Kori and Dan

1. How did you two meet or what was the proposal like?

Dan was invited to join in my surprise birthday party in 2012 - we had friends in common but had never met before. He introduced himself, flashing his great smile to wish me a happy birthday and I just couldn't resist! Dan and I found that we had so much in common, including our love of music and going to concerts to see our mutually favorite bands.

Each year, we take a trip to see one of our favorite bands, Widespread Panic, with a bunch of our friends when they play at Red Rocks Amphitheater in Morrison, CO. So Dan took the opportunity to propose right before the show on June 24, 2018. He tapped one of our good friends to capture the moment and as we walked into the venue to meet the rest of our friends, he stopped me so we could "take a picture". Then, all of a sudden he was down on one knee! It was the perfect surprise and we went right into celebrating with all of our friends during the show.

2. Were you happy with the venue/location?

Living is Scottsdale, we really wanted to have a destination-like wedding since we had so many family members and friends coming from out of town and Mountain Shadows Resort was THE PERFECT setting. From the impressive views of Camelback Mountain, a pristine golf course and sparkling pool all set within a modern design, we couldn't have asked for a more beautiful location to host our wedding. Zeina Reniboldt, Catering Sales Manager, was amazing to work with and everything was just so easy to pull together. We found their wedding packages were very inclusive based on all that we needed and the food was absolutely delicious. A number of our guests stayed on property for the weekend and raved about the resort, staff and service. There is no question why Mountain Shadows is rated one of the best resorts in the Valley and now being recognized across the world. We just loved it and look forward to returning to celebrate many anniversaries to come!

3. Describe the theme or color scheme of your wedding, and what you chose for your table setting at the reception:

Our theme was "Ain't Life Grand!" (the title of one of our favorite Widespread Panic songs) inspired by music, Arizona sunsets and modern-rustic design. Our palette was made up of sunset jewel tones with deep purple/plum as the primary color along with pops of gold.

Each place setting had a vinyl record painted gold with a custom label displaying our guest's name. Purple Napkins, gold mercury glass votives, purple amethyst stones, white and gold geometric vases with colorful floral and succulents along with a small marquee-style table number and a hand-printed song lyric dressed each wooden hairpin leg table.

Some of our favorite touches were giant marquee-style initials bordering the dance floor, custom lighters our guests lit as we had our first dance, record players used as part of the floral design for our ceremony aisle pillars, the cake topper my grandparents used on their wedding cake and a remnant of Dan's baby blanket incorporated into my bouquet.

We also have exceptionally talented family and friends. Dan's cousin Ellen created a beautiful painting that our guests signed around the border in lieu of a guestbook, our friend Lindsey hand painted the back of a bridal jean jacket that was inspired by the lattice lace on my dress and the flowers in my bouquet, and our friend Jack played guitar and sang some of our favorite songs during the cocktail hour.

All of the details came together perfectly and we were truly surrounded by all the people and things we love so much!

4. What piece of advice would you give other couples planning their big day?

This day is about you! So don't be afraid to think outside the box and break out of the "traditional wedding" plan. Pinterest is such a great tool for inspiration and an easy way to help bring your ideas into tangible examples to share with your vendors as you pull together a design that reflects who your are and your love for each other. Read reviews and ask friends and family about their weddings if they were married locally - referrals can definitely help you to narrow down and find the right vendors. A timeline is super important to help keep you on track and if you are doing a majority of the planning yourself, there are so many free tools online that will provide the blueprint so you know what to do and when. But, if your budget allows for a wedding planner, DO IT! They will help keep you sane, on track and will have a wealth of knowledge to make sure your big day is everything you ever dreamed. Most of all, take time to enjoy your engagement and if you are feeling overwhelmed, that's ok. Just communicate with each other and remember that you are working toward one of the most amazing days you will have in your life together. You got this!