All in the Family
“From the beginning, Jim and I wanted an intimate, family-centered wedding, and we were very fortunate that our relatives were so eager to be such a part of our big day,” said Ginger Richardson, who exchanged vows with James Rough in November.
Ginger knew she wanted an outdoor wedding, and she and Jim chose Sassi Ristorante in Scottsdale because of its beautiful surroundings and Tuscan Italian feel. The ceremony site was decorated simply, but elegantly, with flower and ribbon clusters on the chairs and rose petals scattered by two flower girls.
Jim’s father served as officiant, and had the pleasure of pronouncing his son and new daughter-in-law husband and wife. The exchange of vows included a sand ceremony, and their altar table was adorned with votive candles, lit in remembrance of relatives who had passed on. The candles were later moved to the cake table, so the presence of their loved ones was felt throughout the day.
After the ceremony, guests gathered on the Sassi terrace to enjoy a trio of bruschettas, champagne-based cocktails and wine; an elegant reception lunch followed.
Reception tables were adorned with cream organza overlays, candelabras enhanced by pearl and crystal necklaces, grapevine wreaths encircled with ivory satin ribbon, and matching napkin rings—all made by the bride’s mother, Scottsdale wedding planner Holly Richardson. Individual bud vase favors, also made by the bride’s mother, rounded out the table décor.
The full buffet luncheon included Italian meats and cheeses, shrimp salad, oven baked pasta, frittatas, and prime rib. Entertainment included a string quartet and vocalist.
The groom had a big hand in choosing the wedding cake: a square, three-tier spice cake with cream cheese filling and butter cream frosting. It was accented by fresh flowers, crystal monogram initials and fuchsia ribbon and complemented by Italian dessert trays.
Ginger’s sister and maid of honor worked tirelessly on all the paper details. She custom designed and assembled the save-the-date cards, invitations, programs, place cards, menu cards and a special crossword puzzle for the guests—all in Ginger’s classic color scheme of chocolate and ivory with fuschia accents.
“I think our wedding was very unique in that there was really no aspect of the event in which our relatives weren’t personally involved. Having the people who were most important to us taking such an active role in the wedding made the day just that much more memorable,” Ginger said.
Location:
Sassi
Photographer:
Moments Found Photography
Wedding Coordinator:
Ariva Event Planning
Cake:
Let Them Eat Cake
Makeup Artist:
Corinna Cooke
Floral Design:
Flowers by Jodi |
