Bryce + Caroline | El Chorro, Scottsdale, AZ Wedding | Inspiration: Glamour, Peach & Mint

At the fiesta reunion the night before the their wedding, friends and family began to trickle in from all over the country, pre-game and celebrate Bryce and Caroline. A year prior at our initial consult, Caroline and her Mom knew that it was the people at her wedding that would be her most favorite part. Mine too. 

The word dovetail means "to join or fit together compactly or harmoniously." That one word describes this wedding. This family has branches and life-long friends and stories and connections that reach for generations and through a whole lot of experiences. I'll keep words to a minimum for this wedding story. 

VENDORS

Prep Location: Scottsdale Plaza Resort // Hair Stylist: Candace Dunn of Spa Lamar  // MakeUp Artist: Meleah Roadarmel // Bride's Dress: Destinys Bride // Bride's Accessories: Last Chance Phoenix  // Bridesmaid Dresses: Nordstrom Scottsdale // Flower Girl Dress: Target // Bridesmaids Gifts: Tucson Gem Show // Groomsmen's Engraved Pocket Knives: Things Remembered // Groomsmen Tuxes: Mr. Formal AZ // Ceremony Location: El Chorro // Caterer: El Chorro // Cake: Ruze Cake House // Florist: Butterfly Petals // Reception Entertainment: "Best Band in Phoenix" The Hamptons Band 

While the girls had a blast getting ready and sharing memories, the boys relaxed, took things slow, started off with some football and gift-giving.

Both parties made their way to El Chorro where Bryce + Caroline had a super sweet first look. The way she walked...you could TELL she felt gorgeous. And the way he watched her...she absolutely was. 

A friend of the family loaned their restored fire-engine red, super sexy thunderbird...

The day was warm and El Chorro has a variety of locations both indoors and outdoors to keep the wedding party comfortable. The girls grabbed a few glasses of champagne and toasted to freedom and friendship. While the guys watched soccer...

We made our way out to the front of the beautiful property to snag some memorable wedding party formal pictures :) These can typically be boring. standard. ho hum. OR...you can get a party of friends like this willing to laugh and dance a little...

Finding reprieve in the bridal room, the wedding party waited for the ceremony to begin while guests trickled in...

Favorite moment of the ceremony was the way they looked at eachother coming back down aisle. married. happy. excited...

While guests enjoyed a classy, cheerful cocktail hour, the newlyweds took a little skip around the venue as sunbeams burst through palo verde trees and desert brush.

During cocktail hour people just laughed and reunited. There was a real atmosphere of "we are all family here"... 

Once the guests were let into the reception hall, people immediately gushed over the centerpieces. The bride's mom, Diane, had spent the last several month designing these jeweled potted succulent arrangements. Real life. Well-watered. Multi-colored textures and sparkly sand...they were incredible and so unique.

Thank you for trusting your wedding day and these precious memories with me to me and my team!

---

Post Edit: From the bride.... When we were hunting for a photographer we were looking for somebody who was fun, nice and captured amazing photos. LKM's customer service was excellent! I could not have found a nicer person to work with! She was fun and easy to work with l. She was willing to travel to Scottsdale and the pictures turned out amazing! Everything! Everything looks beautiful, detail oriented and really captured our day perfectly! There were no low points! It was all perfect. I will always refer Laura! Hands down, best photographer ever! 

Ironwood Blossoms | Arizona Sonoran Desert Plantlife | Texture Tuesday

I'm a desert dweller. Have been for 3 years. And my project on desert textures continues to unearth a growing respect for the arid environment. The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum explains, "Ironwood ranks among the most ecologically and economically important plant species in the region. Ironwood functions as a “nurse plant” and a “habitat-modifying keystone species” of benefit to many other species of flora and fauna." 

At the risk of sounding nerdy and/or religious, I've been thinking about the parallel between agriculture and personal growth. One of my favorite chapters in the Bible is John 15. "I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing."  What if we were to recognize that we too were a most ecologically and economically important specie? What if we were to be a "nurse plant"; a "habitat-modifying keystone specie of benefit to many other species..." 

What if we sought out community as if our root systems were tethered; connected and dependent on each other to grow and flourish. What if we cared enough about the people around us to feed each other; meet each other where they were. What if we, ourselves, readily accepted pruning where we needed help (growth) and rest in the confidence that it meant we were alive; capable of flourishing...

....I might have stretched into a super existential place that you didn't bargain for when you clicked on a pretty picture of pink blossoms. So take it as you may. Think deeply. Appreciate beauty. See things differently...about your home, your land, your life. Or not, and you can simply check out interesting desert textures that caught my eye this past shooting season. 

These texture shots were captured at Bryce & Caroline's wedding up in Scottsdale at El Chorro. I'll be posting their incredibly detail-oriented, organically-delightful, creative, classy wedding super duper soon...

Sonoran Ironwood | Scottsdale, CA | Texture Tuesday | www.laurakmoore.com

Ironwood. Creosote. Cool leaves that i didn't identify. | Scottsdale, AZ | Sonoran Desert Textures | laurakmoore.com

(for more textures search under "texture tuesday")

p.s. thank you to a handful of friends who helped identify this Ironwood via a facebook request for help. That was pretty cool. 

Lantana Bush | "Wild Type Spanish Flag" | Sonoran Desert Plant | Texture Tuesday

ruth be told, one of my most recent desert textures is called "the wild type spanish flag." No joke. I figured it only appropriate...Lots of things happened for Spain last week...(and it's not just Chile's fault.) 

This bush is right outside our apartment. The sun sets behind it perfectly. Almost every evening I'm out near it, smelling the its rich, thick honey waft while kids ride their bikes in the courtyard.

My condolences Spain...here is a hug. a historical salute. a solid handshake. a bouquet of wild spanish flags and a solid dose of honey air. If I knew how to send you a gift, i'd send someone important and symbolic a gift...a fine art canvas large and glowing like a bouquet of remembrance and transition. | LKM 

"Honey Air" by LKM | Lantana Bush | "Wild Type Spanish Flag" | Sonoran Desert Plant | 16 x 20 Giclee Canvas Print: $150

Texture Tuesday | Palm Blades

 {Palm Leaves | Tucson, AZ | November 2011} There is a lot of brown in Tucson. Of course if you were to ask one of my best friends Alyssa, one of the most die-hard Tucsonans I know, she'd say brown is her favorite color. I'm so not there yet. Meanwhile, here is an almost-green texture of a bushel of lethal palm branches I nearly impaled myself on whilst playing tag with the kids. I know. I'm hard core. | lkm