Intimate & Stylish Desert Wedding

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Today’s real wedding is a gorgeous one.

Christian & Kirsten are a New York-based couple, who got married with an emotional ceremony and stylish reception in the atmospheric mountain setting of Sanctuary on Camelback in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Their day was planned in just a month (can you believe it?). And while their plans started out for an elopement, the setting was so special, that the bride and groom just had to bring along a few close friends and family to celebrate. And we’re so glad they did.

The result was a luxurious, yet laid back desert affair, with indigenous greenery, contemporary table settings, and just a touch of blush.

The fabulous Malone Sinclaire was there to capture all the details, and I have a feeling you’re about to start swooning over every last one…

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Our Love Story

Christian and I first met at a house party in the Hamptons. Two years later, he saw me from across the gym and thought “that’s the woman I should be with”.

Minutes later we bumped into each other in the yoga studio and realized we already knew each other. It was truly love at second sight.

After being madly in love, we were standing in our new weekend home and decided the only thing missing from our story was a baby. When I was four months into my pregnancy Christian called me outside to help him move something, which while being sick and pregnant I thought “is he kidding me!?”

But when I got outside he told me how much he loved me while slowly getting down on one knee to propose. I really could not have been any more surprised.

Ironically the weekend house we had bought and where he proposed was just down the road from where we had originally met at that party three years earlier.

Our Wedding

Scottsdale, Arizona is one of the prettiest places we have ever been to.

Originally we had planned to elope just us with our son, but the property, Sanctuary Resort & Spa, was so special that we needed to share it with the most important people in our life.

Favourite Moments

Christian is the hardest person to buy gifts for but I knew I wanted to give him something that he would have his whole life. I decided to hire a videographer and editor to film my version of our love story.

It was shot throughout the actual locations in Manhattan and ended in our home in Williamsburg, BK. My voice narrated the story of our love, over all of our favorite songs, including some very beautiful scenes I filmed with our son Grant.

It was so hard keeping this big secret from him but the reason I did it was so I could give him the video with a note right before he saw me walk down the aisle.

Our wedding was raw and emotional, very real. Together we decided that my son and the flower girls should walk down the aisle to a non-traditional song. While the music was still playing and the beat picked up, my father walked me down the long beautiful steps.

And then the best moment of my life happened as I was walking towards my now husband, with my beautiful little boy in his arms. The happiness that was on both of their faces I will always remember and hold closest to my heart.

We were married by a Buddhist Priest and our ceremony was short and sweet but not an eye was dry. It was really a celebration of our little family together.

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The Photography

There are many sweet people in the world, and there are many talented photographers but the combination of the talent and genuine happiness that Malone Sinclaire brought to our wedding was truly a gift.

After speaking to Malone on the phone about life, babies, energy and oh yeah, and a little about our wedding, I knew that she needed to be part of our important day.

Her pictures are absolutely stunning, they have a lightness and pure organic feel to them. We were blown away with her work, and then when we got our pictures back we were even more impressed.

She froze time for us on the best day of our little family’s life!

The Decor & Details

Christian and I both love clean lines, and simplicity. We wanted the air, atmosphere and mountains to be the focus of our wedding aesthetics.

I imagined something very organic that was made possible by nature; black stones, cactus’, and greenery. I brought in the pink of the mountains and sunset by including rose quartz on the table which represents our love and devotion for each other.

We then used a ton of candles and string bulb lights to create a warm ambiance once the sun set. The mountains glowed as the backdrop and being able to dance under the stars was all very romantic.

The day of our wedding my best friends set the table and directed the space set-up for us. I was a very lucky bride to have such amazing friends that could replicate my vision perfectly.

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Advice for Other Couples

I would recommend to take all your favorite pictures and make vision pages. I planned our wedding in 30 days with a very active toddler and from across the country.

We fell in love with the property while on vacation only a month before we were married and took the only available date.

With my vision pages I had clear ideas that I could share to all the vendors and people involved to make sure it was what we had wanted.

The morning of the wedding we brunched with our friends and family, played tennis with everyone then snuck off to get in a work out together at the gym. Those 30 minutes alone together were bliss.

We actually took a pre-wedding holiday, where we started at The Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel in California then drove and spent the week before our wedding on property, The Sanctuary Resort & Spa.

By the time the wedding came we were relaxed and tanned instead of stressed.