Tiffany’s enthusiasm is unmistakable- I love how photographer Stuart Thurlkill of Eyes2See Photography captured the emotions of the day.  And Tiffany and Miles’ maltipoo, Fiona, is too cute!

The Phoenician Resort recently renovated their Grand Ballroom and it’s spectacular

The sunny tangerine and turquoise color scheme was carried throughout the wedding from the bridal party attire to the reception decor

The reception certainly was a PARTY!

KG: Now that you have had a chance to settle in, what is your favorite thing about being married?

T&M: Building a life together and sharing in all of the little things.

KG: I see you went to Thailand for your honeymoon- can you tell me a little bit about it?

T&M: We made a list of our top 5 places that we wanted to go. Thailand was at the top of our lists and we really wanted to have a bit of an adventure. We spend two weeks there in Bangkok, Chaing Mai, and Ko Samui. Highlights of the trip were enjoying the Songkran Festival in Bangkok, riding elephants in Chaing Mai and relaxing on the beach in Ko Samui.

KG: What advice would you give brides-to- be?

T&M: Get a planner! We hired the amazing Patty Packard from I Do I Do who took care of a lot of the logistics epically day of. Make sure that you start early as well, try to not leave things to the last second. Channel your stress into a hobby. I trained for a Half-Marathon in New York that I ran a few weeks before my wedding, helped keep me calm! Day of your wedding take a moment for yourself during the reception, sit down with a piece of cake, watch your guests dancing and realize how amazing your day was!

KG: Did anything about your wedding day surprise you?

T&M: Our wedding was supposed to be outside. The weather report was looking a bit rough and on Thursday we decided to move it indoors. Day of the wedding it was cold and grey, in April, but moving the ceremony inside ended up being more beautiful than I could have imagined!

Thank you Tiffany and Miles for sharing you day with us and CONGRATULATIONS on your new life together!

Tiffany and Miles’ Real Arizona Wedding Team:

Wedding Coordinator: I Do I Do Wedding Specialists

Ceremony and Reception Site: The Phoenician Resort

Photographer: Eyes2See Photography

Bridal Gown Store: Gabriella New York

Bridesmaids Dresses: Jenny Yoo

Tuxedos: Mr Formal

Florist: Angelic Grove

Invitations: Celebrations In Paper

Cake: The Phoenician Resort

Band: Groove Merchants

Make-up Artist: Agnessa Spa, Jennifer Bugel

Hair Stylist: Colleen McDowell

Officiant: Heath Packard

Rehearsal Dinner Site: El Chorro

Happy Planning from your Arizona Wedding Blog!

Kelly

I could have shared about 15 photos of the dogs with you. They are just luscious! Scott tells us about these adorable babies: Dillon aka Dilly is the all white bulldog and Rachel’s pride and joy. The two of them are inseparable and have an incredible bond. Payton is my brindle bulldog and is more special to me than I know how to convey over email. These girls are basically our children and we couldn’t imagine not having them as a part of our big day.

Consider your stationer a person to make friends with. Since both Rachel and Scott’s families traveled from out of state for their Arizona wedding, Stephanie at Celebrations in Paper created a custom invitation suite that included boarding passes, luggage tags as place cards, hand-drawn postcards from the towns they had visited when they were dating and corresponding table names. What a fun way to incorporate travel into your wedding!

The reception decor is simply exquisite. Somehow, Rachel and Scott (and of course their florist, Table Tops Etc.) were able to design an understated yet dramatic aesthetic. The colors are not super bright but by using tones of pink, purple and white, they managed to make the elegant arrangements anything but boring. In a large room like the Valencia Ballroom, you need to have statement centerpieces and I think these tall, airy and lush designs do the trick. Also, notice how the linens work to create a seamless palette for all those gorgeous flowers to shine. Can you tell I’m just a little bit in love with these tables?

This bridal party was super fun…their entertaining entrances crack me up

In response to my question, “What’s with the gloves?”, Scott graciously answered: “My side of the family is very musically talented and put together a slide show and choreographed a remix of Man in the Mirror by Michael Jackson. Each family member had one sequined glove and sung a part of the song to both Rachel and I. It was more of a “welcome to our family” moment. We were both so overwhelmed and surprised. The gloves made their way around to the dance floor and made for great photos.”

Love these sweet custom forks

I had a little post-wedding chat with this lovely couple…

KG: What was your favorite part of the day?

R/S: There really wasn’t one favorite part for either of us- every second was very humbling and special. If I had to pick my favorite moment-it was the part of our ceremony in which our Officiant, Mark Culbertson, read “I love you because” phrases that Rachel and I wrote weeks before. Some were funny. others sentimental. Neither of us knew what each other wrote until they were read aloud.

KG: What are your plans for a honeymoon?

R/S: Rachel and I are taking our honeymoon in May of 2012. We will be taking a Mediterranean cruise for 10 days!

KG: What advice would you give couples planning their weddings?

R/S: It is completely normal to not have every detail worked out, and plans will change! Surround yourself with vendors that you feel comfortable with and that see your day as you do. We were so incredibly fortunate to have found the vendors that we did. From the venue, to our stationery, to the band, to the florist to our photographers- we truly walked away with a group of new friends that will always be a part of our lives. Each one of them made our day that much more amazing.

 KG: What are your favorite things about each other?

S: My favorite thing about Rachel is how sweet, honest and funny she is each day.

R: My favorite thing about Scott is his desire to achieve, grow and be something every day, he makes life so important and memorable.

Rachel and Scott, CONGRATULATIONS and thank you for sharing your day with us!

Rachel and Scott’s Real Arizona Wedding Team:

Ceremony Site: Montelucia Resort and Spa, Valencia Lawn

Reception Site: Montelucia Resort and Spa, Valencia Ballroom

Photographer: Jason + Anna Photography

Bridal Gown Store: Vera Wang

Bridesmaids Dresses: Nordstrom

Tuxedos: Men’s Wearhouse

Florist: Table Tops, Etc.

Invitations: Celebrations in Paper, Stephanie

Cake: Julia Baker Confections

Band: Nate Williams Band

Ceremony Musicians: Got You Covered Music

Make-up Artist: Joya Spa at Montelucia, Glenda

Hair Stylist: Joya Spa at Montelucia, Demitria

Officiant: Mark Culbertson

Linens: BBJ Linen

Rehearsal Dinner Site: Patsy Grimaldi’s Pizzeria, Old Town Scottsdale

Happy Planning from your Arizona Wedding Blog!

Kelly

Shanandoah Sterling (owner of Sterling Weddings) and I chatted recently about her work and I don’t think I can quite express to you you how much I would want her to be my officiant at my wedding if I could do it all over again. She knows what’s important and she makes sure you remember it amongst the hubbub of wedding planning. She centers people, works magic in the quiet moments and makes sure you feel completely connected to your ceremony. That’s saying a lot, isn’t it?

(Photo courtesy of: Sedona Bride Photographers)

(Photo courtesy of: Cameron Kelly Studios)

What makes Shanandoah special is the lengths she goes to make each ceremony a customized and thoughtful reflection of the couple. She encourages her couples to write personal vows, allows for couples to incorporate their unique traditions and cultures, asks the parents for words of wisdom to be used in the ceremony, and helps couples savor the engagement period. I especially liked her “keepsake vow booklet” idea. She takes all the literature (vows, readings, words of wisdom, blessings, etc.) that will be used in the ceremony and keeps them in one beautiful booklet; this is then given to the couple to keep after the wedding.

Shanandoah, who performs Native American ceremonies and is part Native American herself, allows couples to incorporate any traditions they see fit for their ceremony. If a non-Native American couple wants a Sage or Ring Blessing, they can have it because it is THEIR ceremony. Unfortunately, this concept seems so foreign to many other officiants. Perhaps one of the most touching ceremonies she performs is the Wedding Blanket ceremony. As the couple searches for a blanket for the ceremony, they must be represented individually and together in some aspect in the actual blanket. What a beautiful way to symbolize that the two people getting married are important on their own and as a couple.

(Photos courtesy of: Andrew Holman Photography)

(Photo courtesy of: Sedona Bride Photographers)

Your take-away from today’s blog is that you do not have to do anything in your ceremony other than give a verbal consent to marry but with a committed and flexible officiant like Shanandoah, you can make it yours in so many unique ways. The invitations, the linens, and the DJ all come second to the reason you are marrying each other. Make sure you align yourself with someone who truly understands that on a deep level.

To find out more about Shanandoah (who is based in Sedona but travels regularly to perform ceremonies in the Scottsdale area) and her unique ceremonies, please visit her website and blog. She is also a member of the Sedona Wedding Studio- a stellar group of wedding professionals you will want to check out for all things wedding.

I can’t wait to hear how you are going to make your ceremony special to you!

Chatting Soon~Kelly

Jessica’s eye for design is unmistakable- you can see that she successfully blended light blue, white, eggplant and fuchsia to create an elegant yet exciting feel. I love how the paper products, dresses, flowers and reception decor are not matchy-matchy but all come together in a uniquely beautiful way.

Jessica explains her color palette: The colors were a combination of the light blue and whites that remind me of a classic “Hamptons Wedding” – we began dating after running into each other in the Hamptons in New York and then got engaged on the beach in East Hampton a year later and had our engagement there so I wanted to incorporate that into the decor. On the other hand, I wanted to embrace the desert setting with the bright fuschia pinks and eggplant purple shades that we used throughout the floral design, invitation suite and the bridal bouquet and bridesmaids dresses. The sun setting over Camelback while the guests entered the reception space really brought out the vibrant colors and mirrored the shades of blue, pink and purple of the sunset.

Dave’s blue eyes are stunning

The Sanctuary Resort is chic, no matter where you are!

The gorgeous Jessica

The girl’s shoes add the perfect pop of color against the deeper shade of the dresses

You don’t get many churches that look like this in Arizona!

The table numbers are images of New York locations that are dear to Jessica and Dave (for example,  the Third and Long building picture is used for table number 3- very clever!). The reception decor blended warm and cool tones seamlessly….I’m just a little teensy bit in love!

During the cake cutting, Jessica’s cousin sang “At Last” by Etta James-  a special touch that Jessica really loved

Jessica tells us: The best part about our day was having a great party with all our friends. The Walkens were unbelievable! They remembered songs we requested when we saw them at a bar 9 months prior to the wedding, they knew my mom’s favorite song and played it twice for her, they were seriously outstanding! They made the party ~ I would have kept dancing for three more hours!

Jessica surprised Dave with an ice cream bar from SubZero Ice instead of a traditional groom’s cake. They offered a “Bride’s Choice” and a “Groom’s Favorite” combination for guests to try, sort of like the signature drink idea but sweeter! The guests could also build their own sundaes using several toppings and flavors and the dry ice added a bit of fun  

Jessica and I talked wedding recently and here’s what she has to say now that she’s officially a newlywed:

KG: Now that you have had some time to reflect on your wedding, what is your favorite memory from the day?

J: I think my favorite part was the cocktail hour and intro to the reception. After the ceremony and portraits were over it was so great so just enjoy everybody and relax and get the party started!

KG: What was the smartest planning decision you made?

J: Honestly, hiring great vendors! Between The Sanctuary, Rhonda, Melissa Jill… we never had any worries about things not running smoothly on our wedding day and since we don’t live in Phoenix (even though it is my hometown Dave and I are in New York) that was a HUGE plus!

KG: Did you go on a Honeymoon?

J: We went on a two week honeymoon to St. Lucia and Barbados immediately after the wedding weekend. We chose to go to a place we’d never been but that was relaxing and low key at the same time and not too far to travel. We were able to fly Jet Blue right there from Phoenix so that was great! We spent a lot of time reading and hanging out on the beach – a great way to recover from all the wedding chaos!

KG: Now that your day has come and gone, what advice would you offer brides-to-be?

J: First of all, stick to your vision (you don’t have to please everyone and they might not see the vision you have for that day… don’t let it dissuade you), don’t over think the decisions, and don’t sweat the small stuff… once the day arrives… there’s no use worrying about the little things… just enjoy it! Also, hire great vendors… especially the planner and don’t skimp on photography… you will regret it! Get a cheaper dress and spend money on great photos… you’ll have them forever! I also highly recommend videography… there are so many great options out there at all different price points. The day goes by so fast and it’s over before you know it… the video is a great way to relive all of the moments and especially the speeches from all the important family and friends. We added videography to our rehearsal dinner as well for all the great speeches that happen the night before.

KG: What has surprised you most about being married?

J: I don’t know if there have been any big surprises about being married… I think it’s just a big adjustment to reconcile 2 people’s daily habits from the laundry to cleaning to food and cooking… you can’t just leave your stuff around and get to it another day since someone else is living in the same space… those little things are always comical to navigate together!

Jessica and Dave, congratulations and thank you for sharing your day with us!

Jessica and David’s Real Wedding Team:

Wedding Coordinator: Impact Events, Rhonda Rush

Ceremony Site: Saint Mary’s Basilica

Reception Site: Sanctuary Resort and Spa on Camelback Mountain

Photographer: Melissa Jill Photography

Videographer: My Wedding Film

Bridal Gown Store: Destiny’s Bride

Bridesmaids Dresses: Twirl

Tuxedos: Tom James

Florist: Avant- Garde Studio

Invitations: Jessica for MJ Paperie

Caterer: Sanctuary Resort and Spa on Camelback Mountain

Cake: Julia Baker Confections

Ice Cream Bar: SubZero Ice

Band: The Walkens

Ceremony Musicians: Saint Mary’s Basilica, Gordon Stevenson

Cocktail Hour Musician: Miguel de Maria

Make-up Artist: Barney’s, Maureen Cosovich

Hair Stylist: Spark Studio Salon, Mandy Samford

Officiant: Father Michael Muhlen

Rentals: Classic Party Rentals

Linens: Wildflower Linens

Transportation: Lexani Limo

See what I mean? Let’s take a look at Lyndsey and Hugh’s pretty day:

Lyndsey tells us: Hugh LOVES interesting ties, so we purchased ties for all the men. Since he’s a Second Lieutenant in the Army, he also wore Army cufflinks; we were not having a military wedding but I wanted him to have something Army with him that night.

We were traditional and waited until the ceremony to see each other; walking down the aisle towards him and seeing each other for the first time is something I will never forget! I could not stop smiling the entire time and when I saw the way Hugh was looking at me it made me smile even bigger. We had a quick ceremony, only about 15 minutes (we wanted to get to the party!), and when Chaplain Oxendine pronounced us husband and wife I have never been happier, it was the most amazing few seconds of my life.

I love photobooth photos of the bride and groom- they are in party mode and photographers usually get some cool shots of them in the booth together, Here’s what Lyndsey says about the booth: We had a photobooth that printed out two strips of pictures, one for the guest to keep and one for the guest to put in a memory book with a note from them for us to keep. We used this in lieu of a guest book and had such a great time reading all the comments the next day. The photobooth was on the patio outside the ballroom all night and had a constant line. 

Lyndsey shares some of her favorite moments: My Maid of Honor gave the best speech and was the only person who made me cry that day; when I heard her list the reasons why she knew Hugh and I were meant for each other (including the fact that he is the only man who could love my 5 pound yorkie-poo almost as much as I do) I could not help but tear up. Then we hit the dance floor; dancing with all of our friends and family was one of the highlights of the evening for both of us. There were so many people that we loved and loved us all in one room and being able to spend that time with them was amazing!

Here’s my post-wedding Q and A with the couple:

KG: Looking back, what was the smartest planning decision you made?

Lyndsey: The smartest decision I made was the fact that I found vendors I truly trusted and that shared my vision. Knowing that all my vendors would come through and I could trust them to do their jobs and do them well made my life so much easier! The day of the wedding I did not stress over the details because I knew that they would handle everything!

KG: Did you and Hugh go on a Honeymoon?

Lyndsey: Yes, we spent 8 nights in Costa Rica! We actually waited about a month before we left because of our schedules, and I am so glad that we waited. We had the opportunity to relax after the wedding and it also gave us something to look forward to. I feel like we spent so much time looking forward to the wedding that I was a little sad when the night was done, but knowing something else exciting was coming was great! While in Costa Rica we relaxed at the beach, at a ton of great food, went zip lining, white water rafting, horse back riding, hiking through the rain forest and so much more! It was the most amazing trip!

KG: Now that your day has come and gone, what advice would you give brides- to- be?

Lyndsey: The biggest piece of advice is not to worry about things the day of. Trust your vendors and the planning you have put into it and then just let go. If something goes wrong, and chances are something will, relax and know that you are probably the only one who realizes that small detail is not what it should have been. Also, before you start planning put together a detailed budget and guest list, you really can not plan the other details without knowing those things. Know what is important to you and what you are willing to spend more money on, for us it was the venue/food/beverage and the photography/videography and I was willing to not spend as much money in other areas to make sure I had the best possible vendors in those areas and I knew specifically what the dollar amount was because of the budget I put together before I started planning.

Lyndsey and Hugh, Congratulations again and Thank You for sharing your day with us!

Lyndsey and Hugh’s Real Wedding Team:

Ceremony and Reception Site: Troon North Golf Club

Florist: Butterfly Petals

Photographer: Sandra Tenuto

Videographer: Serendipity Videography

Cake: La Dolce Pesca

Bridal Gown Store: Alfred Angelo

Bridesmaids Dresses: White House Black Market

Tuxedos: Men’s Wearhouse

Entertainment: Ray the DJ

Ceremony Musicians: Allegro Quartet

Photobooth: A2Z Photobooth

Make-up Artist: Steven Paul Salon, Naomi Cadena

Hair Stylist: Steven Paul Salon, Kandi Palmer

Officiant: Army Chaplain Frankie Oxendine

Rentals: Classic Party Rentals (formerly Tri Rentals)

Ashley wanted to pair items that belonged to family members and vintage finds of her own. She found many of the decor elements herself then handed them over to the design team to create vignettes thorughout the wedding space. A clever way to incorporate a birdcage Ashley found was to use it as an envelope “box”. Ashley’s  mother’s cake topper and her grandmother’s lace bible were also displayed at the vignette table alongside an engagement session picture of Steve and Ashley.

Another special detail is the cross Ashley and Steve decorated their unity candle with- it comes from Ashley’s Grandmother’s jewelry collection

LOVE the bouquet by Petal Pusher- it’s so sweet and feminine. To keep the vintage theme going, Ashley adorned it with a grey brooch

The centerpieces also received the vinatge treatment- they are made from collections of  items found by Ashley and beautifully displayed on trays that were engraved with couples’ anniversary dates!

The Wedding Trailer from Serendipity Videography:

Ashley & Steve at The Firesky- a Wedding Movie Trailer from Serendipity Videography on Vimeo.

Here’s my Post-Wedding Q and A with the couple:

KG: Now that you have had a chance to settle in, what is your favorite thing about being married?

Steve: Getting the chance to make her happy each day for the rest of our lives.

Ashley: Spending everyday with my best friend and knowing that no matter what, we have each other’s backs, always. It’s such an amazing feeling!

KG: Did you go on a Honeymoon?

We went to the Mayan Riveria, close to Playa del Carmen in Mexico. It was amazing! We stayed at an all inclusive, brand new resort and enjoyed the beach! That was our main goal – to go somewhere that had amazing beaches and we could just chill out and enjoy being newlyweds.

KG: What advice would you give brides-to- be?

Get a planner! Don’t skimp on your planner budget or your photography budget. Those two things can make or break your day and memories thereafter. Whatever happens the day of (weather, forgetting something, messing up your vows, etc.) can’t stop you from getting married. You are still going to be married, so just sit back and ENJOY. It goes by way too fast to waste time worrying about stuff you can’t control or that doesn’t matter.

Congratulations Ashley and Steve- thank you for sharing your day with us! 

Ashley and Steve’s Real Wedding Team:

Wedding Coordinator: Ashley Gain Weddings and Events

Ceremony and Reception Site: Firesky Resort and Spa

Bridal Gown Store: Uptown Bridal and Boutique

Bridesmaids Dresses: The Wedding Acessory Superstore

Tuxedos: Men’s Wearhouse

Florist: Petal Pusher

Photographer: Stephanie Fay

Videographer: Serendipity Videography

Invitations: Chocolate Butter Bean

Cake: Let Them Eat Cake

DJ: Got You Covered

Make-up Artist: Corinna Cooke

Hair Stylist: Dolce Salon and Spa, Stephanie Borgman

Officiant: Matt Anderson

Rene explains: In the Bulgarian tradition, the groom comes to the house bearing gifts for the bride’s parents and if the parents are pleased he may take his bride to the altar to marry her. It is a big celebration with drums and lots of food and drinks for everyone! He came in a 1938 Rolls Royce limo to pick me up. It was so beautiful.

Look at these little cuties!

Serious kids at weddings always catch my eye. Look at this handsome guy!

Rene and Neil had a traditional Bulgarian ceremony at the St. Sophia Eastern Orthodox Church in Phoenix officiated by His Eminence Metropolitan Simeon of Central and Western Europe. Phew! He sounds like a big deal. Rene shares: We prepared a descriptive ceremony program, detailed with blue and green crystals , outlining the symbolism and traditions in Bulgarian culture. Thus, each guest was able to follow the very traditional Orthodox wedding rituals.

I love Rene’s excitement when she describes the reception: The reception was magical! The colors included different shades of blues, gold , deep green,. The inspiration came from the peacock feather which was beautifully incorporated into the evening, without overpowering the decor. The focal point of the room was our cake , which was skillfully accentuated by 5 crystal trees. The influence of the special lighting effects only contributed to the magical experience. Chic, classy, elegant, dramatic- all words our guests used to describe our wedding night- an evening of crystals hanging from everywhere, brown velvet drapping and custom gold furniture from California, used to create the perfect lounge area for our guests around the dancefloor. It was the little details that made the difference and created that unforgettable experience for both of us and our guests. Individual menu cards , lined with deep green and shimmery brown matts and jeweled with Swarovski crystals; pin spotting the crystal candelabras on the tables , beautiful beaded table overlays, jeweled escort cards for additional sparkle …all created what we consider the most special evening for us. 

Of course I had to ask Rene some post-wedding questions. Here’s our Q and A:

KG: Now that the big day has come and gone, what do you enjoy most about married life?

RM: Now that we are married we are enjoying every minute of this calm time before our baby girl Isabella Rose is born in May! I still get a little surprised when on paper I see my name as Mrs. Rene Morris, a married woman!

KG: What bit of wisdom would you give couples planning their weddings?

RM: Mostly, I would say, in the end when all the planning is said and done, the day is about you two and your loving bond for one another. Stressing about the little things and about how other people will enjoy your day is not worth it!! Let other people worry about it and truly enjoy YOUR day and your love for one another!

KG: Did you go on a honeymoon?

RM: We are currently pregnant and expecting in May so we decided to have our honeymoon in November at the beautiful Cabo Azul resort in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. At the beginning we were planning on having our wedding there in November, but having our honeymoon there is even better! It leaves something very special to look forward to still.

Congratulations Rene and Neil- thank you for sharing your special day with us!

Chatting Soon~Kelly

Rene and Neil’s Real Wedding Team:

Ceremony Site: St. Sophia Eastern Orthodox Church

Reception Site: Phoenician Resort

Wedding Coordinator: Lilly of the Valley Events

Bridal Gown Store: Suzanne’s Bridal

Tuxedos: Men’s Wearhouse

Florist: Avant Garde

Photographer: Kellie Leslie Photography

Invitations: Definitely Debra

Cake: Phoenician Resort

Entertainment: Starz Entertainment

Lighting: PSAV Presentation Services

Make-up Artist: Euginia Ray

Hair Stylist: Audrey Roberts

Officiant: His Eminence Metropolitan Simeon of Central and Western Europe

Transportation: Mirage Limousines

Rentals/Decor: Kerrie Richmond

Lisa has an amazing range of expressions- I can imagine photographer Chris Richards’ job was especially fun this day!

Cicely made my job super easy today because she asked Lisa all the questions I would have asked her about the wedding day! The Q and A between Lisa and Cicely:

C: What was your favorite part of your wedding day?

L: Seeing Glenn’s smiling face waiting for me at the end of the aisle. Also, sitting with both of our families at the reception at the family table. It really meant a lot to both of us to be sitting next to our parents.

This is quite possibly one of my favorite “just married” shots ever!  

C: Tell me about your floral

L: Our florist was a great family friend from Tucson who I have known for years. She is a very talented florist. I told her the colors that we wanted and certain types of flowers, and she tool care of the rest.

C: Why did you choose Montelucia Resort and Spa to have your wedding reception?

L: The beautiful view of Camelback was exactly what we were looking for the cocktail hour. We wanted to have a classy reception, but still show off the beauty of Arizona. It is a gorgeous resort that offered us everything that we wanted: great food, beautiful scenery, a warm and romantic inside venue, and a great hotel for our guests to enjoy.

C: Why did you pick the ballroom for your reception?

L: We knew it would be cold once the sun went down, so we decided to have the reception inside. The Montelucia does not have a standard, boring ballroom like most other resorts. We were looking for something different in a ballroom…we loved the candle sconces and chandeliers; it made the atmosphere very romantic and cozy.

I love the soft glow and the touches of purple used throughout

C: Are their any details you would like to share about your wedding reception?

L: Everything went very smoothly (thanks to Cicely). We had just the right amount of guests that we could make it around to everyone to thank them for coming, yet still enjoy the evening. The band was awesome and everyone was dancing to every song, even after a long break. All of our guests commented on how yummy the food was; we chose short ribs, which is not your classic wedding meal. It was soooo good, and we both definitely ate all that we could! Everything from the candles, the flowers, and the ballroom set a very romantic mood for the evening. The speeches were all very heartfelt and showed how important our family is to both of us.

C: Anything else you would like to share?

L: I highly recommend a day-of planner. I was happy to do most of the planning beforehand, but it was very helpful to have someone else in charge that day and make sure that everyone was where they were supposed to. I got to relax the whole day and hang out with my family and friends without worrying about decorating myself or delivering things. It was great!

C: Looking back what is one thing you would have done the same and differently?

L: I would not change one thing. It truly was a perfect day: beautiful weather, everything went very smoothly, food was great, music was awesome, and the ceremony was very meaningful and memorable.

We are so happy for you, Lisa and Glenn- Congratulations!

Cicely, thank you for sharing this wedding with us- it was truly a beautiful day!

Lisa and Glenn’s Real Wedding Team:

Wedding Coordinator: Life Design Events

Ceremony and Reception Site: Intercontinental Montelucia Resort and Spa

Florist and Rentals: Nature’s Art Florist

Photographer: Chris Richards

Videographer: My Wedding Film

Cake: Julia Baker Confections

Invitations: Ali-Ink Designs

Band: Chuck E. Baby and the All Stars

Ceremony Musicians: Deanna Freund

Make-up Artist and Hair Stylist: Aura Salon

Officiant: Rev. Charles G. Kieffer, V.F.

Bridal Gown Store: Destiny’s Bride

Tuxedos: Men’s Wearhouse

I love it! They look so completely happy. Let me explain. The Clayton on the Park is a new venue in Scottsdale and to celebrate their entry into the Arizona Wedding World, they held a contest for a free wedding for one deserving couple. The catch was that the couple would only have 12 hours notice that they were the winners. Can you imagine getting a call at 7AM telling you that you would be married in 12 hours and everything had to be ready to go by the 7PM ceremony?

It was a whirlwind to say the least-Shasta and Robbie were notified that they won Friday morning by local TV personality Yetta Gibson, they called friends and family to notify them of the 7PM ceremony time, Shasta headed over to Inizo Salon for hair and toes, Robbie went to get the wedding bands, they met up at Azteca Bridal Salon to pick out their attire (Shasta also got her makeup done there) and voila! Wedding Time!

While the couple was prepping, the vendors who so generously donated their time, products and services were furiously working to make the magic happen. Laurie of Southwick Linens was busily setting the tables, Fran from Enchanted Florist was arranging and decorating, Barb from Let Them Eat Cake was putting the final touches on the cake and Kim from The Event Essentials was making the menu cards. This was a team effort to say the least. 

Look at how great Shasta and Robbie look!

While Robbie was working on Shasta’s parents’ home doing construction, her mom just loved him and got along so well with him that she introduced him to Shasta. The next thing you know,  they were dating and 2 short weeks later, they took off to Paris for a vacation. Naturally, when their family and friends saw this promotion on TV, they thought a wedding like this would be perfect for them and encouraged them to enter. I think they have each found their Spontaneous Soul Mate!

Happiness…

What a fantastic day for Shasta and Robbie- Congratulations!

Vendors Involved:

Ceremony, Reception, Concept and Coordination of Impromptu Wedding Event: The Clayton on the Park

Photography: Style Image Studios

Cake: Let Them Eat Cake

Linens: Southwick Linens

Menus: The Event Essentials

Bridal Gown, Accessories, Groom’s Tuxedo: Azteca Bridal Salon

Makeup: Laura Thompson at Azteca Bridal Salon

Hair: Inizo Salon

Floral: Enchanted Florist

Bar: Pour Masters

Lighting: Latest Craze Productions

DJ Services provided by Duke Family Carpet Cleaning

Bridal Suite: The Wigwam Resort

Lip Reading: Lip Story

I am not one to demand much on the big V-day. I am happy with a sweet card, a heartfelt kiss and maybe a casual night out for dinner. But I know many of you whoop it up on this day of long embraces, flowery surprises and shiny baubles so my romance inspired treat for you is pink, pink and more pink!

Tiffany and Tommy, longtime sweethearts, were married at the Hyatt Regency Scottsdale. Tiffany had a strong vision for her day: “Marrying the man of my dreams and having pink galore. Every shade of pink imaginable!” I think she got exactly what she wanted!

Photographer Hollye Schumacher did a great job of capturing the glam of the day and wedding coordinator Amy Mancuso did a fabulous job creating it! Look at this Bride!

The Hyatt Regency is special to the couple because they would visit there with family so getting married there seemed only natural.

Flowers to- die- for from The Flower Studio!

Here’s what Tiffany shared with us about the first dance: For a special surprise I had a singer who sang “our” song back when we met in high school come to the wedding and sing it for our first dance- it was amazing and made the night even more special. My husband was so suprised and gave me the biggest smile ever.

To top it off, Tiffany says: We finished off dinner with the most amazing cake that was a vanilla bean cake with berries. The night went on with great singing from the band and dancing to having “just married” cigars on the patio.

Dreamy, huh? This sea of pink is my gift to you readers and THANK YOU to Tiffany and Mark for sharing their day with us. Congratulations and enjoy!

Chatting Soon~Kelly

Tiffany and Thomas’ Real Wedding Team:

Wedding Coordinator: Amy Mancuso

Ceremony/Reception Site: Hyatt Regency Scottsdale

Florist: The Flower Studio

Photographer: Hollye Schumacher Photography

Videographer: Greg Cluff

Invitations: Celebrations in Paper

Caterer/Cake: Hyatt Regency Scottsdale

Bridal Gown Store: Destiny’s Bride

Bridesmaids Dresses: Twirl Boutique

Tuxedos: Men’s Wearhouse

Band: The Shining Star Band

Ceremony Musicians: Apperson String Quartet and Joe Forbush “Spanish Guitarist”

DJ: Music Doctors

Make-up Artist: Diane Aiello

Hair Stylist: Amber at Visual Impact

Officiant: Pastor David Sharpes

Transportation: Windsor Coach