Jessica and Tyler Budzianowski
Evening of December 3rd, 2011
The Valley Club, Hailey, Idaho
The Valley Club, Hailey, Idaho
There is really nothing better than a winter wedding set in Sun Valley. And that is exactly what Jessica and Tyler created for their early December, classic Sun Valley wedding. The air was chilly but the sky was epically blue and the setting was perfect for their romantic celebration. The couple's personal touches, like hand-warmers at the ceremony, a dinner catered by the world-famous Pioneer Saloon, warm Uggs under a beautiful wedding dress, dessert reception complete with mud pie and a plethora of local vendors, made this a true and enviable Sun Valley wedding. So, to all the couples out there planning a winter wedding in Sun Valley, Jessica and Tyler sure set the bar high!
WHY DID YOU CHOOSE SUN VALLEY?
Jessica grew up in the Wood River Valley and has since shared all that the Wood River Valley has to offer with Tyler. We couldn’t imagine a winter wedding anywhere else! We wanted our wedding to have an Idaho feel to it, and incorporated many characteristic Sun Valley and Idaho aspects. Jessica has worked at both The Pioneer and The Kneadery for many years and we wanted to share these special places with our family and friends.
WHERE ARE YOU FROM?
The bride is from Hailey and the groom is from Boise.
OCCUPATIONS?
Jessica is the Executive Director of the Boise Division of the American Heart Association and Tyler is an Engineer at Hewlett Packard.
HOW DID YOU MEET?
We met through mutual friends. Jessica’s sorority sister married a gentleman that worked with Tyler, and the two had been trying to set us up for years! Finally, we met at a summer picnic and never left each other’s side.
HOW DID YOU GET ENGAGED?
In 2008, Jessica introduced Tyler to the outstanding Sun Valley Christmas Eve celebration of the ice show, torch light parade and firework show. Every year we continue to go to the Valley to enjoy the epic Christmas Eve celebration. On December 24th, 2010, we took the Gondola to the Roundhouse for an early afternoon drink prior to the ice show. Neither one of us had been to the Roundhouse before, and wanted to experience the iconic building. As we were both enjoying a blue bird day and looking out over the beautiful view of the Valley from the Roundhouse, Tyler got down on one knee and proposed.
NUMBER OF GUESTS?
90.
WHAT WAS YOUR WEDDING THEME?
Classic, Idaho, Vintage, Rustic Winter and Black Tie.
COLOR PALETTE?
Pewter / Silver, Black and Off-White.
CULTURAL TRADITIONS?
We created a few unique traditions of our own for the wedding. We got married at 8:00 PM, outside, in 14-degree weather and offered a dessert reception after our wedding. For the “first dance”, Jessica danced with all of the special men in her life – uncles, cousins and a close friend. We love good wine so we also had a Wine Ceremony during the wedding ceremony, sharing a glass of wine. We had also prepared letters declaring our love for one another and packaged them up with a special bottle of wine that we will enjoy on our first anniversary.
SONG THAT YOU WALKED DOWN THE AISLE TO?
“Angel” by Jack Johnson.
SONG FOR YOUR FIRST DANCE?
“Can’t Help Falling in Love” by Ingrid Michaelson
HOW DID THE NIGHT END?
Our friends and family rang us out with cheer of silver bells.
WHERE WAS YOUR HONEYMOON?
We spent a few extra days in Sun Valley at the Lodge and in Stanley at the Sawtooth Hotel and hope to take a real honeymoon in 2012.
WHAT MADE YOUR WEDDING SO SPECIAL?
Each moment had purpose – we were traditional, but had many unique twists to make it meaningful for us. Our outdoor ceremony is one that will stand out among others. We even had a herd of elk out on the Valley Club Golf Course during our ceremony. We wanted to have an intimate dinner with our family and wedding party, so we decided to have our wedding dinner prior to the actual wedding at the Kneadery and catered by the Pioneer, both places where Jessica has worked for a long time. Then we celebrated with everyone at the ceremony and dessert reception. During the wedding dinner, Jessica wore a dress that was belonged to her Great Aunt Shirley over 60 years ago. We incorporated songs, people, locations and food that have all had special impact on our lives. Jessica’s favorite dessert, mud pie, was passed out after the cake was cut. Our friend made the cake for us and a long-time friend did Jessica’s hair. We enjoyed our favorite dinner with our friends from the Pioneer and Kneadery, Tyler’s mother made the wraps for the bridesmaids, Tyler’s aunt sang for us and the fresh mountain air was perfect for our outdoor ceremony.
WHAT WAS THE BRIDE’S FAVORITE MOMENT?
At the first sight, when I was walking up to Tyler sitting on a chair lift at Dollar Mountain. The sun was brilliant, the snow machines were blowing and it was just us, sharing a precious moment of love. Even though it was 14 degrees out, I would have never known!
THE GROOM’S FAVORITE MOMENT?
Walking down the aisle together after we got married to Van Halen’s “I can’t stop loving you” with my beautiful bride by my side. For our first Christmas together, Jessica surprised Tyler with a trip to Las Vegas to see Van Halen, his favorite band. How else would we walk out??
HOW DID YOU DECIDE YOUR MENU? WHAT WAS IT?
We wanted it to be local! Our Wedding dinner was catered by the Pioneer and hosted at the Kneadery. We dined on Prime Rib, Fresh Idaho Rainbow Trout, Pioneer rice, Idaho potatoes, fresh salad and Bigwood Bakery Bread. Our desserts were by The Valley Club; Mini Mud pies, vanilla mousse w/ fresh fruit, brownies, cheese and fruit platter, berry cobbler, raspberry cheesecake, apple pie and late night hamburger sliders and quesadillas. The wedding cake was by bridesmaid Bekki Madron of Bubbles, Inc.
D.I.Y PROJECTS? GUEST FAVORS?
Our guest book was not a book, but a two-and-a-half foot metal “B” where our guests could write their well wishes and it now hangs on our living room wall. Since our wedding was held outside in the winter, we wanted our guests to stay warm and provided them all with hand- warmers as they entered The Valley Club. We also provided jars of Sun Valley mustard, Tyler’s favorite, so our guests could enjoy a “taste of Idaho”.
BIGGEST CHALLENGE?
Like any out of town wedding, it’s important to keep in communication with your vendors and trust who you’re working with. We didn’t encounter any challenges, as our incredible planner, Amanda Seaward, was always a step ahead of us and worked with all of our vendors with ease!
TIPS FOR SOMEONE PLANNING A SUN VALLEY WEDDING?
1. Use a wedding planner, at least for the day of the event! Your planner can help you navigate through your visions and help you prioritize. And of course, manage the day of the wedding. You want to enjoy, not worry about details!
2. Go Local! There are a lot of great resources and vendors in the Valley, all with a variety of pricing.
3. Spend quality time with your photographer prior to your wedding. I highly recommend having the same photographer take your engagement photos. This is a time that you can get to know each other and learn one another’s styles and needs.
4. Come a week early and enjoy the Valley while finishing up last minute details!
VENDOR LIST:
WEDDING PLANNER: Amanda Seaward of Absolute Weddings.
FLOWERS: Stephanie McCord, Little Utopia Flowers.
HAIR/MAKEUP: Hair by Dale Tu, Salon 117 in Boise. Makeup by Bekki Madron (Bridesmaid).
DRESS/SHOES: Dress by Galina Signature at David’s Bridal and Ugg Boots.
GROOMS ATTIRE: Gray tuxedo with black accent by Calvin Kline.
BRIDESMAIDS DRESSES/GROOMSMEN: Bridesmaids wore one shoulder black floor length dresses by Mori Lee. Groomsmen wore traditional black tuxedos with silver accents by Calvin Kline.
MUSIC: DJ Lenny Joseph.
FOOD: Wedding dinner at the Kneadery, catered by the Pioneer Saloon.
DESSERT: The Valley Club and the wedding cake by Bekki Madron of Bubbles, Inc.
INVITES: Aimee Czarniecki, Blind Pug Graphic Design & Creative in Boise.
PHOTOGRAPHER: Dev Khalsa.
OFFICIANT: The groom’s cousin, Brian Magenis.
