Elegant Desert Editorial Featured on Ruffled

Two words.

Yellow. Velvet.

Oh friends, when I got home from this shoot, I could not stop smiling! Peachy pastels mixed with rich, Fall tones had my photographer heart fluttering the entire day, and I can’t wait to finally share it with you! I am so grateful that this shoot is featured on Ruffled today, after all the hard work from the insanely talented creative team. Styled by Megan Dileen Events, this one is sure to blow you away from crystal geodes and yellow velvet, to fluffy pampas grass glowing golden in the sunset. The boho-meets-elegance vision came to live more vividly than we could have ever imaged, and I was so thankful to be a part of it!

“Beautiful isn’t usually the first word that comes to mind when people think of the desert, but Phoenicians know the magic of the desert lies in its understated beauty — the shades of sherbet that streak across the sky at dusk, a landscape of blush and coral mountains, and layers of foliage in soft pastels. Inspired by the natural beauty and laid back elegance of the desert, I wanted to design a shoot full of colors, rich textures and luxe details. With my vision for an elegant and boho chic editorial in mind, I knew Karlee K Photography would be the perfect partner! Karlee is a master at capturing the gorgeous desert light and all the wonderful details. With what is arguably the most picturesque view in the Valley, El Chorro is a long standing icon with an authentically Arizona feel. Not wanting to distract from the already picturesque setting, we framed the ceremony site with bushels of pampas, flowing pastel grasses and eucalyptus to highlight the unobstructed view of Camelback Mountain. To capture the kaleidoscope of colors that appear in desert sunsets, I chose a wide color palette of vibrant gold, soft blush, dusty rose, melon, tangerine, and lavender. For the table design I paired a luxe golden yellow velvet La Tavola runner with an elegant vineyard table and oval back chairs from Glamour & Woods. Butterfly Petals created gorgeous, textural centerpieces full of lush roses, dahlias and blushing bride along with bold pops of king protea and banksia cone. The cement vessels added an earthy texture and tied in perfectly with the matte grey china. To complete the look, I chose sleek modern glassware, polished copper flatware and sherbet napkins secured with matching copper rings. The finishing touch were the amazing menus by Idieh Design. Heidi incorporated playful calligraphy and modern fonts with an amazingly unique thread detail women into each piece of stationery. The invitation suite and menus were truly works of art! A Bakeshop designed a beautiful cake inspired by the Arizona sky at sunset with creamy fondant marbled with streaks of lilac, gold and pink. We accented the delicate sugar roses and succulents with sprigs of pampas grass, druzy clusters and chunks of pyrite. J Bridal Boutique dressed our gorgeous bride, Mira, in a stunning Tara Keely gown of ivory lace with a plunging neckline and delicate mesh overlay. Hair by Emily Hughes gave Mira soft, romantic curls while Creme De La Makeup created a glam look with sultry eyes and a peach lip. For a twist on a classic look, The Black Tux provided our groom, Sid, with a navy blue and black tuxedo. By far the most fun element of the shoot was our lounge vignette from Dang Fine Rentals. For a midcentury resort vibe we paired white acapulco chairs with copper side tables and yellow velvet pillows. In place of a traditional coffee table, we topped cognac leather poufs with a sheepskin throw and copper accented wood trays.”