Alisha and Kyle wanted an adventurous vacation with a different backdrop when it came to their destination wedding in Sedona. “We wanted the opposite climate, landscape and general feel than where we live in Washington State, so Arizona was perfect for that,” recalls the bride. That, paired with wanting to be a drivable distance away so they could include their fur babies in the celebration led to the decision to head down to the red rocks of Sedona, Arizona.

Many friends and family were supportive of the decision to do a destination wedding, “people were excited to go to a place they had never been,” recalls Alisha.

With only eight months to plan and selecting a month that is the most popular for the destination, the couple had to be flexible on the day of the week their October wedding was going to happen.

On a Tuesday evening, the couple exchanged vows and celebrated in an alfresco setting within Tlaquepaque – an old Mexican style village in the heart of Sedona. The fall colors mixed perfectly with the rustic setting and the market lights strung overhead.

The bride, Alisha, truly enjoyed the experience of planning a destination wedding. “It was wonderful. I feel like it was less stressful than planning a conventional wedding. I had to place full and absolute trust in my vendors, who were all accustomed to planning weddings with far away brides. Once that happened, it was a breeze. Plus, I got to fly to Sedona a couple of times to tour the venue, try the caterer and for my hair and make up trial. I’ll never say no to an extended ladies’ weekend in a beautiful destination!”

Guests booked rental homes in the area and most stayed together. “We ended up jumping from house to house over the course of the weekend and it worked out perfectly. I highly recommend consolidating your guests. It makes for way more time spent together,” says Alisha.

Alisha has three pieces of advice for other couples considering their own destination wedding:

1. Don’t sweat the small details, you won’t even notice them when the time comes.

2. When people tell you that the day goes by fast, they are not joking. One second you’re walking down the aisle, the next you’re trying to find your bouquet and packing up all the things you want to keep in the car before the venue closes. Take a step back and look around and really appreciate what is happening.

3.The best advice that was given to me (by my Aunt), don’t get drunk. Have a couple of drinks to take the edge off, but don’t get drunk. You’ll want to remember the entire night.

VENDORS:

Photography: Jennifer Lourie Photography, Florist/Event Planner: Events by Show Stoppers, Reception Venue: Tlaquepaque Arts & Shopping Village, Equipment Rentals: Bright Event Rentals, Cake Designer: Sedona Cake Couture, Hair & Makeup: Divine Beauty Artists, Dress: David’s Bridal, Catering: Bigfoot BBQ, Shoes: Kate Spade, Groom’s Attire: Men’s Warehouse