Kate Hagan Bentley & Keith Eric Zalaski
Married August 3, 2013
Trail Creek Cabin
Trail Creek Cabin
College sweethearts (and both varsity sports players), this East Coast couple had a Sun Valley wedding that was both "chic" and "rustic," combining a little Boston style with Sun Valley scenery. Kate's family has strong ties to the area, so it was an easy choice to make Sun Valley their mountain destination wedding location. Read the interview with this couple below, including a list of local wedding vendors.
WHY DID YOU CHOOSE SUN VALLEY?
We had little doubt about where we wanted to hold our celebration. My (Kate’s) family has spent time nearly every summer and winter in Sun Valley, so it was an easy call for me. And after seven years of dating, Keith (a born and bred New Englander) had grown to love the location just as much. But most importantly, we associated Sun Valley with memories we had made together—a quality that made this mountain town a clear winner.
WHERE ARE YOU FROM?
I am originally from the San Francisco Bay Area and Keith is from Simsbury, Connecticut. We currently live in Boston.
OCCUPATIONS?
Keith teaches math at a local high school and coaches basketball at Tufts University. I am a graduate student in Clinical Psychology, pursuing my doctorate.
HOW DID YOU MEET?
We met at Amherst College. We both played varsity sports (for Keith, basketball and golf, and for me, soccer) and met through mutual friends from the two teams.
HOW DID YOU GET ENGAGED?
Keith proposed to me on the balcony of the first apartment we lived in together on a crisp fall evening in Boston. The proposal took place over a couple of Rolling Rock beers (classy!). Keith got down on one knee and popped the question … simple and perfect.
NUMBER OF GUESTS?
165
WHAT WAS YOUR WEDDING THEME?
We didn’t have a theme per se, but my mom’s classic but creative taste was apparent in every detail of the evening, from delicate tumbleweeds hanging from the chandeliers and the wooden pitchfork marking the aisle, to the sprigs of rosemary tucked into each napkin and the antique copper vessels filled with black-eyed susans. It all came together to create a rustic, chic ambiance.
ANY SPECIAL TRADITIONS?
Cristina’s is one of my family’s favorite restaurants, and no trip to Sun Valley is complete without a delicious lunch (or two, or three) there. So, the wedding party and family dined al fresco on Tuscan fare at Cristina’s to kick off the festivities a couple nights before the wedding. Similarly, we have countless cherished memories at Galena Lodge, whether cross-country skiing in the winter or chowing down on grown-up grilled cheeses after a summer hike. The evening before the wedding, all our guests piled onto two yellow school buses donning cowboy boots and jean jackets for the short drive north to Galena. We spent the night mingling around picnic tables and eating barbecue, cornbread, coleslaw and “wagon wheel” ice cream sandwiches. Erin and Don really knocked themselves out! We washed it all down with Sam Adams Summer Ale and a local IPA—a blend of our two worlds, Boston and Sun Valley.
SONG THAT YOU WALKED DOWN THE AISLE TO?
“Rigaudon,” played by two talented trumpeters who are also family friends.
SONG FOR YOUR FIRST DANCE?
“One and Only” by Adele.
HOW DID THE NIGHT END?
After cutting our cake layered with strawberries and buttercream (dropping our first piece but eating it anyway!) and dancing the night away, we headed back to the Sun Valley Resort to continue the merriment with our friends and family. The outdoor brunch on Sunday, when we all recuperated from the previous evening’s festivities over quiche, churros, fruit salad and lots of much-needed coffee, was the perfect end to the weekend.
WHERE WAS YOUR HONEYMOON?
We spent our honeymoon relaxing in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.
WHAT MADE YOUR WEDDING SO SPECIAL?
The incomparable feeling of contentment from the most beautiful aspect of the weekend—the two of us together, surrounded by our family and friends.
WHAT WAS THE BRIDE’S FAVORITE MOMENT?
Without a doubt, Keith’s heartfelt toast to me during the reception, which left very few dry eyes in the tent. A close second was wowing the crowd during our first dance with moves hard-earned from ballroom dancing classes.
THE GROOM’S?
The arrival of so many friends from each corner of the country was very special, but seeing Kate for the first time on our wedding day was the highlight. Her dress, the Sun Valley scenery, and her glowing smile created a combination that I will always hold onto as the strongest confirmation of how I was way out-of-my-league and the luckiest guy around.
VENDOR LIST:
WEDDING PLANNER: Amanda Seaward of Absolute Weddings
FLOWERS: Tara Ooms of Tara Bella Flowers
HAIR/MAKEUP: Teresa Hiramatsu of PURE
LINENS: La Tavola Linens in Napa Valley
DRESS/SHOES: Lanvin / Stuart Weitzman
GROOMS ATTIRE: J. Crew
BRIDESMAIDS/GROOMSMENS ATTIRE: Kate Spade / J. Crew
MUSIC: Freddy Pink
FOOD/DESSERT: Sun Valley Resort Catering (Ken Pratt)
INVITES: Papineau Calligraphy in Oakland and Gumps in San Francisco
PHOTOGRAPHER: Hillary Maybery
OFFICIANT: A close friend of the couple
