Wedding Magazine Photoshoot : Westin Phoenix Downtown

This is Part Deux of our 3-part series on the magazine photo shoot we styled for the fabulous Phoenix Bride & Groom Magazine.   In case you missed it, here's a quick overview of what we're doing, and the first part of the series.  This feature was shot at the new Westin Phoenix Downtown, and it was a fantastic experience. 

For those brides looking for a chic, urban setting in the heart of downtown, I highly recommend the Westin.  Not only does it feel more like a boutique hotel in a high rise, but the views are beautiful and the service and food were wonderful.  With this venue, you get the cool vibe of being downtown with the comforts of a luxury hotel feel - not something all too common in Phoenix.

Their ballroom has floor-to-ceiling windows showing off the view that is surrounded by the tall buildings of downtown, so my design was centered around that - and more importantly not obstructing it.  The best way to do that?  Clear furniture from KOOL. Party Rentals.  They also provided the hip neon glow-in-the-dark cocktail table we used for the cocktail hour shoot at the rooftop pool.  Super cool.

Butterfly Petals created a stunning white orchid and glass orb display for the sweetheart table we designed and it's just so elegant. 

The fabulous Erica Velasco Photographers took the lovely photos.

The Menu:

Citrus-Poached Shrimp Ceviche served on individual tasting spoons
Petite Beef Filet in a Cabernet Bordelaise Sauce, paired with Grilled Prawns with Piperade Sauce and Roasted Fingerling Potatoes with Sauteed Asparagus
And for dessert - Flambéed Lemon Thyme Cake with Brown Butter Mousse and Fresh Fig Compote

Here's the rooftop pool deck we started on for a cocktail hour feel where the Westin provided the first course.  Isn't this an awesome view for a cocktail party?

And here we've moved to the ballroom area with the urban views and our sweetheart table.  Love!

I adore the clear votive stands Butterfly Petals provided for the mercury glass votives - they were absolutely perfect for the table design.

Since the flame on this flambéed dessert is blue, it's hard to see, but trust me, it's a show-stopping presentation, which we plated on these unique clear/blue dessert plates from BBJ Linens, and setting it over the clear table with white flower petals underneath it made it look like it was floating!

 

Vendor Team

Magazine Feature: Phoenix Bride & Groom

Venue: Westin Phoenix Downtown

Stylist/Coordinator: Monica McQueen with Très Chic Weddings & Events

Photographer: Erica Velasco Photographers

Florist: Butterfly Petals 

Rentals: Kool. Party Rentals 

Dessert Plate: BBJ Linens 

Urban Chic Wedding

There's something so effortlessly cool about this couple and the simple, yet elegant urban chic wedding we planned for them.  We've deliberately left out the photos of the bride and groom, to respect their privacy, since they're well known.  However, we wanted to share the details of the day and some of the highlights and inspiration.

They married at the historic and beautiful St. Mary's Basilica and the nearly 400-person reception was at the Bentley Projects Art Gallery in downtown Phoenix.  They share a love of the world's best food and easy, family-style entertaining, so the meal was top priority.  I tell you that the platters of food that came out and the locally-grown, fresh produce, imported cheese, olive oil made by monks here in Florence, Arizona, and hand-made artisan bread were a feast to the eyes, as well as the heart, soul and stomach. 

Mariachis started the celebration outside of the church and during cocktail hour, and we also added a special touch that was a definite highlight of the evening, which was a surprise Opera tenor, who received a standing ovation... he gave everyone goosebumps!

The color palette for the wedding was essentially a deep crimson red complimented by mixed metals... gold, silver, copper.  Because the reception was in an art gallery full of eclectic colors and works of art from different genres, the mixed metals reflected in beautiful sequined linens and various colors of mercury glass were a perfect compliment to the rough look of the exposed brick.  The communal table cocktail seating, the unstructured organic floral, and the wood feasting tables and cafe chairs warmed up the ambiance and made it less formal-feeling.  This couple is down-to-earth and wanted nothing over-the-top or stuffy - just comfortable, casual elegance where people would focus on family and friends, dining and celebrating.  I think we really accomplished this.

The bride and groom are utterly darling together, and the bride... well she's movie-star beautiful - completely gorgeous and just born that way, the groom is outstanding - one of the best in the world at his craft.  Our warmest wishes for a lifetime of happiness to this sweet couple!

The fantastic team who made this possible:

Photography: Mike Olbinski
Floral and Decor: Petal Pusher Florists
Rentals: Classic Party Rentals
Linens: LaTavola Fine Linens and BBJ Linens
Draping: Quest Drape