Kristin and Taylor’s wedding was a modern country wedding set in the center of the city. The palette was made up of blush, soft blue, ivory and various shades of green. It was elegant and understated.
Flower dog, dancing and champagne
Abby, the flower dog, stole the show during the outdoor ceremony by walking up and down the aisle greeting the wedding guests. The day ended with everyone dancing all through the very last song. Champagne and buckets of beer welcomed guests at the ceremony and set the tone for the rest of the evening. What made Kristin and Taylor’s wedding day so special was their deep rooted sense of belonging, and Kristin’s family legacy.
Deep roots in Arizona
Very few people you meet in Arizona can tell you they are native to the state. When Kristin told me during our first meeting that she had been a 2003 Flower Girl at the Board of Visitors Ball, I knew her family had roots in the community. In fact, her family can be traced back for five generations in the Phoenix/Scottsdale area. That’s before statehood folks!
The Valley Field and Riding Club
Kristin chose to be married at the private venue, The Valley Field and Riding Club, a traditional family gathering place and a true hidden gem. The Riding Club is housed in a historic Adobe building and surrounded by acres of native desert landscape. It’s nestled in the middle of downtown Scottsdale near Camelback mountain. Kristin and I were in agreement from the very beginning that her wedding would complement her chosen venue.
Beautiful in simplicity
We also agreed that her wedding would be beautiful in its simplicity, clean but rustic, and full of charm and family history. Kristin and Taylor’s idea of the perfect modern country wedding was a rock’n band and a guest list ready to party all night long.
One last song
One of my favorite memories of Kristin and Taylor’s wedding was the band’s last song. We had perfect weather all day, but during the last song of the night, it started to rain. Every last guest sang their heart out as they danced in the rain. It was the perfect storybook ending.
The wedding planning process
Kristin asked for help with month of coordination and design for her modern country wedding. She also hired me as her florist. That’s not to say she turned over all aspects of her wedding to me! She was involved in every aspect, including creating her own invitations and day of stationery. We often spent evenings chatting via text message while drinking wine together, but on opposite sides of the valley.
Notes from the bride
Wedding planning experience:
- I absolutely loved wedding planning — I loved seeing the vision come to life and collaborating with Justine on how to best make the vision work.
- Every vendor was amazing to work with and everything about the day turned out better than we could have even dreamed for.
- Designing my own invitations was one of my favorite parts of the planning process.
Most favorite parts of my wedding day:
- Getting ready with all my girls
- Seeing the vision we worked so hard for come to life
- Celebrating with friends and family
- The band — this was one of my musts for our wedding day. We both LOVE live music, so it was very important to have a band.
- How it rained during the band’s last song during our outside reception. They packed the dance floor. The last song was “Sweet Caroline” — we chose that because we both went to U of A (along with 80% of the guests), and Sweet Caroline was the last song Dirtbags (the big bar when we were there) played at the end of the night.
The love story
“Taylor and I met in 2014 at his best friend’s birthday in Old Town Scottsdale. Less than 24 hours later, I sent Taylor a text asking if he wanted to bar hop with me and some friends. The day was spent discovering. We both attended UofA, had the same friends, went to the same bars, but oddly enough, never knew or met each other during college.
Taylor then took me our first date to the Parlor (a fancy Pizza Parlor in Phoenix). That night when he picked me up, he had to meet my little fur-baby — who approved of Taylor immediately and gave him a ‘paws up!’ After that, the rest is history. Four years later, on my birthday, we went to my parents for dinner where they blindfolded me — I thought I was getting a puppy, but instead when I took the blindfold off, Taylor was down on one knee.”
Need assistance planning your modern country wedding? Let’s chat.
For more modern country wedding inspiration, follow me on Instagram.
Coordination: @justinefritzweddings
Photography: @hartfilms_
Floral: @justinefritzweddings
Catering: @sierra_bonita_catering
Entertainment: @instantclassics
Venue: @camelbackinn and private venue
Dress: @schaffersbridalaz
Ring: @schmittjewelers
Rentals: @eventrentsaz
