Salt River Engagement - Courtney & Trent

The stereotype of our generation is that we’re nothing without our phones, and honestly? Sometimes that’s true. We shot for the first time at the Arizona Salt River, and when we got there, we had a surprise: our phones had no reception. Considering how many people like to visit the river, we had no clue how we were going to find our newest clients, Courtney and Trent…

… but as luck would have it, as we exited the car, up walked the most adorable couple. We talk a lot about fate that brings couples together, but in this case, fate brought us together with Courtney and Trent instead! We didn’t have to search or stress or hope they didn’t think we abandoned them--it all fell into place.

Really, that describes Courtney and Trent, too. Even with other photographers around, even with no clue where to go, we were able to find spots that helped us showcase the love that Trent and Courtney share. They made the shoot a breeze, always stopping right where the best spots were; they even kicked off their socks and shoes to brave the river, and it’s not exactly the warmest it’ll be just yet! It wasn’t just their spontaneity that helped, either, given that they spent half the time roasting each other in the way that playful couples do. Between the embarrassing, silly stories, our mini-hike, and a few icy splashes here and there, it was obvious how comfortable Courtney and Trent are with one another even around new people. With them and the way the photos came out, we couldn’t have asked for a better day.

We’d be remiss if we didn’t mention their love story, though, and it sounds like it’s straight out of a John Hughes movie. Picture it: high schoolers. Not the cafeteria, though--think of a classroom, with the wood-and-metal desks in imperfect rows, scratches up and down their surfaces left behind by generations of students, the whiteboard up at the front. It wasn’t passing notes, though, that brought these two together. Instead, Trent liked to cheat off Courtney in third-period Spanish! Yet somehow, they fell in love, and we’re happy for their unique union. It definitely passes with an A plus!

It wasn’t just their meet-cute that was special. Their engagement was pretty darn cute, too: a sandy beach, sparkling blue water, and a little bit of distraction made for something memorable. Trent was ready to propose during their beach vacation, and of course, Courtney wasn’t in on it. He spent their time at the beach pointing out couples walking the sand, wondering if they were married or simply dating. He was lucky enough to see a few proposals, even, and definitely made it obvious he was looking, making Courtney gawk with him.

And then, one day, they were alone.

And Trent pointed.

“Look!” he said. “They’re getting engaged!”

Courtney followed his finger, turning to look behind her, but there was nobody there. Her eyebrows knitted in confusion, and she spun back around only to realize Trent had dropped down to one knee, something in his hand--

She was wrong. A couple was getting engaged.

They were.

We love hearing each of our couples’ one-of-a-kind engagement stories, and this was no exception. The schoolyard playfulness Trent brought to the equation comes through in their relationship, and we just know they have the kind of love that will last a lifetime. These two high school sweethearts really warmed our hearts, and we can’t thank them enough for letting us be a part of their lives. Congrats, Courtney and Trent! Thank you so much--we know your wedding day will be spectacular. We wish you the best of luck!

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Papago Park Engagement - Rebecca & Nicholas

They say that time flies when you’re having fun, but for Nicholas and Rebecca, it’s not just time: it’s their love itself. What brought them together is probably one of the most adventurous careers there is: they both fly planes for a living. Just as flight school was the foundation for their knowledge and livelihoods, it was also the foundation for their relationship. The town of Prescott, Arizona, isn’t the largest one out there--in case you didn’t know, it only has about 42,000 people. That’s about a quarter of the size of Tempe, Arizona, which houses another school, Arizona State University.

What we mean to say is that Prescott isn’t exactly big.. but the world is. Of all the places to go to flight school, Rebecca and Nicholas managed to find each other in Prescott. Strangely enough, after making eyes at each other throughout their classes, they found out that they come from close areas in Los Angeles and even managed to have several friends in common! Of all the schools they could have gone to, the friends they’d had, the hometowns they could have possibly been from, these two found each other in tiny little Prescott. Our job is the wedding industry, so we get the pleasure of meeting many couples that have found their way together, but there’s truly something to be said about the serendipity at work here: what Rebecca and Nicholas share is unique.

If you’ve read our blog before, you know that we’ve mentioned another small Arizona town before: Sedona. When it comes to population, it is to Prescott what Prescott is to Tempe: tiny. Tiny, and gorgeous. Red sandstone sits majestic overlooking the area, shrubs and rivers and high-desert trees cutting through them to form a place that some people consider mystical. After five years of love and growth, Nicholas realized that Rebecca is the one he wants to spend his life with, and in the middle of a verdant, secluded trail, Nicholas did the thing: he got down on a single knee, held up the velvet box, and asked Rebecca to be his life’s co-pilot.

Do we have to tell you she said yes? ;)

We were thrilled when they chose Papago Park for their engagement shoot. It’s almost a little slice of Sedona in the sprawling metropolis that is Phoenix… just with a few more saguaros. The boulders and desert vegetation helped maintain the feel of Sedona right in the heart of the Phoenix area, and it was that little slice of magic that made our shoot truly an extension of Nicholas’ and Rebecca’s engagement. Even the warm April weather--yes, warm!--couldn’t keep these two down: it was nothing but love and happiness, with a side of adventure as they wandered the Papago paths.

We really couldn’t get enough of their love story, telling us fun tales of the times they found out what they had in common. It really helped that they helped each other into every pose, too: you can tell Rebecca and Nicholas are honestly at ease with each other in a way only love can bring.

Between the tales of romantic connections these two shared with us, the imagery of their Sedona engagement, and the lighthearted love on display, we’re so glad we got to work with Nicholas and Rebecca. All of our couples have such different stories, and theirs was just as unique. Thank you, Nicholas and Rebecca, for letting us be a part of your journey. We wish you all the love in the world--and in the air, too!

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Chandler Arizona Wedding - Kaili & Tony

Nobody thinks they’ll find themselves staring down the barrel of a shotgun at their wedding, but that’s exactly what happened to Tony. Tony couldn't help but laugh as he stared down the barrel of a shotgun plunger. Just moments before him and his bride to be were to say their vows. Wait, did you say plunger?

Yep. It was fake.

But the anxiety Tony was feeling was real. You see, even though Wade had changed from a dapper suit to a farmer getup--overalls and everything!--it was still nerve-wracking for Tony to be standing in front of him about to take his daughter's hand in marriage. The shotgun was a great nerve-breaker for both of them.

Luckily, Wade already knew Tony had deep feelings for Kaili, and being that Tony was Wade’s son’s close friend, he knew Kaili would be in good hands. Wade put down the novelty toilet plunger, the “shotgun”, and gave his blessing.

As you might have figured since you’re reading this blog, Tony figured out that he wanted Kaili to be his bride, and he had a pretty good idea of how she would react to him popping the question. The bigger question, though: how was Tony going to propose?

Casinos don’t really strike many people as romantic. They’re loud, and while they can be exciting and fun, romance is usually reserved for the quiet, the subtle, the heartfelt. A weekend casino getaway seemed like a good idea, but it just made Tony wonder more: when to do it? He thought he was going to when Kaili finished getting ready to go out. She looked gorgeous, her hair and makeup picture-perfect, and Tony dropped down on bended knee… and lost his courage. What was he doing? “Tying his shoe”.

Later, though, at dinner, staring at Kaili beyond the tablescape, past the glasses and forks and knives, Tony realized he had to do it. He knew it was time, and he took a deep breath, and clutched the ring, and then finally asked: “Will you marry me?”

Of course, that wasn’t all of it. Tony loves Kaili, that much was clear, and he told her all about his feelings as best he could. It was all that Kaili--or any bride--wants to hear.

We’ve published stories before of outdoorsy couples, of those who are ready for adventure at a moment’s notice, and we’re glad to have been included in their lives. There’s something to be said, too, about something a little more subdued. That’s exactly what Tony and Kaili’s wedding was, a cozy house ceremony that was their friends and family pitched in to create the perfect intimate wedding.

Perfect is probably the best word we could choose for the wedding. The weather--when we have it--here in Arizona is unpredictable at best, and the day started out cloudy, with gusts of wind screaming across buildings and making Kaili hope that they could transfer everything inside in time.

But again: perfect. As the ceremony grew closer, calm fell across the Valley of the Sun, the barest hint of sunlight peeking out from the clouds while cool breezes tempered the heat it brought. Lavender detailing really helped the wedding decorations pop, especially the handcrafted arch Tony and Kaili spoke their vows into being beneath. The guests’ gaze seemed to drop away as Tony and Kaili clasped hands, gazing into each others’ eyes as they began to recite their vows out loud with pride--the intimate wedding fell away until it was just the two of them, without hesitation.

And then they snapped back to reality: friends and family, cake and dancing, delicious Italian food. Like we said, romance can be found in the most subtle, heartfelt ways, and this wedding truly had a heartbeat of romance.

Thank you, Kaili and Tony, for letting us be a part of your beautiful day, for welcoming us into your home. May all your days together be blessed, and much luck!

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