Mini tour of TCA

In January, my mom and I met with the event coordinator at the Tempe Center for the Arts. We went through the building and answered some general questions.

Just yesterday we had our final walkthrough. The whole family tagged along as we met with the coordinator and our caterer contact, Melissan from Santa Barbara. It was a great meeting and we hashed out some details I hadn't thought of. I felt really great coming out of the walkthrough and was honestly really excited. You may have figured out that I tend to swing from hating the wedding to being stoked for it. Yesterday was one of the few occassions I felt truly confident about this crazy ass event. I know it'll be great.

Anyway, here are some pictures from when I went in January.

This is one of the dressing rooms. They're pretty sweet ... TCA is an art gallery/theatre, so they have actually dressing rooms. It's pretty convenient.

Welcome to the Lakeside Room ... The buffet will actually be in this area, just right of where the picture was taken. That way the food won't take up the reception room's space.

Here are some pictures of the reception room. The floor is obnoxiously hideous, but once linens are on and the chairs are surrounding tables, you don't really notice it.

Floral disaster

It's been awhile since I last posted. I have an entry written saved in my drafts, but it is really melodramatic and whiny. Not going to publish that one.

In any case: yesterday was eventful. My mom, sisters and my friend Erica accompanied me to a dress shop, the mall and then to a florist.

The florist was particularly ... not pleasing? I'm not sure how to describe her. But, I felt incredibly awkward during our 20 minute conversation. I also felt like I was not allowed to give any input or suggestions.

She started out with her asking what colors the bridesmaids' dresses are. Last time I checked, that was not at the top of my priority list. But maybe bridesmaids' dresses are an absolute must during the 8th month. Let me check my bride-to-be book ...

... Nope. Not the most important thing right now.

We brought in a magazine that had the colors we wanted on the cover. I thought that was good enough to provide her a palate. Apparently not. At one point, she told me that I should "figure out my colors" before we could go further.

I thought it would be more logical to pick the colors of the flowers and then base the bridesmaids' dresses off of that. Tulip colors are more limited than fabric colors, so I'd like to nail that down. But, according to the florist, "That's backwards."

In her defense, she seemed nice.

But she did not listen to a single word I had to say. Instead, I might say something like:

Celeste: "I think we need something along the edge of the water. There's a ledge that we could put something on."
Mom: "Yeah, it's kind of bare. We need to add a little something along the water."
Florist: "Let's put some flowers on the seat. Yeah!"

She kept suggesting things that really had nothing to do with what my mom and I would be discussing. It made me feel like I should stop bother trying to say anything. So, I pretty much did haha. From the get go I just felt kind of odd and put out, and the uncomfortable feeling just increased as we went along.

I just didn't really like that she wasn't really willing to listen to what we had to say.

Our conversation when we got back into the car:

Celeste: "I feel ... like she just ..."
Mom: "Wasn't listening to you?"
Celeste: "Yeah."

Now, onto more florists.

In the meantime, here are some tidbits (me and Jo's new favorite word) of inspiration for flowers and centerpieces.


Love the colors (this is what I'm going for) and the bud ideas. I think bud vases are so cute in multiples. This would also look good in a circle around some other sort of centerpiece.


What an awesome idea -- centerpieces that are favors of mini bouquets. Not sure how I could translate this to tulips, but very cool. Read the Martha Stewart DIY instructions here.


I like that the vase goes past the top of the tulips. Never seen that before.


This picture creeps me out, but I'm digging the fishbowl full of flowers. Seems expensive though since there are seemingly 1,305 flowers in there.


I know this isn't a centerpiece, but I need this idea to be incorporated somehow!

My new idea:

I'd love to use Perrier bottles to put flowers in. The bottle's opening isn't very wide (maybe two or three flowers could fit), but the green is so perfect! I could have that in the middle, with bud vases of the reddish-orange flower surrounding the Perrier bottle in a circle? Amanda suggested going to look at Cost Plus World Market for some wider mouthed bottles.



Another awesome idea:


OK, so my mom and I really want to spice up the steps and the red ledge with something. Maybe we could line it with some simple Perrier bottles and bud vases?

Also, Amanda is a genius. Her idea: put a couple tulips in the bottles and hang them from the chairs on the aisles. So good!

Too long

I've already been slacking on my blog posts. I blame it on having a job.

Anyway ... time for today's lunch-time update:

I'M NOT STRESSED ANYMORE! Well, not actually, but mostly because ... we found a place!

I had some very important wedding venue requirements.

1. Outside

2. Not a golf course

3. Somewhat non-traditional

4. Not ugly

5. Available for brunch

I figured it would not be too terribly difficult to find this. I underestimated the fugly factor of Phoenix though, especially while comparing the venues to my dream wedding destination: the Broadmoor Resort in Colorado Springs.

I pseudo-grew up in Colorado Springs. When I was five, my dad (a former Air Force pilot) was whisked away for a year to a glorious South Korea base. Naturally, bringing your family was not recommended. My mom and I moved to Colorado and lived with my grandparents for the year.

To say the least, I have fond memories of Colorado. My grandparents lived at the base of Cheyenne Mountain, about a two-minute walk from the Broadmoor. Every day, my papa would take me there and we would go ice skating. I grew up watching the most beautiful weddings in the world as we walked around the resort's lake. When I was five, I couldn't even fathom wearing a dress (I was content in my oversized neon Esprit shirt and spandex shorts), but I knew that the lakeside weddings were absolutely perfect. Whenever I go to Colorado (a couple times a year), I make sure to spend a lot of time at the Broadmoor.

Photos by New Concept Photography

Unfortunately Arizona just doesn't have a beautiful backdrop of nature. Even though I've known this for a long time, I was especially reminded once looking for a venue to host my wedding.

Here's a brief rundown of what I came up with:

• Phoenix Art Museum, Phoenix, AZ

A disclaimer: I'm not an art person. I spent a summer in Italy--Florence to be exact, supposedly the art center of the world?--and stepped foot in about three museums. I'm sorry! I just can't appreciate art like I know I should.

In any case, I've been in love with the museum as a ceremony/reception site ever since I found it a few months ago. It's absolutely gorgeous, but in a hip kind of way. I had thought of it after reading online that non-traditional sites like museums may be cheaper and more willing to bargain prices since weddings aren't their main money maker. Sigh, if only this was the case. Not only was PAM booked solid (with the exception of a few Friday/Sunday openings), but it was also ... wait for it ... $5,000 just to rent. Moving along.

Pros: Sophisticated, bad ass, beautiful, filled with stuff to do (if you're into art), perfect outdoor setting

Cons: My father going broke

• Hotel Valley Ho, Scottsdale, AZ

I had never actually been to the Valley Ho before we met with their wedding coordinator, Dawn Peterson, on Saturday. My first impression of the place was swanky but relaxed. The Ho is definitely cool -- it's been around for a really, really long time and recently underwent $82 million in renovations. The property is simply cool (there's really no other word for it). My mom said it reminded her of a hip hangout in the '60s. The colors are bold and patterns splash the walls and carpets.

The courtyard where we'd have the wedding was pretty enough. It's a grassy area surrounded by palm trees. But the backdrop put me off--old (albeit cool and funky) hotel rooms. I can only imagine some bratty, still-drunk Scottsdale idiot puking off the side of the balcony during my beautiful mid-morning ceremony. No thanks!

The reception rooms were too receptiony. I specifically wanted an outdoor wedding so I wouldn't be surrounded by drab walls and ugly carpet. They did have an outdoor area for receptions, on the Ho's tower rooftop, which has a 360-degree view of Phoenix (it was incredible!). Unfortunately it only sat around 100 and our party will be more around 150.

Photo by Sergio Photographer

Pros: funky retro feel that speaks to Josiah and I, plenty of good photo opportunities, reasonable rental price ($2,000)

Cons: limited availability, not impressed with the reception areas, high food/beverage minimum ($7,500, which would be too much for our brunch idea), a hotel and, consequently, nothing special

• The Farm at South Mountain

A few years ago, Josiah dragged me to one of many weddings of his friends. This one in particular, Mike and Robin's, has stuck out to me over the years. My heart instantly melted when I stepped foot onto the dirt path leading up to the pecan grove. The Farm is just ... different. Sometimes I forget I'm in Arizona when I sit at the splintered picnic tables while eating lots of baked goods. I love it there and have imagined getting married here ever since attending Mike and Robin's.

Pros: the best outdoor feel I've found, only $1,200 to rent, limited availability, represents Josiah and I well, Santa Barbara catering, which has an awesome/not super exepsnive brunch menu

Cons: possibly too outdoorsy, heels sink into the grass, a fairly typical indie wedding spot, definitely prettier at night than in morning, may get too hot by end of reception

• Tempe Center for the Arts

A fellow engaged lady Tiffany recommended this spot, noting that she was interested in getting married there, but it wasn't big enough to accommodate her 225 guests. Though I've hung out at TCA and ridden past it hundreds of times, I hadn't even thought of holding a wedding there. So, so glad she suggested it!

The arts center is literally brand new and sits on the edge of Tempe Town Lake. It has an art gallery and performance space. In general, TCA seems pretty typical but its architecture and design is totally fun and interesting. The outside features a negative edge pool that seems to disappear into the lake. The whole part of the building that faces the water is glass and it's overwhelmingly beautiful.

Turns out, TCA doesn't actually do many weddings, and the ones they have booked are in the evening. The woman actually said we could choose whenever we wanted. How. Awesome. Is. That.

The ceremony would be held on the outdoor patio that fades into the negative edge pool. The reception would be indoors in a really unconventional "ballroom." The room is an extension and juts out over the pool, and the walls are 100 percent glass. It's cool as hell.

View the whole wedding set here.

A few pictures I took for my photojournalism class.

Pros: Awesome architecture, good photo opporunities, location (downtown Tempe) that means something to Josiah and I, low rental cost of $1,600, coolest indoor reception yet, nice backdrop of the Tempe Town Lake, Santa Barbara Catering

Cons: Possibly too modern, indoor reception, less structure and help considering it isn't typically a wedding venue

The verdict:

When all was said and done, it was down to The Farm and the Tempe Center for the Arts. They both represented us in completely different ways. The Farm is a beautiful escape from the Phoenix norm. It's outdoorsy and rustic. TCA is hip and modern, perfect for two 20-somethings to tie the knot.

My parents both liked TCA better, and Josiah and I do too. While I love the rustic feel of The Farm, I think it may be just a little too much. Plus, I'm scared of my heels getting stuck in the dirt and me falling (which basically happened when I was a wedding guest). Being able to pick our date at TCA was a huge selling point. Tempe was our home for many years and really represents our relationship as we have five years' worth of memories there. Plus, the indie hipster in me likes that I'll be getting married in a truly unique and "underground," as my mom says, place.