Elegant Desertscape Wedding in Fort McDowell

It was a beautiful day in the desert as Kayla and Dusty headed for We-Ko-Pa resort to capture Brett and Ashley’s beautiful wedding!

From the moment we arrived Ashley was so sweet and calm. She greeted us with hugs and made us feel so welcomed and cherished. We slowly unwrapped her dress and were in awe of how simple and elegant it was! From the moment she slipped it on we were all so excited! She looked absolutely stunning!!!! Her momma stood up and began to talk about how much she loved Ashley and how she was so thankful that her and Brett and found one another and we were all in tears.

As I set Brett up for the first look I could tell he was ready! He was not nervous at all but calm and collected and so excited to marry the love of his life. As Ashley walked down the path and called out his name I instantly saw a huge smile on his face. The two of them hugged, kissed, and admired one another as if no one in the world was there watching them. Kayla and I loved this one on one time with just the two of them before we headed over to the golf course for the bridal party and family photos.

We then arrived at Rosas Ranch a venue that had Desert Mountain views on all sides! Every direction you looked was absolutely incredible! I remember Ashley and Brett saying that the reason they chose Rosas Ranch was because they had a lot of family and friends that were from other states and they wanted them to see the beauty of Arizona. I would have to say that Rosas Ranch did not disappoint! It was a picture-perfect scene that truly represented the gorgeous landscape of Arizona. The weather was perfect and the ceremony was full of love, laughter, and emotion. Brett’s brother was the officiant and did a great job at sharing Brett and Ashley’s love story!

After the ceremony, Kayla and I were so excited to get a whole forty-five minutes with just Brett and Ashley! The desert and lighting were incredible but not as amazing as Ashley and Brett’s love for each other!! You could just see and feel how much they cared for one another and it was inspiring. While the sun started to set three wild horses came running tight through the backdrop of our photos. It couldn’t have been planned any better. We all were in awe and took a moment to soak it all in.

As the sun set over the mountains the reception decor was so romantic! Farm style tables with long stem candles and beautiful flowers! Twinkling lights overhead and a gorgeous moon above! I loved hearing all the story’s of Ashley and Brett and how they were first attracted to one another in high school which led to them finding one another years later in Chicago! Now residing in San Francisco where they will build their lives together! They danced the night away as the band played with their closest friends and family! The band was so good and so much fun to watch! There was s’mores, glow rings, and the best dessert ever! It was a wedding that I will never forget and Kayla and I feel so honored to have been a part of it all!

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts Brett and Ashley for allowing us to capture your special day! You will always hold a special place in our hearts and I hope you can relive all the beautiful moments of your wedding day when you look at your photos!

Xoxo Dusty & Kayla

Thanks so much to these INCREDIBLE vendors for putting together such a flawless day! The design and execution came together perfectly and it was so great working with you all!

Getting Ready Venue: We Ko Pa
Ceremony and Reception Venue: Rosa’s Ranch
Floral: ZuZu’s Petals
Dress Store: Uptown Bridal
Dress Brand: Essense Designs
Shoes: Forever Soles
Entertainment: Changing Lanes Band
Paper: Minted
Rentals: Top Notch Rentals
Glam Squad: Kensington Makeup
Rings: Ken and Dana Design

What about your beautiful bride did you love the most? “The back of her beautiful dress.”-Brett

What tips or advice would you give couples planning their wedding? “Decide what’s important to you and focus your funds and energy on those things, worry less about everything else.”-Ashley

Tell us about your bridal party and the role they play in your life. “It was awesome to have my best friends and brothers by my side. They’ve all always been there for me when I needed them.”-Brett

“The venue was a ranch without much to work with other than the stunning scenery. It was a great space but I had to assemble all of the components myself. I knew I wanted to pair the raw desert beauty with a formal feel in the decor and details. I chose black, ivory, sage, blush, and plum to complete a formal industrial look, and Brett’s white dinner jacket was over the top on purpose. In the end the sunset and candles just made the desert scenery look that much more beautiful.”-Ashley

What moment during the wedding ceremony sticks out in your mind? “The personal and sincere details that my brother (our officiant) added.”-Brett

Anything you look back on that makes you laugh, or unique things that happened that made the day even better? “The speeches were all wonderful. There were some great memories relived in them and some details that made me laugh so hard I cried.”-Ashley