March 21, 2009 was my sixth & final wedding in Arizona for the 2008-2009 wedding season. And I must say it was fantastic! I met Maureen and Jason at the Bridal Fashion Debut last June and we had a great first conversation in my booth. I was very excited to learn that Jason grew up in Deerfield, IL, which is not far from my youthful stomping ground in Skokie, IL. Like-minded North Shore folks tend to get along well.
Maureen and Jason opted to see each other prior to the ceremony to get the wedding party and family photos done and shorten the time needed for photos during the cocktail hour. I loved being able to capture that special moment during the first glance they had of each other. The wedding party was able to look on from a distance in the hotel lobby and share in the emotion as well.
The weather was typical Phoenix in March, hot with the afternoon sun shining! I was excited to work with the backlit bride and groom while the sun was setting during the ceremony.
I have been asked by other wedding professionals how weddings in IL differ from weddings in AZ and my initial response is many of the AZ weddings have the ceremony and reception at one location, with the ceremony & cocktail portion outdoors. No traveling from location to location or limos or trolleys needed. In IL, Chicagoland to be more specific, most of the weddings take place at a church and then I get to romp around Chicago with the wedding party for a couple hours of photos. In my opinion, the differences are awesome. Each time presenting a different perspective and mentally challenging for me.
In all, it was a fantastic day without any exciting stories or mishaps. Perfect, if you will. I had a blast with Maureen and Jason’s friends and family and hope to see more of them in the future.
Vendors:
Ceremony & Reception Location: McDowell Mountain Marriott, Scottsdale AZ
Florist: Flowers by Jodi , Phoenix, AZ
DJ: Andre’s Music, Phoenix, AZ