Shannon and Derek had an amazing wedding at The Paseo. When they told me what venue they had chosen I was beyond excited. Being able to photograph one of my favorite clients with one of my favorite mountains spots as a backdrop was a dream come true. The Superstition Mountains are hard to beat as a setting for a wedding.

Wedding at The Paseo

Upon arriving at The Paseo I found Shannon and her girls in the final stages of getting ready for the big day. As you can imagine the room was filled with laughter and girl talk. Shannon was laid back and showed no sign of those wedding day jitters.

As Shannon and her girls finished up their final preparations, I took a few minutes to get some detail shots. These are always fun to get as you look for ways to incorporate the venue surroundings into the shots when possible. Shannon had some incredible red shoes that deserved to be out in the gorgeous AZ sunlight.

While Shannon was finishing up, Derek was next door with his guys doing the same. My second shooter Tiffany grabbed some fun shots of the fellas.

It is such a magical moment when the bride is in the final steps of getting into her dress. It’s always special photographing “mom” helping her little girl get into her wedding dress. As the final buttons are buttoned the look on her face is always priceless.

Shannon and Derek had decided on doing a first look (which I always advise). Tiffany and I found a spot in open shade for Derek to see his bride to be for the first time. These moments are some of the most emotional events of a wedding. Being given the honor of photographing them is one of the reasons I love weddings. Derek was overwhelmed when he saw how beautiful Shannon was in her wedding dress.

We wrapped up the bridal party and family shots before the ceremony. Clouds began to build as storms were in the area. Would Shannon and Derek have rain on their wedding day? As the day would unfold the storms stayed west but yielded a beautiful sunset.

After the ceremony we headed inside for the signing of the marriage license. Normally this is a low key fanfare with all vested parties signing. Little did we know the officiant had a special “Star Wars” certificate made for Shannon who is a huge Star Wars fan. Her reaction was priceless.

The day turned to night followed with toasts, a fabulous dinner, and of course the reception. Shannon and Derek rocked a first dance to lead things off that lasted into the night. These guys were party animals who didn’t let up. Awesome music and gorgeous night made for a spectacular evening.

I want to thank Shannon and Derek for having me photograph their wedding at The Paseo. It was such a joy to be a part of their wedding and I wish them the very best. Big thank you to my second shooter who I could not have done this without her. Thank you Tiffany-Ryland Aukerman.

And the rest of the cast who made this wedding special:

Venue: The Paseo

Caterer: Joe’s BBQ

Baker: Sweet Tooth Fairy

DJ: The Beat Booth

Pretzels: Mustache Pretzels