Arizona Destination Weddings

Are you thinking about an Arizona Destination Wedding? How important is Photography?



When choosing to have a Northern Arizona Wedding, brides usually factor in the incredible scenery as a back drop for photography. Let’s face it, between a Grand Canyon Wedding, Flagstaff, or Sedona Wedding; there are some award winning scenic locations. How could anyone mess up a picture with those beautiful mountains or red rocks as a setting? It does happen.


However, we have yet to see it happen, with the top notch photographers we work with as Arizona Wedding Consultants shooting Flagstaff or Sedona Weddings. What is the trick? It is nice to capture the Sedona Red Rocks in a photo but let’s not forget to feature the bride. A skilled and experienced photographer specializes in just that. They are experienced in shooting the outdoors while still capturing the individual moments and people.


They are used to working with the Northern Arizona elements and lighting while still getting the best angles and capturing the perfect moments. All of this while making you look great. The type of professional cameras and equipment they use are capable of capturing perfect shots that a common camera just cannot do.


Still thinking about having Uncle Bob with his digital camera take that winning shot of the back of your head leaning over to fix your shoe?


You are probably thinking about the cost. While photography cost can be 10% (or more) of your total budget, you need to look at your priorities. How important is it to have incredible pictures of your most important day ever? Remember, you will hold on to these special pictures your entire life.



Photo by Wedding Guest



Photo by Melissa Dunstan Photography



There is a range of prices and services offered when choosing a photographer for a Northern Arizona Wedding. Peak Events specializes in helping you find the perfect photographer as well as other vendors in your price range. It is our pleasure to guide you through this process in planning these details. We love what we do and look forward to working with you to help plan your Arizona Destination Wedding.

Voted Best in Flagstaff two years in a row, Peak Events specializes in Arizona Event and Wedding Planning.

Sally

Northern Arizona Wedding, July 2011

Imagine getting married at a one hundred year old trading post. That’s what Jessica and Gerald did on July 23rd along with 100 of their friends and family members. The sky was a vibrant blue and formed a perfect backdrop for the red sandstone buildings and pathway. The garden flowers were in bloom and the wedding was picturesque as the music began and the couple pledged their love to one another. The applause that ensued after the wedding kiss, promised to send the couple off into their future with love and support from all those present.

Weddings in Northern Arizona are special and there are so many unique places to have a wedding. I am often asked where we do the most weddings and my answer is always the same – anywhere outside. Brides and Grooms are drawn to the historical uniqueness of a trading post and the spectacular beauty of the Grand Canyon. They come to Flagstaff for the forest surroundings, something most people don’t realize exists in Arizona, and they come for the over 288 days of sunshine. Northern Arizona is the perfect place for a destination wedding; your picks for locations are as varied as it comes. Trading Posts, the Grand Canyon, Lake Powell, San Francisco Peaks, Sedona and of course Flagstaff offers everything a bride and groom could want.

Jessica and Gerald wanted a location that reflected their love of Arizona and their connection to history. Jessica chose brown and sage green as her colors and her bridesmaids were beautiful as they walked down the aisle dressed in brown dresses with sage sashes and then she reversed the colors for her Maid of Honor. At the reception, she threw in the color pink to add to the fun summer playfulness of the wedding.

Our July 23rd wedding was a wonderful reminder of all the great places in Northern Arizona that I’ve passed by a million times and all it takes is one stop to take the time and witness the abundance of beauty and grandeur.

 Debbi

Vendors

Venue & Reception: Cameron Trading Post and Tuba City High School

Event Planner: Peak Events

Floral: Flagstaff Floral

Catering: Main Street Catering

Cake Designer: Family Friend

Entertainment: Family Friend

Photography: SJA Studios

Brides on a Budget

Are you one of those brides that wants a special wedding but are feeling financially challenged? Luckily, you are not the only one. It is possible for you to celebrate your special day without having to make your own dress and have the reception at your Grandma’s home.


The good news is that weddings have changed over the years. The current trend is creating a wedding that is perfect for you. This means one that fits YOUR budget.


The average budget for a bride in America is around 25,000. That sounds like a lot. You can do it for a lot less. There are 15 basic categories to think about when planning a wedding.


When determining your budget, don’t forget to add enough to include tax and tips.


Take a look at these categories and start thinking about your priorities:


1. Ceremony


2. Reception


3. Photography


4. Videography


5. Stationary


6. Wedding Attire


7. Music


8. Bakery


9. Flowers


10. Decorations


11. Transportation


12. Rental Items


13. Gifts


14. Parties


15. Miscellaneous ( Marriage license, Gown preservation, Wedding Consulting)


Peak Events is working hard to get you the best prices on vendors and offering you creative solutions for cutting costs. This month we are focusing on the first two categories that are crucial in planning your perfect Wedding day. Let’s face it, the actual site where you get married is up there on the list for important features when setting the stage for that perfect day.


Typically, a large part of your budget will go to the reception site and food. This can be close to 40% of the Wedding cost compared to the ceremony which should be around 5%.


Do you want an outdoor wedding? Why not choose a location where you can have your ceremony and reception at the same place? This will save money, time and energy. The best part is your out of town guests do not have to drive across the city. Worried about inclement weather? Choose a location that offers a back up indoor or covered spot for your piece of mind. There are several places in and around Flagstaff that offer affordable sites for $1500 or less. This does not include food. You can decorate yourself and even bring your own caterer. Don’t be scared away by a location that has simple décor. There are affordable tricks for dressing up a place. Do your guests really care about the granite princess sculpture in the front of some lobby you are paying a premium for? The point is that the day and location should reflect who YOU are. Peak Events will continue to cover and work with local vendors offering the best deals. Feel free to contact us to learn more.

Sally

Introducing our new Wedding Planner…

Welcome Everyone! I am thrilled to be part of the Peak Events team here in Northern Arizona. I love living and working here. My journey as an event planner began in 1978 when I coordinated ski vacations for teenagers. My intention at the time was purely selfish. I thought my family was the only one in my town that did not know how to ski. If I coordinated and planned the trips for 25 people or more, I would ski and vacation for free. The most important thing for me was that I learned how to ski.


I loved the planning and organizing aspect of the trips. I loved making the flyers, securing the dates, travel, meals, accommodations and ski packages. It never crossed my mind I would be doing this for a living 30 years later.


I went on to college to study Psychology and Early Childhood Education. I still continued working events through graduate school. I worked for three different caterers and especially gravitated towards the tailored events and private parties. I was a DJ for many parties. I organized and led freshman and transfer orientation for the first week of school 3 years in a row. We organized events for up to 1000 students.


After I landed my first teaching job in New York I still continued working events on the weekends through the 1980s. I always loved it. I just never considered doing it full time.


After years of living in New York and Boston, I moved to Raleigh, North Carolina. In 1998, I took my first job as a Wedding Coordinator. I was also working as a Youth Education Director during the week since most weddings were on the weekends. After 6 years and 250 weddings later, I moved to Tucson, Arizona when my husband took a new job teaching Business at the University of Arizona.


I worked for the Tucson Botanical Garden coordinating Weddings and other events until we moved to Sedona with my three children in 2009. I continued doing social work mostly on the reservations until recently.


I have finally come to accept the importance of doing what you love. I am dedicating myself full time to planning events and weddings because it is so fun and it is what I love to do. I am also trained to assist in childbirth and hospice. Although I really hope those skills don’t come in handy at my events.


When I am not working, I am spending time with my family, gardening, traveling, dancing, or hiking some of Northern Arizona’s incredible trails.


I look forward to working with you and learning more about your special day and how we can make that a reality. Feel free to contact me with any questions.

Sally
sally@peakeventsaz.com

Peakcocks and Bling!

On March 12, 2011, Talani Wilson became Mrs. Maurice Rowe at Flagstaff Ranch. I had so much fun on this wedding and it turned out to be absolutely beautiful. I first met Talani and her mother Diana on October 2nd. We met quickly before Flagstaff Oktoberfest and they decided to hire us on the spot. I was excited about this wedding because I’d never done a peacock wedding and it was a challenge to find that line between too much and not enough. Anyone who’s been to one of my weddings knows I try to design from less is more. So, how did we make this wedding so beautiful while honoring the Peacock theme and having a bride who loves bling?


We started with the room design. Flagstaff Ranch has a beautiful set up for weddings, a perfect area for a buffet, a great area for cocktail hour and a great dance floor. The décor at Flagstaff Ranch can be a bit heavy with wooden tables, chairs and trim – we decided to put all those tables and chairs outside on the covered patio and bring in the event chairs that we could cover. Talani’s colors were peacock of course, but we narrowed in on a beautiful blue. We covered the tables and chairs with black lamour and then brightened it up with blue chair ties and napkins.

Our next design element consisted of flowers. In case you’re not aware – there aren’t many blue flowers. The blue delphinium is basically it, unless you’re willing to spray paint your flowers, which – may look really cool in the magazine, but in person, they look exactly as you’d expect, spray painted – plus, it dries them out something fierce and who needs more drying in Flagstaff? Talani loves Calla Lilies, which was beautiful to work into a design. White calla lilies with crystals, green and blue accent flowers, and the peacock eye feathers against the black tablecloth popped and allowed the Peacock to be a beautiful accent instead of an overpowering presence. Also on the tables, we placed origami peacock paper candy boxes engraved from lmk-gifts.com. Again, bringing in the peacock without the wedding going to the birds!

Talani and Maurice decided to go with cupcakes, with a cake on top for the cutting ceremony. Flagstaff Ranch staff delivered plated cupcakes to the guests and everyone was treated to the delicious creations of Beautiful Leaf Bakery. For a cake topper, the couple decided to go with a peacock also from lmk-gifts.com that sat atop the cake, allowing for the feathers to drape down the tower of cupcakes.


 Chef Doug from Flagstaff Ranch, did a fantastic job on the food, delicious as always and the wait and bar staff are some of the best in town.


Having friends who are DJs is helpful when you’re planning a wedding – Kip and Bill did a great job of making sure the event flowed flawlessly, and provided great music at the ceremony and the reception.

It was a great time and at the end of the evening, when Talani and Maurice got into their limo to leave, both were smiling and ready to start their married life together.

Debbi

Vendors

Venue & Reception: Flagstaff Ranch Golf Club

Event Planner: Peak Events

Floral: Sutcliffe Floral

Cake Designer: Beautiful Leaf Bakery

Entertainment: Family Friend

Photography: Kristen Lynn Photography



Kristen Daulton Photography

Interview with Kristen Daulton from Kristin Daulton Photography.

 How long have you been a photographer?

I started photographing in 2001, so 10 years.

 How did you get started in Photography?

My Dad gave me his Pentax 35mm for a photography class I wanted to take my 1st yearr in college. Hooked every since.




What is your favorite wedding or event you photographed?

I love all of the events I photograph, but I think my favorite was last April in Spokane WA because I got to travel & see so many different locations.



What is your favorite Northern Arizona location to use as a background?

Anything with the San Fransisco Peaks...they are breath taking!



What is one tip you can give brides?

Relax and have fun....let everyone else worry for you for the day.


You can reach Kristen at kristendaulton@yahoo.com

Flagstaff Ranch Golf Club Wedding

Rain at an Outdoor Wedding? No Problem!!



Kendra and Mike are an outdoor loving, fun, spontaneous couple. They came to us in need of a day of wedding coordinator for their destination wedding at Flagstaff Ranch Golf Club. We met them a few months before their wedding and we fell in love with them right away!
 The big day finally arrived and Kendra was stunning as she walked into the club house beaming! The guys were at the bar having a drink after enjoying a long hike and outrageously fun golf round! Victor Vonsparough spent the day doing a video documentary of the golf round and it looked so fun I wanted to go golfing!!

There were big dark clouds moving in and I was beginning to wonder if the rain gods would be “gracing” us with their presence…. Meanwhile we were hard at work putting together the amazing centerpieces Kendra and her mom had made. They were three sizes of glass vases and they had made beautiful paper wrappings with a silver strip down the front and each table had the name of a country that Kendra and Mike had been too! With votives and crystal on all the tables the glass oil lamps illuminated the room! With such a story behind each table setting, it was only fitting that the favors were little airplane luggage tags! The room was beautiful…but outside was still very dark.


All the chairs were set up for the ceremony and as soon as the last chair was set it started to pour!!! But not to worry, the wedding was still a few hours away. I spoke to both Mike and Kendra and neither one was even bothered by the rain (WHEW)!!


Kendra was dazzling in her dress, shining her ring with toothpaste….wait toothpaste??? Yes!! All you Brides out there toothpaste works wonders! It was still drizzling when we lined up the wedding party. And Kendra had a surprise! She was going to arrive in fabric covered golf cart, so that no one could see her until her dad “presented” her! The rain had stopped and all the guests found their seats and the programs were fans with games on the back, so creative! The wedding was beautiful, the vows were funny and romantic and as creative as the couple! As soon as the couple lined up to come inside, it began to rain, what timing!!

The gift table was adorned with pictures of Kendra and Mike throughout their travels. Each guest received an “itinerary” as they walked in (what a way to keep up with the theme)! Inside was the guest table name, and a little about it, and a drink ticket. Each boarding pass looked like a flight ticket and a travel itinerary, the guests were raving about them!

This group knew how to PARTY! They spent the whole night on the dance floor! We were serving cake on the dance floor because no one wanted to stop!!! Kendra and Mike not only were the sweetest couple but their family was amazing!! I will never forget this wedding! Kendra and Mike were so grateful and didn’t have to worry about a thing!!

 

Christina

Vendors

Venue & Reception: Flagstaff Ranch Golf Club

Event Planner: Peak Events

Floral: Sutcliffe Floral

Cake Designer: Caked

Entertainment: PLR Music

Photography: Sara Cruz-Mora

Videographer: Vongspoth Studios

Why Hire a Wedding Planner?

Every wedding is unique and most brides know exactly how their day should look and feel. When a couple begins to think of their wedding day, they want it to be special, romantic and to reflect who they are. Many have ideas of what they want and don’t want, but discovering how much preparation is involved can be daunting. Where to start? How far in advance? How much to spend? Where to find the services you want in your price range? Planning a wedding can be stressful, and hiring a Wedding Planner will alleviate stress from the bride and groom at any stage of the planning process. The average wedding takes more than 250 hours just to plan! Most brides don’t have a lot of free time, regardless of how early they start planning their wedding. Instead of enjoying being engaged, brides will fill their nights agonizing over details, their lunch hours with phone calls and before long, the most wonderful time of their life has turned into a headache.


There is a myth that Wedding Planners are a luxury, only used by the wealthy and not affordable to the everyday bride. Weddings can be very expensive. You might think you are saving money by doing it all yourself and that hiring a Wedding Planner is an extra unnecessary expense. The truth is a bride and groom will save more money when working with a Wedding Planner because planners have the expertise to work within the couple's budget and are experienced in negotiating contracts with vendors and other suppliers, saving valuable time and money. The Wedding Planner has relationships with vendors and can find you the best deals in your price range, while taking advantage of discounts and avoiding costly mistakes.


Wedding Planners do NOT make decisions for you; they assist you in making informed decisions. Wedding Planners advise couples on etiquette, budget, traditions and timelines, allowing the bride and groom time to enjoy being engaged. A Wedding Planner will help you focus on what needs to get done, and do all the research, so you can choose based on your budget and style. A Wedding Planner is a steadying and soothing support, who is removed from the emotions that can complicate decision making for your wedding and tell you honestly what does and doesn't work. By hiring a Wedding Planner, you’re hiring someone who has done this dozens of times; ensuring details won’t slip through the cracks.
If you feel having someone involved with the planning of the wedding isn’t necessary, consider hiring a Wedding Planner to coordinate your actual wedding day. Wedding Planners know how to troubleshoot with regards to the wedding day timeline. Through their years of experience, they know how much time things actually take and how much of a cushion to build into the timeline. A wedding day timeline is essential to creating an accurate schedule that flows well and is the mark of a well-coordinated wedding. It is impossible for any couple to really experience their wedding and coordinate the day as well.

On the big day, who wants to worry where the flowers need to be placed, if the DJ has enough power while you’re trying to get dressed? By hiring a Wedding Day Planner, you can hand over all the details, so you just have to show up, get dressed, get married and enjoy the day with family and friends!

Debbi

Tipping and weddings

Tipping and weddings – I’ve been asked a few times now about whom should the bridal party tip and how much, so I did some research online and have come up with the following. I should say that I have gleaned this information from David Tutera and also Martha Stewart Weddings, so I’m thinking if Martha said it – its law, and if David is doing it – it’s got to be fabulous.


All tips should be in cash. If you’re tipping an employee of a company because they have gone above and beyond for you, their tip needs to be in a separate envelope. Also, no person should receive more than a $100 tip. Make sure you wait to tip your vendors until just before your vendor leaves so you can judge just how much to tip.

So, who should you tip and just how much:



Parking Attendants – this is something you need to arrange previous to the wedding. Guestimate how many cars will be arriving and plan on anywhere from $.50 - $1.00 per car. If you decide to take care of this – you should put a sign up for your guests letting them know you’ve taken care of the gratuity.

DJs – if you have one DJ – usually plan on $25 - $50, if you have 2 DJs (DJ and MC), giving each person in separate envelopes $50 should be sufficient.

Wait Staff – this one can be tricky. Usually it’s included in the contact, but if you have a wait staff or a member of the wait staff who just knocks your socks off with their service, figure 10 – 15% of the total catering bill.

Bartenders – If the venue has a tip jar out – don’t bother with tipping bartenders. I know of some venues that automatically put that out – even though they include gratuity with the bill. If your venue hasn’t included the gratuity and hasn’t set out a tip jar – then it’s usually 10% of the total bar bill.

Makeup artists or Hair Stylists – if you are paying for them to come to you, tips are not necessary. However, if you are going to the salon, you should tip them 15%. Remember, if they come to you – they make the money, if you go to the salon, the salon makes the money.




Now the following are optional. In other words – only tip if you feel they did an outstanding job.

Wedding Planner – If the planner owns the company it’s optional, but most wedding planners are tipped 10% of the contract.

Ceremony Musicians - $5 per hour, per person – give this to the musician in charge and remember – if they are at your rehearsal – you owe them for this also.

Banquet or Catering Manager – This is only given if they’ve thrown in extras or saved you a few hundred dollars on your bill – they usually get tipped between $25 - $50.

Photographers and Videographers - Again, this depends if they own the company. If so, then it’s optional. If they are employees then it’s 10-15% of the package price and it goes to the head photographer and they can distribute portions to any help they bring.

Officiate – Well, this one is a tricky one. I’ve heard that to tip them is an insult and considered bad etiquette. I’ve also heard to NOT tip is bad form – Martha seemed to believe that if you wish – you should make a contribution to the church and at a minimum should be $75. If you using a judge or someone who has no church affiliation, then a tip isn't necessary.

Florist – If you have a florist who isn’t charging you for set up and delivery, then an extra tip for that is acceptable. Usually $5 per delivery location is sufficient, although with gas prices exploding Martha may need to update that one.

Wedding Cake Baker – You usually don’t tip the baker, however, if like the florist they don’t charge a delivery and set up fee, then $10 is enough.


Remember, if you’re using a wedding planner, they should be the one responsible for delivering all the tips and payments due on your wedding day. If you’re not using a wedding planner, then your best man or the Father of the Bride will do – try not to have to take care of this yourself, this is your day – ENJOY IT! And if you don’t give tips, remember a thank you card is awesome to receive.


Debbi



Limo Drivers – 15% of the limo bill – hand this at the end of the service.Alter boys or girls - $5 or $10 each.

Grand Canyon Destination Wedding

June in Arizona is beautiful, but June at the Grand Canyon is stunning. Shoshone Point was the location of Chelsea and Brian’s wedding ceremony.

With views that overlook the canyon and plenty of space for guests, it really does make for a perfect Destination Wedding Location. Chelsea contacted Peak Events via email, since she was located on the east coast. Chelsea and I did all of our contact and conversations via email or phone calls. It wasn’t until the day of the wedding that I might our beautiful bride and groom.



Chelsea, her groom and family were all staying at the Grand Canyon in the various hotels. When I first met Chelsea she was in her room, getting her hair and makeup done by Patricia Vega. When I drove up from Flagstaff I met up with Showstoppers to pick up the flowers they had created. Now Chelsea’s mother mailed Showstoppers all the centerpiece holders, which were these amazing wooden pieces and showstoppers worked with us, and made the flowers sit exactly in each of them. The flowers really were stunning.

The guests were transported from their hotels to the reception site, about 10 minutes away. Once they arrived, the hotel had refreshments available. Soon Chelsea, her parents and Brian arrived. There ceremony took place overlooking the Grand Canyon, and was stunning! After the ceremony guests were asked to stay and enjoy a cocktail hour and hors d’oeuvres.

Then the guests and bride and groom were transported to the Thunderbird Lodge for the reception.


As guests entered the reception room, they were greeted by their candy favors. Please remember that the bride and groom either brought everyone on the plane or had it shipped to the hotel before they arrived. And also shipped it all home after the wedding! So yes, it can be done.

The bride and I discussed linens and she decided to go with a butter cream tablecloth, napkins and chair cover. We had some ivory accents with the chair ties and table overlay. The room looked amazing.

The cake was provided by the hotel, with the flowers from showstoppers.

Guests enjoyed a fabulous dinner provided by the hotel, cocktails and dancing courtesy of Jam N Sounds.


The wonderful photographs were done by Sedona Bride.


As the night came to a close and guests were heading to their hotel rooms, they were lucky enough to see a few Elk eating the grass just outside the Reception hall; it is after all a wilderness area!



Thank you Chelsea and Brian for choosing Peak Events to be part of your special day.



Jen

Vendors

Venue & Reception: Shoshone Point and Thunderbird Lodge

Event Planner: Peak Events

Floral: Events by Showstoppers

 

Entertainment: Jam-N-Sounds - Andy

Photography: Sedona Bride

Fabulous Wedding Websites To Check Out

For weeks my brother has been bothering me to check out http://www.stumbleupon.com/. I don’t know if any of you readers have ever visited the website but I decided to stumble upon wedding stuff… These are some awesome sites and things that I found:


Anthropologie is creating a bridal line!


That’s right—the store that we all love is launching a bridal line this spring! Anthro will be selling jewelry, dresses, and bridal inspired household items! Vintage wedding gowns will range in price from $750 to $5000. Not only are they launching a site but they will also be opening bridal stores in some cities.

Love & Lavender
This is a website created by two women that love everything about weddings! The site is a summary of inspirations, projects, and weddings that they wish to share with you! As I searched through this site I found a blog called “Ceremony Signs” and fell in love! Check out the link for some really awesome and creative photographs at different weddings!

 
 
TOMS Shoes are Walking Down the Aisle
We have all heard about TOMS shoes and their movement to provide outside countries with shoes. They have a great idea “one for one”, this means that for every pair of shoes sold TOMS will give away one pair of shoes to someone that needs it. Since the TOMS movement they have added wedges, apparel, botas, and now a wedding styles collection too!
You can buy men and women shoes for weddings. They are nicer styles, fabric, and come in different classy varieties. Sizes and styles are available for all roles in your wedding party whether it be bridesmaids, groomsman, the flower girl or the ring bearer. Now not only can you purchase the shoes to help the TOMS movement but you can also turn it into your wedding theme.

TOMS has created a “tool kit” to help you include TOMS in your wedding. On their website they provide you with ready-to-print place seating cards, table number cards, double sided post cards, and invitation inserts!
There are so many outside the box things that can turn your wedding experience into a one unlike any other!
Belle

Creative Wedding Invitations

Our intern Belle, came across this great creative wedding invitation. We just had to share it!

Peak Events is featured on Style Me Pretty!

Rustic Arizona Wedding!

Northern Arizona Weddings

Weddings – aren’t they fabulous? I love weddings and I love working with couples who are excited about their future together. I’m lucky enough to work with two such people on a wedding less than three weeks away! You can almost feel the excitement in the air……

The Peacock Wedding is what I’ve named this one – after all, our bride LOVES the Peacock motif and since the Peacock Theme was the hottest trend of 2010 and she got engaged in 2010 – how LUCKY am I? I’ll be honest, I’ve never done a peacock themed wedding, but now that I’m in the middle of it – I’m completely on board.
So, the question becomes, how do we honor the peacock without feeling like the wedding has gone to the birds??????? Less is more. So many brides can get carried away with peacock feathers, that they forget the real reason they picked it. So, Google peacock and this is some of what you might find: In Greece, the peacock is believed to be sacred to Hera, the queen of heaven and lawful wife of Zeus -- a pair of them drew her chariot --, and they were kept at her temples. In the Roman Empire, peacocks depicted on coins symbolized the females of the ruling houses, the lineage princesses. Maha-Mayuri, is the Buddhist wisdom deity associated with the peacock who protects against calamity especially drought. In the old Chinese bureaucratic system, members of the third highest level displayed a peacock as the emblem of their rank. In Christianity, it stands for immortality and the incorruptibility of the soul.
I’m meeting with my bride tomorrow to discuss linens! Woo Hoo – we’ve got gorgeous white flowers because of her love of Calla Lilies, and I’ve found some linens that will make this wedding POP! I’ll let you know what we decided soon…… Oh what fun!!!

Debbi

My First Flagstaff Wedding Expo

                I was warned.  I had heard that wedding expo's are composed of company booths with brides running around, like chickens with their heads cut off, trying to plan their weddings within 2-4 hours.  So that is what I expected when I pulled into the Radisson parking lot.  What I found when I walked in the doors though was unlike anything I presumed.  

                The Northern Arizona Wedding Expo was the complete opposite of what I imagined.  Yes there was lots of people and certainly some brides on a mission, but I found it to be enjoyable... maybe even a calm enjoyment. 

                There were cake samples you could die for, floral arrangements that you wanted to take home with you, fun photo booths like you see in the mall, and beautiful wedding decorations that would drop your jaw. 

                If you missed it this year... don't next year!  Honestly, what bride could ask for anything better than being able to walk around eating cake and drinking champagne while meeting all the contacts that would create their dream wedding!

 -Belle

P.S. Did I mention the FREE cake?!