Sierra Nevada brides of 2013 proved to be practical, creative and consummate lovers of nature. Guest comfort and natural beauty were the themes in this year’s weddings. Here is a round up of the best details and ideas from Sierra Nevada brides.
Best Shoes
Flats are often the most practical footwear for outdoor weddings in the mountains. Rugged, uneven terrain makes walking in heels difficult, so for maximum comfort and safety, many mountain brides opt for flats (including Toms) or bots in the winter. Here, Shaara choose a classic ivory flat with a pretty green fabric flower embellishment with matching tulle crinoline under her dress. See the entire wedding HERE.
Best Ceremony Idea
Bells at wedding ceremonies have numerous traditions and signify different things. In the Irish tradition, they are rung after the vows are exchanged to ward off evil spirits. Bells are also rung in remembrance of a loved one. In addition to handing out bells at her ceremony, and reserving seats in remembrance of a loved one, this Bride sewed a jingle bell into her dress. It was a gift from her sister to honor fond childhood memories.
From the bride: My sister and I had some favorite party dresses from the age of about 3-7 that effectively looked like upside down carnations with big poofy skits in bright pastel colors. These dresses had a little jingle bell sewn into the middle layers of the petticoat so that we had a signature little ring as we danced around in our party dresses. Melanie surprised me on the wedding day with a jingle bell to place inside my dress. I loved it! It was a shared little delight from our childhood, and I think I felt as pretty and joyful on June 15th as I did when I was 4 and dancing around in my party dress. See the entire wedding HERE.
Best Bridesmaids attire
Winter mountain weddings call for practical wedding party attire. Here pretty lace dresses, long-sleeved shirts, knit shawls and snow boots are practical, and the color palette and mixed textures make everything so magical and pretty. See the entire wedding HERE.
Best Hairpiece
Floral crowns were all the rage in 2013. Here, simple and sweet wax flowers and baby’s breath make a charming crown. See the entire wedding HERE.
Best Bouquet
Ivory and green flowers are romantically organic looking while the unstructured vine adds a rugged touch. The perfect metaphor for mountains, which are beautiful but can also be demanding and tough. See the entire wedding HERE.
Best Portrait
The glamour of this brides dress offers a fine contrast agains the magnificent backdrop of Yosemite Valley. Who says you can’t have glamour in the mountains? See the entire wedding HERE.
Best Venue
Photo by Hazy Lane Studios exclusively for Mountainside Bride
Yosemite National Park is one of the crown jewels of the National Park System, easily offering one of the most gorgeous wedding venues in the West. Here, Yosemite Falls serves as a ceremony backdrop for this outdoor wedding at the Ahwahnee Hotel. See the entire wedding HERE.
Best Tablescape
Hurricane lanterns were a camp and cabin staple “back in the day.” The best part is they stay lit through inevitable evening mountain breezes, and lend a sweet vintage touch to any tablescape. See the entire wedding HERE.
Best Guest Favors
Practical and fun, these mini flashlights are a perfect favor for an outdoor mountain wedding. They also add an extra level of guest safety in camp and wooded venues. See the entire wedding HERE.
Best Hindsight Advice
What’s the piece of planning advice you wish you had followed? That sewing 180 chair covers by myself was probably too much work. I worked on them slowly for about a year and didn’t even finish them until a week before the wedding! http://mountainsidebride.com/2013/11/rustic-twin-peaks-mountain-wedding-with-an-amazing-cake/ ~Tessa, Twin Peaks, CA
Runner Up: Earlier on, we received great advice from my sister in law to choose 1-3 things to focus on for our wedding since you can’t focus on everything. We decided together what our priorities were for our wedding– we both chose food/wine and venue, and I chose flowers. Since food/wine and venue were important to both of us, we spent a few weekends together checking out venues, tasting food and trying out different wines. On the flowers and other details, I spent more time on my own and would just update Bill on what I was thinking. I think this worked well since Bill wasn’t dragged into details he didn’t care as much about and didn’t get “wedding overload”. But the wedding turned out to reflect both of our visions, since we both decided and had input on things we each cared about.http://mountainsidebride.com/2013/07/wildflower-yosemite-wedding-at-evergreen-lodge/ ~Jeanye, Yosemite National Park, CA