Preparing for their Rustic Wedding in Tucson
I had been looking forward to Sarah and Kyle’s barn wedding in Tucson at Tanque Verde Ranch for months! I was scheduled to be the second professional photographer for Yasmine (Peaches and Green Photography). She moved to Florida earlier in 2020 to be closer to family. I worked with Yasmine on my very first wedding after moving to Tucson from Tennessee… and I fell in love with her instantly! It’s like she and I are always in sync with each other, anticipating each other’s thoughts. Plus, she’s so much fun to be around!
Unfortunately, the morning that Yasmine was supposed to fly to Arizona, her son woke up with a fever. Rather than put anyone at risk (both during the trip and at the wedding) she asked that I go from “second shooter” to “associate shooter.” Aka… I was going to be the photographer in charge on the wedding day. I was both honored and, well, a bit nervous! It was a lot of information to absorb on such short notice and I wanted to do my absolute best for her and the couple.
Tanque Verde Ranch Barn Wedding
When I moved to Tucson, Tanque Verde Ranch was in the process of building their barn wedding venue in Tucson. I had seen some of the mock-ups of the barn and knew it was going to be amazing! It was funny to me that after living in the South for so long and then moving completely across the country, barn wedding venues were still sought after here in Tucson, too. The Barn at Tanque Verde Ranch is truly stunning. The drawings didn’t do it justice! It’s rustic with elegant touches throughout. The lawn is also home to the ceremony space that looks out onto Saguaro National Park with endless iconic cacti– the perfect touch for any Arizona desert wedding.
Getting Ready for the Wedding
I love doing a special shot like this when the bride and her bridesmaids are in cute robes. And, c’mon, toasting with champagne is a great way to start off your wedding day!
Sarah’s dad was a tad nervous and excited to see his daughter all ready for her wedding day.
And his reaction to seeing her was absolutely ADORABLE!
This bouquet was beautiful! It has pops of soft color with a slight boho/fall vibe.
Their Wedding Ceremony on the Lawn
It’s ceremony time! You really can’t complain about the view, either…
Kyle was so full of emotion when he saw Sarah walking down the aisle towards him. He almost had me crying, too!
It’s official! Mr. and Mrs. Brack!!!
Pure happiness right there. Sarah and Kyle took a few moments to themselves after the ceremony to soak it all in.
Then they were full of laughs and smiles as we went into cocktail hour and the party began!
I do my best to move quickly through family and bridal party portraits so that everyone can enjoy the night together. As I took this last shot, I told the bridal party, “Ok, guys. I want to see some excitement… because this is your last photo and now it’s time to party!!!”
So this is another Southwest tradition that I’ve grown to love: beer burros! These donkeys get all decked out and carry around beer and other alcohol to your guests. Your family and friends can just chat it up while the beer burro comes around and hooks you up. And look how cute they are!!! I’m going to seriously try and bring this tradition to the South…
Sunset Portraits Overlooking the Desert
After grabbing a quick drink, the couple and I headed out to a beautiful sunset overlook a few minutes away from the venue. The views were stunning!
The sun set pretty quickly (thanks a lot, fall season), but we grabbed a few more sweet portraits and then headed back to the party.
Kyle and Sarah were originally supposed to get married back in April. Unfortunately, the global pandemic had other plans. They incorporated both of their dates on this cute sign that sat right outside of the ceremony space.
The Reception in the Barn
I told you guys this barn was incredible!
And the food that always gets my heart racing: DESSERT!
Sarah and Kyle had some super talented guests out on the dance floor. They spent a large part of their evening going around to every single table to make sure they said hello to everyone that came. It was so thoughtful of them. But they made sure to join in on the dance floor fun, too!
Sarah and Kyle, thank you so much for trusting me on your wedding day. I know that having a wedding during a pandemic is stressful enough as it is! And then a last minute change with one of your wedding vendors is nothing any couple wants to face. I hope that I provided you with an incredible experience and that all the other stresses just melted away. Congratulations, you two!
VENDORS FROM THIS TANQUE VERDE RANCH BARN WEDDING
Photography | Christy Hunter Photography on behalf of Peaches and Green Photography
Ceremony, Reception, and Catering | Tanque Verde Ranch
Event Planner | Peace of Mind Events
Flowers | Alexis Grace Florals
Hair & Make Up | The Beauty Bar: Allison
DJ | Fantastic Five Entertainment
Cake | Ambrosia Cakes
Videographer | Ethereal Visualss
Bride’s Dress | Bella Lily Bridal
Bridesmaids Dresses | Birdy Grey
Groomsmen Attire | Men’s Warehouse
Beer Burros | Dinky Donkey Adventures
See more gorgeous Tucson weddings that I’ve captured HERE!
