SUBMIT WEDDING
Magical Sedona Engagement at Merry-Go-Round Rock

I think it’s time for me to book a plane ticket to Sedona because this engagement session amongst the city’s signature red rocks is utterly breathtaking. And if the gorgeous setting wasn’t enough to make your heart skip a beat, I promise this couple’s love and smiles are contagious! Fall in love with it all—thanks to gorgeous photos from Melissa Jill Photography—in The Vault!

From Melissa Jill PhotographyThe day Murphy realized he wanted to spend all of his days with Alexis was a day they spent in Sedona. The two hour drive was their very first road trip together. They drove up from Phoenix one Sunday morning and hiked the red rocks before having lunch in town. On the way back to Phoenix, they stopped by the Out of Africa zoo to watch the live feedings of the lions, hyaenas, bears, and tigers. At this point in the day Murphy remembers feeling hot, tired, sweaty and fairly stinky … but strangely he didn’t care about any of those things. He was having one of the best days of his life because he was sharing it with Alexis. From that point on, he knew that he wanted to spend ALL of his days with her.

Murphy and Alexis are always up for an adventure. And thank goodness for that, because getting up to Merry-Go-Round Rock in Sedona is no small feat! They rented a 4-wheel-drive SUV to make the trip up the rocky mountain road. It took 45 minutes to make the 6.5 mile journey. But once at the top, it was SO worth it! The red rocks and stunning vistas of Sedona are the perfect backdrop for Murphy and Alexis’s engagement photos, and a fitting way to remember the day Murphy knew he wanted to be with Alexis forever.

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Photography: Melissa Jill Photography | Venue: Sedona Arizona

Sunny Sedona Wedding + Blush Bridesmaids

Said best by Paper & Posies….It’s safe to say that it’s impossible not to get lost in this day. Starting with this adorable first look, then this proud Dad, of course this little upside-down monkey, and how could you not melt with this first dance. And packed in between all those special moments? Is a wedding planned by Margaret Van Damme filled with details galore. See even more captured by Vienna Glenn in THE VAULT.

From Paper & Posies….It’s safe to say that it’s impossible not to get lost in this day. Each photo will leave you endlessly dreaming of the romantic photography that is so full of beauty and inspiration. What is to love most about these photos is the effortless joy that was captured in each and every moment.

A heart warming “First-Look” of the bride and groom was captured prior to the ceremony that will warm your heart for days. This moment was followed by an intimate mountainside view for an infinity of life’s new wonder and adventure together as husband and wife.

The bride wore a strapless, sweetheart neckline gown by Lillian Lottie Couture, which was later adorned with a laurel wreath in her hair. Long, effortless curls, and natural make up completed this bride’s soft look. Her bridesmaids complimented her in backless, blush Lulu gowns.

The groom offered a cheerful approach in a navy suit, polka dot tie, festive dress socks, and an heirloom watch passed down by his grandfather. Soft and delicate colors of cream, sage, blush, and grey were so graceful in this Sedona, Arizona wedding. Bold, peach peonies, white roses, and bundles of rosemary were dripping in every corner of the ceremony and reception. A hand-painted, floral watercolor signage welcomed the guests.

The reception table displayed rosemary tied escort cards which were finished with a modern calligraphy. The bride chose a large globe to use as her “guest book” for a unique and personalized approach. Leafy garland rested upon the simple and delicate white, three tier cake. The guests spent a wonderful weekend away at the Creekside Inn Sedona, which offered a weekend of full festivities for their celebration as family and friends.

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Photography: Vienna Glenn Photography | Event Planning: Margaret Van Damme | Floral Design: Events by Showstoppers | Wedding Dress: Pronovias | Cake: Sedona Cake Couture | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Lulu's | Makeup: Chanel Warwick Beauty | Hair: HBH Hair | Venue: Creekside Inn | Calligraphy + Signage: Paper & Posies | Groom's Heirloom Watch: Omega

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Red Rock Engagement Session

If you haven’t been lucky enough to travel to Sedona, I totally insist you do.  It’s the kind of place where casual, laid-back elegance and downright romance mix and mingle with the majestic Red Rocks and breathtaking scenery.  In other words, it’s a true lover’s paradise… and the perfect place to celebrate impending “I do’s” with an engagement session captured by Amy Leah.  Click here for the full gallery.

From Amy Leah Photography… When I first met Lauren and Andy, there sweet and gentle personalities really allowed me to dream up a day that personified everything they were. Words like romantic, gentle, sweet, soft, floral, organic, intimate, natural, calm, quiet all came to me as I planned out their engagement session in beautiful Sedona, Arizona. The day of the session, the sky was dreary with clouds and gave the perfect moody tint… and at certain points of the day, there would be lovely splashes of sunshine that created a dreamy glow through the trees.

With such a soft scenery set, their choice of outfits for the day played right into their love story. A flowy, white, backless maxi dress from For Love and Lemons on Lauren was an exquisite choice as she was crowned with the delicate roses adding a beautiful, romantic and poetic touch. In contrast, Andy look absolutely handsome in his suit with the laid back feel of the open collar and no tie. I loved the girlish charm of dress number two from Free People with the sweet lavender pattern on it coupled with fantastic boots and a matching fiance.

The two have an obvious love for one another that is not LOUD but sweet, soft and whispered. I am really proud of the images and how we really captured the essence of their love for one another. We had an awesome time adventuring through the humid Sedona summer day and finding different hidden locations that would showcase their love in a romantic, organic and intimate way –  it was absolutely perfect. My favorite part of the session was at the very end where we did some moody shots in front of a line of trees. In the quiet, we could hear nothing but sprinkles from the light rain as Lauren and Andy embraced and really leaned into the moment. It was absolutely beautiful. Such an amazing way to bring this session to a close. Its really amazing to see a couple bloom right in front of you as you document their love. I am honored to have been a part of this moment in their love story. The two have a stunning wedding planned for this June in Maui where they will say “I Do” in an old sugar mill that was built in 1858.

Photography: Amy Leah | Flowers: Amy Leah | Location: TLAQUEPAQUE Galleries And Shops | Location: Sedona Hills | Short Dress: Free People | White Dress: For Love And Lemons

Sedona Wedding from Cameron & Kelly Studio

No doubt about it, this wedding rocks.  And not just because it was held in the awesome little locale known as Sedona.  No, it also happens to feature one seriously adorable duo (high school sweethearts, no less), lush, colorful blooms from Jazz Bouquet and a stunning setting (Creekside Inn) that will sort of take your breath away.  See it all captured beautifully by Cameron & Kelly Studio right here.

From Cameron & Kelly Studio… Samantha always wanted a backyard wedding and Creekside Inn rose to the occasion with its shady lawns, rushing creek and opportunity for the family to stay in one house. Brenan’s younger brother, Kyren (current QB at Northern Arizona University), mentioned during his toast to the couple that his Mother is always “getting on to him” for “this or that.” One day he remarked to her that “Brenan was never in trouble like this when he was my age.” His mother quipped back, “That’s because Brenan had Sam.” These two have been an item since high school, in fact, their relationship started eight years ago as “just buds” and according to Samantha and that nickname has stuck. Sam even surprised her groom with a sign for the flower girls to carry that said, “Here comes your Buddy.”

Sam had bundt cakes instead of regular wedding cake and “Poe” Corn for after dinner treats. The ceremony was beside the rushing creek and cocktail hour just above on the the upper lawn. Guests imbibed a signature cocktail called the “Sedona Greyhound.” I loved the large chalkboard menu as guests walked through an arch to enter the tented dinner part of the evening. For guest favors Sam had personalized coozies at each place setting. All the table names were from restaurants where the couple had made history!

From the Bride… Brenan and I are high school sweethearts. We started dating our senior year and have grown together over the past eight years. I went to the UA and he went to ASU, so you can say that we have a divided house and still argue about our schools but love when our teams play each other. Odd enough but we call each other Buddy and our friends and family know this nickname. When my mom would ask me if we were dating during senior year I would say “No, we are just budds.” We also referred to each other as budd and it has stuck with us.  We enjoy riding our bikes together around Tempe and going to one of our favorite places Four Peaks to grab a beer.

Photographer: Cameron Clark Photography | Coordination: Van Damme Weddings | Dress: Monique Lhuillier | Catering: Dan's Bistro | Venue: Creekside Inn | Tent: Classic Party Rentals | Floral: Jazz Bouquet

Sedona Wedding from Aaron Delesie + Lisa Vorce + Mindy Rice

There’s this powerhouse duo that kills it in the wedding world. That designing and floral artistry twosome better known as Lisa Vorce and Mindy Rice have a way of creating the most magical affairs. The kind that transport you to a whole new world where everything from the paper goods to the teepees (see below) convey a sense of who the couple is and perfectly reflect the spot that they’ve chosen to host such a big day. Sedona is today’s spot and the beauty is in all the millions of details and in the killer imagery captured by Aaron Delesie. Have a look here for every last little bit.

From Lisa Vorce… The wedding took place at the wonderful Enchantment Resort in breathtaking Sedona, Arizona. So, so gorgeous! Our clients put an extraordinary amount of trust in us and let us do our thing, so Mindy and I had a blast. So much inspiration from the natural environment there. Starting with the Save the Date – we set the tone for what was to come. We partnered with Device Creative Collaborative who created the most amazing tipi save the date. One of my favorites!

For the wedding ceremony, our groom selected a spot in the middle of the secluded Boynton Canyon. Surrounded by red-rock formations, it was simply breathtaking. Mindy created an enormous hand woven dream catcher ceremony structure – embellished with feathers and wood beading inspired by the colors of the surrounding earth. The bride carried a beautiful organic bouquet composed of eucalyptus, garden roses, hellebores, millet, bunny tail, euphorbia, spray roses, and feathers. For the petal toss – guests were given gilded leather pockets embellished with native stone beads – filled with micah and a variety of soft feathers.

At the cocktail hour, a friend of the bride made a beautiful dream catcher as a gift. We had die cut feathers made in the wedding colors, and had each guest write a message to the bride and groom and then hang their “message feathers” on the dream catcher. So cute!

For the dinner reception in the ballroom, we brought in a truss structure and had the most incredible “tufted” ceiling created. The walls were draped in a beautiful plumy taupe fabric, and twenty-four foot dinner tables showcased loosely woven linens, mother of pearl flatware, stone washed lavender napkins, petite “booklet” menus which also functioned as place cards (each guest’s name was calligraphed on the cover of the booklet), tufted gold mercury glass candles, and hand thrown pottery housing collections of bleached feathers. For the centerpieces, Mindy created the most beautiful combination — wooden vessels holding feathers, sterling silver and prelude roses, eucalyptus, succulent blossoms, and astilbe. Gorgeous!

Other fun dinner reception details included lounge vignettes detailed with moroccan wedding blankets, ethnic punched tin lanterns and and metallic taupe pillows. Each lounge vignette had petite wood containers with metallic bon bons in silver, purple, lavender, and plum. Was such a fun detail!

Sedona was the perfect peaceful environment for our genuinely kind and sweet clients. An amazing celebration of their love and we were so happy to be a part of it.

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Photography: Aaron Delesie Photographer, Inc | Event Design + Production: Lisa Vorce Event Design & Production | Floral + Event Design: Mindy Rice Floral & Event Design | Stationery: Device Creative Collaborative | Officiant: Janice Midkiff, Love in Sedona | Tipi Marquee: Under Canvas | Linens: Custom from Lisa Vorce Event Design & Production + La Tavola | Rug Rentals: Casa de Perrin | Catering: Enchantment Resort | Specialty Event Furniture: Elan Event Rentals | Lighting + Trussing: Lighten Up Inc | Music: Guacho Jazz | Rentals: Classic Party Rentals | Shoes: Hadleigh’s Bespoke Evening Slippers  | Wedding Dress: Monique Lhuillier | Wedding Cake: Sedona Cake Couture

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Sedona Wedding at Garland’s Oak Creek Lodge from Victor Zerga

When I tell you that you are about to fall head.over.heels for this next stunning Sedona affair, believe you me, I have never been more on the money.  Because any wedding that boasts two adorable high school sweethearts, one vintage-inspired detail after another (all styled by the beautiful bride!) and a breathtaking Sedona setting is most definitely a fall crazy in love kind of affair.  Victor Zerga snapped up every last heartwarming moment… and the gallery?  Your new best friend.  See it all right here.

From the Bride… Mike and I both grew up in Sedona, Arizona. It is a magical place with beauty beyond belief. We live in San Diego now, but we wanted to have our celebration in the town where we met and fell in love. Mike and I are high school sweethearts and spent many days getting to know each other in this sweet little town, so it was fitting for us to tie the knot in Sedona. We decided on holding the ceremony and reception at Garlands Lodge up in the canyon on the creek. It is a rustic setting with beautiful gardens and a big, grassy lawn. We both had spent time at Garlands as children and had fond memories of the place. While I was planning the wedding, Mike was deployed overseas. It was interesting trying to include him and make the wedding just as much about him as it was me. It actually brought us together and brought up opportunities to communicate and work through things.

We decided to go with a vintage rustic theme. It embodied both our personalities. I wanted to make every part of the wedding unique to our love and union. I bought every plate that our guest dined on at thrift and antique stores. I made a heritage table with pictures from both sides of our families, and every frame, vase and book was picked out by me and my mom. The burlap table runners and gift bags were all made by a good friend. The wood frames, ceremony arch backing and seating arrangement stand were all made by my dad. On each place setting, there was an mad lib that we had made, a seed packet of flowers and some Vosges Haute Chocolate.

The flowers were one of the first things I thought about when planning the wedding. I had a clear vision of wildflowers and a Sedona sunset. Sedona’s sunsets are one-of-a-kind. Cathy, our flower lady, did such an incredible job of capturing my vision. The food was done by Heartline Cafe in Sedona, and it was incredible. The photo booth was also a hit. Everybody love going in and taking fun pictures! It got used all night long. The DJ was a close friend! She was just wonderful. I made a playlist of all the songs I wanted played, and I also made a do not play list. We kept it light and sweet during dinner with standard love songs and a few indie favorites. When the dancing began we had a mix of bluegrass, lots of Alabama and a throwback to ’90s hip-hop with a ton of Notorious B.I.G. There was lots of dancing and jumping around. My day of planner was so together and helpful. That would be my best advice for brides planning their own weddings. Make sure to hire a day of coordinator. It’s your day and you need to put the stress into someone’s hands besides your own. A professional wedding coordinator is a must.

Wedding Photography: Victor Zerga / Wedding Venue: Garland’s Oak Creek Lodge in Sedona, Arizona / Event Design: The Bride / Wedding Day Coordination: Alexis Vickers / Floral Design: Cathy Switzer / Officiant: Nate Hansen / Catering: Heartline Cafe / Wedding Cake: Sedona Cake Couture / Wedding Stationery: Minted / Ceremony Music: Redlands / DJ: Jeanie Carroll / Wedding Dress: Melissa Sweet / Bride’s Jewelry: Tiffany & Co. / Bride’s Shoes: Vintage / Hair: Sara Pinckney / Makeup: DIY / Bridesmaid’s Dresses: Various / Groom’s Suit: Theory / Groom’s Shoes: Vans / Groomsmen’s Suits: Jos. A. Bank / Wedding AdLibs: August Press

Sedona Wedding from Amy & Stuart Photography + Some Like It Classic

I haven’t been lucky enough yet to visit Sedona, but after the complete swoon fest that is this wedding, I am moving Arizona to the very tippy top of my Travel Bucket list. Let me just say, if it is half as gorgeous as Amy & Stuart Photography‘s images let on, its definitely a magical spot. Because only a super special spot could produce a wedding this fabulous – a super special spot AND Some Like It Classic – Wedding & Event Design. It’s totally fabulous, and it’s all right here!

Click here to see the full image gallery!

My first love was Sedona. Amongst my fondest childhood memories are skipping rocks and wading through Oak Creek. I always knew I wanted to get married in Sedona. Anyone who knows Sedona, knows there is just something about it. I just needed to meet someone as special and beautiful to marry. Jameel and I met in law school (you can see all our law books throughout the wedding). When he immediately fell in love with Sedona after a visit early in our relationship, I knew I’d found “the one.”

Distracted with appreciation for the life we had created together in the Bay Area, the February 2011 proposal alongside Oak Creek under Sedona’s famous Cathedral Rock was an unexpected but dreamy moment I will never forget.

In October, we were to be married alongside the banks of Oak Creek, at L’Auberge de Sedona, exactly the spot I dreamed about since visiting as a kid. We wanted our guests to not only join us in celebration of our union but we also wanted them to fall in love with Sedona, to experience the beauty and the magic of the place that was such an important part of who we are as a couple.

Our vision for our wedding day was one in which every element of the event reflected not only our love for each other, but also our love for family, friends, and our cultural identities. Aesthetically, we sought classic, vibrant, and very personal décor with turquoise and orange accents to compliment the breathtaking red rock views. We incorporated Mexican (my culture) and Palestinian (his culture) inspired cultural elements throughout the day: from Arabic inspired lanterns at the ceremony site with mexican flags to wave us on after the ceremony, a mariachi serenaded cocktail reception overlooking the red rocks of Sedona, a reception kickoff with the Mexican Wedding Marcha, the Palestinian Debke that lifted everyone off their seats after dinner , and a N’argileh / Hookah lounge that closed out the night for guests to relax outside after dancing.

The entire wedding day was magical, a perfect combination of who we are and what matters to us and a compliment to the natural beauty of Sedona.

Jameel’s favorite part of the day was the ceremony. Surrounded by our family and closest friends, married by two friends we love and respect under the trees and the peacefully running water at the edge of Oak Creek, we couldn’t have imagined a more beautiful and personal setting in which to share our vows.

My favorite part of the day is when Jameel surprised me after our first dance—he played the beautiful song “In a Sentimental Mood” on his Saxophone for me. He has been playing the sax since he was 11 years old—no one knew he had that surprise up his sleeve.

Photography: Amy & Stuart Photography / Event Planning & Design: Some Like It Classic – Wedding & Event Design / Cinematography: My Wedding Film / Flowers: Bliss Floral / Cake: Sedona Cake Couture / Ceremony Location: L’Auberge de Sedona / Reception Location: L’Auberge de Sedona / Invitations + Paper Products: Wedding Paper Divas & PaperCrazy / Shoes: Jimmy Choo / Dress: Angel Sanchez / Bridemaids’ Dresses: Alfred Sung

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Snowy Sedona Wedding from Sedona Bride Photographers

Snowy weddings just so happen to be my favorite. The fabulously white snow adds such a sparkling, radient quality to a wedding, only a bride’s beautiful smile could outshine it. Sedona Bride Photographers were on hand for a rare snowy wedding in Arizona, and since the result was obvious magic, they had to share. And we can not thank them enough for sending over such a wonderful winter wedding. You may not believe it, but the gallery is going to turn even the most loyal summer wedding lover into someone who secretly wishes for snow on her big day!

Click here to see the full image gallery!

From Sedona Bride Photographers … What are the chances of two incredibly unusual and gorgeous blessings coming in one wedding? First they won the Sedona Bridal Show / Wedding Chronicle Wedding Giveaway with over $40,000 in services donated by incredible Sedona and Scottsdale wedding vendors… and then it snowed on their wedding day! Snow on a wedding day in Sedona happens once or twice a year and is super beautiful.

Events by Showstoppers first did flowers in bottles for an editorial shoot for Phoenix Bride and Groom Magazine. The idea turned out to be wildly popular and it worked beautifully in Alexis and Max’s theme for their wedding as well; we just adored the tags in the bottles as table numbers. It was very cute and a great way to add a bit of color.

By the time we got to our favorite spot for romantic portraits with a red rock back drop it had stopped snowing almost all together. It sure was gorgeous with the red rocks blanketed in snow… Alexis and Max would look great anywhere though! They are just so cute together!

Photography: Sedona Bride Photographers / Ceremony & Reception: L’Auberge de Sedona / Wedding Coordination: Karen Lynn at Sedona Wedding Planner / Rentals: Classic Party Rentals / Floral and Lighting: Events by Showstoppers / Cinematography: Serendipity Videography / Cake: Sedona Cake Couture / Band: Artists in Rhythm / Bridal Gown: Mariee in Scottsdale / Groom’s Suit: Saverio Custom Clothier / Limo: White Tie Transportation / Makeup: Patricia Vega / Ceremony and Cocktail Guitarists: Brian David Trio with FitzHugh Jenkins and Joel Reich / Entertainment: Sedona Sounds

Sedona Wedding by Ryan Ray Photography

Ryan Ray Photography sent us such a sweet bundle of goodness, we could hardly stand the wait to share. It’s all at once intimate and wildly gorgeous with a couple exchanging vows in front of a handful of loved ones in the vast beauty of Sedona. There’s snow, there’s lots and lots of love and insanely pretty imagery by Ryan Ray. You know what that’s called? A Wedding Trifecta. Head over to the gallery for even more.

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From the bride… Our vision for the wedding was intimacy. It was most important to us to have a wedding about our marriage and not being overly flashy or over-the-top spending. We wanted everything to be quaint, sweet and the focused solely on our marriage in front of God and witnessed by family and closest friends. The officiant was the groom’s cousin, who is a pastor, and we chose the venue, L’Auberge de Sedona, because of its beautiful location by the creek. It was an absolute bonus that it snowed. We honestly thought that because of the long summer it would be sunny that weekend in December, but snow was a thousand times better!

My favorite part was how perfectly calming and intimate our ceremony was. It was amazing for us to feel so loved as we were placed in a beautiful snowy setting by a creek, surrounded by our guests. Benjamin said the first look was something he would never forget when he turned around and saw me. I won’t forget that when I saw him from the hotel room when he was shooting with Ryan first, it finally hit me — I’m getting married! I will never forget getting my makeup done and watching the snow fall all morning. What an incredible blessing to witness as I was getting ready. I also think the fact that our wedding was less about the wedding production but more about our marriage, so many of our guests told us after they had never been to a wedding like it!

What I enjoyed most about the planning was my venue team. Being a wedding photographer myself, it was a dream to work with my favorite people in the business, from my event designer, cookie designer, makeup artist, venue and, most importantly, the photographer that I had to have! I felt like I had the dream team and I couldn’t have asked for more. I’m so thankful that everyone was able to come together and work their amazing talents.I also loved that our ceremony was short, simple and sweet. I kept telling Benjamin I wanted to get married all over again. It was so much fun.

Wedding Photography: Ryan Ray Photography / Wedding Venue + Cake: L’Auberge de Sedona in Sedona, Arizona / Event Designer: la Ricki / Flowers: Bliss Extraordinary Floral / Hair + Makeup: Lizzy Marsh / Wedding Dress: Tadashi Shoji / Cream Belt: J.Crew / Black Belt: BHLDN / Earrings + Bracelets: Nadri / Shoes: Badgley Mischka / Jewelry: J.Crew / Groom’s Suit: Zegna / Tie: Calibrate / Shirt: Thomas Pink

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Outdoor Sedona Wedding from Cameron + Kelly Studios

There are few things about this Arizona wedding, captured by the brilliant Cameron + Kelly Studios, that I don’t love. Okay, never mind – there is not one single thing that I do not love. I love the flowers, the traditional white flowers mixed with beautiful succulents, giving the arrangements a very Sedona-esque feel. I love the fun pepper detail on the isle runner and centerpieces – who thinks of such fabulous decor ideas like that? I LOVE the cake – with an almost watercolor design to it. I love the love that is 100% apparent between these two – you’ll have to read their story below to see that. And I love that there is an image gallery filled with even more fantastic deets for all of our viewing pleasure!

From the groom … We designed the theme of the wedding around the unsung sides of the southwest; the blue skies, the green of succulents, the clean air that we enjoy in this beautiful place. We truly fell in love in Mexico during a three month period of travel there shortly after our relationship began. When we began planning our wedding we wanted to share that romance with our guests.

I had met Sarah years before our first date. We were friendly and knew each others names but that was about all that could be said. Fast forward a few years and we crossed paths again. I ran into Sarah at her job and asked her to meet me after work for a drink. She declined. I would not be deterred and we traded messages and phone calls over several weeks as we tried to make time to get together. Three weeks later we had scheduled a traditional dinner and a movie first date. The night before, Sarah called and changed the venue. Our first date was at the Grand Canyon. Sarah had unknowingly selected the perfect venue.

I moved to Arizona from Connecticut because of the Grand Canyon and spent three summers working for the Park Service. Sarah had a much deeper connection to the Canyon, her grandmother was a nurse at the clinic and her mother had gone to high school at Grand Canyon High School. We talked for hours out at Shoshone Point. We went to the village and talked for a few more hours. Then we drove back to Flag and had dinner, talking the whole time. The first date lasted about 14 hours and when we said good night I knew that I had found the love of my life.

From the bride … From the first date, I have always been amazed with Ben’s patient, understanding, loving, fun loving nature. He invited me to travel with him in Mexico during the second week of dating. Ben and I decided it would be an adventure, and even though we had only been dating for two weeks it was a risk worth taking. The time spent in Mexico, especially Oaxaca, changed my life. I fell in love with Ben and I learned wonderful, impressive, and beautiful things about him in Mexico. My life was changed for the better by taking a chance (and maybe even a crazy chance) and going to Southern Mexico for three months with a man I had just met.

Ben began our engagement with a lie. It was our anniversary, Ben told me he was sorry but that he had to work at 7 am and we would not be able to spend the day together. At 6:30 am, Ben’s alarm went off and he walked around to my side of the bed, got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. He told me that he had lied because he wanted to surprise me with a proposal first thing in the morning so that we had all day to celebrate. We jumped in the car with our little dog Mosley and drove down to Sedona to enjoy the day together.

I couldn’t have asked for a better partner to plan a wedding with. Ben is the groom that every bride wishes she had helping her. Ben was right there by my side, making decisions, calling vendors, picking out colors and flowers…. he even helped make the ribbon wands for the ceremony. He helped me out so much and is a super groom. That is probably cheesy, but he really is a super groom.

Hair & Makeup: Patricia Vega, La Petite Salon / Day-of Coordination: JB, Sedona Luxury Weddings / Floral: Garage by Ivy / Officiant: Shanandoah Sterling, Sterling Weddings / Ceremony Site: L’Auberge de Sedona / Reception Site: Tlaquepaque Arts and Crafts Village, Calle Independencia / Catering: Heartline Cafe / Cake: Sedona Cake Couture / Entertainment: AZ Nights / Rentals: Tri Rentals / Photography: Cameron + Kelly Studios

Outdoor Sedona Wedding from Sedona Bride Photographers

After feasting my eyes on this Sedona wedding for hours upon hours, I now understand why Sedona is an up and coming locale in the world of destination weddings. Views of red rocks that are so perfect they could have been painted, the apparent gorgeous weather, oh, and that happy glow of every single person, from the beaming bride to the sweet little flower girls to every single guest. Not to mention those beautiful florals from Bliss Extraordinary Floral. I guess Arizona weddings just agree with people. Sedona Bride Photographers were on hand to capture every little smile, detail, and loving gaze, and have decided to share their fantastic work with lucky us. Click here for more of this fantastic affair over at Sedona Bride Photographers.

Click here to see the full image gallery!

From Sedona Bride Photographers … Sedona is a lesser known but very popular wedding location… for couples like Allison and James, Sedona is one of the Southwest’s best kept secrets for a romantic destination wedding. Every year many couples from the east coast and may Chicago brides travel to Arizona to enjoy weddings in the warm winter weather.  Most of Allison and James’ family and friends came in from out of state and mostly from Chicago. They were treated to a stunning day with the unique red rock landscape, high desert weather, and lush creekside as a backdrop to a beautiful couple’s wedding.  Many have enjoyed beach weddings and big city weddings but few have had the experience of watching a gorgeous ceremony with views like those found in Sedona.

Allison and James’ wedding took place at the stunning L’Auberge de Sedona which was voted “Arizona’s Most Romantic Resort” and one can see why from the stunning creekside and red rock experience. A five minute walk through lush grounds takes your from the babbling Oak Creek to the hillside view of a vista with red rocks as far as the eye can see.

One of the most adorable parts of this wedding was the cute wedding invitation that the groom James created. It was a map of their relationship starting with the couple meeting in high school because their of last names their lockers were right next to each other. Then it detailed out their courtship and ended with the wedding invitation. It’s so great to see when the grooms get involved… especially when they are creative like James. You can really see how much they really do adore each other in the images. James has a special way he looks at Allison that is just so sweet and inspiring.

It threatened to rain all day. Instead of raining the clouds just broke and created the most amazing light for their breathtaking ceremony. L’Auberge’s Spirit Song Terrace was perfect with the vast red rock vista glowing in soft shades of red and pink as their families closest family and friends carried in the chuppah to start the ceremony. Allison’s dad had passed away so the ceremony and the day was more emotional than most weddings. In his remembrance his cowboy hat was displayed during the reception with a lit candle. Family stepped in for him for the father daughter dance and there could not have been a dry eye in the whole room.

Preparation, Ceremony, and Reception:  L’auberge de Sedona / Coordination:  Weddings in Sedona / Makeup and Hair:  Patricia Vega / Floral and Decor:  Bliss Extraordinary Floral / Cake:  Sedona Sweet Arts / Entertainment:  Chad Sebastian, Sedona DJ’s / Photography:  Sedona Bride Photographers

Sedona Wedding from KD Event Designs + The Charity Wedding

Have you heard of The Charity Wedding? It’s an awe-inspiring blog, centered around an amazing idea. This Arizona couple wanted to do more than just have a wedding. So they decided to donate the money they were going to spend on their big day to three separate charities. And on top of that, they were still able to have a killer wedding. Make sure to read the brides story below – it will totally blow your mind. And the wedding! Forget about it. Sedona stunner. KD Event Designs was on hand for so much of the planning and design, and with Melissa Dunstan Photography behind the camera, it was a no-brainer, uber fantastic affair. KD Event Designs’ has more on their blog, so click here!

There is more in the full image gallery!

Kyle and I got engaged in July of 2009 while we were living in Iowa. He was attending school and set to graduate in October at which point we’d head back to Arizona, where we are both from. We decided not to do any wedding planning until we got back as we figured it would be much too difficult to plan long distance and since we wanted a fall wedding, there wasn’t a huge rush. We had a few blissful months of what I call stress-free wedding planning.

One night while laying in bed, Kyle sound asleep, I thought “What if we could make this wedding mean something more than just a party for ourselves, what if we could somehow take the money we would spend on this event and help other people with it instead, all while still having a wedding?” That next morning I presented the idea to Kyle, who looked at me with a furrowed brow and then did as he always does; supported the idea fully. This was likely because I mentioned the word wedding which was generally a queue for him to tune out and just agree; he had no idea what he was getting into!

I had recently been to a local bridal show and I emailed every single vendor as I thrashed through the bag of business cards and brochures I collected that day at the show. We set guidelines and a simple request: vendors would donate all or part of their time or service and we would in turn donate to charity instead.

The response was exciting. We received a lot of questions and many people were skeptical of our motives, but then there were some vendors who just seemed to get what we were trying to do. Just about everyone – vendors, family, and friends included – had never heard of a concept such as this and we all adapted and evolved as we went.

First on board was Melissa Dunstan, our photographer, who was one such vendor that never asked what was in it for her or questioned our motives. As an avid volunteer who is extremely charitably minded, she just thought it made sense which was a huge boost of confidence for us as we weren’t really sure if it did make sense or if it would to vendors.  We didn’t want vendors doing it as a favor for us; we wanted them to come on board as if this was a joint effort to help others. Melissa was instrumental in helping us find other vendors including Kim Duncan of KD Event Designs, our event designer and Dana Micklos, our florist.

The more vendors we got on board and the more we talked about the process on our blog, the more receptive people became and before we knew it we had all our vendors. The process inspired and motivated us to do even more so we held various fund raisers and events to raise awareness for different charities along the way. We determined that the money from what would have been spent on the vendors would be divided among three charities: The American Heart Association, Second Chance Center for Animals, and Camp Soaring Eagle.

In terms of the wedding itself, it functioned exactly like a normal wedding. We selected Tequa plaza as our venue because it was outdoors and had a beautiful view from the roof top terrace where the reception was held. It was essentially a blank canvas which allowed Kim to do just about anything with the décor. We really wanted the natural beauty of Sedona to be the focus and all the details to just compliment that. We wanted sort of a vintage, handmade type feel so we scavenged thrift stores for vases and candle sticks and made a lot of little things like chalkboards, signage, and fabric flowers.

Our goal was also to spend as little money as possible to maximize what would go to charity at the end so we made cuts where necessary, used recycled items, and made whatever we could including the invitations. Kim did an excellent job of pulling all the random elements I gave her, with a bunch of random elements of her own to create the beautifully cohesive mix-matched look we were trying to achieve. I put a lot of trust and confidence in both Kim and Dana to do what they do best and didn’t give much instruction in terms of specific colors, flowers or design. I wanted them to be able to be creative and not be stifled by what I thought would look good. Many details including my bouquet were a complete surprise until the day of the wedding which was really fun for me and also it took a lot of the stress and pressure off me.

Family is really important to us and we wanted to incorporate them however we could. I wore my Grandmother’s necklace that she wore on her wedding day.  She gave me that before I even had my dress and I literally designed the style of my dress around that necklace. We incorporated family wedding photos and my stepfather served as our minister. It was intimate and so special to include little bits of the people that are so important to our lives. An Etsy jewelry designer and friend, Carly Thomas, made cameo necklaces that I gave to my bridesmaids to tie us all together and to pass on a little bit of my wedding tradition on to them. Kyle’s family owns a restaurant and they provided all the food. The people that work at the restaurant have become an extended family and it made it feel even more intimate to be surrounded completely by only people we knew and loved.

My dress was custom made by a small local store, Victorian Cowgirl, and I wore a beautiful sash given to me by Marie of Emici Bridal as well as a hair piece designed by Marie. I felt absolutely beautiful and so honored to wear these pieces that were custom made just for me, for this day. The girl’s and I wore red shoes in an effort to bring awareness to heart disease and on our invitation we asked our female guests to wear red shoes as well. This was important to us because Kim, our event designer’s, mother died at a young age of heart disease and it was important to her that we incorporate that in some way. It was so fun to see all the ladies dancing in their red shoes! Plus no one complained that I gave them an excuse to go get new red shoes! Kyle and some of the groomsman wore Tom’s Shoes and I even had a pair once my heels got to be too much to handle!

The day was perfect in every way and without question our dream wedding. Due to the generous support of our vendors and our fund raising efforts we were able to donate over $6,000 to various charities. We feel so blessed to have had the opportunity to use our wedding to help others. Most weddings are over quickly, but we feel like the impact of our day lives on in the people we were able to help. I love weddings and all the details and this was meant in no way to make other people bad for spending money on their weddings. We truly believe a wedding should represent and reflect the couple. Many people do that through a theme, or through décor, for us creating a wedding centered around others was the way we wanted to represent ourselves through our wedding.  We fully encourage all couples to figure out what will make their wedding unique to them and do it, regardless of what other people think. What we got out of doing our wedding this way was so much more than what we put in and we are so grateful for that.

Dress: Victorian Cowgirl / Hair Piece & Sash: Marie of Emici Bridal / Shoes:  Me Too & Toms / Event Design and Planning:  KD Event Designs / Photographer: Melissa Dunstan Photography / Floral: Glamorous Occasions / Caterer: Red Rock Café / Hair:  Brides Sister, Erin McDonald / Venue:  Tequa Plaza / Cake:  Sedona Sweet Arts / Rentals:  Classic Party Rentals / Cinematography: Taltos Productions

Portland Wedding from Bridal Bliss

Well, after devouring every little detail of this Oregon wedding, I have decided that I am officially ON the peacock bandwagon. And can I just say, it’s pretty fun over here. The wedding, captured by Powers Studios, seems to have been pretty much awesome. A blast. Bridal Bliss planned this little number, all centered around the love this sweet couple shares, and of course, the peacock feather. How could a wedding which boasts such bold colors like teal, blue, and pink NOT be amazing? Impossible. Click here for the full gallery of images!

Mike and I met in December 2007 when I was home from graduate school for Christmas break.  He needed a date to a dinner party and my best friend from high school, Michelle, who is Mike’s cousin, suggested he take her friend – me.   She set us up for the dinner party and after our first kiss under the mistletoe, the rest is history.

I am Persian and Mike is Lebanese.  We only wanted to have one ceremony so we decided to have a Persian ceremony — Persian ceremonies are very intimate, interactive and fun.  I’ve always pictured myself having one so we just went ahead with it, but amended it to incorporate vows that were unique to Mike and I.  The Persian ceremony typically takes place at the home of the bride’s parents.  Mike and I decided to have a small ceremony with close family and very few close friends at my parent’s home.  As such, it was very intimate and special.

I wanted an urban, modern reception where the look and feel was sleek and sophisticated.  The venue we chose was Pure Space on the north end of the Pearl district, a very chic part of town.  Since the color scheme was fairly muted, however, I knew we had to bring it to life with some bright colors so I picked eggplant and burgundy with pops of teal.   We used the peacock feather as a source of our inspiration throughout the day.  From the welcome baskets to the place settings, to the cutting cake, little pieces of the Peacock theme were incorporated throughout.

We had a DJ that played both American classics and Middle Eastern music.  The highlight of the night was a show from two belly dancers who were really incredible!  We had two kids at the wedding, my new niece and nephew, and since they were the only two invited we were worried they’d get bored! As such, I put together little party buckets for them that included coloring books and crayons, candy and treats, a disposable camera, glow sticks and yo-yos.

Planner & Design: Nora Sheils, Bridal Bliss / Rentals & Design: West Coast Event Productions / Ceremony Venue: Bride’s Parents’ Home / Reption Venue: Pure Space / Photographer: Ben Powers, Powers Studios / Flowers: Buddies Flowers / Belly Dancers: Sedona / Invititations: Bridal Bliss / Hair & Makeup: Katie York / Transportation: English Classic Limousine / Cupcakes: St. Cupcake / Catering: Gourmet Productions / Favors: Stumptown Coffee Roasters / Brides Dress: 2Be Bridal / Reception Printing: Crave Design

Sedona Wedding Photo Shoot by Sedona Wedding Studio

This session from Sedona Wedding Studio represents what we love so much about inspiration shoots.  There is a little something for everyone with a perfect blend of the old and the new, the timeless and the modern, the eclectic and the elegant.  Arizona sweethearts are seriously lucky to have such a plethora of talented wedding folks at their fingertips!  Check out all the steal-worthy details from vineyard to vintage in the full wedding gallery!

Click here to see the full gallery of images!

From Sedona Wedding Studio… The photo shoot was intended to show the possibilities for Sedona weddings.  There are so many options that are just as exciting as the famous red rocks of Sedona. Margaret Van Damme wanted to create an atmosphere incorporating vintage elements.  “The collaboration of talented Sedona Wedding Studio members resulted in this inspirational design that reflects a southwest image not often imagined by brides that live on the east coast or Midwest.  In the midst of the rustic country feel is incorporated a sense of casual elegance that might be found in the Italian countryside.”

Colorful vintage bottles were used as a staple element through-out the shoot.  Among other areas, bottles were hung from tree limbs and filled with flowers to create a charming and playful setting for the ceremony site.  Also, wooden benches were used at the ceremony site instead of traditional folding chairs.  Old bottles were set on the ends of the benches to serve as interesting aisle decorations.  The explosive florals were made in vintage wire baskets straight out of the 1920’s, and included peach eremurus.

The gorgeous wedding bouquet, by Ken Heflin, of Events By Show Stoppers, incorporated a berry theme.  Inspired by the vineyard location, complete with immature green grapes, Ken created a textured bouquet that was both elegant, unique, and vintage. Varieties of blown garden roses in various colors dotted the design. Pepper berries added a hot pink texture and spicy fragrance that blended with the scent of roses for an exciting composition.  Echinacea (cone flowers) brought in another texture with the thistle look of the Southwest.  Pale blue scabiosa gave the bouquet that touch of wildflowers that a vintage look demands.

Studio member Deborah Beggs, of Classic Party Rentals, provided her popular Descanso tables and Mahogany Chiavari chairs.  Antique crochet table runners ran the length of the table, with mix-and-matched china, and dozens of vintage bottles in every size, color and shape imaginable.  Pastel colored wine glasses accentuated the color of the bottles.

Kimberly McDowell, of Event Essentials, designed all the paper products under direction from Margaret Van Damme and Katrina Wallace.  The invitation color scheme of ivory, wine, and Tiffany blue was lovely and maintained the theme.  A wisp of feathers and tiny pearls finished the look.

Old planter boxes with pealing paint were used to house some of the vintage bottles in the center of the banquet table. This rustic look was just what the table needed.  Bottles are so much fun to collect and can be wonderful keepsakes to use over-and-over, and as well, can be charming party favors.

Photography: Katrina Wallace and Andrew Mejia of Sedona Bride Photographers / Design + Coordination: Margaret Van Damme of Van Damme Weddings / Floral Design: Events by Show Stoppers / Venue: Dancing Apache Lodge / Wedding Cake:  Sedona Cake Couture / Rentals: Classic Party Rentals / Make-Up Artist: Liz Margin / Hair Styling: Patricia Vega / Catering: Perfection Catering / Groom’s Attire: Saverio / Paper Products: Kimberly McDowell of The Event Essentials / Mask: Sweet Ruin / Models: Katie Anderson and William Copsey of M Model Management / Gown: Destiny’s Bridal

Sedona Wedding by Cameron & Kelly Studio

I love to see weddings where I just know that details were inspired by ideas that the bride found on SMP and around the blogosphere. It’s fun to know that a single detail can be translated by a bride in her own unique way and her wedding will completely represent who she is as a girl and who they are as a couple. With their own personal style stamp. Such is the case with this next absolutely lovely little wedding. Photographed beautifully by Cameron & Kelly Studio and Katrina of Sedona Bride, it’s the epitome of darling with a style that screams totally happy and totally chic. Oh and don’t even get me started on those bridesmaids dresses. Beyond adorable. Make sure to click here to see all of the perfect details.

sedona wedding by cameron + kelly

sedona wedding by cameron + kelly

sedona wedding by cameron + kelly

sedona wedding by cameron + kelly

sedona wedding by cameron + kelly

sedona wedding by cameron + kelly

sedona wedding by cameron + kelly

sedona wedding by cameron + kelly

click here to see the full gallery of details!

One of the most special parts of our wedding was the incorporation of my mom into our day {she passed recently}. My aunt and I reconstructed my mom’s veil, which was made by my mother’s mother and I was so lucky that it worked perfectly with my dress. I also used pieces of my mom’s wedding dress, and remaining parts of her veil for my bouquet wrap and my sister’s bouquet wraps (they were both my maids of honor). The same grandmother also made our wedding cakes. Eric isn’t a big cake fan, but he does like strawberry shortcake, so that’s what we had for “our cake.” We had two strawberry shortcakes, a chocolate-chocolate cake and a pina colada cake, all lovingly and beautifully made by my grandma.

I insisted on family style food service for our reception. I wanted people to feel like they just sat down for a big family dinner, I wanted them to talk and pass food like they would in their own dining room. Shelly did an amazing job of making that happen and every single person raved about how amazing the food was!

One of my favorite memories of our wedding day was walking down the aisle. Not because people were focused on me, in fact, it turns out I really hate being the center of attention, but it was quiet. It was me, it was my dad and we were walking towards my future. It was threatening to rain all day and as we started to walk down the aisle, the thunder clapped, but no rain. I can’t help but think it was my mom voicing her presence and letting us all know that she was part of our day. After that, no more thunder, no more rain.

We also made the decision to bring a little culture to our wedding. Eric’s entire family is Hispanic and we thought it would be really fun to bring in things that were representative of his heritage. One key element that did this was the tradition of the Lasso. It basically replaces the unity candle or sand ceremony. It binds bride and groom with a rosary in a figure 8, or the symbol of eternity, while they say their vows. For our cocktail hour, we created a fiesta complete with Mariachi band, margaritas, chips and salsa bar and “Dia de los Muertos” tissue paper cut outs. We were so thankful that we were able to actually attend part of our cocktail hour due to the phenomenal scheduling on behalf of our wonderful photographers, Cameron & Kelly Studio, who by the way were amazing the whole day.

It’s crazy to me that you spend months and months planning an evening that is over so fast, and though you get annoyed and sick of the planning process, and though you can’t imagine anything that could possibly be worth your time and effort, your wedding comes and then it’s gone and you would do anything to do it all over again. Our wedding really was the best day of my life so far, I became a wife and married my best friend; there’s not much that can beat that!

Photography: Cameron & Kelly Studio / Second Shooter: Katrina of Sedona Bride/ Location: Creekside Inn | sedona, AZ / Caterer: Shelly Mullins of Shegrues / Carole Sill (Bride’s Grandmother) / Florist:  Bliss Extraordinary Floral / Bride’s Gown: La Sposa | Lilian Lottie Couture / Bridemaids dresses: Bari Jay | The Wedding Accessory Super Store / Groom’s suit: Kenneth Cole (all groomsmen bought their own black suit) / Lizmiera from Etsy for the skull patches worn as boutonnieres / Aymujer on Etsy for papel picado / DJ: Mobile Magic Sounds | Rafael Rosas

Sedona Wedding by Twin Lens Photography

Our next stop on the mini wedding extravaganza leads us to Sedona, Arizona – the land of gorgeous panoramic views and artsy types. We love both and love even more how they came together in this beautiful, intimate wedding set in the red rocks of Sedona. Twin Lens Photography outdid themselves with this one. We are talking some serious delicious imagery with a side of bright starry nights. For more fabulousness, click right here.

{click here for more of those Sedona skylines}

For our wedding, my fiancé and I envisioned an intimate affair with our closest family and friends.  Since our loved ones are spread all over the country, we were open to any destination.  When we stumbled upon L’Auberge de Sedona in Sedona, Arizona, we knew right away it was the perfect place.   The red rock views were breathtaking, the accommodations were luxurious, and it had the rustic feel we were looking for.

When we started planning the details, Style Me Pretty gave us daily inspiration.  We loved seeing how couples incorporated unique ideas and personality into their celebrations.  It helped us come up with our own little touches, like using a canvas and paints for our guest book (I’m an artist) and having a cake covered in coconut (fiancé’s favorite).  The stone ceremony was one of our favorite things.  Guests had been asked to find and bring a small stone, and during the wedding ceremony they were asked to hold it and say a prayer.  We’ll be able to keep the stones – with their prayers – in our home forever.

We are especially indebted to SMP for helping us find the most amazing photography team ever, Twin Lens.  When we saw Kitty and Craig’s work, no other photographer would do.  And on top of their profound talent, they are the sweetest people ever.  We could not be happier with our choice, and I am so thankful to them for giving me what I believe to be the best, most beautiful wedding photographs that I’ve ever seen.    We will be forever grateful to Sandy Walker of In Awe Weddings & Events for making the wedding planning and our special day so wonderful.  I don’t know how many times throughout the planning process that I told Sandy she was the best thing that ever happened to me, and I couldn’t have meant it more.  She was professional, creative, patient, and wonderful in too many ways to list.

Photography: Twin Lens / Venue: L’Auberge de Sedona / Wedding coordination: Sandy Walker- In Awe Weddings & Events / Cake: Sedona Cake Couture / Flowers: Flowers With Flair / Make-up and hair stylist: Allison Pynn /Dress: Paloma Blanca /

These Featured Designers are members of our Look Book.
For membership information, click here
Arizona Wedding by Sedona Bride

I really have no words for today’s first featured affair. Which is weird because I usually have words for everything. And I mean everything. But this wedding, photographed by the always incredible Andrew and Katrina of Sedona Bride, simply took my breath away. The simplicity, the joy, the edited but totally romantic style. It’s beyond beautiful. To see even more images, click right here.

sedona wedding

sedona wedding

sedona wedding

sedona wedding

sedona wedding

sedona wedding

sedona wedding

sedona wedding

sedona wedding

sedona wedding

{click here to see the full wedding}

Kate and Norm are hotshots…they go out and fight all those crazy wildfires. They decided to have their flagstaff wedding under the san francisco peaks at their training camp. It’s so sweet that they picked a location that was so sentimental to them, and where they have spent so much time. Family and friends came from literally all over the world to attend the wedding.  From Brazil, New York City, California, Las Vegas, Atlanta, and everywhere in between.

Their wedding was relaxed, beautiful, and so very personal. All the details can be credited to Kim Duncan, of KD Events…she is a must-have at weddings as she really does an amazing job creating themed details that pull together an event.

Seeing Kate+Norm in their designer wedding attire contrasts sharply to the clothing they wear in the course of their normal routine, which is the heavy fire-fighting gear.  They tough people, and they dress up quite nicely :)

We were so lucky that this noon wedding…all photographers can tell you that midday is the *worst* time to get married because of the harsh light. But the couple had a canopy to soften the light. Kate’s sister is our good friend, Cameron (who is a fabulous photographer) and she was able to talk Kate into adding this for photos.

It was a lovely, lovely wedding.

Thank you so much to Andrew and Katrina of Sedona Bride for sending us this gorgeous bit of inspiration. Make sure to check out their blog for even more eye candy!

venue :: hotshot ranch in flagstaff, arizona / wedding design and styling :: kim duncan at kd events / makeup :: donna shoemaker / bouquet and boutonniere :: jim and ken at events by showstoppers / wedding dress :: from neiman marcus / brides shoes :: martinez valero / catering :: thornager’s / wedding cakes :: caked / wedding pies :: baked with love by kate’s mom and aunt / grooms suit :: hugo boss / minister :: kate’s crew boss / rentals :: tri rentals

Sedona Bride At Seven Canyons Resort

We have three gorgeous weddings from Andrew and Katrina of Sedona Bride. First up was Christine & Trent’s ultra-sophisticated New Year’s Eve Wedding at the Tempe Center For The Arts.  And now we have Alyssa & Michael’s beautiful wedding at the exclusive Seven Canyons Resort.

One of the very best parts of showcasing Sedona Bride’s weddings is that the total and absolute essence of the colors in their images almost jumps off the page! Try as I might to surround myself with the soothing nature of neutrals and whites, it’s color that really rocks my world. I do believe that I belong in Sedona … the colors that are part and parcel of that area are mine ~ they make me smile and feel warm and alive!

Enough about my love affair with color and back to Alyssa and Michael’s beautiful day. In addition to the stunning wedding colors and the amazing surrounding scenery, Katrina and Andrew have captured the emotion, the beauty and the awesome love shared between these two people. I’ll let the images tell the story …

Floral design by Ken and Jim at Events By Showstoppers. Undeniably spectacular!

What a great shot!!

You can see these and sooooo many more details from Alyssa & Michael’s wedding from Sedona Bride right here: Alyssa & Michael

We have one more wedding to share with you a little later today from Katrina and Andrew. If you’re in a hurry ~ or you’d just rather watch their slideshow, you can enjoy Veronica and Olivier’s wedding now!

Happy New Year From Katrina + Andrew ~ Sedona Bride

Can you imagine a more romantic  New Year’s Eve kiss? The beginning of your new life together? I can’t. I honestly can’t.

When Andrew and Katrina sent us Christine and Trent’s 2008 New Year’s Eve wedding, I knew that it simply had to be the first full wedding feature that we highlighted in this season of celebration!  We truly hope that all of y’all had a safe but ever-so-spectacular New Year’s Eve! Whether it was out whooping it up with your nearest and dearest … or spent at home quietly with your lovies (maybe watching some of our film features on the LBB blog?) … it the perfect time to reflect and to dream. To think about the past, the present and the future. For many of us (old married folks} it’s a nostalgic time, to think about the past year in retrospect, and to plan the new year with renewed enthusiasm.  And for those of you who have weddings coming up in 2010 and 2011 … woo~hoo!! It’s a time to celebrate and rejoice. Yes, rejoice. Love, the pursuit of happiness and marriage are still front and center in your lives! Ours too!

For those of you who just might be considering a New Year’s Eve wedding ~ maybe next year ~ we have the most elegant, chic, and pretty close to perfect wedding sent to us by our dear friends at Sedona Bride.

So on to their story! Christine and Trent were married ~ in fine style ~ at the Tempe Center for the Arts on New Year’s Eve ’08.  As you’ll see in these photos, it was a sensational setting for such an elegant and contemporary wedding.

The unbelievable floral columns and decor were by the fabulous Angelic Grove. So dramatic. So simplisticly dramatic.

I have to admit, I’m at a loss for words about the centerpieces! Fiber optic? Pretty darn awesome if you ask me.

But … the chocolate … oh … the chocolate … from Julia Baker Confections … can you see that fabulous cake?

Such personal, romantic moments that were captured forever by the terrific Katrina & Andrew! Incomprehensively perfect.

We at SMP and the Little Black Book wish Christine and Trent the very Happiest of New Years and Congrats on your First Anniversay too!!  You can see so many more images from this beautiful wedding celebration on Andrew & Katrina’s blog ~ Christine + Trent.

We have another Sedona Bride wedding coming up a little later today. Until then, if you have a few minutes, take a look at their blog and the sneek peak of Sage’s jaw-droppingly beautiful gown {here}! To die for!

sedona bride sage sneak peek

Katrina & Andrew pretty much have more wedding lovelies than your eyes can behold ~ your head will be swimming in pretty!  Stay tuned for another full feature from the very talented Katrina and Andrew at Sedona Bride!

Vintage Wedding by Van Damme Weddings, II

This is one of those shoots that can inspire and inspire and inspire. There are so many incredible little ideas tucked inside, so many perfect details that would suit just about any style of wedding…thanks to the oh-so-talented Margaret Van Damme. Take for example the textiles. Bringing in textiles, like great throw pillows and linens, into your wedding decor, will automatically bring in a sense of warmth and style. They can be contemporary for a more modern feel or vintage for a more relaxed vibe. They can be really graphic with pops of print or they can be soft and subtle to add a bit of texture.

vintage wedding

Another little token…mismatched decor. Even if you are having 200 people at your wedding, you can still bring in elements of mismatched elegance. For our wedding, we scoured ebay and flea markets for different variations of champagne saucers and dessert plates. Although we needed a pretty big room to store it all, the end result was SO worth it. Mismatched vases and bottles to hold florals, mismatched china and drinkware, mismatched linens, napkins, votives…the list is endless. As long as you stick with the same general theme or style, the look will be lovely.

vintage wedding

Thank you so very much to the HUGELY talented Margaret of Van Damme Weddings. Your work gives me butterflies. And to the always fabulous Katrina and Andrew of Sedona Bride. Yet another example of just how talented you are. To see the entire spread, in all it’s perfect gorgeousness, click right here.

We have so much more on the way!