This past Saturday, yes, I got done with this one rather quickly as I am battling a nasty chest cold and can’t go out, so I have my processing fingers to the grind stone, LOL, processing Simon and Tena’s yummy wedding. Anyway, all my fellow photographer friends are gonna be like “what on earth are you doing, getting it done so quickly, you make us look bad, LOL!” Take Robitussin, I say, it’s like cherry adrenaline, hahaha! First, let me say again….how well Tena took the rain. I mean, we had wind, rain, you name it, and she lead with grace and a smile. Now, true, you can’t control the weather, but here in Arizona, it isn’t called the Valley of the Sun for nothing! So when someone here gets rain, you feel extra specially bad. Also, we had the month of January off as his was our first, so it is not the way I want to start off the year in torrential rain. But, this wedding took place at the Tempe Center for the Arts and the insides are just as beautiful as being outdoors. It is a beautiful, vaulted, contemporary space, full of color and theatrics. And, we took full advantage of the whole space. We even used the ladies’ room, with it’s black and white subway tiles and safari looking theme! Now that is a first, how many photographers use a bathroom for a place to take photos? Well we do, and by gosh we are proud of it. Once you open your mind to the possibilities of photo locations, there isn’t a place that is off bounds, at least not when you hire us. And that is what I LOVE with our clients who book us. They are trusting to a fault and we never want to let them down. Tena had approached us numerous times about how she was so afraid we were out of bounds in her wedding budget, but as you can see, one should never anticipate the worst, make that call, you might be pleasantly surprised and when all is said and done, it is these photos which you will have to mark and remember your day by. So without further rambling by me, let me present, Tena and Simon’s yummy lime green and teal wedding….. The invites were done as a collaboration between Tena and her very talented maid of honor, Angela Cook who has a fabulous business making gorgeous contemporary invitations for all occasions over at Swatchbook Weddings. I just adore the color combination with the ribbon and the whole teal and lime combo going on.
Tena’s gorgeous gown, was Brides by Demetrios.
Tena got the girls all these adorable teal croc embossed make up bags! Now for the luscious Kate Spade shoes, oh my, heart be still. Tena had told me how she had been eyeing them for some time and then, when she went to purchase them, they were no longer available. Boo hoo. I would have freaked and this is sooo something that would have happened to me. Reason why ladies you should never procrastinate. Anyway, she ended up finding this one pair, a little larger than she would have wanted by probably a 1/2 a size, but none the less she did find them in the beloved teal color on Ebay! Yahooo and how darn cute are they with that little curly cue doo dad on the toe! Speaking of shoes, Tena and the girls wore flip flops with matching lime green and teal bows on the toes, how sweet? Check out the new bracelet which is so Anthropologie looking and so vintage in feel, heart be still. One of our cute bridesmaids even did up her nails in the color!
The little flower that Angela attached to her crinoline, is a tradition that Tena and her fellow sorority friends do each time a girl gets married! Love the traditions, no matter how simple they are as they make your day your own! By the way, love, love, love, the peacock feathers which carried through the whole theme of the wedding in both the bouquets, boutonnieres, garter Tena wore, etc. So much of the details which make this wedding special, were thought up by both Tena and her girls…..good job!
The Tempe Center for the Arts has so many of these colorful walls, massive doors, etc. they made for the perfect backdrop for the photos….
And, how gorgeous is this yellow wall? Scrumptious! And her tropical flowers came from The Garage by Ivy. Wow, they looked like something you’d find in Bali, all tropical and so colorful. I kept saying that if someone had mentioned lime, teal and purple as colors that would go together in flowers, I would have thought no way, and yet, they were some of the most beautiful bouquets we have seen in the 20 years in business! Simply chic beyond words….plus anyone who knows me, knows I am a sucker for hydrangeas! GORGEOUS!
All the girls wore the same matching teal, chiffon colored gowns, but all slightly different styles which was an unexpected twist on a tradition. They were by Twirl. Love that!
Tena let all her girls pick their own style of shoe, in a matching neutral shade. And, girls, check out the heels on the pump on the right, magnificent!
Check out our bride in that last photo…..grabbing a little toosch squeeze from her hubby to be, hahaha….
We did the reveal in the threater…..a gorgeous space.
here comes Simon, get ready Tena!
Ahhh so cute you two!
Then, we were off to do some portraits of just the two of them….in the lobby….
outside the theater….
along the balconies….
and one of of favorite places, the upstairs ladies’ room! But, seriously, check out the ceiling and the floor, so awesome and the peach walls lent such a warm glow to the skin it was like our own built in reflectors!
So art deco in feel with the tile work and the slanted mirrors, yummy….
Guess the “safari” look to the bathroom, got Tena’s tiger instinct purring for Simon…. 
Maybe we should leave the bathroom, hahaha…..then the rain let up slightly so we took advantage of some photo ops outside by the negative edge fountain.
Even their “signature drink” was teal inspired!
Something about a brightly colored umbrella on a gray day that cheers the soul and makes it sing.
Love this one below, of Tena and her eyes. Like candy for the eyes!
Tena says that all the woman in her family wore a diamond solitaire around their neck on the day of their wedding, so she did too.
And I’ll end Part I with Tena and her dad, Randall, patiently waiting outside the Art Gallery where the ceremony took place. Don’t miss tomorrow’s Part II, the actual ceremony and a reception full of details…..you won’t be sorry.
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Angela @ Swatchbook Weddings: These.Are.Incredible. I cannot tell you how much these pictures are going to mean to Tena & Simon!!! You captured them PERFECTLY - their beauty & personality - just PERFECT!!! February 22, 2011 4:24 am
Tena Mueller: WOW! You are amazing! We loved working with you! February 22, 2011 4:24 am
Tweets that mention arizona wedding photography ~ tena and simon’s wedding, part I | Wedding Photography in Phoenix, AZ and Long Island, NY | Photography by Verdi -- Topsy.com: [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Angela Cook, Photography by Verdi. Photography by Verdi said: Tena & Simon's yummy wedding last Sat. http://photographybyverdi.com/2011/02/22/arizona-wedding-photography-tena-and-simons-wedding-part-i/ [...] February 22, 2011 5:04 am
Alicia @CharityWedding: Absolutely gorgeous photos as usual! Angela looks adorable, love her! February 22, 2011 5:15 am
cassie laramee: Fabulous job guys! Can't wait to see round 2! February 22, 2011 12:31 pm
Kandus: Love the pics! We are using the same colors in our wedding and absolutely love the flowers, along with the bride's hair piece. Do you know where she got her hair piece??? March 22, 2011 9:45 pm
admin: I just asked for you and she got it on Etsy, where else, home of the totally FAB! It is from YJ Designs, Kandus, hope that helps! But I just did a search under "Feather Hair Clips" and there were tons, I mean, tons of gorgeous ones, with peacock feathers, and a bunch of assorted different ones. Good luck hunting. Got to love Etsy! March 22, 2011 10:43 pm