Summer Wedding at the Paseo

You know those weddings you see in movies? Usually, it’s a quick highlight reel of everyone smiling, dancing, and looking like they’re having the time of their lives. It’s a day filled with tears of joy and laughter. Families are mingling about and it’s evident everyone genuinely loves being together! One might think those weddings are strictly scripted by Hollywood. However, after being a part of Sommer and Joe’s summer wedding day at the Paseo, I can say with confidence this is a real thing! Now, it definitely is a result of compromise, passion, and a true excitement to be husband and wife. But these two had that magical kickoff to a beautiful marriage!

You may recognize this couple from a previous blog post! Earlier in the year, I covered their engagement session at Merry-Go-Round Rock in Sedona. In this post, I also discussed two pieces of advice I picked up from them as we completed their photo shoot. Check out the photos and read all about it HERE.

These lovebirds thrive in the outdoors and spend lots of time exploring their Wisconsin home. But they also love to travel! Arizona will always hold a special place in their hearts, as they were engaged in Sedona. Joe popped the question as they were surrounded by incredible Southwestern views, so it made sense to also say “I Do” in the desert! Sommer was captivated by the incredible landscapes of Arizona. She wanted an elopement feel to their day. Joe’s desire was for a more traditional feel to their summer wedding. He simply wanted to celebrate with everyone they love! The Paseo venue was just the compromise they needed! With unmatched Superstition Mountain views, this was the perfect place for them to promise forever to each other!

From their joy-filled and emotional first looks to dancing the night away as husband and wife, it truly was everything they imagined.

Often, I hear of couples who don’t want a first look because they fear it might lessen the excitement and build-up of the ceremony. In my opinion, nothing could be further from the truth on this day. In fact, I truly thought Sommer chose the sweetest way to start her wedding day! She opted in for a first look with both her mom and new mother-in-law.

For Sommer and Joe’s first look together, it was like everything in the world was leading up to this moment. Every step, every word, every action was fully celebrated and reveled in by everyone in attendance. There were tears, there were shouts of joy, and don’t get me started on all the laughter. It genuinely echoed across the vast desert-scape. When the guests began arriving, I was actually blown away by how many people flew in from so many different places to be there for these two! Sometimes destination weddings mean a smaller guest list, but not for this couple! They are clearly SO beloved, and this was especially obvious during the ceremony.

I wish I could put into words the feeling of closeness that was felt that day. It’s hard to describe the feeling that overtook the venue when more than 100 guests gathered together to celebrate two people who were meant to find their way to each other. There was such an intimacy in the air and I felt like a part of the family being able to be there! As you can imagine, the celebration continued long into the night! I was definitely bummed to leave! Like a romance movie, I was wishing for the wedding to go on and on! But this day was everything a wedding should be and I was simply honored to be a part of it.