Kirsten & Ross’s southwest boho-inspired Phoenix Zoo wedding was absolutely perfect. I knew Ross because I went to school with his older brother, Blake. When they came to the consult with me, I laughed and vowed to get lots of embarrassing photos of his brother for him to use as blackmail. I don’t think Blake is really embarrassed easily though! I loved Kirsten’s aesthetic- gemstones, succulents, Himalayan pink salt crystals, fairy lights and wood are all my favorites and went perfectly with the Phoenix Zoo’s Desert Tents outdoor reception site with Mexican blankets around a campfire. The Phoenix Zoo is one of my more favorite outdoor Arizona wedding venues. It has multiple ceremony & reception sites- see Sam & Josh’s Phoenix Zoo wedding, is pretty affordable and can be both very desert-y, and also have some great green spaces that don’t look like they are in Arizona. It’s really the best of both worlds in my opinion, not to mention close to downtown Phoenix & Tempe which is great for any guests traveling from out of town. The food was fantastic- catered by Fabulous Foods and included a taco bar (YESSS), mini adorable cupcakes, and lots of delicious appetizers. And of course, the incomparable Karen of KDP Events made sure the day ran smoothly, as she always does! Karen’s amazing and coordinated my own wedding and I highly recommend her as she’s worth double her price at least for the stress free day she guarantees. And let’s talk about Kirsten’s AMAZING bouquet from Camelback Flower Shop. I’ve been a follower of Camelback Flower Shop for a long time and was SO excited to finally work with them! I loved how they incorporated beautiful purples and succulents in a unique and creative way. Mike Kennedy, Phoenix’s sweetest wedding officiant, gave us all warm fuzzies during the ceremony and Ellagant Entertainment kept the crowd dancing their feet off and the energy up throughout the whole night. But enough about the dream team vendors, let’s talk about Kirsten & Ross’s loved ones. Going to school with Blake, I had a small inkling that Ross & Kirsten were good people. Kirsten’s family is from the same town in Iowa as my mom, so I knew they were going to be rad. I didn’t know that Ross & Blake were born ON THE SAME DAY, one year apart and witnessing their brotherly bond was really truly amazing. And if the dancing photos don’t show off how fun this group of people are, then I don’t know what will!
As always, huge thank you to Sarah for being my 2nd shooter- I’m so grateful to you!