Wedding Photos| An Intimate Wedding on Oak Creek

These weren’t our average set of wedding photos, keep reading to find out why!

Katie and Steve had an altogether different plan to get married for their intimate wedding on June 10th, but the world had other things in store. They were expecting to be surrounded by beaches in Hawaii, but with the current situation looming, air travel became more difficult. Instead of letting it hold them back, they chose to make the best of things! Of course, Hawaii is still coming for these two and we love their perseverance. Even during the most difficult of times, couples will still choose to get married because their love is greater than the challenges before them.

There is a personal connection to this love story and what made this a tough one for us to write. Stephen and Steve have known each other for more than 23 years! They grew up in Chicago together, studied in college together for a bit, and even lived together for a time too. Steve was there the night we met and he was the best man at our own wedding. Stephen being an only child, refers to Steve as his brothers and our children even call him Uncle Steve! It’s hard to sum up years of friendship in a few short sentences, but when we started discussing what we were going to include in this blog post, Stephen had this to say…

“I’ve looked up to Steve for most of my life. I look up to him as a person, his determination, his drive, and his always positive attitude. His view on life is irreplaceable and he lifts my spirits up always. Growing up, our friends would always comment how there’s no person like Steve, and they’re absolutely right. That big brain of his is constantly spinning about how to adapt and enjoy life every single day, and I wish that I had more of that spirit. Sometimes, we all could use more of that.”

When Katie came into Steve’s life we could tell she was special. From her genuine personality to the way she became instant best friends with our 5 year old, we cannot say enough good things about Katie! These two are perfectly matched and will most certainly make life an adventure together with their two dogs, Stella and Churro! Not only does she have a gorgeous smile, but she has a one-up in the love industry as a professional matchmaker and realtor. She works hard to give people the lives they have always dreamed about, which is about the coolest thing you could ever do! Multiple couples at their intimate wedding were brought together and married because of Katie, as proof that she does what she does really well! It’s easy to see that Katie has a big heart, which is only magnified by the family and friends she is surrounded by. She understands love and personalities on a higher level than many of us, and throughout the course of the day we could see how bright their love really shines.

Their first look was truly unique in the apple orchard on the property. Steve’s nerves were high as he waited for his bride. After a light tap on the shoulder, he turned to see Katie more beautiful than ever and we literally watched all of his nerves fade away. The day was so laid back and although we had a timeline to stick to, there was never any of the time crunch that you feel during larger wedding days. Add in some great food, a ceremony officiated by a Jedi, and some of the nicest people you could meet and you have a beautiful day to remember! The guitarist played songs they both loved and he created an ambiance for the party that was absolutely perfect as the sun set over Oak Creek.

We love intimate weddings because they give us a chance to slow down a bit and take everything in. With weddings in general, the day seems to fly by, but intimate weddings give a little more time to reflect on the monumental change that has taken place. It is the start of two people’s journey together. Katie and Steve, the journey you create together will always be something special. We couldn’t picture two people in life who deserve each other more. Although your intimate wedding was not the beach in Hawaii that you originally wanted, you found your own piece of Sedona’s magic! It makes us feel so proud to be there with you both to celebrate and even more honored that you chose us to capture it all. We love you both so much and no matter where your road takes you, we are excited to be your friends through it all! 

xoxo,

Stephen & Melissa

 

 

Vendor Credits

• RECEPTION/CEREMONY VENUE – Private Residence, Sedona, AZ
• FLORIST – Festive Events (@festiveeventrentals)
• CAKE/DESSERTS – Crumbl Cookies (@crumblcookies)
• CATERING – Bigfoot BBQ (@bigfootbbq)
• ENTERTAINMENT – Cameron DeGurski (camerondegurski.com)
• MAKE-UP ARTIST – Charity Silvera (@muacharity)
• HAIR STYLIST – Sedona Beauty Team (@SedonaBeautyTeam)
• GROOM’S ATTIRE – Nordstroms (shop.nordstrom.com)
• BRIDAL GOWN – Brilliant Bridal (@brilliantbridal)
• DECOR – Etsy (etsy.com)

 

See some other Sedona shoots! Shelley + Maxwell  |  Amanda + Dillon  |  Kat & Stephen