Heather) refused to look like Cinderella at the Ball, but every time I tried on a vintage style dress my mother cried, “My daughter wants to get married in a nightgown!” I decided on a drop-waist white gown with a mid-length train. Touches of lace and bead work made the dress feel old fashioned while the fitted cut felt much more contemporary. It was the perfect dress for me because it felt elegant and formal but I still felt like myself when I wore it. An antique bracelet (borrowed) from my mom, earrings from Nordstrom and a dash of Chanel and I was ready to go.

Favorite design element of your big day:
I absolutely adored our flowers! In addition to the lush arrangements our florist brought in, we also planted hundreds of rose bushes in our wedding colors all over the property, bringing the theme full circle. I especially loved my bouquet – it was so romantic and felt just right for our location.

What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding?
In addition to hiring certain vendors to cover our wedding, we also took a less expensive route with other elements and put them together like a patchwork quilt by hiring individuals and then connecting the dots between them. We hired a company for the lighting and generators, a duo for the microphones, monitors and other sound equipment, had the rental company cover the stage, and hired each of the musicians individually through a friend from church. In the end we saved a lot of money and successfully turned out an incredible and flawless reception! However, we did lose a lot of sleep over loose ends!

What advice would you give to a couple planning their wedding?
Don’t stress over your “theme.” It will just work out along the way. Rather, focus on other elements like how you want your ceremony to feel, your favorite foods and your favorite flowers. You may surprise yourself by ending up with a completely different wedding than the one you thought you wanted!

Best advice someone told you at the wedding?
Jordan’s 93-year-old grandfather gave us a charge during our wedding ceremony and told us that in all his years of marriage, he’s learned the magic words that will always get you through whenever you make a mistake, “I’m sorry. Please forgive me.”

Any specific reasons behind certain choices you made for your wedding?
We were open to many ideas, new and old, whimsical and traditional, except when it came to our cake. While it feels like most couples compete for the most amount of flowers on a cake, the highest layers or the hardest to construct, geometrical masterpieces, we just had to have ours old fashioned! We had an all-white cake with minimal detailing, complete with bride and groom cake topper (the cute kind, not the kind where the bride is dragging the groom to the top!) The layers alternated between devil’s food with chocolate ganache and strawberry shortcake. Yum!

Tell me something about your photographer, Cameron Ingalls.
We loved everything about our photographer! He insisted on getting to know us before the wedding, a real delight as most vendors are more concerned with the budget or other details. The day of, Cameron was completely in the moment with us the whole way…perfectly capturing every detail and yet never making us feel like we were involved in more than a great conversation. But the real treat didn’t come until we received our personalized photo archive box (with a 5×7 of every photo) and our album-quality proof book inside! Plus family who ordered photos got them within days. Everyone is in love now!

Wedding Vendors:
Venue: Family Property at Huasna
Flowers: Camilla Svensson Burns Couture Floral & Event Design
Coordination Services: Creative Events Etc.