John & Proskine Wedding

A Sun Valley Wedding Story

Jennifer Elizabeth John and Luke John Proskine

September 1, 2013

Private Home North of Ketchum

 

This San Francisco couple bonded over a love of fly fishing, and when Jenny brought Luke to the rivers of the Wood River and Lost River Valleys, he declared it was "heaven." It's no surpirse, therefore, that they brought their friends and family to Sun Valley to share in the magic during this beautiful fall wedding.   

John and Proskine Sun Valley wedding photo by Hillary Maybery.


WHY DID YOU CHOOSE SUN VALLEY?

As a family, we have spent all of our vacations in Ketchum or on our ranch in Mackay. Every time I (Jenny) land in Hailey I feel calm and am ready to relax and enjoy the things I love to do most, like fly fishing. I have never met anyone who loves to fly fish more than Luke. The first time I brought him to Sun Valley, he declared it was heaven. We feel healthy, happy and adventurous when we are in Sun Valley and we wanted to share our paradise with the people we love most.

John and Proskine Sun Valley wedding photo by Hillary Maybery.John and Proskine Sun Valley wedding photo by Hillary Maybery.

WHERE ARE YOU FROM?

We live in San Francisco. I am originally from the Bay Area and Luke is from outside of Chicago.

OCCUPATIONS?

Financial Services.

John and Proskine Sun Valley wedding photo by Hillary Maybery.John and Proskine Sun Valley wedding photo by Hillary Maybery.

HOW DID YOU MEET? 

We met in an interview. Luke gave me the hardest interview of the day!

HOW DID YOU GET ENGAGED?

Luke took me camping near Shasta, California. He got up early the first morning and let me sleep in while he “explored." He came back completely soaked! I believed him when he told me he fell in the river (it wouldn’t have been the first time). After a morning of strangely low-key fly fishing, we packed a picnic to visit the waterfall Luke had discovered that morning. After a quick hike and swim across the river, we came to a large rock stretching across the middle of the water near a waterfall.

John and Proskine Sun Valley wedding photo by Hillary Maybery.John and Proskine Sun Valley wedding photo by Hillary Maybery.John and Proskine Sun Valley wedding photo by Hillary Maybery.

The rock was decorated with a quilt, two folding chairs and a cooler. Inside the cooler was one of the three bottles of Kistler chardonnay we bought and swore to drink only on the most special occasions. As soon as I opened the cooler, Luke was on one knee. After tears, laughter and kissing, Luke brought out of his backpack an iPod player and proceeded to play a playlist he created for the occasion with our favorite songs. We laid on the rock for hours listening to music and really being present. The best part was there was no cell service so we didn’t have to share our moment with anyone else. The day was just for us.

John and Proskine Sun Valley wedding photo by Hillary Maybery.John and Proskine Sun Valley wedding photo by Hillary Maybery.

NUMBER OF GUESTS? 

280

WHAT WAS YOUR WEDDING THEME?

We didn’t really have theme. We had inspirations. For example, 1920’s garden parties.

John and Proskine Sun Valley wedding photo by Hillary Maybery.John and Proskine Sun Valley wedding photo by Hillary Maybery.John and Proskine Sun Valley wedding photo by Hillary Maybery.John and Proskine Sun Valley wedding photo by Hillary Maybery.

ANY SPECIAL TRADITIONS?

Luke collects rocks from all his favorite places so for our “Something Old” he kept the rock we collected from the river where we got engaged in his tux pocket. 

John and Proskine Sun Valley wedding photo by Hillary Maybery.

SONG THAT YOU WALKED DOWN THE AISLE TO?

"Cannon" by Johann Pachelbel

SONG FOR YOUR FIRST DANCE? 

“Nobody Knows Me” by Lyle Lovett

John and Proskine Sun Valley wedding photo by Hillary Maybery.John and Proskine Sun Valley wedding photo by Hillary Maybery.John and Proskine Sun Valley wedding photo by Hillary Maybery.

HOW DID THE NIGHT END?

On the way to the busses, we had people handing out sliders and mini grilled cheese sandwiches.

WHERE WAS YOUR HONEYMOON?

We started in Paris and then flew to Tanzania for a safari in the Serengeti. It was life-changing!

John and Proskine Sun Valley wedding photo by Hillary Maybery.John and Proskine Sun Valley wedding photo by Hillary Maybery.

WHAT MADE YOUR WEDDING SO SPECIAL?

The people—we are so lucky to have the most amazing friends and family. Every person there was so happy to be there and you could tell because they had so much fun! Plus, it didn’t hurt that we had the world’s best band. They were incredible. A guest actually booked them that night for New Year’s Eve.

John and Proskine Sun Valley wedding photo by Hillary Maybery.John and Proskine Sun Valley wedding photo by Hillary Maybery.

WHAT WAS THE BRIDE’S FAVORITE MOMENT?

I still get giddy thinking about our first dance. We did it outside on the lawn by the pond at the end of the cocktail hour. Two members of the band played our song acoustically as we danced with our guests circled around us. It was magical.

John and Proskine Sun Valley wedding photo by Hillary Maybery.John and Proskine Sun Valley wedding photo by Hillary Maybery.John and Proskine Sun Valley wedding photo by Hillary Maybery.

THE GROOM’S?

Watching my beautiful bride get rowed across the pond by her father before walking down the aisle. Everyone in the audience was totally surprised to get their first look at the bride coming towards the aisle in a canoe … The sun was setting and she lit up like a princess! It was magic.

John and Proskine Sun Valley wedding photo by Hillary Maybery.John and Proskine Sun Valley wedding photo by Hillary Maybery.John and Proskine Sun Valley wedding photo by Hillary Maybery.John and Proskine Sun Valley wedding photo by Hillary Maybery.

D.I.Y PROJECTS? GUEST FAVORS?

I hand-bedazzled 150 pairs of flip-flops. It was a lot of glitter and rhinestones. We also put together adorable gift baskets with Sun Valley Mustard and pretzels, a handmade book of restaurants and things to do in Sun Valley, and the incredible gift of a signed David Stoecklein cowboy horse book.

John and Proskine Sun Valley wedding photo by Hillary Maybery.John and Proskine Sun Valley wedding photo by Hillary Maybery.

TIPS FOR SOMEONE PLANNING A SUN VALLEY WEDDING?

Everyone always says not to overplan, but I think having planned events for your guests helps them experience all the Valley has to offer. We put together a golf tournament, sponsored shooting at the Sun Valley Gun Club and had a huge welcome party the night before at a friend’s house. I think our guests really enjoyed getting to know each other and it gave us more time to visit with our guests who had so generously made the trip.

John and Proskine Sun Valley wedding photo by Hillary Maybery.John and Proskine Sun Valley wedding photo by Hillary Maybery.


VENDOR LIST:

WEDDING PLANNER: Amanda Seaward of Absolute Weddings
FLOWERS: Tara Bella Flowers
HAIR/MAKEUP: Carlos from San Francisco / Danielle Anspach of Vertu Hair Salon
LINENS: That's Entertainment
DRESS: Monique Lhuillier / Jimmy Choo
GROOMS ATTIRE:  Hugo Boss Tuxedo
BRIDESMAIDS ATTIRE: Monique Lhuillier navy blue dresses 
GROOMSMENS ATTIRE: Black tuxedos with black skinny ties
MUSIC: The Groove Merchants
FOOD: CK's Restaurant
INVITES: Regas Studios
PHOTOGRAPHER: Hillary Maybery
VIDEOGRAPHER: Max Monahan Productions
OFFICIANT: Pastor Bob Henley

John and Proskine Sun Valley wedding photo by Hillary Maybery.

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