1/19/24

elopements

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A Destination Wedding at the Bonneville Salt Flats

Corinne and Jake have a really fun love story. It’s definitely one that I think belongs in a movie and it includes Jake spending an extraordinary amount of time going from a bar patron in college to working at the same bar Corinne worked at just so he could break the ice a little better. And I’m sure you’ve figured out the ending. They lived happily ever after and hosted an epic destination wedding at the Bonneville Salt Flats with their family and closest friends.

bonneville salt flats destination wedding

Planning a Salt Flats Destination Wedding with Family

Corinne and Jake reached out via my website after seeing my work and booked me for their destination wedding at the Bonneville Salt Flats in 2022. I was super stoked as always to revisit one of my favorite places for travel weddings and elopements because SLC and the Bonneville Salt Flats are just so beautiful.

Corinne shared that her family comes from The Netherlands and that her mother would be flying in for the wedding. Her dad, also from The Netherlands, lives stateside and was also going to be in attendance. Alongside her two sisters, some of their best friends, and a handful of my favorite wedding vendors from all around Salt Lake City, Corinne and Jake had a most excellent destination wedding at the Bonneville Salt Flats.

Of course, not all things go as planned and if you know anything about living on planet earth, you’ve probably been subject to some crazy weather.

And that’s exactly what happened to us. We got struck with some crazy September weather in Salt Lake City for their wedding.

When hosting a destination wedding, there are a few things to consider.

Choosing a date that you like. Corinne and Jake chose a September date to fend off the crazy heat of the summer.
Work with amazing wedding vendors who have exceptional track records. (we had the BEST vendors and it all worked out so well)
Prepare to be flexible. Yoga is good but internal flexibility with vision is also the key.
Have a heart for adventure. Not everything will go as planned even with the best planning. Contingencies are important.

windy wedding at the bonneville salt flats

A destination wedding at the Bonneville Salt Flats

Remember when I just said that the weather got crazy on us? Well, an early cold front had moved through the Great Basin area and with it a lot of rain came with it. Salt Lake isn’t exactly rain city and I’ve never actually been there when it has rained. But of course, it would rain and turn very chilly during their elopement day. In fact, their original wedding date that they had scheduled was guaranteed to have a ton of rain hitting the salt flats. And that just wasn’t in the fantasy, you know?

So crazy Nate (that’s me!), I said to myself, I said, “Self, what can you do to make this better?” And knowing that I’d given up my immortal weather X-men powers to become a lowly mortal destination wedding and elopement photographer, I came up with the next best solution.

Let’s get married a day ahead of time with less than 24 hour notice!

I know what you’re thinking. Nate, I thought you said you were a professional. RIGHT?! Well, I knew that we’d be rained out and would have the absolute toughest time out at the flats if it did choose to rain and they were bringing in not only the most beautiful backdrops but also chairs, florals, food, and tables.

But I knew. I just KNEW that it would be okay. After a strong prayer moment, I had peace when I suggested moving the date to Corinne and Jake. Then we set off on it.

destination wedding bonneville salt flats wedding with arbor

We contacted all the wedding vendors and within a matter of a few hours everything had been bumped up a full 24 hours ahead of schedule. Now, instead of rushing out of Salt Lake the day after their elopement to get back to Atlanta for their super elegant restaurant wedding reception, they’d be able to enjoy their destination wedding at the Bonneville Salt Flats that much more.

And as you’d know it–everything worked out perfectly. Even better because now they TECHNICALLY did share wedding vows on my wedding anniversary so we’re kinda like Irish anniversary twins.

Everything on their wedding day was perfect. Corinne gathered with her two sisters at a local AirBnB for wedding day prep. She shared gifts with her mother and with Jake’s mother. The overall feel, while buzzing and excited, was peace. I surprised Corinne with the Dutch candies and goodies including a Dutch butte cake (Boterkoek) which really surprised and delighted the bride. And we shared in some of my favorite candy, black licorice, which apparently is super popular in The Netherlands.

After a short viewing of their engagement portraits we took out in beautiful Albion Basin, Corinne, Jake, and their entire wedding crew were ready. We headed out to meet Trish, our amazing decorator and everything just worked out so perfectly.

bonneville salt flats wedding set with decor

Rustic Urban Goods and my newest besties Home Sweet Event Rentals did an outstanding job of creating the perfect ceremony space directly on the Bonneville Salt Flats. Corinne changed onsite in a popup tent and walked down the aisle to “Still” by Seinabo Sey. I think everyone cried at least one time during their beautiful ceremony. But it was beautiful not just in appearance but in the vows these two shared as well. To quote Corinne briefly:

“And I would choose you in a hundred lifetimes in a hundred worlds in any version of reality. I would find you and I would choose you.”

(Video thanks to the amazing Scarlet Oak Studio!)

After the ceremony, we all celebrated by taking tequila shots with fresh salt flats salt, dancing and twerking on the salt flats, and then celebrating with first dances and heartfelt toasts. The family even enjoyed wedding cake, h’ordeuvres, and some fun beverages while out on the flats. It was truly a spectacle to see.

Of course, it practically wouldn’t be a trip out to the Salt Flats without a late night stop at In-N-Out Burger. Which, is always a fun stop when you’re freshly married and hungry for a tasty burger!

A real connection with amazing photography clients

Like all my couples, I just adore Jake and Corinne. I think they may always hold a special place in my heart because of some of the adversities we had to overcome while staging this beautiful wedding including moving everything around with a 24 hour notice. We also got to travel together quite extensively and they were even kind enough to offer me their spare seat in their row on some very crowded flights. We broke bread together and literally shared all sorts of food including some really epic Dutch yummies that I scored and gifted to the wedding day couple on their wedding day.

new adventure productions at the bonneville salt flats wedding

A huge thank you to these two, to their wonderful family members, and to the vendors who always strive to perform. Aligning myself with the best brings me so much pride and joy and getting to work alongside some of the best really makes me feel happy.

Want to elope with me?

Let’s Elope in Utah

How to Elope at the Bonneville Salt Flats