Wow, who expects 104 degrees in April?

A really hot, sunny day that did not get in the way of Kristin and Chris having a beautiful Phoenix wedding. Our day started at The Montelucia Resort. The perfect backdrop: a gorgeous resort with a stunning bride set against backdrops with all sorts of views of Camelback Mountain, a great way to get the day started. So glad the bridal party didn’t melt during the formals!

A touching ceremony at Christ Church Lutheran followed by the wedding reception at a private residence in Phoenix. A winning combination of personal touches, details, sentiment and fun. A beautiful wedding day.

The wedding day was orchestrated by the talented Lauren Crump of Victoria Canada Weddings and Events.

What is one question you wish clients would ask more often? THE QUESTION: Why did you get into the business? A lot of planners get into the business planning their own wedding, to us that doesn’t make them qualified to put on a perfect event for a Bride. Just because they loved planning their wedding (everyone does), doesn’t mean they can plan your wedding – most of these gals end up getting out of the business at some point, they realize it’s not just the love for weddings that it takes to manage an event. All of our planners have worked in different facets of the event industry prior to weddings, and when we chose the wedding business it’s because we have a true passion for executing a beautiful event, telling a client’s story, and all of us possess qualities that make us great planners and coordinators. Not just that we loved planning our own wedding.

What is your inspiration?  Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn, Liz Taylor, Grace Kelly – all women of different design styles and backgrounds – these are our Brides – whether they are Romantic, Whimsical, Playful, or Classic… we love them all….

Vanessa and Jeff decided to get married in the desert rather than their native chilly Canada. And there really isn’t a more idillic spot for an intimate destination wedding than The Four Seasons.

From the moment we met Vanessa she was calm, cool and collected. A bride who knew she had made the best decision of her life – to marry the love of her life.

Jeff was equally sure, equally serene. Comfortable amidst the magnitude of such an important day.

The first look was emotional. Tears of joy were flowing freely. Even when you think this moment might not be a big deal or you think maybe you will not cry – the emotion takes over. This moment defines the day, whether you see each other hours before the ceremony or as you are walking down the aisle to say I Do – the emotion is always real and pure. You have waited for this day and now it is finally here.

Ashley Stone of Something Blue Events hit this wedding out of the park. Vanessa and Jeff were surrounded by a few dozen of their closest friends and family in a delightful rustic setting with beautiful details all around.

We are so happy for Vanessa and Jeff. Such a magical day that began on a beautiful sun filled afternoon and ended under the stars. A perfect wedding.

“Love is just a word until someone comes along and gives it meaning” – unknown

There is something so intimate about a small wedding. Just a handful of those that are closest to you. Just the bride and groom and close family and friends. The perfect guest list.

For obvious reasons (think great weather!), Phoenix is an ideal spot for a destination wedding. The Royal Palms is the perfect venue.

The resort is almost like a throw back to yesteryear. The Royal Palms is timeless. Gorgeous scenery. Impeccable service. A quiet pool setting. Lovely little casitas dot the property. Nothing seems crowded. Nothing seems hurried. The perfect backdrop for a wedding (and of course a relaxing stay).

A gorgeous bride. A dashing groom. A perfect wedding.

We are honored to have documented this special day for this special couple.

When I think about my dream job (aside of course from being the very much appreciated studio manager at Keith Pitts Photography), I often think that being a florist has to be at the top of my list. To be surrounded by gorgeous smells, super pretty flowers and creativity – just sounds so perfect. I know I’m neglecting to mention the deadlines, the really hard task of designing the vision of someone’s event and the stress of doing all of this on a large scale and within the budgt. It’s not just arranging a few flowers! But I can dream.

Table Tops, etc is a full service floral design studio that provides beautiful, natural arrangements for any wedding or special event.  They have been designing fabulous events — from lavish soirees and intimate anniversary parties to three-day conferences and 800-guest weddings for over 16 years.

We stopped by Table Tops, etc to see Dianna and Melissa and take a few photographs of them in their element. We asked them a few questions and here are their answers.

What is your favorite part about a wedding day?   When the bride sees us for the first time, arriving with her bouquet and gets really excited or cries. It always makes me happy!

What is your favorite flower? It depends on the season/day. I love almost every flower, but my all time favorites would have to be peonies, garden roses and blooming branches.

There is a lot of competition in your field, if I was a bride, why should I hire Table Tops?  We truly take the time to get to know our clients by listening and trying to really create their dream day. We offer personalized service and are really the bride’s army that day and to make what we have on paper a reality. We really do care about each client and will work hard for them from the start of planning through their wedding day. We are hard working businesswomen who are committed to our clients and our business, showing our dedication and workmanship through our craft.

What is your favorite part about your job? Most of the time we are dealing with happy clients doing weddings, events and parties. It is fun to be a part of such a significant day that hopefully will give them life long lasting memories.

If you need flowers, look no further! They would love to have the opportunity to share their experience and tremendous love of flowers with you.

Well we don’t usually do a sneak peak before a sneak peek. But we figured we would share a simple picture of the bride and groom before they leave Arizona for their fun honeymoon driving the California coast. We tried to talk them into bringing us along to document their honeymoon, but they want their honeymoon to be just be the two of them. Imagine?

We can’t wait to share this wedding. A beautiful setting: The Four Seasons Scottsdale. A picture perfect day, lots of cloud cover (makes a photographer smile) leading to perfect temperatures for the al fresco reception. Lots of details. Thank you Janet from the Four Seasons for the flawless execution. And what a pleasure working with Ashley Stone of Something Blue Events for the first time – a truly stunning setting. It’s always nice to overhear the bride say something to the effect that she didn’t think things could look this beautiful.

We can’t wait to share all of the details and gorgeousness of the day. So glad to be a part of such a special couple’s wedding day.

One of our favorite wedding vendors in the valley is Kelly Gilchrist –  the Catering Sales Manager at The Saguaro, a Joie de Vivre hotel.  Radiant, full of color and charisma – this hotel is cool. The resort nestled in the heart of Old Town Scottsdale boasts the amazing Distrito restaurant – fresh, delicious Mexican cuisine coupled with great drinks, lots of ambience and fun decor. Oh and after dinner, don’t forget to stop at Old Town Whiskey for a nightcap.

I love this place. If you are looking for a great spot for a wedding (several beautiful options), rehearsal dinner (think al fresco dining) or a corporate event (love the ability to host a huge crowd with yummy food and drink by the sparkling pool) – this is your spot. And the best part is – the hotel is a great option for your wedding party and out of town guests!

After an amazing lunch at Distrito (yes, the above pictures were actually eaten by myself and Keith – I know, it’s a tough job, but someone has to do it!) – so when I say amazing – I really, really mean it! I heart the guacamole so much – and that was just the first course.

I asked Kelly a few questions and here are her answers.

What do you want everyone to know about The Saguaro / Garces group?  For starters, all of our Food & Beverage here on property is created by Iron Chef Jose Garces!  Having been a huge fan of Jose’s since he was on the Next Iron Chef of America, I feel honored to be a part of his team and to represent such an amazing food product!  I love to see the looks on guests faces when they are experiencing his cuisine for the first time.

Another thing that sets The Saguaro aside is that we have created an open environment where we encourage the local community to come and join us in all the fun things that we have to offer!  We have monthly events geared toward the local community, including Whiskey School, “Cook Like an Iron Chef” Classes, and Swim Social weekends, which will include Happy Hour by the pool on Fridays, and a DJ and playing 60’s themed music on Saturdays!  Guests can sign up for the Saguaro Smoke Signal for updates and special events at:  https://jdvhotels.wufoo.com/forms/k7w6x1/

What is your favorite item on the menu at Distrito? I truly love everything on the menu, so this is a tough question.  I would say that my ultimate favorite is the Tacos de Mahi Mahi, closely followed by our freshly made Guacamole and our variety of Ceviches!

There is a lot of competition in your field…..why should I have my event at The Saguaro?  Here at the Saguaro we have  fabulous locations to host events that are different than your everyday meeting or banquet rooms. Each private room has vibrant and fun colors that help to create a wonderful environment for any type of event for up to 200 guests, including corporate dinners, weddings and social occasions!!  My favorite is the Zocalo Room, which has its own bar, restrooms and patio with a fireplace.  It’s the perfect location for receptions or dinners- with a view of the Scottsdale Civic Center and Marshall Garden right on your own private patio!

Also, our location puts guests in walking instance to all Old Town Scottsdale, which is full of shops, museums, bars and restaurants.  So…this also makes The Saguaro an ideal place to stay for some fun Scottsdale….especially for wedding weekends!

And did I already mention the amazing food???

What is your philosophy?  How people treat you is their karma…but how you react to them is yours!!

If you could take today off of work, what would you wish that you could be doing?  Laying in a cabana by the pool at the Saguaro, eating Chips and Guacamole and sipping on Sangrias!

Thanks Kelly!

“To get the full value of joy, you must have someone to divide it with” – Mark Twain

I’m not sure, but I think this couple is in love. Like really in love!

Is there a better way to spend an afternoon than being in the company of two people that are just so happy? Photographing them having fun was such a pleasure –  it was really easy to capture the genuine joy in their lives together.

Wedding photographers have the good fortune of spending time with happy, happy people: capturing the genuine moments, the unscripted interactions that make a couple so uniquely content with one another. We are so honored to be able to document a chapter in the story of their lives together. An engagement session is a glimpse into the essence of a couple. A great warm up to the wedding day.

We are so happy for K + C that they have found joy – together.  Looking forward to their wedding in April. It will be here in the blink of an eye.

This is such a great week – our second feature on a wedding blog in just two days! When it rains it pours as the saying goes. Funny how that works.

Monique and Josh were married this past October at The Montelucia Resort in Scottsdale, Arizona with the always gorgeous Camelback Mountain as the backdrop. Thank you Lauren Crump of Victoria Canada Weddings and Events for putting on such a beautiful event. When a wedding planner pulls together a bride and groom’s vision, including such lovely details set against amazing scenery, it certainly makes a wedding photographers job that much more enjoyable!

Elizabeth Anne Designs is one of our favorite weddings blogs – very pleased to be featured again!

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