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Congratulations to Samantha and Ryan for their wedding day at Stardance in Tucson being featured in the Spring issue of Arizona Bride Magazine! I had so much fun photographing this wedding and am pleased it was selected for a feature on Tucson. Here is a link to the original post and photos: SAM...
I am very happy to be recognized this year again by Wedding Wire by receiving their ‘Wedding Wire Couple’s Choice Award’ for 2015! Recognition for the Couple’s Choice Awards™ 2015 is determined by recent reviews and extensive surveys from over 200,000 WeddingWire newlyweds.
Sarah and Jared’s beautiful wedding at The Ritz Carlton Dove Mountain was featured in this spring’s edition of Tucson Bride and Groom magazine!
Elegant, Romantic, Classical. I’m not sure if Hailey would have used these words to describe her wedding day as it was unfolding early in the day. A lost veil, misplaced marriage license, four children to be dressed. But to me, this is normal and my job is to see past everything that is happening around me and find the magical in a sometimes crazy day. And once the veil and license were found and somehow all those children were dressed (I really don’t know how you manage to get a 2 year old to wear any clothes let alone a tuxedo!), the magic of the day really did shine through. A chilly rainy day had the sun suddenly peek through and then liking what it saw, decided to stay with us. You might think that 4 children under the age of 5 might be a handful, but these children were perfect angels throughout the entire evening. I’m going to go with pretty perfect parenting on that one! Madison and the staff at the Ritz Carlton Dove Mountain turned a planned outdoor event into a magical indoor evening complete with roaring fireplaces and warm comforting food. A bright clear evening made for perfect stargazing outside with an astronomer; and a delicious formal dinner was followed by after dinner snacks of mini-Sonoran hotdogs and Margarita flatbreads. And the music – oh wow the music! Hailey and Rob had brought country music artist Rodney Foster in from Texas to play throughout the evening. A truly magical night.
Mark and Shelley had met me at several weddings that I had photographed in Tucson and asked me to take some family photos with their children this fall. What a delightful family! I immediately fell in love with six year old Langston, who asked me out to dinner at Famous Dave’s with the family later that evening. Langston is smarter than most 10 year olds and has the most amazing green/gold eyes. Simone is 4 and a bundle of high energy – running and climbing is what she does best! And Marie, well how can a 2 year old look any cuter?
Liz and Andre truly embraced downtown Tucson with their unique and elegant wedding. Liz got ready at the historic Royal Elizabeth Bed and Breakfast on Scott Avenue, a hidden Victorian gem of elegance and grandeur. She wore her grandmother’s antique 22 carat gold lace veil for a traditional full mass at St Augustine’s Cathedral, after which the couple and all their guest strolled the one block over to Scott Avenue and a luncheon reception at The Temple of Music and Art. The mariachi continued to play throughout the cocktail hour in the courtyard, after which all the guests moved upstairs to dine in the art gallery.
Kristen had chosen the beauty of Tohono Chul Park for their wedding, a place she had come to love while volunteering there. Even though it was November, much of Tohono Chul Park still had flowers growing everywhere. Kristen and Jagen had a touching first look moment and then went on a leisurely stroll throughout the park taking pictures and enjoying the beautiful day. The ceremony in the Performance Garden was followed by dinner in the Bistro Garden and then dancing in the Bistro Courtyard.
Glamour and romance. Deep rich vibrant red’s and the mystique of Africa. When I walked into the Crown Room at Skyline Country Club on their wedding day I was blown away. Deep red uplighting, giraffe’s murals and African masks on the walls – I felt like I was wisked away to another continent. Jyotsna’s creativity...
When it comes to photographing engagement sessions, I can’t help it, I really do love them. We can pick the place and the nicest time of day when the lighting is just about perfect. And unless it’s summer time in Arizona, well the weather is almost always kinda perfect. When Taylor mentioned a friend’s ranch as a possible location for her and Sean’s engagement session – I jumped at it. I love exploring Tucson and seeing new places I’d never been to before. And oh wow what a place it was! A ranch since the 1800’s, and in the same family since the 1960’s. We had tall grass, green grass, flowers, old buildings, mountains and running water. And we never left Tucson.
Lance and Jamie have traveled all over the country, moving from base to base with the Air Force. Next stop is North Dakota – not exactly my kind of move in the cold of winter! But this perfect fall day found them getting married in warm Southern Arizona at the Stillwell House and Gardens in Tucson. Jamie’s mother DIY’d so much of the decor for this wedding : bouquets and floral centerpieces, the burlap and sunflower wreaths on the gates, . These flowers were gorgeous and really popped against the bridesmaid’s persimmon colored dresses.
Hacienda Del Sol – one of my favorite Foothills desert oasis’s. A warm October day with a stunning array of white puffy clouds over the mountain view. Soft blush pinks, candlelight and lace. Laura and Colin left Boston in a 30 degree chill and arrived in 80 degree Tucson for their romantic desert wedding. I first met them back in spring when we did their engagement photos in the barrio. Laid back and fun to work with, this pair of lawyers had a perfectly classical and sophisticated wedding with a wonderful gathering of friends and family from all over the US.
Most couples on their wedding day tell their families and friends to leave off the sunglasses – But Sam and Kris actually bought custom sunglasses for their entire bridal party and all their guests. And encouraged them to wear them all day and all night too. The entire day was at the gorgeous Skyline Country Club in Tucson, Arizona. Soft pinks and a fresh modern feel, stunning white clouds in an ultra blue sky. A completely personalized ceremony by Kristine of Sweetgrass Ceremonies hit on everything that makes this couple click with each other. And then DJ Marc Summerset of CE Entertainment started off the evening M.C.’ing this outrageous party that featured the 80’s and the Gentlemen Band. 80’s music dominated the night and filled up the dance floor until the surprise fireworks show for the guests that topped off the evening. I’m just wishing these guys had more friends who were getting married now – I can’t wait to see them all again!
When I first met Caitlyn and Tom, I had to admit that I’d never heard of their venue, St Ann’s Chapel and Ranch. Right in Tucson, yet so private that you feel that you are buried deep in the desert. All that green grass, mountain views, and it’s own private little chapel. A perfect and peaceful spot for a elegant little country wedding that was officiated by the bride’s own dad. A beautiful lace dress with an illusion neckline, white lace Ked sneakers that made dancing on the grass a do-able thing, a wooden ring box held by the groom’s daughter Kylie, and a handmade Cinnamon Toast Crunch wedding cake and scrumptious dessert bar by the bride’s mom and her friend Diana. The dessert bar included take-out boxes, and I will admit that I had a delicious piece of cheesecake and peanut butter buckeyes for breakfast Sunday morning :). Homemade jam and goodie bags for the kids were more take-home goodies to be had. This amazing couple has some truly deep love for each other and for Kylie. Thank you for making me a part of your day!
Lauren and Todd brought bright Mexican colors and an eclectic mix of friends and family to Agua Linda Farm in Amado for their beautiful desert wedding day. Friends came from all over South America, Mexico and across the United States. The late afternoon ceremony was filled with poetry and readings in both English and Spanish. Low key and untraditional, the day was filled with blessings from friends along with tons of dancing and celebration. Todd dealt well with my insistence on getting a few photos of them alone on this beautiful farm before releasing them to their friends and the party.
Bethel Woods is the sight of the original Woodstock Festival in 1969. Cassie and Kristen’s ceremony was on the hill overlooking the historic ‘Great Lawn’ and we did photos all over the original concert site, including a crazy fun rushed photo session in the psychedelic museum. My head always spins from all the cool music, spinning lights and tributes to amazing musicians. There’s magic everywhere.
Sarah and Jerred’s wedding day was not a wedding to miss – all the stops were pulled off here from a liquor and cigar present for the groom earlier in the day to not one but a two car getaway! This gorgeous spring day started and ended at the amazing Ritz Carlton at Dove Mountain, with a very nice side trip to St Phillips in the Hills for the wedding ceremony. I really could live my entire life at the Ritz Carlton and not ever find a reason to leave. Madison and the rest of their team really do a stunning job up there. Sarah really did have every detail of this amazing day completely thought out. From custom hangars with pink bows for the bridesmaids dresses to the beautiful yellow gobo behind the couples table. And the shoes, oh the shoes! I could take these Manolos home and hang them on a wall – they are so utterly gorgeous. Sarah and Jerred never stopped smiling the entire day – the most beautiful couple ever – this day really was amazing in every way.
Hurricane Odile was supposed to tear through Tucson on Amy and David’s wedding day. 100% chance of rain. Well, it did not rain on LaMariposa this day – we were dry and happy all day. The soft lighting made for some gorgeous photos and the big black clouds over the mountains took the sunlight that was peeking through and gave us some amazing golden light for photos later in the afternoon. This is my 2nd of 3 in a group of friends who really know how to party and throw amazing weddings! Amy and David are huge Wildcat fans who scheduled their wedding day on a non-game day on purpose. But, you would’ve thought there was a tailgate party going on in the groomsmen room – we could hear them yelling and whooping before we were even in the building! I think the bottles of vodka, bottles of 5 hour energy and Wildcat groomsmen t-shirts might kind of explain all that though. Amy and David has a perfect 1st look before the ceremony – lots of tears flowed at this wedding! A gorgeous ceremony with paper flower balls hanging from the trees and paper streamers hanging from the gazebo and the chairs. Sparking gold decor, navy striped napkins, bags of golden popcorn as favors. Romance, elegance and sweetness everywhere.
Hacienda Del Sol Resort in Tucson is such a delightful place to spend a wedding day. Or week, or maybe even a year…. the food is fabulous, the gardens are gorgeous, and there is so much history in every nook and crevice. Every time I go there, I just want to move in and stay. Bianca and Shelby’s wedding was in the last days of the monsoon. Rain was falling early on, but the showers stopped just as we came outside and stayed in the distance for the rest of this beautiful evening. Bianca also incorporated lots of red in her wedding; the color of good fortune, joy and happiness in Chinese culture. It was also delightful to see all the red color mixed in with deep browns and yellows, because this meant fall was finally on it’s way to Arizona! Fall Colors = Yummm. Meagan Crain of M.C. Events worked seamlessly with Rachel Allen of Hacienda Del Sol to pull together all the decor and a fun evening of dining and dancing for this super sweet couple and all of their guests.
It was raining. Not just a sprinkle. A lightning and big black cloud kind of rain. But, you could just kinda see the edges of daylight around the clouds…maybe, just maybe we could get past this storm and get Amanda and Eddie’s wedding day photos done outside as planned! I took off with Eddie for Locust Grove from the Poughkeepsie Grand Hotel. We were going for it. It wasn’t raining there :). The grounds at Locust Grove are enormous. Beautiful sweeping lawns, views of the river, mansion porches. And that’s very nice, but we really didn’t need it. I took all of these photos within a 50 foot run of the parking lot just in case we had to make a mad dash for it. And I am so completely satisfied with the range of beauty, emotion and gorgeousness of them that I just smile every time I take a peek.
Timing wise things couldn’t have worked out better. The afternoon turned hot and steamy, but the sun held right through the outdoor ceremony above the Hudson River at The Grandview. Showers later that evening weren’t even noticed by the guests who were wining and dining and dancing under the tent to an awesome NYC band , The Atomic Funk Project.
