The much anticipated pictorial essay from the 2012 Sedona Wedding Boot Camp, by Sedona Bride Photography, surpasses all expectations, as did the event itself.  Katrina Wallace and Andrew Mejia’s sensational images tell the story of the joyous day more than words could ever describe.  These gorgeous images illustrate why the Sedona Wedding Studio, in only two short years, became Sedona’s standard of excellence and Northern Arizona’s largest and most comprehensive wedding organization.

We are pleased that Sedona-bound brides who could not attend this year’s event, now have the opportunity to see, through this pictorial essay, the level of quality, talent and trend-setting designs they can expect to see when visiting The Sedona Wedding Studio and next year’s 2013 Sedona Wedding Boot Camp.

The event more than quadrupled in size and attendance over the previous year.  The morning began with excited brides embarking on venue tours of L’Auberge de Sedona and Tlaquepaque Arts And Crafts Village before returning to join other brides who already had confirmed venues.  Transportation was provided by Sedona Trolley, White Tie Limousine and Northern Arizona Limousines.  Sedona Golf Resort and Sedona Rouge  also held scheduled site tours of their properties in conjunction with the boot camp.

Even more transportation options were available with several vehicles on display in the SWS parking area.  Brides were able to see Sedona’s famous Pink Jeeps and fabulous Mercedes luxury vans from Silver Spur Tours.  A Day In The West Jeep Tours was there with their colorful drivers dressed in authentic old west attire.  Sedona Wine Country Tours representative, Laura Vandergrift, was there to discuss her wonderful tours.

The Sedona Wedding Bootcamp is quite different from the traditional wedding show.  Typical of Sedona Wedding Studio innovation, brides loved the new concept and were raving about the new stylish boutique look of what we call the “hybrid wedding show.”  No one left disappointed.  The most noticeable difference was the focus on designer tables, seminars and venue tours.

We hope you enjoy these images and see first-hand why so many Sedona brides are choosing the Sedona Wedding Studio to produce their romantic Sedona wedding, no matter how large or small their weddings actually are.  Congratulations to the Sedona Wedding Studio membership for producing the most lovely wedding event Sedona has seen to date.

As brides entered the building, they were greeted by beautiful designer vignettes and gorgeous flowers in every direction by Ken Heflin of Events By Show Stoppers.  Dos Geckos, a popular Sedona duo, including guitarist, Bill Barns, and Larry Perkins on violin ( 928-284-1131 ), set the mood by playing popular wedding selections to the delight of newly engaged couples as they enjoyed the surroundings. Concert harpist, Sara Casciani (928-526-3488), played heavenly selections in the SWS showroom.

The Sedona Wedding Studio showroom was displayed and ready to go just before the doors opened at 10:00 am.

Those couples who entered the boot camp through Sedona Cake Couture began their boot camp experience with eye-popping displays of fabulous cakes and sweets in every style, color, shape and flavor imaginable.  The irresistible aroma of cakes baking in Andrea’s state-of-the-art kitchen permeated the entire studio making it hard to focus on anything but Andrea’s famous mouth-watering cakes.

The first 40 brides were gifted with delicious custom miniature wedding cakes in an assortment of delicious flavors. Brides also received a canvas tote bag with a couture map of Sedona, by Stephannie Barba Couture Maps, showing popular area attractions, famous landmarks and important Sedona wedding sites.

A beautiful Sedona Wedding Studio membership guide was included in every bag, along with vendor marketing material.  The lovely guide was designed and printed by SWS member, Julie Gibson, of Studio Grace.

Brides attending the Sedona Wedding Boot Camp were treated to make-up and hair styling demonstrations by Liz Margin, Lindsay Hausch and Patricia Vega.  Bill Barns serenaded just steps away, entertaining brides as they stood in line waiting their turns.

Sedona’s iconic restauranteur and caterer, Lisa Dahl, and Scott Yates of Cucina Rustica, served delicious samples.

Lisa signed her best selling cookbook release, “The Elixir Of Life.”

Delicious samples were in every room of the Sedona Wedding Studio, as well as in the adjoining Inspiration Pavilion.

Heartline Cafe, Perfection Catering, Cucina Rustica and Red’s Catering wowed couples with their scrumptious selections.

Candace Walters, of Victorian Cowgirl, designer of beautiful couture wedding gowns, displayed many of her favorite creations.  Brides were delighted as they spoke with the models and Candace about their wedding dresses.

Gorgeous models wore the exquisite fashions as they moved through the crowd while carrying beautiful wedding bouquets designed by Ken Heflin, of Events By Show Stoppers.

Everyone took their turn resting their feet in the lounge area of the Inspiration Pavilion.

Under the direction of Show Stoppers’ set designer, Samyo Shannon, and his team, Andres Barron (Ninõ), Ed Palmero and Marla Fay, the interior of the Inspiration Pavilion was draped in billowing sheer fabrics.  Charming lanterns converged at the apex of the tent, then cascaded down in a chandelier effect just above a birch arbor.  Colorful lighting effects accentuated the fabrics.

Events By Show Stoppers provided all the decor, including flowers, draping, lighting and custom window arches that were installed over the draped walls.  Debb Beggs, Classic Party Rentals, generously provided the tenting, carpeting, heating, furniture and assorted rentals.

The perimeter if the Inspiration Pavilion was full of exquisitely trimmed tables designed to inspire the brides with ideas that could be interpreted into their own weddings.  The center of the tent displayed a birch wedding arbor.

Each of the talented Sedona Wedding Studio coordinators designed their own tables as well as designer tables reserved by Platinum sponsors.

Margaret Van Damme, Van Damme Weddings, designed the L’Auberge table with a charming Country French motif.

The details were very clever, such as this cute table sign made of Scrabble game pieces.

A neutral color palette with mossy green and gold accents was perfect for L’Auberge.

Laura Marolakos, Heart of Sedona Weddings, designed this colorful table for Tlaquepaque.  The Old-World Mexican theme inspired brides to think beyond the ordinary and consider their surroundings when choosing their decor.

Laura incorporated details of crepe-paper flowers, ceramic tiles, paper accessories, Mexican folk art and classic vintage lace linens.

Karen Lynn, Sedona Wedding Planner, puts the finishing touches on her rich-red and brown themed table.  Wildflower linens provided the gorgeous table cloth….

…. and the opulent chair covers.

So much was going on.  Bobby Russell, Sedona Sounds, announced prizes and played current tunes between the seminars. Food was being passed, displays enjoyed, venues considered, ideas discussed, friendships made and-on-and-on. Everyone throughly enjoyed themselves all day long.

Brides loved meeting other brides and interacting with SWS members.  Lots of contacts and friendships were made.  The air was full of joy, love and excitement.

Sedona’s wedding community was putting its best foot forward, making brides feel welcomed, pampered and confident.

J.B. ( Judi ) Bloomfield, Sedona Luxury Weddings and Events, designed her table and The Sedona Hilton Resort’s table. We loved her vintage look even incorporating an old vintage screen.

J.B. used vintage heirloom tableware, old frames, bottles, old curios and candle-filled jars in her vision.

Laura Marolakos, Heart of Sedona Weddings, designed this vintage French table that was a big hit with the brides.

Laura incorporated various vintage fashion props, curios and keepsake elements in her design.

Laura’s color pallet was light, feminine and romantic.  The outstanding paper products were designed by Sedona Wedding Studio member, Julie Gibson of Studio Grace.

Margaret Van Damme, Van Damme Weddings, used a beautiful complementary color scheme with lots of texture and depth.

The beautiful linens were procured through Wildflower Linens.

Margaret’s lovely paper products were provided by SWS member,  The Aerialist Press.

The designer tables were popular with the brides, inspiring their sense of creativity!

The seminars were very informative, helping brides get direction and insider tips from Sedona’s best professionals.

Debb Beggs, Classic Party Rentals, answered questions concerning all aspects of rentals and tenting.

Included in the days festivities were Taryn Bills, Serendipity Video, who will have a film of the day’s activities coming soon to this website.  Bobby Russell, Sedona Sounds, was the DJ and Master of Ceremonies for the day.  Reverend Shanandoah Sterling, Sterling Weddings Of Sedona was there and gave her undivided attention to countless brides. Diana DeMayo, Uptown Massage, gave neck massages in the SWS conference room that had been specially converted for privacy.

All five of our member publications were available to give out their latest editions.  Kelly Gill, Phoenix Bride and Groom Magazine, Angie Van Daele, The Wedding Chronicle, and Christine Kelly of Arizona’s Finest Wedding Sites and Servicesmet with brides and handed out their magazines. Arizona Bride Magazine and Arizona Weddings Magazine were available in the Inspiration Pavillion.

19 SWS member venues were represented.  Katie Draxler, Sedona Golf Resort, Angela Medlin, Seven Canyons Golf Club and Tony Rizzo, Oak Creek Country Club were there to meet and greet brides.

The Sedona Wedding Boot Camp closed at 5:00 when the last bride finally left.  What a fabulous event produced by The Sedona Wedding Studio.  Everyone had a fantastic time, did lots of business, made appointments and celebrated another huge leap in advancing the Sedona wedding communities image. Romance, humor, knowledge, creativity, music, excitement, talent and community were the fuel that catapulted this year’s 2012 Sedona wedding Boot Camp into fast forward, making it the front runner of Sedona wedding events.  What a great show!

This featured wedding, planned by  J.B. ( Judi ) Bloomfield of Sedona Luxury Weddings and Special Events, made the cover of Destination I Do magazine.  The bride, Megan Epper, is now a design consultant for Judi. Photography is by Stephanie Williams of This Modern Romance Photography.

The wedding was held in the popular Patio de la Campanas.   We love this ceremony site because of the ivy-covered arches and the small staircase to the right.  It’s simply lovely when the bride makes her entrance by walking across the bridge, down the staircase, then up the aisle.

The vintage bouquet looked like it was just picked out of a backyard garden, with full-blown garden roses, dahlias and phlox.  A few green dendrobium orchids and hypericum berries added the final texture.  A treasured piece of heirloom lace, provided by the bride, was tied around the bouquet handle.

The bride’s maid’s bouquets had more color, with the addition of  open red roses, clusters of delicate pink spray roses and apple green hypericum berries.  The bouquets were perfect against the sangria colored dresses.

The wedding party was having such a great time celebrating the wedding of Megan and Chris.

The reception was held just steps away in the Calla Independencia, beneath string lights that are so typical and charming in old world settings.

There are many charming areas in Tlaquepaque for great photos.  One of the most popular is the old fountain in Patio del Norte.

FYI.  One of Sedona’s best kept wedding secrets is that Show Stoppers has a second store in Tlaquepaque called Nectar Designs that provides specially priced wedding packages exclusively for Tlaquepaque brides!  The quality and price are the best in Sedona and right at your fingertips in Suite A114.  Our fabulous candle displays for the Tlaquepaque Chapel are the most reasonably priced in Sedona.   Show Stoppers and Nectar Designs are your best choice for a charming Tlaquepaque wedding, providing lovely flowers, glowing candle displays, ambient  lighting and decor for both full-scale weddings and weddings on a tighter budget.

We found this lovely post on SedonaBride.com and thought you would enjoy it.

heather and david had a great wedding at sedona golf resort on an overcast day in october…. heather was gorgeous and her excitement was so contagious. she was super smart to enlist margaret of van damme weddings to help with all the details and planning. between katie at sedona golf resort and margaret and her staff at van damme weddings, the day went beautifully! the sun even peaked out on the red rocks at sunset… it was gorgeous!fabulous wedding vendors::

 this photo of the guys by andrew was a special request from the bride…

 heather couldn’t hold back her tears when she saw david for the first time that day

heather looking so very pretty …

the dessert bar was co-designed by margaret (van damme weddings) and andrea (sedona cake couture). it was a huge hit at the reception…. the woodsy theme really fit in with their floral

yummy macaroons and boxed macaroon favors so guests could eat them during and after the wedding day…

instead of using numbers heather chose the names of the red rock formations in sedona…. bear mountain, where david proposed to heather, was of course the newly weds table

showstoppers did a beautiful job on the floral …

a gorgeous backdrop with bell rock

heather’s niece took advantage of the rose petal carpet…. so adorable!

what a stunning backdrop to enjoy while sipping on cocktails

thank you katie (the fabulous on site coordinator) for taking us out on the golf carts! the views from the different holes are amazing!

and the sun came out just for a minute to make the red rocks glow…

heather had us create a guest book with their favorite engagement pictures

thanks so much for having us be a part of your beautiful wedding day!! we look forward to seeing you guys the next time you travel out.

katrina + andrew

In Show Stopper’s on-going quest for new things to do, we realized that the new look we were seeking for 2012 was already all around us.  Anyone that has been in the Show Stoppers’ showroom, or in our home, knows our fascination for everything cultural, rustic, ethnic, retro, distressed, beaded, woven, mysterious, textural, exotic, comfy and gypsy-like.  Throw in some Middle Eastern, Native American, woodsy, sheer fabrics, religious artifacts, flora, fauna, mood lighting and a good helping of Stevie Nicks…  and you have got the picture.

Out of nowhere, we discovered our work on this really cool website, depicted in images by Katrina and Andrew of Sedona Bride Photography.  While perusing the site, we quickly realized that tons of the stuff we were looking at, we already have and use (like the old Moroccan bracelets we use for bouquet handles.)  The furnishings in our showroom naturally reflect our personal tastes and interests.  So, instead of just occasionally using our favorite things just here-and-there when we get the chance, Show Stoppers is going full throttle in 2012 with…  BOHEMIAN.

It’s not for everyone, but for that certain bride who wants something really different, it just might be the way to go, especially for a wedding in Sedona.  Show Stoppers is overflowing with all kinds of furniture, props, architectural elements and fabrics, limited only be one’s imagination in how to use them in creative ways.

We have used touches of the Bohemian style for years.  Here are some favorite images.

Moody lighting and Moroccan details make for a stylish evening with friends and family at L’Auberge de Sedona.

Old perfume bottles and fabric-covered picture frames with international postage stamps provided interesting details.

Hand-painted Moroccan tea glasses serve as votive candles.  Date Palm seeds, peacock feathers, pin cushion protea are tossed randomly on a table-top copper platter.

A cool silk tent, that one often sees shading passengers on the backs of Camels, was used to make a stylish vignette for the exotic cake designed by Sedona Cake Couture. We also found old wood block textile stamps and gave them to Andrea Carusetta who cleverly used them to stamp patterns in the fondant.

Here are some great shots from the side.  This has been one of our all-time favorite cakes.

We love our exotic garden lanterns.  They can be used indoors or out.

Banquet tables are becoming more and more popular and work perfectly with a Bohemian look.

All kinds of props can be used in countless ways to achieve a Bohemian look.  We love these old teak columns wrapped with sheer embroidered  fabric.

When you’re in Sedona, stop by the Events By Show Stopper showroom and discover the possibilities. We are located next door to Sedona Cake Couture and the Sedona Wedding Studio.

When we learned that Remi was of Japanese heritage and John was English, we immediately thought this wedding would be an interesting project.  The ceremony was held at The Sedona Heritage Museum with the reception immediately following at Tlaquepaque. The reception was in the Calle Independencia which is a very popular venue because of the romantic Spanish architecture, trickling fountains, glowing carriage lanterns and charming overhead string lighting.  The wedding was planned by popular Sedona wedding planner, Karen Lynn, who did a superb job.  Katrina Wallace and Andrew Mejia, Sedonabride.com, captured the wedding beautifully.  We enjoyed designing this wedding because of the Japanese elements we were able to incorporate.

Events By Show Stoppers was honored to be a sponsor of the fabulous Dulhania Bazaar wedding expo and fashion show in 2009.  The expo targets South Asian brides.  Show Stoppers designed the entire stage set and ambient lighting.  It was quite a cultural learning experience and we are looking forward to designing weddings for this wonderful international group.

Elegant Scottsdale Wedding By Show Stoppers and Victoria Canada Weddings & Events

August 5th. 2011 by Mallory | 6 comments

Oh my goodness. I am so loving this Scottsdale wedding, it’s almost a little embarrassing. I, like the whole affair, am totally blushing. Victoria Canada Weddings & Events pulled together a simply fabulous soiree, filled with pretty pink, AMAZING flowers, kiwis, grapes, and so much love. I mean, seriously, how posh are those fruit and floral centerpieces by Events By Show Stoppers? And the bridesmaids, all lined up in coordinating gowns? Forget about it. Totally, and completely, crushing on this wedding. We couldn’t do this beautiful wedding, courtesy of Phyllis Lane Photographer, justice in this one post.  There is soooo much more, so I’ll totally be gazing at this gallery all afternoon. Care to join me?

From Victoria Canada Weddings & Events … The lavish wedding was hosted at exclusive Country Club at DC Ranch.  Guests experienced the beauty of the desert all from the rustic surroundings of DC Ranch. We created a fun and festive party within a beautiful space.  There were numerous elements that were created to surprise Janet and Rick at every turn.  The Bride is a well known and busy interior designer with little time for wedding planning.  Thus, we were brought on to help the brides best friend plan the wedding.

The cake was designed off the bride’s love of shoes – in particular, Christian Louboutins!  The ruffles on the cake are a nod to the bride’s elegant dress.  The cake was displayed on a vintage ranch table from the original DC Ranch.  It was an amazing image to see it placed under the tree that was lit with hanging Moroccan lanterns.

The bride and groom wanted to incorporate a sand ceremony into their wedding.  The main bottle was antique with a handmade cross sodered to the bottle by an artisan that works with Janet.  It gleamed with the background of the McDowell Mountains.  The perfect touch was the rustic original ranch table.

The linen’s were inspired by a vintage piece of cloth that Janet brought to us a year before the wedding, with simple instructions – “this is what I love… the texture and the understated elegance.”  We then went on to find the perfect combination of rustic elegance and simple romance at Wildflower Linen.   The Russian Linen textile was a perfect fit.

The floral was a wonderful collaboration between the floral designer’s, Jim and Ken of Events by Showstoppers, the couple and us.  Because of the couple’s limited involvement with the design, we, along with the brides best friend, were the main contacts.  We brought in Jim and Ken from Events by Showstoppers because they also have Houston roots and their style was a perfect fit.  The bride also felt it would be a perfect aesthetic match.  The rose petal carpets, use of fruit, draping, and eclectic unexpected containers helped created a breathtaking event.

Guests were greeted with an amazing rose petal carpet at the ceremony.  The cocktail hour was defined with yet another rose petal carpet.  After cocktails, the guests crossed the grassy lawn lit with candles and transformed with more rose petal shapes while serenaded by the string quartet placed on a balcony above. They then climbed the steps full of candles to enter the breathtaking courtyard.  Guests were gasping and grabbing their cameras to take into the courtyard.  It was an amazing moment.

Photography: Phyllis Lane Photographer / Flowers: Events by Show Stoppers / Event Design: Victoria Canada Weddings & Events / Event Planning: Victoria Canada Weddings & Events / Ceremony Location:The Country Club at DC Ranch / Reception Location: The Country Club at DC Ranch / Invitations: Rebecca Baltutis, Square LA / Linens: Wildflower Linen & Southwick Linens / Cake: Andrea Carusetta-Blaut of Sedona Cake Couture / Shoes: Jimmy Choo / Bride’s Dress: Meriah, Monique Lhuillier fromCasa Di Novia / Bridesmaid Dresses: assorted gowns from Monique Lhuillier and BCBG / Flower Girl:  Custom Dress by Jenny Kim Couture / Band: The Groove Merchants / Hair & Makeup: Diane Aiello / Calligraphy: Jennifer Schmitt