Beyond the bright lights and bustling city, Heather and JC celebrated their love by eloping within hidden bright red Aztec sandstones known as Valley of Fire in Las Vegas, Nevada. Surrounded by their close friends, family and two gorgeous red floral center pieces that set the stage of their ceremony, their love story began its new chapter as they were pronounced Mr. and Mrs. Take a peek at the gorgeous moments from their elopement captured by Onyx and Arrow Photography

WHAT WORDS WOULD YOU USE TO DESCRIBE YOUR WEDDING?

Unique, intimate, breathtaking and perfectly us! And 100% stress-free!

THE PROPOSAL:

JC proposed to me when we took a vacation to Maui in 2019. On our first full day there we got up early and drove the Road to Hana because I really wanted to see the Black Sand Beach. When we got there we hiked down to the beach and then he kept suggesting we keep walking, he was trying to get us to a spot where other people weren’t around). We finally ended up on this point overlooking the ocean and the cove where the beach was, it was beautiful! While I was looking at the view he asked me if I wanted some water and when I turned around he was down on one knee with the ring sitting in a rose! It was perfect and we were able to celebrate our engagement the rest of our trip!

THE VISION:

Our vision was to keep it intimate, classic, romantic, and I wanted a unique setting with some awesome photo ops!

THE PLANNING PROCESS:

We always knew we wanted a destination wedding but we had very different ideas of where we wanted it. I wanted South Carolina and he wanted Hawaii. After realizing that neither spot was easy for all of our guests we decided on Scottsdale, and then COVID. We had a trip planned to go look at venues but when everything shut down we had to start all over. I knew by the time things opened up again all the venues in Scottsdale would be booked for spring 2021. That’s when I came across your website and knew immediately that this was going to be it! The photos from Valley of Fire were breathtaking and I could see us there right away. My first choice for a venue was Seven Sisters but the time that we wanted was unavailable so Emily suggested we do it at the Visitors Center. By the name it doesn’t sound impressive but after seeing it in person we could not have asked for a more amazing location! Originally we were looking to have around 50 guests but then decided to cut it down even more and invited just our parents and the bridal party. After getting information from you planning was a breeze! In fact, there were times that I wished there was more I could do! After seeing a couple of my friends have to postpone and change their plans completely I was so thankful that we chose your company. It was so stress-free and easy! Our day was everything we wanted it to be, the flowers were beautiful, the venue was stunning, and your team could not have been nicer and more helpful!

YOUR OUTFITS AND ACCESSORIES:

My dress was from David’s Bridal, it was the 3rd dress I tried on. I knew I did not want a strapless dress, for comfort reasons, and I loved the way the chiffon skirt flowed (a lot less hassle than tulle). I ordered my veil off Etsy, best decision ever because veils are so expensive at bridal shops, Etsy has great options for a fraction of the price. Etsy is also where I ordered the charms for my bouquet, I had the wedding pictures of my parents and each of my grandparents. My shoes were probably my favorite accessory, Keds by Kate Spade. They were so comfortable and perfect for walking around the terrain of VoF.  Last, my jewelry was by Swarovski.JC ordered his suit from Joseph A. Banks online and we just had a little tailoring done to make sure the pants would fit over his boots.

MEMORABLE MOMENTS:

 Our first look! We booked an extra hour with April from Onyx & Arrow so we could do a first look before the ceremony. Great decision! It gave us a little extra time to enjoy each other, the moment, and the surroundings. We also had a friend perform the ceremony and he did a great job, it added another personal touch to our day.After the ceremony we hosted a dinner at Prime Steakhouse at the Bellagio and had a private terrace overlooking the fountains. We could not have asked for a more perfect venue! Between the food and view, it was exactly what we wanted!

 ADVICE FOR OTHER COUPLES:

Keep it small! It was so nice to be able to actually spend time with our guests and not have to have the same ‘small talk’ conversations with people that we felt we ‘had to invite.’ Hiring Emily and her team was the best decision I could have made for our wedding. They took all the stress and worries out of everything, it was so easy and really allowed us to enjoy every moment! If you’re choosing Valley of Fire select the Visitor’s Center, despite the name it is the most intimate and beautiful spot!

VENDORS

Officiant : Peachy Keen Unions 

Photographer : Onyx and Arrow Photography

Floral: Amy Wong Events

Video : Josh McCarver

Coordinator & Permit: Desert Elopement Las Vegas