When I tell you that you are about to fall head.over.heels for this next stunning Sedona affair, believe you me, I have never been more on the money. Because any wedding that boasts two adorable high school sweethearts, one vintage-inspired detail after another (all styled by the beautiful bride!) and a breathtaking Sedona setting is most definitely a fall crazy in love kind of affair. Victor Zerga snapped up every last heartwarming moment… and the gallery? Your new best friend. See it all right here.
From the Bride… Mike and I both grew up in Sedona, Arizona. It is a magical place with beauty beyond belief. We live in San Diego now, but we wanted to have our celebration in the town where we met and fell in love. Mike and I are high school sweethearts and spent many days getting to know each other in this sweet little town, so it was fitting for us to tie the knot in Sedona. We decided on holding the ceremony and reception at Garlands Lodge up in the canyon on the creek. It is a rustic setting with beautiful gardens and a big, grassy lawn. We both had spent time at Garlands as children and had fond memories of the place. While I was planning the wedding, Mike was deployed overseas. It was interesting trying to include him and make the wedding just as much about him as it was me. It actually brought us together and brought up opportunities to communicate and work through things.
We decided to go with a vintage rustic theme. It embodied both our personalities. I wanted to make every part of the wedding unique to our love and union. I bought every plate that our guest dined on at thrift and antique stores. I made a heritage table with pictures from both sides of our families, and every frame, vase and book was picked out by me and my mom. The burlap table runners and gift bags were all made by a good friend. The wood frames, ceremony arch backing and seating arrangement stand were all made by my dad. On each place setting, there was an mad lib that we had made, a seed packet of flowers and some Vosges Haute Chocolate.
The flowers were one of the first things I thought about when planning the wedding. I had a clear vision of wildflowers and a Sedona sunset. Sedona’s sunsets are one-of-a-kind. Cathy, our flower lady, did such an incredible job of capturing my vision. The food was done by Heartline Cafe in Sedona, and it was incredible. The photo booth was also a hit. Everybody love going in and taking fun pictures! It got used all night long. The DJ was a close friend! She was just wonderful. I made a playlist of all the songs I wanted played, and I also made a do not play list. We kept it light and sweet during dinner with standard love songs and a few indie favorites. When the dancing began we had a mix of bluegrass, lots of Alabama and a throwback to ’90s hip-hop with a ton of Notorious B.I.G. There was lots of dancing and jumping around. My day of planner was so together and helpful. That would be my best advice for brides planning their own weddings. Make sure to hire a day of coordinator. It’s your day and you need to put the stress into someone’s hands besides your own. A professional wedding coordinator is a must.
Wedding Photography: Victor Zerga / Wedding Venue: Garland’s Oak Creek Lodge in Sedona, Arizona / Event Design: The Bride / Wedding Day Coordination: Alexis Vickers / Floral Design: Cathy Switzer / Officiant: Nate Hansen / Catering: Heartline Cafe / Wedding Cake: Sedona Cake Couture / Wedding Stationery: Minted / Ceremony Music: Redlands / DJ: Jeanie Carroll / Wedding Dress: Melissa Sweet / Bride’s Jewelry: Tiffany & Co. / Bride’s Shoes: Vintage / Hair: Sara Pinckney / Makeup: DIY / Bridesmaid’s Dresses: Various / Groom’s Suit: Theory / Groom’s Shoes: Vans / Groomsmen’s Suits: Jos. A. Bank / Wedding AdLibs: August Press