Drew and Brian’s southwestern wedding is one of my favorites. I love the idea of a wedding theme incorporating the venue, decor and the food. And who wouldn’t love to be greeted at a friend’s wedding with a margarita! Here’s more about their fun wedding….
Drew & Brian | September 5, 2009 | Tucson, Arizona
How he proposed
Brian proposed on Thanksgiving weekend at my parent’s house in Northern California. It was during dinner with my parents and I was definitely not expecting it. It was so meaningful to share that experience with my parents.
The ceremony
The ceremony was held in the historic courtyard of the Hacienda del Sol. The setting is stunning so we left the decor very simple with just rose petals down the aisle. My brother was our officiant and we wrote the ceremony – so it had a very intimate feel. The hit of the ceremony was when guests arrived and they were served Prickly Pear Margaritas before the ceremony began.
The reception
The reception was held in the Casa Feliz at the Hacienda del Sol. We opted to have handmade tortilla chips, salsa, and guacamole instead of bread and butter. For our salad course we served shrimp ceviche.
Our main course was a pairing of Sea Bass and Filet Mignon. After dinner the dancing began! We also created an outdoor lounge by the bar where the men enjoyed cigars and their drinks.
The moment Drew will never forget
My dad is a very talented writer and he wrote a beautiful grace before we ate about our love. It was so meaningful and heartfelt.
The wedding theme
I really wanted to play on the historic Spanish/Mexican architucture of the venue so my wedding theme was driven by the southwest and Spain. My dress was very romantic so that set the tone for the theme. When the guests arrived at the hotel they were given a gift bag with some Arizona tokens – Chips and Salsa from our favorite Mexican restaurant, coronas, bottled water, and advil. For the table centerpieces I purchased Wax Vessels to mimic candelabras and paired them with pale yellow roses. The vessels made the whole room have a romantic glow. For table numbers we drove across the border to Mexico and purchased hand painted address tiles. We made a homemade southwestern seasoning for our favors and tied it with a festive yellow raffeta bow.
What was it about your wedding dress that made the “the one”
I was dead set on an all lace dress but when I arrived at Destiny’s Bride and explained my theme of the wedding the sales lady immediately pulled my dress out. It was beautiful but I still had doubts. That is until I tried it on. The fabric was amazing and it fit like a glove. It was so romantic and feminine and it felt like it was made for me.
Advice for other brides
As an event planner and also a recent bride I would say my best advice would be to keep it personal and try to incorporate your groom as much as possible. Brides can get so caught up in their dream wedding that they forget what their future husbands like or want. Brian loves Mexican food so that is what dictated our menu. Brian hates dancing so we made sure there was a cool place for the men to hang out and enjoy their cigars.
