If you have your wedding in a zoo you automatically gain major points in my book. Add in Kate Spade inspiration with bold jewel-tones, black and white stripes and adorable DIY and origami details and I am in total and complete heaven. I've been bitten hard by the lovebug for this Arizona zoo wedding which totally looks like a modern day fairytale. Brushfire Photography captured some seriously magical moments and the perfect details that were all created by the gorgeous bride. Click here to see all the incredible deets!
Reid Park Zoo Wedding by Brushfire Photography
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From the bride... I was really inspired by Kate Spade, New York, Japanese origami, Southwest cuisine, succulents, DIY culture and, of course, the zoo! I have to admit, the decor was a challenge because my husband and I are designers and are very particular aesthetically. He has a nature-loving, organic style, whereas I have a love for bold palettes and quirky graphics. Fortunately, we have common ground in loving things to be clean, modern, unconventional and environmentally-friendly. In the end, we dubbed it "Eco Chic." Using our colors of sangria, clover, and lime... I think we achieved success! Hooray!
From Mike and Brittany of Brushfire Photography... When Jillianne contacted me about her wedding plans at Reid Park Zoo in Tucson, Arizona, I almost had a heart attack because I was so excited about their unique ideas. We knew their wedding was going to be a very special experience. They are both designers and worked very hard to make their wedding a beautiful experience for themselves and their guests.
Jillianne was ushered in by her father and sisters to accordion music. They chose the accordion because it reminded Jacob of his grandfather. This is the first wedding we have attended with everyone standing for the ceremony, and we loved it!! It was so nice not worrying about walking around taking photos or blocking anyone's view. The ceremony was like out of a fairytale. Light shone through the trees as paper flowers and origami cranes moved with the breeze and peacocks wandered around the guests. Having the opportunity to photograph giraffes with the wedding party was the coolest thing. Everyone was sticky with giraffe slobber and laughing contagiously. The Reid Park Zoo was one of the prettiest venues we have been to, and it was difficult to pick which spot was the best for their couple photos. We chose the flamingo pond, and it was a gorgeous and kind of funny spot because we had to chase the flamingos around the pond, herding them into the photos. Their reception was very intimate, more like a family dinner with everyone talking and laughing together, sharing stories and gifts. It was very cool that the zoo brought a snake, an anteater and a skink in for all the guests to pet and feed. The anteater was the cutest thing! We loved that they really considered the kids and how to make the party fun for them too. All the kids got a different animal mask, coloring book and animal figurines. The animal cookies as party favors were the perfect takeaway. In a way, all the guests got to be kids for the night.
Wedding Photography: Mike + Brittany of Brushfire Photography / Wedding Venue: Reid Park Zoo in Tucson, Arizona / Flowers: Tanya Kratz of In Full Bloom Floral Studio / Event Designer: The Bride / Coordination: Karen T. Wylie of Reid Park Zoo / Wedding Cake: Marco's Bakery / Catering: Taste of the Wild Catering at Reid Park Zoo / Wedding Dress: White by Vera Wang / Hair: La Paloma Red Door Spa / Makeup: Jessica Jons, MAC Makeup Artist / Groom's Tie: Cyberoptix Tie Lab / Groom's Suit + Shirt: Perry Ellis / Accordion Music: Arleen Watkins