Did a little Q & A with Carson and Elizabeth from how they met to their favorite moments from their wedding day. They decided to elope in Park City, Utah and it was THE BEST day! They both wrote their own vows that had us all tearing up!
After their elopement they were able to throw a big party for their family and friends. They have no regrets and I'm so happy I was there with Shailynn (videographer) to document every moment! Read all about it below:
Q: What was your vision for your wedding day?
A: Simple, intimate and as far in nature as possible. Focus on what is central to our marriage, our vows.
Q: What was the planning process like for your wedding?
A: Once we decided to elope the planning process was very simple. We worked with Marisa at Pop Up I Do and told her our vision for a winter wedding. My husband and I shared a phone call with her and talked about the process of eloping. She took it from there! She picked our ceremony location, coordinated with the photographer and videographer, provided the bouquet and boutonniere, music for our first dance and even cake and hot chocolate. All we had to do was show up December 3rd with our marriage license. Eliminating the planning also eliminated stress and anxiety. It allowed us to get really excited not only about our wedding day but our marriage and every day after the wedding. As excited as we were for our wedding day it really helped us stay calm remembering it was just one day that we alone would share. What matters most is living each day of our marriage together with the same purpose and intention we set in our vows.
Q: You both live in Arizona - how did you choose Park City as your elopement location and why?
A: We traveled to Park City on vacation early on in our dating relationship and loved it! It was also winter time the first time we went- there is something about the snow and sunshine combination in Park City that is so magical for us desert dwellers. We knew that if we were going to elope we wanted to go out of state. We looked into a few places but ultimately decided on Park City because we had such fond memories. Also, we wanted our wedding to be a vacation so we picked a spot we could drive to from AZ. We took ten days off work and drove from Scottsdale to Park City. We had a really awesome time traveling through the beautiful towns along the way. We called it our Road Trip Wedding. By taking that much time we were really able to enjoy our elopement and have a mini honeymoon after.
Q: What was each of your favorite moments from your wedding day?
A: Our vow exchange. We decided to begin our ceremony with traditional vows and end with vows we wrote to one another. It was more than what I hoped for. Exchanging vows on a mountain in the perfect silence of the snow was life changing. It felt like it was only the two of us- and it was. I am so thankful for the privacy we had during that intimate exchange.
Q: Tell us about your wedding attire
A: I decided on a long sleeve wedding dress. It was not at all what I had in mind and was the last dress I tried on. As soon as I put it on I loved it for a winter wedding. Looking back on the photos I am so glad I had long lace sleeves, I think it was perfect for the snow- and warm! I had on big rain boots under my dress which kept me warm. Carson knew he wanted a suit, but to be honest didn't buy it until the morning of our wedding while I was getting dressed in the hotel, so his outfit was a total surprise!
Q: How long have you guys been together?
A: May 2020 will be three years together. We met on Match.com in May of 2017 and dated for about a year and a half. Carson proposed New Years Eve 2018. It was a wonderful surprise!
Q: First date?
A: We met on Match in 2017. Both of us were traveling when we Matched so we are still unsure how we came into each other's pool of people, but we are so thankful we did! We spent a week talking on the phone before we met in person for dinner. I still remember the look on Carson's face when he first saw me in the parking lot. It's my favorite look of his, I got it on our wedding day too when he saw me in my dress.
Q: Do you have any advice for other couples thinking about eloping instead of having a traditional big wedding day?
A: If any part of you is thinking about an elopement or wondering how it works, explore the idea! I am grateful a million times over we decided to elope. Every moment of our wedding day was ours. We had an incredible ceremony and then went out to dinner on Main Street in Park City, still wearing my dress. What are the chances we sat next to a couple who was celebrating their 20 year anniversary the same day as our wedding day?! After our elopement we had a party with friends and family in Arizona. For us it was perfect because we kept our ceremony intimate and then were able to celebrate with friends and family without the stress or pressure to say our vows in front of a huge group. People elope for a variety of reasons. Ours was a combination of family, finances and desire to keep things private and focused on our faith. The way we approached our elopement is this- we are the only ones living and working for our marriage every day, so why would we begin our marriage in any other way than just the two of us?
Now enjoy the photos from this gorgeous (and very cold) wedding day in Park City!
Planned by: Pop Up I Do
Photographer: Kayla Bertagnolli Photography
Videographer: Shailynn Photo + Film
Florist: Jolleys Gift and Floral