Seven Sisters area in the Valley of Fire is one of our favorite locations to set up for weddings. Those seven tall and imposing rocks just rise up out of the desert floor and command our attention. And it just so happened that Dawn and Russ loved Seven Sisters too! Dawn had a vision of having her wedding ceremony performed in the shadow of the huge stone monolith there. The rock creates almost a natural cathedral like atmosphere which really lends itself to weddings. A short and sweet ceremony was joyfully performed by Amanda, of Sandbox Weddings. And watching the ceremony were wonderful guests from all over from the east coast, to Utah, and even Holland; cheering them on and help them celebrate. And celebrate they did! We provided table seating for this wedding, because the small numbers of the group made that possible. Attended by their favorite people as bridesmaids, and groomsmen, this couple had beloved family and great friends along to help them remember this wonderful day.
Dawn and Russ were a great host and hostess, and wanted a light snack buffet supper for their guests along with sparkling infused waters. So we teamed up with Sweet Sauce Coffee to provide a hors d’oeuvre buffet, featuring orzo salad, delicious cold meats and cheeses, Sweet Sauce’s signature brie with raspberry jam, lots of cracker varieties, a wonderful rich, avocado hummus, and other deliciousness. Carmen of Sweet Sauce also brought her fabulous hot coffee bar to create delicious and unique amazing coffees and my personal favorite, a trademark cinnamon hot chocolate with special hard to find exotic chocolate blends and essential oils. Oh my goodness! This is not your mama’s hot chocolate! And Russ had a special request for a whiskey bar, complete with stogies for the groomsmen.
Dawn was such a lovely bride, and wanted a floral crown instead of a veil. Floral crowns always add a special touch of beauty and complemented her wedding gown and leather boots very well. And you will be surprised at the other unique item we found to add to the bouquet and table decor. What was it you ask? Deer Antlers. Yup. Deer Antlers. Dawn and Russ have a little bit of that country soul and so we created a theme which allowed us to expand on lots of little details with an elegant, but still relaxed feel to the party. And we also wanted to hide a very small antler in Dawn’s bouquet! This fit perfectly into our natural but elegant theme. We really try to draw in the desires of our bridal couple and create a unique backdrop and feel to each wedding. And because each couple are different, it amazes us each time how each wedding takes on a life and feel of its own. Dawn and Russ both love natural plants, and has a great infinity and love for growing things. She expressed a desire to have lots of natural native plants in her bouquet. Our floral artist paired lots of lovely white rose blossoms, with some really unique features in our flowers for this wedding for Dawn. Her bouquet included air plants, succulents, blue thistle, berries, even cotton in the pod which was grown near Valley of Fire in the past. Along with the other plants in her bouquet, we thought it a great idea to incorporate a tiny bit of a musical reference since this couple and especially their family have a love of music. One of their dear friends from Dawn’s school years, who has passed on, was a lovely musician, and brought in a wonderful spirit of love to this wedding. A memorial table celebrated Jennifer, as well as Dawn’s father John, and also Russ’ best friend Joe, as we listened to songs of Jennifer’s music played for us during the reception. It was very touching, and truly added a touching, loving spirit to the festivities.
After cutting the two tier white, gold and ruby red drip cake, which featured deep rich chocolate, and fresh raspberries and strawberries, the couple were toasted by the best man, family and friends with champagne.
Dawn and Russ, we loved watching you share this moment together. It was obvious the love that you have for each other. Love, serenity, and joy were written all over your faces today. We saw and felt that as we experienced those loving looks at each other. And thank you for allowing us to be part of your day! A day full of love, family and friends, lots of sunshine, and a great atmosphere in the magnificent Valley of Fire. Congratulations!
Vendors:
Wedding Venue – Valley of Fire at Seven Sister
Wedding Planning – Cactus and Lace Weddings
Photography – Rachel Garcia, Lory Fabbi and Amanda Monk of Cactus and Lace Weddings
Hair and Makeup – Ruby Finch Salon
Flowers – The Front Porch Flowers
Artisan Coffee Barista and Dinner Buffet – Sweet Sauce Coffee
Wedding Cake – Peridot Sweets
Coffee Bar Sign Calligraphy – EG Letters
Furniture Rentals – RSVP Party Rentals