Anna Ballowe never expected to meet her future husband, Claude Plaskett, at a Greek Life event in college. Immediately smitten, Anna asked her friends about him. He later introduced himself, and the two began dating after the first football game of the year. Their love grew and they eventually bought a house together. Just before officially moving in, the two drove down to their soon-to-be home on a Sunday afternoon. When Anna entered the backyard, she saw flowers, Champagne, and Claude down on one knee.
Choosing Sundance, Utah as the location of their nuptials, the duo pursued an elegant, traditional Southern theme for their weekend wedding. “We had four big parties: Thursday night, Friday night, Saturday night, and Sunday brunch. Each event embraced a different personality and aspect of me, Claude, and Sundance,” the bride describes. Guests received welcome boxes upon arrival, along with special gifts placed in their suites each night. “We wanted them to enjoy the full Sundance experience” she says.
The couple incorporated many traditions and precious heirlooms in their episcopal ceremony. Their priest from home flew out to officiate the wedding, and he performed the episcopal tradition of “tying the knot” as the couple kneeled on antique kneelers given to the bride by a family friend. The mother of the bride placed a penny in Anna's shoe before walk down the aisle – the same penny worn by her father on her wedding day. Anna’s bouquet also incorporated pearls and an old family handkerchief. “The initials of every bride to carry it down the aisle is monogrammed on the handkerchief,” she explains. One of her friends also carried the same episcopal crucifix that is included in all of the bride's family's ceremonies.
The joyous destination celebration also incorporated sterling silver pieces belonging to Anna's family. Bridesmaids drank from her family’s silver goblets before and during the reception, and the mother and father of the bride sipped from the same goblets they used to toast on their wedding day. For their own toast, Anna and Claude used two of the engraved goblets given to her annually as a birthday gift by her grandmother. They also used the cake knife provided as a wedding gift from Anna’s godparents.
The bride confides that there is not one thing she would change about the weekend and is overjoyed that guests could visit a place so near and dear to her and Claude. “Sundance is such a special place to us and a place we’ve considered home for a very long time,” she says. “I loved having the opportunity to show our friends and family from Alabama why we love this place so much.”