Brenda & Alex’s Four Seasons Scottsdale Wedding was bright, colorful and full of meaningful details. I’m so excited to share these images with you and some words from bride Brenda about her inspiration!
Wedding vision:
I just wanted it to be a great party with the people who meant the most to Alex and me. It was also really important that I capture the beauty of the Sonoran Desert in my wedding while mixing in some of my Mexican culture.
Color palette:
I had envisioned a big, colorful fiesta but I had trouble making it really colorful without it being overwhelming. I wanted to keep things clean by doing white linens and then adding a little spice with the details. There were lot of cacti and succulents, maracas, and I even managed to sneak in a piñata! In going with the desert theme, my bridesmaids’ dresses were the color sage. It’s such a beautiful but subtle color and my girls looked amazing in them! It also allowed their bouquets to stand out.
A little about the details..
- My gown was a trumpet ivory dress with sleeves and I had a long cathedral veil. It was romantic and classic. It really was everything I wanted in a wedding dress.
- Our cake flavors were red velvet and chocolate. Boy was it delicious! This was another element I wanted to keep simple. We had a traditional, white wedding cake and added a succulent and flower waterfall.
- I loved, loved, loved my bouquets. They were full of color and of course succulents and they stood out beautifully against my bridesmaids’ dresses. They were so pretty we even used some of them on the tables. My florist really hit the mark with them. Alex and I threw out the idea of having a cactus only bouquet to throw. However, our florist did not find that funny.
- Something that no one really got to see were the bridesmaid boxes I gave my girls when I asked them to be part of my wedding. I included a bottle of champagne, a robe and hangover recovery kits. They had done so much work and put up with all the mood swings. I just wanted them to know I appreciated all of their hard work.
- For party favors we had maracas. The maracas were placed on the chairs for the ceremony and really added some color. By the way, if anyone is in need of 100 pairs of maracas have your people call my people. Seriously.
Unique elements & DIY
- Sophie the beer burro was definitely the star! (Fun fact: I got the last available beer burro in the state for that day). None of my guests had ever seen anything like it and I think it really made the day light and fun.
- My mom helped me design/build the centerpieces. She even added little lights on the inside of the lanterns to showcase the moon cacti that were inside when it got dark.
- Instead of a regular guest book we had a piñata. The guest wrote down their messages and put them in the piñata; on our one-year anniversary we get to see what’s inside!
Favorite detail:
My favorite detail was the centerpieces. My mom worked so hard on designing and building them. She waned to find all of the cacti herself and it took her months to find all of the different colors I wanted. The woman kept 20 moon cacti alive for months! That’s commitment.
Favorite moment:
My favorite moment was my dad’s speech. English is his second language and he has somewhat of a thick accent so he was pretty nervous. Not to mention the Soto’s are not made for public speaking. He ended up giving two speeches, one in English and one in Spanish. I’m obviously his favorite daughter 😉
Vendors for Alex & Brenda’s Four Seasons Wedding:
Venue –Four Seasons Scottsdale at Troon North
Photography – Mary Claire Photography
Planning – Outstanding Occasions
Florals – Fred’s Flowers
Contact me HERE for more info on my wedding photography packages! I can’t wait to hear about your love story!
