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

Winter White Weddings

Any brides out there that love Flagstaff and have thought about having a winter wedding in Northern Arizona but still have doubts and questions?


Don’t rule out a Northern Arizona Wedding in the winter. Imagine photos with the snow Cap Mountains as a back drop or even a snow covered ground with the mountains behind to set the scene for your beautiful special day!


We can help you plan a simple affordable and even last minute wedding for the 2011-2012 winter seasons. You can have a Grand Canyon or Flagstaff Wedding for a fraction of the cost when choosing a date that is not during high season. Don’t forget a Sedona Destination Wedding this winter. The weather is perfect and mild during the winter months


At Peak Events we are here as your Northern Arizona Wedding Consultants to connect you with the vendors offering amazing deals for winter weddings. There are some beautiful ceremony and reception sites lodge or formal style that would love to host you this season for your special day.


Whether you live in Northern Arizona or just love it as a location for a destination wedding, contact us today to discuss some of the options available. There are some beautiful places to choose from. You can keep it small and quaint with a small guest list or have a large celebration.


Voted Best in Flagstaff the last two years in a row, Peak Events specializes in working with each individual to create your best day ever!

Photos provided by Cameron Kelly 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

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