When Lizzy and Frank began dating, he visited her frequently in Arizona. Lizzy later moved back to Oklahoma so the two could be closer and were soon engaged. When it came time to decide where they wanted to tie the knot, they decided to go back to Arizona where they fell in love. They chose to wed at The Wigwam resort, which was less than two blocks away from where Lizzy was living and working while in Arizona. “We couldn’t think of a better place to celebrate,” says the bride. “We knew that the planning process with The Wigwam would be fun and stress-free and that is exactly what we found.”

The couple received all positive reactions from their friends and family when they announced their decision to have a destination wedding. “Everyone was really excited about celebrating in Arizona. There were some people that were unable to make it, but they sent their well wishes,” says Lizzy.

According to the bride, planning a destination wedding was fun and made the couple more decisive, since they could only visit Arizona a few times before their wedding. The couple also had a lot of help from The Wigwam when it came to finding vendors and sorting through all the details for their big day. “We relied on The Wigwam and our vendors and they exceeded our expectations. They are true professionals in the event arena,” says Lizzy.

The cost of a wedding was one of the most important factors the couple took into consideration before they began planning. “We found that the destination wedding was on-par with what the cost of a local wedding would have been, as we would have had twice the amount of people at a local wedding,” says the bride. “We ended up coming in right on budget for our wedding!”

Lizzy and Frank’s destination wedding allowed them to have more quality time with their loved ones without rushing through talking to all their guests in one day. “Having our wedding in Arizona allowed us to celebrate with our guests from Thursday-Sunday. If we would have had it in Oklahoma, we wouldn’t have had the opportunity to spend as much time with all of our close family and friends,” says the couple.

The bride’s advice to couples planning their own destination wedding is to relax and try not to stress. “Cherish the moment and don’t let the details get in the way of being present with those you love,” says Lizzy. “Have fun with the process and enjoy planning it. It’s a once in a lifetime event!”

Vendors: Photographer: The Amburgeys, Wedding Planner: The Wigwam, Ceremony: The Trellis at The Wigwam, Garden Reception: The Sachem Terrace at The Wigwam, Florist: Alexis Grace Florals, Stationery: Basic Invite, Cake: Frosted Art Inc., Hair: Matracia Richardson, Makeup: Something Beautiful Hair and Makeup, Gown Designer: Olvi’s, Groom’s Clothing Designer: Men’s Wearhouse, Bridesmaids/Groomsmen’s Clothing Designer: David’s Bridal, Videographer: Something New Media & DJ: SKM