Sydney & Rory’s Destination McCall Wedding
Destination Wedding Weekend
Featured in Rocky Mountain Bride Magazine
McCall, Idaho
“Our vision was an organic and elevated weekend of celebrations that honored the simplicity and inherent beauty of McCall's natural surroundings, and included personal nods to our relationship. To make our dreams a reality we hired Heidi Wight, principal designer, planner and producer at Ira and Lucy. Heidi’s professionalism, creative prowess, and profound familiarity with Idaho's wedding scene proved to be the linchpin for our unforgettable McCall destination wedding. Together, we intentionally designed each event’s aesthetic to build off the previous party, so that the four events blended in a seamless and fluid way.” Sydney
The Welcome Party
“We kicked off the celebrations with a lakeside Welcome Party on Thursday, featuring playful checkered linens, sunshine yellow wildflower arrangements, and custom welcome bags, filled with monogrammed hats, koozies, Idaho potato chips, and the famous ginger snap cookies from Stacey Cakes in McCall. Our friends and family sported the hats throughout the entire weekend, and due to the town's intimate size, quite a few guests were approached and asked if “SR” was a new brand in McCall. The evening was complete with interactive food stations, country music, and cocktails overlooking the lake.” - Sydney
“For the occasion, I wore Sophie Buhai pearl drop earrings paired with a long ivory Chloé dress. I had initially admired the dress on Instagram when a wedding planner posted a photo of his client wearing it to her rehearsal dinner. Although the dress was no longer available for purchase, I reached out to the bride who graciously allowed me to wear it for our Welcome Party. I liked her style so much that I ended up hiring her (@lareveriebymolly) to help me style my looks for the weekend and honeymoon! ”
The Surprise Bridal Luncheon
“Friday started off with a surprise Bridesmaids Luncheon courtesy of Ira and Lucy, who designed a sunset toned tablescape reminiscent of Idaho sunsets over Payette Lake. My bridesmaids and I enjoyed a relaxing afternoon sharing stories, gratitude and curated gifts.” Sydney
Personalized Chef Prepared Luncheon in McCall’s Newest Vacation Rental
I had found this DREAMY brand new luxury vacation rental, McCall Chateau and reached out to the owner immediately! Arrow was so wonderful and our vision aligned for our featuring the gorgeous new property for the wedding! I reached out to Sydney to see if she would be on board if we housed all the vendor team at the airbnb (which would be a cost savings from individual hotel rooms), did the Bridal Luncheon I would design and plan, only requiring her to approve of the menu and no stressful input, and if we utilized the space for getting ready on the wedding day for the ladies! The lighting was so ideal in the great room and allowed the bride, beauty team and bridesmaids to have ample room! It worked so ideal! It’s very close to Shore Lodge, so it offered a great solution AND better lighting. 1000% I would recommend McCall Chateau for wedding accommodations/getting ready.
Contact Info
Instagram @mccallchateau
AIRBNB Listing
Rehearsal Dinner
“The Rehearsal Dinner took place at the Shore Lodge, a lakeside hotel in McCall. We served prosecco and cocktails on the dock, in order to fully immerse our guests into the McCall landscape. Family and friends cheered as Rory and I approached the dock from a friend’s classic vintage boat, dubbed the “Jelly Bean”, after his loving nickname for his wife. We made our way to an emotional rehearsal dinner filled with heartfelt toasts from our friends and Rory’s dad, many guest’s favorite moment of the weekend. The floor to ceiling windows allowed the breeze of the lake to cool guests as they dined and toasted to the speeches. Our floral palette included soft ivory, creams and lush greens, allowing the lake views and the guests’ fabulous attire to take center stage. We also introduced a pop of peach in the linens, to compliment my halter dress from Agua by Agua Bendita and Rory’s custom ivory linen suit from Harper + Jones.”
Wedding Day, Getting Ready
“Day-of, I got ready with my bridesmaids, mom, and new mother-in-law at the McCall Chateau nearby. I wanted to look in the mirror and feel like myself, so I opted for a soft natural glow and an effortless half-up half-down hairstyle with soft waves and face framing pieces. My maid of honor went to beauty school and has been doing my makeup since we were 12, so there was no one I trusted more with my makeup. Meanwhile, to respect the tradition set by my dad’s groomsmen thirty years prior, Rory’s groomsmen wrestled him off his feet at the hotel and threw him into the lake. They proceeded to wear matching monogrammed track suits and captured spirited professional athlete gameday photos as they entered the presidential suite at the Shore Lodge to get ready.”
The First Look
“Our aim for the wedding day was to maximize our time together, immersed in the celebration with our guests. To achieve this, we scheduled a first look before the ceremony that included both wedding party shots and family photos. After 19 months of planning, seeing each other in our bride and groom outfits made it feel like the moment was finally here and immediately calmed my mood.
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“Rory's wedding look was meticulously curated through a bespoke experience with Harper + Jones. He designed a slim-fit dark navy Loro Piana mohair suit and stitched our wedding date, "07.22.23," inside the suit's pocket as a sentimental touch. He paired the suit with a pristine white button-down shirt, which served as the canvas for the standout piece—an eye-catching green and blue patterned tie by Salvatore Ferragamo, subtly coordinating with our wedding palette yet distinguishing him from the solid sky blue ties of the groomsmen. Meanwhile, I wore a classic silk gown from Grace Loves Lace that featured an unexpected asymmetric seam and low back for added visual interest. I complimented the dress with a curly silk ribbon edge cathedral-length veil from Tony Frederico, Manolo Blahnik pumps, and simple diamond drop earrings, while my bridesmaids wore effortlessly mismatched solid blue and floral print dresses.” Sydney
The Ceremony
“The wedding ceremony and reception took place at the Whitetail Club, providing a picturesque backdrop of expansive greenery and mountain views. Inspired by the lake and mountain wildflower landscape, I envisioned a palette of blue and lavender, reflecting the whimsical playfulness integral to our relationship. As guests entered the ceremony, striking delphiniums adorned the aisles, forming a gracefully curved ground installation that offered glimpses of the fountain, trees, and lush greens. Each white bistro chair was complemented by a custom fan hand-painted by my paternal grandmother with purple and blue flowers. Unfortunately, my dad's parents couldn't attend due to last-minute health reasons, making it especially meaningful to have my grandma's spirit present.” Sydney
“Sydney has beautiful style, refined with quiet elegance. We designed the ceremony space with the same “Sydney” aesthetic. White “preppy and playful” wood chairs to contrast from the golf greens, mountain organic foraged-vibe floral along the aisles leading to a curved ground installation that allowed views of the fountain, trees and greens. Our original altar plan had featured a significant four post floral installation, however just prior to the wedding week we were notified that we no longer had access to the ceremony site early in the morning, but instead just 2 hours before the ceremony time… we had to quickly scramble to adjust design plans to accommodate the tight time frame to set the guest welcome space, ceremony chairs, floral and alter. We opted to remove the aisle runner last minute to accommodate the golf cart entrance for the couple’s grandmother who was also our flower girl. She was escorted to the aisle riding in the passenger seat and tossing rose petals out the golf cart. It was incredibly special for everyone.”
The Reception
“Each guest was welcomed into the reception by a thoughtful seating chart featuring our favorite photo of each attendee, a detail that resonated warmly with everyone. The decor seamlessly echoed the ceremony, highlighting an abundance of the same enchanting purple and blue mountain wildflowers that graced the aisles. Two half-round statement bars took center stage, their backs adorned with bespoke floral wallpaper crafted by our wedding planner, Heidi, who worked with Blush Creek Rentals to construct the bar backs exclusively for our wedding weekend. Adding a touch of whimsy, we introduced a “bubbly cart” bar-on-wheels from Little Gem Details, ensuring our guests had a variety of self-serve beverage options.
The tabletops boasted a captivating combination of linens—embroidered green leaves and solid sky blue. Decorated with an abundance of floral elements, including lush bud vases and grand arrangements, the tables also featured wood hurricane candle holders for an added touch of rustic charm. Each seat was appointed with a natural wood charger, complemented by a beige striped linen napkin, and a custom circular layered floral menu mirroring the watercolor florals of our invitations. Elevating the ambiance, natural wood bistro chairs adorned the space. Leading into dinner, my maid of honor and the best man's speeches added to the day’s laughter and my dad composed a touching poem that not only celebrated the occasion but also eloquently conveyed the significance of McCall to our family. The wedding menu reflected local flavors and seasonal produce such as Idaho trout and potatoes (of course). In lieu of cake, we brought in an ice cream cart from Stella’s Ice Cream, a local Idaho-based ice creamery.”
The Party
Dancing kicked off inside the golf cart barn, which was transformed with lush green floral installations that hung from the chandeliers and dramatic ivory drapery cascading along the ceiling and walls. Soft seating, complete with custom pillows showcasing our watercolor monogram, added a cozy and personalized touch to the overall atmosphere.
After a memorable first dance and dance with each of our parents, I surprised my dad by changing into my mom’s wedding gown, which we secretly had tailored into a chic mini-dress. Besides the sentimental value, the mini-dress allowed for more comfortable dancing, and it provided a perfect opportunity to showcase my shoes. The energy was high as guests enjoyed espresso martinis passed on trays, a nod to our favorite (and locally famous) espresso martini from Balboa Cafe in San Francisco. Rory’s favorite memory from the weekend was the entire dance floor jumping arm-in-arm to “Never Be Like You” by Flume, Rory’s favorite artist. Passionate singing and late-night choreography from a hyped up crowd made for phenomenal candid photography (thank you Sean Thomas Photography!).
Farewell Brunch
“We capped off the weekend with a casual Farewell Brunch at my parents' lake house, adopting an open-house style to create a comfortable atmosphere for guests to relax after a night and early morning of festivities. The delicious breakfast spread and personalized coffee cart provided a leisurely start to the morning, as family and friends gathered around sharing laughter and reminiscing about the incredible weekend we had all experienced together.”
The best planning decision we made was to follow Rory’s dad’s advice to not sweat the details—the only part of the wedding people will remember is how happy the bride and groom were. We made it our mission to have the time of our lives and, thankfully, everything turned out beyond our expectations and we genuinely had as much fun as the photos convey.”
What Was the Planning Process Like?
As Rory and I don’t live in Idaho, our relationship and collaboration with our wedding planner, Heidi, proved to be the linchpin for our unforgettable McCall destination wedding. Heidi's multifaceted talents in design, planning, and production were invaluable. Through our weekly meetings, her professionalism, creative prowess, and profound familiarity with Idaho's wedding scene were evident, ensuring a seamless process.
Heidi's commitment to ensuring a smooth weekend was unmatched. Her quick adaptability was remarkable as she navigated unforeseen challenges, like pivoting to set up the ceremony just two hours before guests arrived! Her adeptness in overseeing every detail allowed us to revel in our celebration without worry, a testament to her unwavering dedication and ability to maintain flexibility while upholding our vision.
Heidi's dedication ensured not only a flawless execution but also a wedding weekend filled with cherished moments—a testament to her unwavering commitment to excellence and the paramount success of our dream celebration.
Vendor Team:
Planning + Design @iraandlucy
Photographer @seanthomasphoto
Floral @twohandsfloral
Stationery + Signage @something.lettered
Custom Watercolor Artwork @lavenderandsea
Rentals @thelittlegemdetails @blushcreekrentals @mccallpartyrentals
Bubbly Bar @thelittlegemonwheels
Entertainment @soundwaveevents
Sydnie Maree @sydkeddmusic
Linen @nuagedesignsinc @bbjlatavola
Stylist Molly Caplan @lareveriebymolly
Beauty @bamakeupcompany
Ice Cream Cart @stellasicecream
Accommodations @mccallchateau
Welcome Gifts @gbdesignhouse
Shuttle @ctcbus
Welcome Party and Bridal Luncheon Catering @whitneyfredinevents
Farewell Brunch Coffee Cart @royalscoffeeco
Couple @sydneymoses @rorysmith_
Location @whitetailclub @shore_lodge