My Tucson Wedding

Angela and Jerrod were wed on Sept 28, 2008 at Saguaro Buttes in a beautiful evening ceremony with a wonderful reception following.

A wedding celebration on October 3, 2008 at Saguaro Buttes for Melissa Lin and Frank Husmeier was the perfect evening.   Frank and Lin met in 2004 at a Halloween party when they were both attending the U of A. They had guests  from Germany, China, Seattle, Texas, Mississippi, Florida, California, New York, and Georgi. What a great venue to celebrate and renew friendships.

Jason and Stacy’s were wed on October 25, 2008, at 4:15 PM.  They met in April 2003 as Stacy went to work for Jason’s father’s company. Over 260 friends and family came and attended their special day.

Joseph and Alyssa had their ceremony and reception at Saguaro Buttes on Thursday, October 16th, 2008.They met in July of 2007 at El Paso Restaurant where they both worked at the time.  Joseph proposed to Alyssa at Tanque Verde Falls. They had seven attendants standing up with them in their ceremony and  many friends and relatives traveling from as far as New York and Texas, as well as California.

This center piece was placed on the kids table and was fun, unique and functional. It provided lots of color and candy but was also attractive.  Click on the picture to get a better view of this center piece.

Aaron and Megan were wed at Saguaro Buttes on October 11th at 11:00 AM. They had friends and relatives who came from Iowa, the Boston area, California, and Chicago. The ceremony started out with a few sprinkles of rain, but by the end of he ceremony the sun was shinning. The reception was at the Brides parents home, located close to the church.

Kellie Lahr and Sam Papanikolas had a beautiful balmy evening for their wedding ceremony on September 6th, 2008 at Saguaro Buttes.  Arizona is known for it’s weather and those of us who have lived here for any length of time know September is the month the evenings start cooling down. Our fantastic weather from September to July, makes Tucson a great destination for your wedding and outdoor ceremony.

Outdoor wedding ceremonies present a few more challenges than indoor ceremonies. One is the sound system. It makes a huge difference having a system which is designed especially for the outdoor ceremony.  Saguaro Buttes has a surround sound effect with speakers strategically positioned around the ceremony site.   From the DJ’s position behind the scenes, he/she can control the sound levels, play various music, and make  announcements as needed.

At Saguaro Buttes the officiant wears a Lavalier Microphone, which clips onto his tie or suit lapel and it’s small enough to be obscure. The Groom also wears a similar microphone which is muted during the ceremony, except during the stating of the wedding vows. The bride doesn’t need one as she will be facing the Groom when she states her vows, and is speaking right into his microphone.Wind is the other issue that you may encounter at an outdoor ceremony. This can be handled by shielding the microphones or by clipping them on the inside of the suit jackets.

Ahhhh candles. They set the mood for an elegant,  romantic evening. Shown here are small votive candles placed around the table to reflect on the beautiful rose centerpiece which provides a stunning setting for the reception dinner.

Saguaro Buttes offers a variety of centerpieces for the bride to choose from as well as mirrors and votives to enhance the table setting.

A photo montage can include most anything but typically shows the journey of the bride and groom’s lives, growing up, meeting and dating each other, to the present marriage ceremony.  At Saguaro Buttes in Tucson, AZ we have a projection system that allows a bride and groom to show their personalized slides show or video during the reception. Above you can see a photo of the bride and groom projected on the screen to greet guests as they enter the reception area following the ceremony.

A delectable display of various cheeses, fruit and crackers was enjoyed by guests at this wedding at Saguaro Buttes. A cocktail hour typically follows the wedding ceremony as the newly married couple, their bridal party and family have their formal photos taken.  This is great time for your guests to mingle and enjoy the surroundings.

If a bride chooses assigned seating for her guests, there are various ways to display the name cards. Typically the cards will be placed on a table, with our without a flower arrangement or centerpiece, or on a display board and easel, inside the banquet room. Pictured here is a unique idea, the name cards were hung with ribbon on these branches on the top patio. Each guest then found their name and table at which to be seated in the banquet room for the wedding reception.

This beautiful three tiered cake was elegantly displayed on a table draped in a champagne satin linen and tied with a satin sash.  Additional flower petals and candles added to the ambiance of this wedding reception.

As you can see from the background Saguaro Buttes is located on a vast exclusive site with fantastic views from the dining room’s full length windows.

On September 7th, 2008  Saguaro Buttes had the pleasure of hosting a Hindu marriage ceremony. It was a beautiful ceremony full of symbolism.

Manju Chantani & Monty Gada were the honored bride and groom. Dr. Ramesh Sharma was the Brahmin priest officiating the ceremony and guiding them through the process. Bless Manju and Monty as they begin their journey together.

This centerpiece works well as it provides an absolutely beautiful bouquet of flowers yet does not block the view of your guests seated at the table. At this wedding held in September 2008, they alternated the tables, half of the tables had centerpieces as pictured to the right, and the other half  had the centerpieces at table level. This gives the room a certain depth, it has elegance and makes the room feel warm and inviting.

A fabulous eye appealing h’orsdeurve table is featured here in a delightful display of various nuts, cheeses, olives, grapes, along with fruit skewers featuring strawberries, pineapple and green grapes.

Satin linens and candle light also adorned this table to make this a favorite place to meet guests following the wedding ceremony.

A special festivity was added to this reception and was enjoyed by all. The Bride and Groom brought 20 bottles of wine as gifts for their guests. During the evening the DJ asked questions pertaining to the newlyweds and a correct answer  received a bottle of wine.

Laura Doser and Jeff Pinsonneault were married at Saguaro Buttes in Tucson on September 9th, 2008. It was a beautiful ceremony that included the Air Force Honor Guard. Jeff is a Chief Master Sergeant with over 25 years of service to our country. 

Candy Bars or Candy Tables are becoming more popular as a treat for guests.  This beautiful display was well received at the Lahr/Papanikolas wedding on Sept. 6th, 2008 at Saguaro Buttes in Tucson.

The father/daughter relationship is a special one. Traditionally brides have their fathers walk them down the aisle to give them away. In the past centuries long ago, when woman had few privileges and fewer rights, the Bride literally was given away to the groom by the father, usually for some monetary compensation.  Today it is seen as symbolic of the parents blessing and support for this union. This special moment can be an emotional time and many times with tears,  to see the love of a father as he walks his beautiful daughter down the aisle.

When fathers are not able to give their daughters away, it may be an uncle, or other family relative that’s important in the brides life. In the case of brides who have older children, a son may walk his mother down the aisle.  Or if the bride has a step-father and a biological father and she has a close bond to both, it may be a solution to have both walk the her down the aisle.

As the officiant asks ”Who gives this woman to be married to this man?” or  ”Who presents this woman for marriage?”,  the father’s response is, “Her mother and I.”  At this point I usually encourage the Groom to shake hands with his future Father-in-law, and for the Bride to give her dad a big hug, before he gives her hand in marriage to the Groom.

Saguaro Buttes is located less than five miles from Tucson, but it feels as if you are a thousand miles away. Set against the Saguaro National Monument you have miles of unobstructed magnificent views.  This picture was taken by a hiker looking south toward Saguaro Buttes.  

Jeremy and July  Donovan were married on October 11th at Saguaro Buttes in a beautiful evening ceremony with reception following. Jeremy and July Jennifer met while dancing in Reno Nevada. Their paths crossed in a very unique way. Jeremy soon proposed on November 11th, 2007. Family and friends arrived from California, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Florida, Nevada, and Italy.

Nicholas & Erin were wed at Saguaro Buttes on October 9th, 2008. Erin is originally from Canada so they had guests coming from as far as Alberta and Ontario Canada. They met at Sabino High School in 2001 as they were beginning their Senior year in Chemistry Class. You could say that the chemistry was right! (Sorry for the pun.)  Nicholas proposed to Erin in February 2008. They had a beautiful balmy evening and a wonderful celebration.