My Tucson Wedding

Do you face each other or do you face the Pastor during the ceremony? Traditionally people faced the Pastor and then turned and faced each other during the vows. Sometimes people prefer to have the Pastor with his back to the audience and the couple facing the audience so that family and friends can see them, and they can see family and friends.  This couple, pictured to the right, held each other during the ceremony, which looked very romantic. I don’t think that there is any hard fast rule, but many couples prefer to face more towards each other, than towards the pastor. This I believe, allows your family and friends to see more of your facial expressions and also allows the couple to look more at each other during the ceremony. Talk it over with your Pastor on which you prefer.

One way of keeping your table assignments in order and from blowing around is the board pictured to the right. This nicely made assignment board was made by a family member of the bride and groom, with elastic string to hold them in place. The folded table assignments were tucked under the elastic string and placed in alphabetical order for ease of guests finding their names.

Signature picture frames seem to be more popular, and if you have a larger wedding you need a larger area for people to sign your picture frame. Pictured to your right,  is an example of one that has plenty of room, it was used at a recent wedding at Saguaro Buttes. This will make a nice family heirloom with special memories, to last for years to come.

You have several options for acquiring a Signature Picture Frame. You can make your own or you can purchase one from several web sites. Here are a couple of web sites to give you some ideas.

•  I Do Engravables click here
• Rexcraft Click here 

Love is what makes the world go around, as the song says. It is the reason why most people get married. Below is a reading about love, read at weddings, written by Thomas A. Kempis who lived from 1380 to 1471. He was a monk who never married but understood the power of love.

 “On Love” by Thomas A. Kempis

“Love is a mighty power, a great and complete good. Love alone lightens every burden, and makes rough places smooth. It bears every hardship as though it were nothing, and renders all bitterness sweet and acceptable.Nothing is sweeter than love, nothing stronger, nothing higher, nothing wider, nothing more pleasant, nothing fuller or better in heaven or earth; for love is born of God.Love flies, runs and leaps for joy. It is free and unrestrained. Love knows no limits, but ardently transcends all bounds. Love feels no burden, takes no account of toil, attempts things beyond its strength.Love sees nothing as impossible, for it feels able to achieve all things. It is strange and effective, while those who lack love faint and fail. Love is not fickle and sentimental, nor is it intent on vanities. Like a living flame and a burning torch, it surges upward and surely surmounts every obstacle.”

This picture was taken from a different angle than usual using a zoom lens, of a wedding ceremony in progress at Saguaro Buttes. It was taken from the front of the building, on the North side, standing on the handicapped walk way. It gives an interesting vantage point, and a stunning view.  If you click on the picture it will enlarge to full size.

Baguibassa and Krista were married in a small intimate wedding at Saguaro Buttes on April 25th, at 12:00 noon.  Baguibassa is originally from West Africa, and Krista is from Tucson. They have three wonderful children Roman, Julian and Israel, who were included in the ceremony. They also had about a dozen close family and friends to witness their nuptials.

The 4th Ave. Strings, a local musical group, played beautifully for a recent ceremony and the cocktail hour following, at Saguaro Buttes.  You may want to consider this group if you’re considering live music during your ceremony. There web address is  lalalastudios.com and  phone number is 622-2299 and 979-5914. Rose Todar pictured to the right is playing the violin,  and did a delightful job.  They can do solo, duo, trio or quartets.

Here is another picture taken by Holly Harris at Sunset. It pictures the quiet and serenity of the Rincon mountains as shadows accent the peaks and valleys of the slopes, and the colors begin to come alive. This is the beauty and serenity that one experiences at Saguaro Buttes.

How about having your table assignments also as favors. It will encourage everyone to pick up their table assignments, and also from a practical standpoint, it makes the table assignments heavier, which helps them not blow away if there happens to be a gust of wind. Many times your table assignments, because they are usually positioned close to an outside door, will catch a gust of wind and blow off the table, (no fun).  These pictured to the right were at a recent wedding at Saguaro Buttes, were filled with pieces of candy. Click on the little picture to see the table at full size. 

 Holly Harris is new to Tucson, but not to photography. She recently took some beautiful sunset photos at Saguaro Buttes, like the picture to the right which was taken in one of the rooms the brides use to get ready.  More of her photos of Saguaro Buttes are posted at Click Here

Holly Harris Bio

Originally from Los Angeles, and now based in Tucson, Arizona, Holly Harris’ background in celebrity and commercial photography translates beautifully to your wedding. Holly has her own slant on the world and composes her images like a painter. She has a broad range of photographic styles, from soulful portraiture to fun and energetic candids. Holly is truly passionate about what she does and hopes to make your day run smoothly. Holly has been a freelance, professional photographer for over 10 years and is fully licensed and insured.

• Holly Harris Photography
• www.hollyharrisphotography.com
• info@hollyharrisphotography.com
• 323.620.0474
• Tucson, AZ

Candlelight always adds to the romance of the evening along with the beautiful table linens. In this photo the table is graced with a beautiful centerpiece filled with rose petals and floating candles to give the room an elegant glow.  

Below is the information given by Pima County for obtaining a marriage License.

• This information is provided to answer questions you may have about obtaining a Marriage License, prior to visiting the Clerk’s Office.
• We are open from 8:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. After 5:00 p.m., you must enter through the east doors of the Superior Court Building, which faces onto Church Street.
• The age of legal consent is 18 years. If you appear under 21, our clerks may request proof of age, so please bring a Birth Certificate, Baptismal Certificate, Passport or Military I.D.
• If either or both of you are 16 or 17 years old, the consent of at least one of your parents is required and can be accomplished by a subscribed, sworn and notarized statement containing the names of both the bride and groom and granting you the permission to wed. If either or both of you are 15 years of age or younger, the law requires an order signed by the Juvenile Court Judge of the Superior Court.
• Both of you must appear in person at the Civil window of the Clerk’s Office to sign the Marriage License application and take an oath as to the truth of the statements you have made.
• The state of Arizona does not require a blood test and there is no waiting period requirement. The license is valid for 12 months from the date of issuance, but you must marry within that 12 months or the license will expire. The license issued by our office can be used anywhere in the state of Arizona.
• The fee for a Marriage License can be found online on this website under Filing Fees and is payable by cash, money order or credit card. We are located on the 1st floor of the Pima County Superior Court Building at 110 W. Congress Street, which is downtown on the corner of Church and Congress.
• My staff and I offer our congratulations on your upcoming marriage.

Patricia A. Noland - Clerk of the Superior Court

Joe Hurndon and Catalina Baker put together these photo montages for their wedding guests. Two showed pictures of each one, through the years, and the third pane, was a collection of pictures of both the bride and groom together with a short story of how they met.

At a recent wedding at Saguaro Buttes, the bride and groom, Joe Hurndon and Catalina Baker added a sports theme to their wedding cake.  Joe being a huge Detroit fan and Catalina learning to be one, they added a cake to express their loyalty to their favorite team.

Joe and Catalina were married on a beautiful April evening at Saguaro Buttes. They met in Flagstaff in 2005 as they were both attending NAU. They had wedding guests from Wisconson, California, and Oklahoma among other places.

This beautiful Unity Sand container caught my eye. It is for the most part flat, and because of that, it is harder to pour the sand into the vase because it has a much smaller opening. Expect to spill some sand as you pour,  but it has a more dramatic and visible look after the sand has been poured.

This bride found the container at Joann’s Fabric.

Who should be your groomsman? He should be able to leap wedding cakes in a single jump, run faster than flying bridesmaids. Stop future mother-in-laws with a single word. In other words he should be Super Groomsman. Picture to the right is one such groomsman. He is ready for action, eyes focused on the goal, hands ready to spring into action, knees bend, ready to jump when needed. He is dressed to the nines, hair primped and in place, shoes shinned. He is ready to go, with sunglasses in hand. This is Tyler the terrific groomsman. 

Saguaro Buttes has plenty of wild life, the kind on four legs. We are located on 26 acres adjacent to the beautiful Saguaro National Park, and as such, we are visited by many different variety of wildlife, from havalina, deer, rabbits and the occasional bobcat.  The picture to the right was taken at Saguaro Buttes on April 7th.  

Here is something different for your wedding, hand rolled Cigars. At a recent wedding at Saguaro Buttes the wedding guests were treated to something unique, a professional cigar roller. It was interesting to watch him as he rolled the cigars during the reception. 

At Saguaro Buttes the roses bloom in the Spring and Fall. They add a wonderful splash of color to the any occasion, with red, yellow, pink and lavender. The picture to the right was taken on April 10th. at Saguaro Buttes. 

You know what the traditional head table looks like. A bride and groom in the center of a long table, flanked by members of the wedding party. On the other hand, sweetheart tables at weddings used to be pretty rare. But things have changed. Sweetheart tables are commonplace nowadays. Besides giving the bride and groom some time alone, it also allows members of the wedding party to sit with their sweethearts, too. Just make sure you get up and mingle with your guests.  At a recent wedding at Saguaro Buttes, Erik Hinote took this photo of a bride and groom seated at their sweetheart table.

• ERIK HINOTE PHOTOGRAPHY
• ERIK@EHFOTO.COM
• WWW.EHFOTO.COM
• PHONE: 520-990-6616

Flowers make weddings special, they remain an integral part of the festivities. Flowers or herbs have been used in weddings since the beginning of time as a way of showing love and well wishes to everyone. The actual first recorded use of wedding flowers dates back to the ancient Greeks. Fresh flowers continue to be an important part of most weddings.   Pictured to the right was a beautiful  arrangement of colorful flowers at a recent wedding at Saguaro Buttes.  

What are the hot trends in wedding colors for table design in 2009. Things do change over the years but on the Ezine web page which is a wonderful source of wedding information made this observation, ” In both 2007 and 2008, brides tended to select soft greens and white, lilac and even Black and white. So popular were these colors in fact, you may well find them leading the way in 2009 wedding colors as well. You will also likely see brighter colors begin to emerge as well.” At Saguaro Buttes we offers dozens of different color linens for your selection as a part of our wedding packages, and also the possibility to upgrade to numerous specialty linens.

 Erik Hinote is a Tucson Photographer who recently took the picture to the right. He writes the following information in his web page: Erik produces interesting eye-catching images for his clients. He strives to be easy to work with and to supply the images that his clients want. Over 90% of Erik’s commercial business comes from repeat clients. He works with advertising agencies and directly with clients. Most of Erik’s weddings come from word of mouth. He has hundreds of thank you cards attesting to his easy non-obtrusive style and quality work. Erik is a commercial and wedding photographer based in Tucson, AZ and works throughout the United States and Mexico.  His contact information is:

• ERIK HINOTE PHOTOGRAPHY
• ERIK@EHFOTO.COM
• WWW.EHFOTO.COM
• PHONE: 520-990-6616

This beautiful Sunset photo was taken at Saguaro Buttes by Erik Hinote at a recent April wedding. Travis Zwickl & Nicole Federico are the bride and groom.

• ERIK HINOTE PHOTOGRAPHY
• ERIK@EHFOTO.COM
• WWW.EHFOTO.COM
• PHONE: 520-990-6616