In 2005, Sabrina and Raj met but the couple didn’t begin dating until they reconnected several years later and have been in love ever since. They made their love official March 16, 2013 at Villa Siena.

The couple celebrated both an Indian ceremony and a traditional American wedding ceremony. The Indian ceremony was held in a mundup indoors.  For the first ceremony the couple wore traditional Indian wedding ensembles, with richly embroidered materials of ivory, gold and red. Raj rode up on a white horse. The couple performed a number of rituals including having the couple circle an open fire seven times. The family members and both the bride and groom fed each other sweets. As the couple expressed their love for one another the bride stood behind a sheet.

Food was served between the two ceremonies. For the second ceremony, the couple changed clothing and the guests took their place outside in the Piazza Toscana. The bride wore a fitted strapless gown and the groom a tuxedo. The bride’s mother acted as officiant and prayed for the couple’s happiness and prayed they would be blessed on their path to everlasting love.

After the ceremonies, the reception began. The first dance was to You’re All I Need to Get By, sung by Marvin Gaye followed by the father/daughter dance to Overjoyed by Stevie Wonder.

The speeches were a highlight of the night. The father of the bride welcomed Raj to the family and talked of his wishes for the couple’s future. He also talked of how loving Sabrina had always been. The maid of honor talked about how Raj would take her place as Sabrina’s partner in crime. Raj’s sister talked said the highlight of 2012 was Raj meeting the love of his life and told Sabrina there were a few things she needed to know. When she was a baby, Raj dumped a pitcher of water on her to make sure she was okay but also stood by her through heartbreak and other trials. The best man said that when Raj first met Sabrina he wasn’t a good enough man, so he waited seven years to marry her until he was.

Congratulations Sabrina & Raj. Husbands and wives are lovers, confidants and best friends. May the beauty of this day create the foundation of beauty for your lives to come.

Photography by: Sierra Blanco Photography

March 1, 2013 began a life together for Jamie & Isaac. The couple met at a bar in Scottsdale called Dos Gringos where two of Jamie’s bridesmaids also met their husbands. All of Jamie’s bridesmaids were friends going back to sixth grade. For the ceremony, the bride wore a strapless gown with beaded detailing across the top and rouching to the side where it flowed back into a sweeping skirt. The bouquet was a mix of white and pink roses, calla lilies and hydrangeas. Bridesmaids wore fuchsia dresses and carried the same type of bouquet as the bride. They all wore their hair in different styles with the bride’s hair down in loose curls.

For a pre-wedding cocktail, the bride gave her bridesmaids wine glasses decorated in pink, black and white polk-a-dots with their names on them. To announce the wedding, the couple’s bulldog walked down the aisle with a tuxedo and red bow-tie. The groom wore a black tuxedo with a black shirt and tie. The groomsmen wore tuxedos with pink vests and ties.

The altar was decorated with bouquets of flowers and two silver vases with the fire burning underneath. Jamie’s father walked her down the aisle in a tuxedo with a blue vest and bowtie. They lit a unity candle to begin their life together.

To fit with the Tuscan theme, the centerpieces were vases filled with wine corks and grapes. They placecards for dinner were set in wine corks with a heart on them, listing different types of wines that indicated separate tables.

After guests were seated, the couple stepped onto the dance floor to share their first dance together. They chose My Best Friend by Tim McGraw for their first dance. Then Jamie’s father joined her for the father daughter dance to Butterfly Kisses. Isaac and his mother brought smiles to their guest’s faces when they danced to Don’t Worry Be Happy.

The wedding cake was three tiers decorated with vanilla icing and the initials J & I with fresh white tulips and fuchsia roses. After speeches guests shared a limoncello toast and a video montage played during the reception.

Congratulations Jamie and Isaac. May your life together blossom like spring flowers. We wish you the best.

Photography by: Vicki Lynn Photography

March 7, 2013 was a day of celebration for Stephanie and Robert at Villa Siena. The couple arrived at the Villa for their reception in the afternoon. Stephanie embodied joy in a white strapless gown with ruffled skirt and blue sash. Her hair was worn up with bangs swept to the side. Around her neck she wore a pearl and silver beaded necklace. A white rose bouquet kept the look fresh and clean. Stephanie’s bridesmaids wore black strapless floor-length dresses and also carried white rose bouquets.

Robert’s love for Stephanie was apparent through the day. His smile never faded. The groom wore a black tuxedo with a black tie. The groomsmen wore robin blue ties and vests. The couple had both a ring bearer, who wore a tuxedo, and a flower girl who was cute as a button in a white dress with blue sash.

A photo album of the couple was displayed at the guest sign-in table where those attending could leave comments for the happy couple. For the first dance, Stephanie and Robert performed a choreographed first dance to Michael Buble’s Everything. Then the song switched over to Stevie Wonder’s Signed, Sealed, Delivered. The father/daughter dance was to Butterfly Kisses by Bob Carlisle followed by the mother/son dance to I Hope You Dance by Lee Ann Womack.

Guests ate at tables that also had a black and white theme with black tablecloths, white napkins and bouquets of white roses. The bride and groom, bridal party and the couple’s parents all drank from engraved champagne flutes for the toasts.

A three-tiered wedding cake had black ribbon on each layer with a blue fondant sash draped over the layers. The cake cutter was also engraved and read Two lives joined in friendship. Two hearts joined in love.

Favors were personalized blue and white M&Ms for the guests to enjoy.

Congratulations Stephanie & Robert. May your lives be filled with beautiful memories.

Photography by: Lasting Images Photography

February 23, 2013, Katie and Tyler arrived at Villa Siena for their wedding ceremony and reception. The couple met at a sport’s bar where they were both cheering for the Bears. Tyler noticed Katie cheering and invited her over to his table where they spent the rest of the night together. While the couple may happily share a love the Bears, their two families are divided with the groom’s family rooting for the Chicago Bears and the bride’s family being Green Bay Packers’ fans. Despite the division in the families, Tyler proposed on the couple’s three-year anniversary. They were on a ski trip in California. When Katie went to slip her hand in her left glove she found the engagement ring in it.

The ceremony was filled with friends and loved ones and Katie’s kindergarten class. She invited the entire class to attend the wedding. On each guest’s seat was a stone that the guest was asked to channel his or her good wishes and positive vibes into. The stones, according to Irish tradition, are then placed into a jar so the bride and groom have a memento to remind them of the love and happiness of all those in attendance.

Tyler wore a white tie, vest and shirt with a tuxedo with satin piping and a calla lily in the lapel. The groomsmen wore green vests and ties and also had tuxedos with satin piping. The flower girl had a ton of fun walking down the aisle with a huge smile on her face.

Then the bridesmaids announced the beginning of the ceremony, walking down the aisle in black strapless knee-length dresses with green flowers. The maid of honor had a greens sash around the waist. Katie’s face lit up as she began her walk towards her groom in a strapless dress with fitted bodice and sweeping skirt and veil. She wore her hair swept up with a simple necklace. The bridesmaids all signed her shoes.

The officiant talked about the special trips the couple took together and of their wishes for the future. He read Dr. Suess’ Oh, the Places You’ll Go. Katie’s godmother read a special verse during the ceremony and one of Tyler’s groomsmen read the couple a list of life advice.

A four-tired cake with fresh flowers on top and green satin ribbon around each tier offered sweet treats along with favors of Prickly Pear lollipops. A live band sang an acoustic version of Guaranteed by Eddie Vedder.

Congratulations Katie & Tyler. May your lives together be filled with the brightness that came from you both on your wedding day.

Photography by: Lasting Images Photography