Simple, Elegant Wedding in Paradise Valley
The difference between rain ruining and not ruining a wedding is all in the attitude. You can cry and add to the amassing water on the ground, or you can grab your Hunter boots, head to the tent, and party anyway! Take a cue from this bride whose outlook is as charming as her tasteful bouquets and craft beer spread. We'll also take it the water didn't hurt Elyse Hall Photography's camera. Get the full gallery here.
From the bride... Kyle and I got married on November 23, 2013 in Paradise Valley, Arizona. It very rarely rains during the winter in the desert, but as luck would have it our wedding weekend now holds the record for second wettest November weekend in Arizona history. Because we had planned to have both our ceremony and reception outside, the week leading up to the wedding was extremely stressful. But despite the last minute changes that had to be made as a result of the weather, our vendors worked extremely hard to make sure our special day was what I had always dreamed it would be…
Kyle and I fatefully met through mutual friends while we were both living in California after college. It was love at first sight for him; I needed a little more convincing. On our first date he took me to Toy Story 3 and didn't give me a hard time for crying at the cartoon movie; that is when I knew he was someone special. We dated for three years and enjoyed everything Los Angeles had to offer, but being an Arizona girl I was ready to move home. As our love was stronger than anything else, my wonderful future husband agreed to move with me. We got engaged on December 21, 2012. While others remember this day as the prediction for the end of the world (according to the Mayan calendar), for me it was the beginning of my new life.
My mom and I quickly became busy with wedding planning. I wanted to make every detail very personal: from getting ready at my parents' house to incorporating things Kyle and I love into every aspect of the ceremony and reception. As a result "simple elegance" became the theme for our wedding. I envisioned having everything outside everything outside and dancing the night away with my prince charming under the beautiful Arizona stars. We also wanted people to leave the wedding feeling like they knew more about us than they did before. Instead of doing traditional table numbers, we used cities that had important meanings to Kyle and me (which my mom made!). Kyle loves beer so one of the bars was dedicated to craft brews. The other bars had signature drinks with our favorite cocktails. We had photos of us on the cocktail tables in place of traditional flower arrangements. The whole day was very much us.
Though the weather threatened to interfere with our big day, the rain actually made it all the more magical. As guests arrived, apple cider and hot chocolate was served to keep them warm until the commencement of the ceremony. And as I prepared to walk down the aisle the skies parted just long enough to allow us to keep the ceremony outside against the backdrop of the iconic Camelback Mountain. After cocktails, everyone moved into the reception tent. Thousands of lights were draped around the tent and crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling. It was breathtaking. Dinner was served, toasts were given, some tears were shed, and then the party started. People got on the dance floor and didn't leave until the music stopped. It was everything Kyle and I had wanted and so much more—not even the rain could keep us from dancing under the “stars.” So to all future bride out there who get rain on their wedding day: I promise what they say is true, it is lucky!
Kyle and I fatefully met through mutual friends while we were both living in California after college. It was love at first sight for him; I needed a little more convincing. On our first date he took me to Toy Story 3 and didn't give me a hard time for crying at the cartoon movie; that is when I knew he was someone special. We dated for three years and enjoyed everything Los Angeles had to offer, but being an Arizona girl I was ready to move home. As our love was stronger than anything else, my wonderful future husband agreed to move with me. We got engaged on December 21, 2012. While others remember this day as the prediction for the end of the world (according to the Mayan calendar), for me it was the beginning of my new life.
My mom and I quickly became busy with wedding planning. I wanted to make every detail very personal: from getting ready at my parents' house to incorporating things Kyle and I love into every aspect of the ceremony and reception. As a result "simple elegance" became the theme for our wedding. I envisioned having everything outside everything outside and dancing the night away with my prince charming under the beautiful Arizona stars. We also wanted people to leave the wedding feeling like they knew more about us than they did before. Instead of doing traditional table numbers, we used cities that had important meanings to Kyle and me (which my mom made!). Kyle loves beer so one of the bars was dedicated to craft brews. The other bars had signature drinks with our favorite cocktails. We had photos of us on the cocktail tables in place of traditional flower arrangements. The whole day was very much us.
Though the weather threatened to interfere with our big day, the rain actually made it all the more magical. As guests arrived, apple cider and hot chocolate was served to keep them warm until the commencement of the ceremony. And as I prepared to walk down the aisle the skies parted just long enough to allow us to keep the ceremony outside against the backdrop of the iconic Camelback Mountain. After cocktails, everyone moved into the reception tent. Thousands of lights were draped around the tent and crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling. It was breathtaking. Dinner was served, toasts were given, some tears were shed, and then the party started. People got on the dance floor and didn't leave until the music stopped. It was everything Kyle and I had wanted and so much more—not even the rain could keep us from dancing under the “stars.” So to all future bride out there who get rain on their wedding day: I promise what they say is true, it is lucky!