Occasionally a wild animal makes a cameo appearance at an outdoor wedding I’m covering, and it inevitably steals the show. Brad and Brandis had a parade of cool critters at their wedding, and the animals actually hung around long enough to pose for photos with them!

That’s a perk of having your wedding at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum it turns out. Their warm and loving ceremony was tucked in an intimate grotto on the museum grounds, and immediately following, docents brought out a pair of gorgeous owls and an adorable ringtail for everyone to ooh and ahh at.

Brad and Brandis met as freshmen at NAU and their friendship grew into a romance that culminated in Saturday’s intimate, laughter-filled ceremony. I’ve rarely met a couple as relaxed but excited about the day. Their love for each other is obvious from across the room, and their smiles as genuine as they get.

They’re proof that a Star Wars fan and a Star Trek fan can find common ground, even on May 4th, the unofficial Star Wars day. In a great touch by DJ Michael Lopez, the recessional wedding march segued smoothly into the Star Wars theme song, sending up a roar of laughter from everyone.

The weather was gorgeous, particularly in the shade of the museum grounds, and the warm night was perfect for socializing on one of the best patio decks you’ll find anywhere, with a pristine Tucson mountain backdrop.  boI’d like to give huge thanks to wedding planner Desiree Groseclose of Without A Hitch, who made sure everything came together perfectly. The beautiful bouquets and succulents were provided by Focus on Flowers, and the cake from the ever-talented Village Bakehouse, who never fail to create something that tastes as good as it looks!

Congratulations you two, live long and prosper, and, of course, may the force be with you. Please enjoy these highlights from the reception slide show – family and guests can register to see the full take when it’s ready at - http://pictage.com/1414095

Sara and Tyler are warm, sweet-hearted southerners who hail from genteel Virgina, which we all know is for lovers. They fit that description nicely, and as you can see, they’re clearly one of the cuter pairs of lovers said state has to offer.

They celebrated a beautiful spring wedding amid a small crowd of friends and loved ones on the upper terrace of the luxurious Loew’s Ventana Canyon this past Saturday, and then danced the night away in the swank privacy of the ultra-posh Ventana Room.

Being April, the grounds were awash in an abundance of over-achieving flowers, the temperature was a balmy 80 degrees, and the wind that can plague us here in the Spring kept its voice to a whisper – in short, fine, fine wedding weather. A perfect day to get married.

Joining me for the fun was a short list of some of my favorite Tucson wedding co-horts: long-time personal friend Andy Depew of Satyr entertainment, ace-videographer Bobby Soltero of Soltero Productions, harpist-extraordinaire Christine Vivona, flower-whisper Georgeanne Fimbres of Villa Feliz, cake-artisans Village Bakehouse, and the lovely and wildly talented stylist Margarita GoDiva. And we were all in good hands with Ventana’s pro catering manager, Dasha Ross, who has an amazing eye for perfection and never misses a beat when I do something silly, like run off unannounced with half the wedding party for a photo-op five minutes to liftoff.

Thank you everyone, and congratulations Sara and Tyler – it was a gorgeous and gala event! Please enjoy a few favorites from our reception slideshow, and friends and family can pre-register to see the full photo gallery here: http://www.pictage.com/1413706