Luxury Meets Red Rock & Agate Details | L'Auberge, Sedona AZ

Laura & Rodrigo were gems of clients this past year. With crazy professional schedules and their proclivity for travel,  their destination wedding planning process was punctuated with long pauses and an understood need to trust her vendors implicitly. As travel photographers, Makayla & I are familiar with the strain -- the sense of "I'm not fully in control." There is an inherent unpredictability in destination weddings and nerves that come with it. We aim to be a salve to that anxiety and are thrilled to work alongside vendors that take that similar stance.

 //VENDORS//

Wedding & Reception Venue: L'Auberge de Sedona Creekhouse // Photography: Laura K Moore Photography // Event Coordinator, Designer & Stylist team: Imoni Events // Florist: Foster-Wright Floral Design // Gown Boutique: Chantilly Place // Groom’s Tux: 1701 Bespoke // Groom's Bow Ties: Brackish Bow Ties // Groom’s Ring: Furrer Jacot // Hair & Makeup: Carrie Kacen // Bride’s Bracelet: Marco Bicego // Bride’s Ring: Jordan Widdes Jewelry // Caterer: L'Auberge de Sedona // Cake: Sedona Cake Couture // Cake Topper: Creation Bay // DJ/Band: Sweetwater Strings // Officiant: Anthony Flesch // Videographer: Gavyn Gates // Jeep Rides: Pink Adventure Tours // Stationary Suite (invitaiton & menus & logo design) Eleven Note // Calligraphy on agate stones: White Ink Calligraphy // Mr & Mrs. Chair Signs: ZCreate Design

The morning of their wedding Laura & Rodrigo treated their wedding guests to the infamous Pink Jeep Tours in Sedona. Megan, Makayla & I split up into different guests' jeeps and caught a few slices of thrill, antics and a few screams to top it off.

Guests returned to the L'Auberge and started the primping process.

The prelude time before the ceremony was ripe with anticipation. The way Rodrigo was visibly nervous but composed was heart-warming.

“We are excited to bring our families & friends together in such a beautiful area. I cant wait to see him standing in front of everyone and have our moment when we first see each other. I just tear up thinking about it...Top priority for our photographer is to capture those moments for us so we can have them always. - Laura, Bride”

and as they paused their prelude to grab an intimate, secluded first moment together...the day eased, rodrigo relaxed as his eyes sparkled looking his bride up and down. that moment was crazy beautiful...

L & R parted ways and the media team made their way up to the top of L'Auberge's prime outlook spot where the red rock stood proudly in the distance. Design elements and classy metallic nuances merged the natural aesthetic with a modern sheen. Guests sprinkled in and the ceremony began with a deep breath. From that first look down the aisle to the vows to the kiss, guests and vendors alike felt the undercurrent of gratitude and respect the couple had for each other. 

The remainder of the evening was filled with delicious food accented with attention to detail and the sweet affection and hospitality of the bride and groom.

(Real Feedback Post Wedding....)

LKM: Laura! Rodrigo! Pictures are all ready to go!! Here is the link to preview the release

 Bride: OMG! MORE!!!! I'm crying again!!!!! love love love! seriously crying as soon as opened them. what is wrong with me!? thank you!!!!

LKM: Oh you are so precious! #BESTREACTIONEVER

And for the finale, here is Laura & Rodrigo’s beautiful wedding video by Gavyn Gates Cinematography.

Thank you so much Rodrigo & Laura for trusting us with your beautiful wedding weekend celebration! It was such a joy to see your deep sense of joy in hosting, gifting and celebrating with your friends and family! Cheers! | LKM & CO

 //VENDORS//

Wedding & Reception Venue: L'Auberge de Sedona Creekhouse // Photography: Laura K Moore Photography // Event Coordinator, Designer & Stylist team: Imoni Events // Florist: Foster-Wright Floral Design // Gown Boutique: Chantilly Place // Groom’s Tux: 1701 Bespoke // Groom's Bow Ties: Brackish Bow Ties // Groom’s Ring: Furrer Jacot // Hair & Makeup: Carrie Kacen // Bride’s Bracelet: Marco Bicego // Bride’s Ring: Jordan Widdes Jewelry // Caterer: L'Auberge de Sedona // Cake: Sedona Cake Couture // Cake Topper: Creation Bay // DJ/Band: Sweetwater Strings // Officiant: Anthony Flesch // Videographer: Gavyn Gates // Jeep Rides: Pink Adventure Tours // Stationary Suite (invitaiton & menus & logo design) Eleven Note // Calligraphy on agate stones: White Ink Calligraphy // Mr & Mrs. Chair Signs: ZCreate Design

"Our love is the thrill of adventurous exploration with no fear of being lost because I will always have your hand to hold."
-Leo Christopher

JIANA | Senior | Tucson, AZ

This senior session was a treat. Jiana is a the daughter of a precious friend of mine at the school I work at. The bond between mother and daughter is so sweet; so strong. Note the image at the bottom as mom is fixing’ a few fly aways and fitting the robe on—SO MANY FEELS. :) Shout out to Cartel on Broadway (Downtown, Tucson) for letting us use their yummy light and coffee lobby and drink their deliciousness. You rock :) // Here are highlights from Jiana’s senior portrait session!

Oh Jiana…may your senior radiate as bright and brilliant as your smile and your joy. I LOVED laughing with you the whole way through this special portrait session! Enjoy senior year baby! // Laura

ALLLLSO — if you’d like to see the little highlight real from our session, check this out! Props to DesotoMedia



Scott + Mandy | Sedona Golf Resort | Arizona Destination Wedding

It was a stunning wedding day in Sedona Arizona only rivaled by the bride in a GREY STEEL Hailey Paige wedding gown and the calm composure of her close friends and family. Here are a few highlights from Scott + Mandy’s recent Destination Sedona Wedding.

VENDORS

Venue: Sedona Golf Resort // Gown: A and Be Bridal Shop // Bride’s Shoes: Badgley Mischka Bridal // Bridal Jewelry: Olive & Piper // Bridesmaids Gown: Vici Bridal // Cake: Sedona Cake Couture // Stationary: En Love Occasions // Florist: Events by Show Stoppers // DJ / MC: Starz Entertainment // Makeup: Patricia Vega Studios

“Q. What was the style/mood that you were going for from your wedding? What were your highest priorities?
A. We wanted a very classy yet whimsical wedding. My dress had a very fairytale like vibe and I wanted to continue that feeling throughout. We used a lot of whites, soft blues, and silvers, with a touch of a starry night theme to bring everything together and give it that whimsical feel we hoped for.”

Q. What other vendors particularly rocked your world?
A. Our venue, Sedona Golf Resort, was amazing! The staff were so helpful and the location was perfect. Our DJ was Jimmy D. With Starz Entertainment and he was awesome! Super organized, kept the day moving, and kept the dance floor full! Our hair and makeup was done by Patricia Vega and she did a beautiful job, she really knows her stuff! ~ bride

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CLIENT REVIEW (from the Bride:)

Q. Why did you initially hire Laura K Moore Photography?
A. Choosing a photographer for our wedding was actually the most difficult part of wedding planning for us. There are so many great photographers out there, how were we supposed to choose?! When we found Laura’a site and saw her pictures and how amazing she was at capturing the candid moments, it became a much easier decision! In addition, Laura seemed like someone who would be fun and easy going to be around. Since you spend more time with your photographer than any other vendor on your wedding day, this was really important to me. Laura made the day fun, easy, and made us feel confident that we were getting all the amazing shots we wanted and then some!
Q. What were some of the key highlights and memories of having LKM shoot your wedding?
A. She made things so easy! From the moment she got there, she went to work getting pictures of the dress, shoes, little details, everything! I never felt like I needed to give her any extra direction because she was already a step ahead of me, which made it much easier for me to relax. She was also great about helping us figure out posing and making things light and funny. My husband hates having his photo taken, but she made the process fun and easy!
Q. If you were to refer LKM to future brides & grooms, what would you say?
A. You can stop looking, you’ve found your photographer! Her pictures are timeless and elegant and really do capture the day. I spent hours researching photographers and could not be more thrilled to have chosen Laura for our big day! She’s an absolute gem!

Scott & Mandy, What an honor it was to be trusted with your wedding day! Your families were beautiful and your day was stunning! Excited to stay in touch as your future unfolds! // LKM

VENDORS

Venue: Sedona Golf Resort // Gown: A and Be Bridal Shop // Bride’s Shoes: Badgley Mischka Bridal // Bridal Jewelry: Olive & Piper // Bridesmaids Gown: Vici Bridal // Cake: Sedona Cake Couture // Stationary: En Love Occasions // Florist: Events by Show Stoppers // DJ / MC: Starz Entertainment // Makeup: Patricia Vega Studios

Kyle + Megan | Interlachen Country Club Modern Wedding | Orlando, FL

Kyle + Megan were a certain kind of wonderful to work with. (See their engagement session here and here) Below is essentially their personal feedback on all the facets of their wedding day — their vision and their vendors. I’ll let their words speak for themselves! For starters, when Megan originally connected with us, she wrote down some of her vision:

I'm calling my theme (for my wedding) "modern tropical". No stereotypical hibiscus flowers, but tons of palms and other touches of Florida in the food. It will be a destination wedding for half (I'm from Kentucky) so I want my guests to feel like they're on vacation. I want a tangible artifact I can take with me from my wedding. I'm most excited about candid moments. I don't like over-posed shots (bridesmaids going gah-gah over my ring, etc.) I want to also make sure everyone who attends get captured at some point, so focusing on the crowd at the ceremony, reaction shots, etc. I of course want gorgeous photos of me and my soon to be husband, too, that we can display in our home.

// VENDORS //

Prep Venue: The Alfond Inn // Ceremony & Reception Venue: Interlachen Country Club // Coordinator: Sonya with Busy Bride Wedding Design // Gown: One & Only Bridal Boutique // Bride’s Shoes: Badgley Mischka // Bridesmaids Dresses: Azazie // Bridesmaid’s Gifts: Olive & Piper // MUAH: Makeover Station // Florist: Fairbanks Florist // Caterer: Interlachen Country Club // Cake Artist: Sprinkles // Musicians: Classern Quartet // DJ: Blast Productions // Photo Booth: Blast Booth // Videogrpaher: Gavyn Gates Cinema // Signature cocktail signage: Jes Married // Invitations & Signage: Paper Goat Post // Card box and hexagon ring boxes: West Elm

The Alfond Inn provided our room block for our wedding guests, and also served as our bridal brunch location within Hamilton's Kitchen and our getting ready room. My guests loved the boutique feel of the hotel, and were amazed by the quality for the price! They provided my husband and myself with special surprised along the way, including a room upgrade, free champagne and Winter Park chocolates, and a free one night stay for our 1st anniversary! We cannot wait to relive the memories of our wedding! … Also note…. Fairbanks Florist--what more can I say about Lana that hasn't been said before? My bouquet was insane. I've never seen such a bountiful bouquet, which captured my tastes while presenting a one of a kind work of art. Everything Lana did was first class all the way.
Interlachen Country Club was our dream venue. The staff are incredibly professional. Working in events, I am aware that some food tasting may not be representative of the actual food quality and presentation on the actual wedding day. The food and drinks at ICC were even more delicious and beautifully presented on the day of the wedding!~ Megan

Laura and her team arrived several hours early on our wedding day, which alleviated our time crunch and added more content to our story. She was so generous with her time, and she even presented me with a meaningful gift to remember her and her team by!
Laura was and is truly fearless. She loves to take a chance on what could end up being a perfect shot. She embraced the unpredictable Central Florida weather and found alternatives to our planned outdoor ceremony….Laura is a true professional. A fun, genuine, adventurous one at that! Be open with her about your priorities. She will hone in on those for sure. Be willing to take a photo that you may be originally weary of--it may turn out to be the best one! She has a creative eye and is someone to be trusted! ~ Megan & Kyle

A few other vendor shout outs…. Blast Productions is hands down the nicest, high quality DJ and Photo Booth vendor in the area. I recommend them every chance I can!
Sprinkles Custom Cakes created the cake of our dreams! They cake was visually stunning, adapting a very expensive design into something that fit our budget but still sticking with the look we were going for. Most importantly, the cake was absolutely delicious! We look forward to receiving our anniversary cake and reliving that memory on our 1 year anniversary. ~ Megan & Kyle

“I wanted to have beautiful posed shots of Kyle and myself. Most importantly, I wanted Laura to capture candids of our wedding party and guests. The team photographed us with nearly everyone at the wedding, and I'm so glad we can look back at the photos and remember the support we had from family and friends who were in attendance.” - Megan

Kyle + Megan,

Truly you guys were such a joy to work with. The way you compliment each other and the way you cared for your guests and the caliiber of hospitality—it was SUCH A joy to be part of your wedding day and an honor to tell yoru love story!

// VENDORS //

Prep Venue: The Alfond Inn // Ceremony & Reception Venue: Interlachen Country Club // Coordinator: Sonya with Busy Bride Wedding Design // Gown: One & Only Bridal Boutique // Bride’s Shoes: Badgley Mischka // Bridesmaids Dresses: Azazie // Bridesmaid’s Gifts: Olive & Piper // MUAH: Makeover Station // Florist: Fairbanks Florist // Caterer: Interlachen Country Club // Cake Artist: Sprinkles // Musicians: Classern Quartet // DJ: Blast Productions // Photo Booth: Blast Booth // Videogrpaher: Gavyn Gates Cinema // Signature cocktail signage: Jes Married // Invitations & Signage: Paper Goat Post // Card box and hexagon ring boxes: West Elm

Here is the full highlight video from Gavyn Gates Cinematography — our amazing wedding videographer who globe trots and captures love stories with LKM.

This wedding was elegant, beautiful, and full of LOVE. Thank you so much Megan and Kyle for letting us shoot your beautiful Orlando wedding! If you loved this video don't forget to leave a thumbs up and subscribe to stay up to date on everything GGC including tutorials, wedding videos, and many many vlogs.

Andrew + Shayla | Tucson Engagement Session

They fell in love in starbucks... i sat for hours almost every day working while they met and loved and fell more and more for each other. my husband was his boss. she made my espresso and the distance between patron and server decreased. i would hear of their integrity. their passion. their frugal discipline and good questions. they bought a house. they are prepping for a wedding. he encourages lawson even after he is no longer boss... when 2 humans get in front of your lens and the invested sense of "wow, they are such a gift. to each other. to me. to my husband. to the world." - // Andrew + Shayla are getting married in Tucson in August and their sweet little engagement session in Tucson barrio’s flower garden was a little ray of golden sunshine. Here are a few highlights.

Michael + Juliana | Mt Lemmon Mountain Wedding | Tucson, Arizona

When Michael reached out with his unconventional wedding idea up on Mt Lemmon staged on Inspiration Ridge — a special spot for them—we were eager to say yes. There were few frills or extra details for this one. I listened to their priorities and heard their deep desire for simplicity. I knew the spot they loved up on Mt. Lemmon and that killer view and we decided to “hook em up” and create a customized “elopement-kinda” storytelling photography package of sorts. Below are our favorite highlights! (Oh and fun note—> their wedding was also featured over on Zion Bride yesterday! So fun to see the unconventional ideas of simplicity resonate and shared with other adventurers!)

// VENDORS //

Venue: Inspiration Ridge on Mt. Lemmon // Floral Designer: Posh Petals // MUAH: I Do Hair & MakeUp Artistry (Raemie Makeup) // Dress: J Bridal Boutique // Officiant: Catalina Foothills Church

Prep time was at Loews Ventana Canyon and all guests had been given an arrival time “or forever hold their peace.” Without phone reception, it was a bit of a ‘hail mary’ move but Micahel + Juliana were resolved and confidant that everything would be fine and if anything — they were gettin’ married and that was the point. Nerves aside — most guests arrived in time and were set and ready on Inspiration Ridge. Bubbles were staged, ring bearers were strapped, flower girls were gilded, high heels were removed (they had been warned) and Michael’s face— OH MY WORD—when he saw her for the first time….

I'm very goofy and she is more serious so hopefully you can capture some of those moments of my goofiness and her serious looks she gives me while she tries to hold back a smile :p - Michael, groom

As guests made their way to the cupcake picnic, M + J lingered on the ridge for a sweet series of cuddles and epic valley-backed breath-taking portraits :)

After portraits the newlyweds made their way to the guests and casually shared in treats and hugs and more casual family portraits.

REVIEW FROM THE BRIDE:

LKM is so much fun to work with, she takes the time to listen and really cares, it is so obvious. It felt like a best friend was shooting our wedding with how much she cared and how excited she was. I’ve never been comfortable having my picture taken and was nervous for our engagement shoot. Right away I could tell how much she cared, her excitement and fun personality put me at ease right away- I felt like I’ve know her for years! For our engagement and our wedding she went completely above and beyond our expectations, not to mention everyone at our wedding was asking about our photographer because they wanted to use her! Our photos are so unique and something we will treasure forever, I could not imagine our wedding without her. ~ Juliana, Bride

Michael & Juliana, being part of this slice of your adventurous spirit was a treat and an inspiration to us. Thank you for including us and letting us trapse and laugh and love and be so thrillingly authentic and unconventional :) We will be in touch! | LKM & CO

// VENDORS //

Venue: Inspiration Ridge on Mt. Lemmon // Floral Designer: Posh Petals // MUAH: I Do Hair & MakeUp Artistry (Raemie Makeup) // Dress: J Bridal Boutique // Officiant: Catalina Foothills Church

Austin + Stephanie | Carnton Plantation DIY Wedding | Nashville, TN

This Nashville wedding was one of those treasures. Austin + Stephanie wanted “their people” to be the center focus and they intently set out to create an entire weekend of enjoying friends and family to the hilt. Set at the beautiful historical wedding venue Carnton Planation, A + S put together a delightfully DIY spread of southern chic meets personal touches and nostalgia. Here are highlights from this stormy bagpipe playing, collaborative, southern-inspired, historical-nuanced, DIY sprinkled nashville tennessee wedding. :)

I (Stephanie) had met Laura while a bridesmaid at a different wedding and fell in love with her and all of the beautiful photos we saw afterward. I showed Austin and we both agreed we loved her style the best, as it seemed to always be story-telling focused, which was what we were after. - Stephanie, Bride

// VENDORS //

Venue: Carnton Weddings // Photography: Laura K Moore Photography // Gown: Morilee Bridal Boutique // MakeUp: Sarah Kay Makeup // Hair: Hair by Ashley // Bakery: @redheadedladybakery // DJ: DJ Connection // Catering: Daily Dish Events // Suite: iTailor // Invitations and Signs: Southern Shop Designs // Event Rentals: Southern Events Online // Musicians: Trapped on Earth Music // Uplighting: Bright Event Productions // Bagpipes: Nashville Musicians 

FIRST LOOK….For a year prior, wedding emails were often peppered with conversations about whether or not to do a first look. Going back and forth, A + S finally settled on a compromise — they would do a first look without seeing each other. The blacked out aviator sunglasses with white-out and prior to the wedding did a super sweet exchange of gifts, letters and some super energetic wedding party pictures. We were skeptical about the logistics at first but from head bumps to laughter to “i can’t see you but i can touch you” romance… this was a highlight of the day.

Rain was foreboding. And yet… the ceremony — right before she walked down the aisle — the sprinkles subsided and it was actually a pretty incredible moment.

We were able to swoop away and dodge the rain for some beautiful portraits in Carnton Plantation’s garden. The wedding guests welcomed the two party animals and the rest of the evening moved into a thriving party with live dancing, reunion selfies, delicious food and memories to last a lifetime.

“Our cake was made by @redheadedladycreations (see her instagram!) and it was absolutely beautiful, not to mention delicious! A year later, it was just as good and you better believe we ate every crumb! We also loved having Trapped On Earth play as our wedding band! They helped us tailor a super fun set list that was exactly what we wanted. They’re all amazing musicians, command a wide range of styles and they were willing to learn new tunes for us. They were just awesome and Laura helped capture some amazing photos of them!” ~ Stephanie, Bride

Austin + Stephanie, what a treat to get to know you over the past year and be so moved by your deep affection for your friends and family. Thank you for trusting us with such a special weekend in your lives and letting us “join the family” and capture such precious moments! // LKM

// VENDORS //

Venue: Carnton Weddings // Photography: Laura K Moore Photography // Gown: Morilee Bridal Boutique // MakeUp: Sarah Kay Makeup // Hair: Hair by Ashley // Bakery: @redheadedladybakery // DJ: DJ Connection // Catering: Daily Dish Events // Suite: iTailor // Invitations and Signs: Southern Shop Designs // Event Rentals: Southern Events Online // Musicians: Trapped on Earth Music // Uplighting: Bright Event Productions // Bagpipes: Nashville Musicians

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REVIEW FROM THE BRIDE

Llamas & Cocktails | San Antonio Wedding

San Antonio’s Dominion Country Club was a classy dream of a wedding venue. Between cobblestone , adobe tile and sweeping spanish architecture with domed skylights, the historical location was the backdrop to a lively evening. Below are highlights of this lovely “May the 4th” spring wedding in San Antonio, Texas… oh, and be warned, the force was alive and well with this dance party.

VENDORS

Venue: The Dominion Country Club // Photographer: Laura K Moore Photography // Wedding Gown: David’s Bridal //

MUAH: Jax Studio // Florist: Botanika // Cake: Cakes by Cathy //DJ: Future Sounds DJ

The day began with leasure pampering by the ladies of San Antonio’s well-known makeup and hair team: Jax Studio. We grabbed lunch at Kneaders and then made our way for our traditional mass ceremony at Holy Trinity Catholic Church. Immediately following were family portraits before everybody dispersed to the reception venue.

Once at Dominion Country Club, L + V surprised guests with a llama and cocktails while the wedding party did some fancy portraits in the sunbeams around the beautiful wedding venue’s property.

Dinner started promptly and a rockin’ dance party followed quickly therafter.

Luis & Veronica, you and your friends were a hoot and we are honored to have been a part of your love story this past year and capture such fun and energetic pictures that capture the thrill of your day! // Laura & Nikita (p.s. shout out to second shooter Niki who rocked it with her macro and dance floor storytelling skills. It is always both humbling and totally excited to get two artists together and share a whole portfolio of perspective! You are a joy to shoot with friend!)

VENDORS

Venue: The Dominion Country Club // Photographer: Laura K Moore Photography // Wedding Gown: David’s Bridal // MUAH: Jax Studio // Florist: Botanika // Cake: Cakes by Cathy //DJ: Future Sounds DJ 

Parin + Shiragi | Arizona Indian Wedding | Day 3

The third day of a traditional indian wedding is the most epic and anticipated day! (to see Day One and Day Two go here and here) For our bride and groom, the day started early in the hills of Tucson, Arizona. The girls and guys were getting ready in their separate suits at Westward Look Wyndham Grand Resorts where we found them buzzing around sorting ALL the details and grand ensemble that goes into an indian bride and groom’s wedding wardrobe. We grabbed a few details, navigated some drama, flexed the timeline and brushed off the stress. It was time to get married…

/ VENDORS //

Venue: Westward Look Wydnham Resort Tucson // Photography: Laura K Moore Photography // Videography: Fine Art Productions // Event Design & Decor: MM Celebrations LLC // Grah Shanti, Mehendi, and Garba Hair and Makeup: Blushed by Ish // Wedding Hair and Makeup: Makiaj Beauty // Wedding and Grah Shanti Outfit: Ekaya  // Reception Outfit: Shyamal and Bhumika // Garba Outfit: Swati Manish // Parfum: Valentino // Shoes: “a random stall in india” // Reception Flats: Keds // Rangoli & Other Design Details: Nisha Tailor Interior Designer // Tesla: Turo // Famous Singer & Band: Bhavin Shastri & Group // Famous Flutist- Anis Chandani // Famous Female Vocalist: Dhara Shah // Famous male singer- Dharmesh Chauhan

BARAAT

The groom and his family came riding in on a horse-drawn carriage with his entire family dancing around like crazy in zealous Baraat fashion. Parin made his way to the entrance of the wedding venue and met the Mother of the Bride who applied tilak and performs aarti to rid him of any evil eyes cast upon him. He then waited under the Mandap for Shiragi to exchange garlands—a lively, fun moment followed by a sudden whooping and hollering. “We got them! we got them” was heard from a cluster of bridesmaids. You’ll see below just WHAT extent the bridesmaids were willing to go to steal the groom’s shoes…

CEREMONY

The actual wedding ceremony is serious, respectful and attended by all. While the groom waited to see as his bride approached, Iwas taken off guard when i noticed dad’s first look of his daughter. Shiragi and Santosh had an incredibly sweet bond and the presentation of the bride was super emotional for everybody in the room. When the curtain covering Parin was dropped, he choked up and the rest of the ceremony was filled with tears and laughter all mixed together.

VIDAI

The Vidai is a goodbye ceremony of the bride bidding farewell to her family and leaving of her maternal home. It was emphasized that “this was going to be super emotional” as it is considered one of the most sentimental outbursts. Santosh was the last in line to hug his daughter. The tradition is for brother and cousins of the Bride help push the vehicle as an indication of their acceptance of the couple’s new life together and adventure forward. The female friends and relatives of the bride playfully stand in front of the car to “keep them from leaving.” All the symbolism was rich and constantly honoring the family and the life being left behind and the joy they anticipated forward. It was crazy beautiful.

RECEPTION

The ceremony was followed by family portraits, then a private lunch and then PREP time for the grand finale — the reception. Set at the Tucson Convention Center, the design and catering team did a phenomenal job serving and keeping the flow of event moving and engaging. With fog machines, light up drums, lazer shows and a massive light-up dance floor…it was an experience for everybody. Bride & groom surprised people with a zealous dance performance but Santosh raise the glass and the bar when the finale included a burst of sparks and fire machines heralded the new life and adventure.

What a privilege to be invited into this crazy intense celebration. Shiragi & Parin, we will FOREVER be greatfull and honored that you and your families trusted the LKM team to come be part of your wedding celebration! What a treasure and highlight of our year! We are excited to see you guys again in July in Chicago!

// BRIDE’S REVIEW //

“Photographers hold tremendously unique roles within a wedding. Typically, they do not personally know anyone on either side, but are still responsible for capturing the most precious moments of two people’s lives. Laura and her team broke this stigma. During our wedding, not only did the LKM team do a fantastic job with their photography, they were family. And when we say “family”, we truly mean some of the most important people at our wedding.

“From Day 1 (and even before the festivities started) Laura and her team showed a supreme interest in (our) wedding. Their excitement and passion only heightened enthusiasm for our special weekend. With every click and with every scream for joy, this wedding hands down would not have been as successful without the LKM photographers. The positivity of the team, the willingness to go above and beyond, and the ability to accommodate all sorts of crazy requests demonstrated professionalism and expertise. Although this was LKM’s first Hindu wedding, they did not show any semblance of confusion and it felt like they had done this type of event a thousand times before…Everyone in both our families has been to hundreds of Hindu weddings in the past, but we can guarantee that no one has ever experienced anything like with Laura and her team. The photographers infused energy, laughter, and vibrancy into every guest. Their aura and presence changed any mood for the better. And do not get us started on the quality of the photos. They are absolutely gorgeous! They embody the true spirit and capture every timeless moment of the weekend. Thank you so much to Laura and her team of excellent photographers for making a huge impact on our wedding! We would highly recommend the LKM team to anyone looking for photographers who genuinely care about their clients and who have the absolute best personalities!” ~ Shiragi, Bride

Amir Thakkar from Fine Art Productions shared this lovely video from their wedding weekend! Enjoy!

Parin + Shiragi | Arizona Indian Wedding | Day 2

The groom arrived mid-morning on Day 2 of Parin & Shiragi’s wedding. (See DAY 1 here) and the atmosphere was ripe and welcoming. Shiragi, by tradition, was hid by the brothers and men closest to her pretended to keep her and make it rough to get to her. I legitimately teared up when they finally hugged. 24 hours of pre-celebrating without him had made everybody so eager for his arrival and for them to finally be together.

Now that both families were together, the time melded together into the flurry of family laughter, reunions, everybody wanted a picture with a loved one ALL the time. it was awesome. Pulling away to get a few quick portraits with the bride and groom became less about what time it was and more about how sneaky we could be. It became a game…lots of intuitive eye contact with Shiragi and Parin and keeping a pulse on family. We also had to be fast both because relatives would start hunting us down AND because it was the first triple digit day in the desert and we were SWEATING bullets.

GROOM’S PITHI

As Parin and his family collected onto the terrace of Westward Look, the music and dancing began and ushered everybody into an energetic and playful Pithi ceremony while they blessed and prayed and laughed over Parin. Best moment was when aunts got fiesty and demanded he strip down and the haldi got crazy. Mom and dad got flanked too. It was fantastic.

RAAS GARBA

There was an interlude in the afternoon for reprieve, showers and primping for the Raas Garba (i.e. the coolest, loudest, most vibrant dance party you’ll ever go to). Once refreshed and ready, we grabbed some moments alone with the couple for a few sunshine desert portraits…and of course a cohort of friends insisted on coming to cat call and join in :)

There is a an indian art form called rangoli where a relative or loved one created an intricate pattern drawn by hand an then filled with powdered rice, flower petals, chalk powder and coloured sand. It’s a form of blessing and expression of celebration. A close relative of the bride and groom was interior designer, Nisha Tailor Interior Designer, who lovingly shared her heart and her art in these designs all over Westward Look’s property. Her particularly eye-catching peacock piece was center stage in the massive ballroom for the Raas Garba.

During cocktail hour and through the evening, our photography team took turns running an open air personalized photo booth. It was a fantastic way to be part of the welcoming experience for guests. We got to meet each couple, take more portraits, connect personally and were welcomed warmly.

MM Celebrations LLC was ON FIRE all weekend long. The event design and planning company from New Jersey had driven in a massive UHAUL cross-country packed with all the treasures to transform each ceremony into an explosion of festivity. Raas Garba was said to be a crowning jewel of color and dancing for the weekend so we came with energy drinks, extra manpower and eye wide open. Santosh flew a band of famous musicians from India for the weekend and they treated guests with lively music until midnight. Sticks were passed out as part of the traditional dance, Dandiya Raas, and EVERYBODY got in on it — old and young — men and women. The energy (and sweat) and fun in that room took “how to celebrate” to a whole new level. Here is a little youtube clip of the BEGINNING of their 45 minute Raas where two circles are formed and start with a first dance of bride and groom. If you can imagine all 400+ guests ending up in that room, dancing in circles faster and faster for 45 minutes.

Midnight came quickly and the party did not peter.

Day 3 coming soon :)

// VENDORS //

Venue: Westward Look Wydnham Resort Tucson // Photography: Laura K Moore Photography // Videography: Fine Art Productions // Event Design & Decor: MM Celebrations LLC // Grah Shanti, Mehendi, and Garba Hair and Makeup: Blushed by Ish // Wedding Hair and Makeup: Makiaj Beauty // Wedding and Grah Shanti Outfit: Ekaya  // Reception Outfit: Shyamal and Bhumika // Garba Outfit: Swati Manish // Parfum: Valentino // Shoes: “a random stall in india” // Reception Flats: Keds // Rangoli & Other Design Details: Nisha Tailor Interior Designer // Tesla: Turo // Famous Singer & Band: Bhavin Shastri & Group // Famous Flutist- Anis Chandani // Famous Female Vocalist: Dhara Shah // Famous male singer- Dharmesh Chauhan