When San Francisco couple Hillary and Erik embarked on their wedding planning journey, they knew one thing for certain—the picturesque backdrop of Lake Tahoe would set the stage for their dream celebration. The couple loved to escape to ski in the Sierras in the winter and boating on the lake or hiking in the mountains filled their summers. So, with the help of Jenn Robirds Events, the duo planned a truly special summer wedding at the Everline Resort.

“We worried California would impose yet another round of COVID restrictions that could impact our event. Because of this, we were careful to pick a venue with plenty of outdoor space. Luckily for us, the Resort at Squaw Creek (now called Everline Resort & Spa) was exactly what we were looking for,” Hillary says.

The couple, who initially connected on Bumble, shared a passion for the mountains, making the Lake Tahoe area the perfect choice for their destination nuptials. Since they’d booked the venue site unseen, the bride relied on other couple’s reviews to clue her into the idiosyncrasies of the location. 

“Once the venue was picked,” Hillary says, “we quickly brought on our wedding planner, Jenn. She was a total pro.”

Jenn Robirds Events helped the bride balance her need for clean and classic neutrals with boho textures while embracing bright summer florals. Jenn brought on owner Ridhi of Zuri Floral Design to create her vision for an asymmetrical arch that had no greens and only flowers. 

Outside of the design, the couple’s goal was to “brush shoulders with our guests as much as possible throughout the weekend.” Luckily, the resort offered the guest-centric experience the couple were hoping for “with a stunning location, high-quality food, activities for all ages and plenty of communal spaces for us to hang out with our guests outside of the main events.” 

The couple’s ceremony, held on the 10th tee of the golf course in Olympic Valley, was presided over by Alex Solorio of First Presbyterian Church in San Antonio who flew in specifically for their celebration. The ceremony, with guests of diverse faith backgrounds, was a testament to unity and inclusivity.

As far as personalizations went, Erik and Hillary took it to the next level including their adorable cat who would make his debut as the feline ring security during the ceremony. However, the bride’s favorite personal touch was the couple’s first dance. 

“For context, between the two of us, we have four left feet, so our guests were floored to see a fully choreographed dance with multiple lifts paired with a custom song we made with a professional singer/songwriter (through an Airbnb experience in Nashville). We practiced so much that to this day, my husband and I jokingly refer to our wedding as our dance recital,” the bride says.

For the reception, Hillary did not want a tent yet longed for a better way to define the open reception space. Jenn designed the space around cabanas – these enclosed the space from resort guests and made the dinner setting feel more romantic. The linens from BBJ La Tavola showcased the perfect pattern but in crisp ivory that kept their outdoor space light and airy.

After Erik and Hillary’s “dance recital”, they shot off a CO2 cannon to get the party started. “I wasn’t entirely sure what this entailed until he [Erik] pulled me up on stage, handed me a cannon, and proceeded to blast ice-cold air on our guests while the band played the theme song to Zoolander,” the bride recalls. 

Planning a destination wedding comes with its challenges, but Hillary and Erik overcame them with careful planning and the expertise of their wedding planner. With unwavering trust in her abilities, they created a flawless event that left a lasting impression on their guests.

“We are biased,” the couple admits, “but we had countless guests tell us it was the best wedding they had ever been to.”

When the twinkle lights in the trees came on at dusk and the tables glowed in warm candlelight, their love story came full circle as their mountain summer wedding unfolded even better than they first imagined.

Vendors: Photographer: Yuliya Jul Photography; Videographer: Logan Lisle Productions; Wedding Planner: Jenn Robirds Events; Venue: Everline Resort & Spa; Florist: Zuri Floral Design; Hair: Lea B Gorgeous; Makeup: Michele DeeAnn Makeup & Hair; Gown Designer: Daalarna; Groom’s Clothing Designer: Vera Wang; Band: Cover Me Badd; Dance Choreographer: Jessica Maria Recinos; Signs & Details: Shimmer & Stain; First Dance Song Writer: Caitlin Evanson