The Couple Tied the Knot Beneath a Dramatic Open-Air Tent at This Glamorous Arizona Wedding

Five years after they first met at a college bar in 2014, Jacob proposed to Peyton at the end of a long hike in Sedona, Arizona, in June of 2019. They dove headfirst into wedding planning, selecting El Chorro in Paradise Valley, Arizona, as their venue because of how beautiful the spot nestled between the Camelback and Mummy Mountains was. “The venue showed the gorgeous Arizona backdrop that we wanted to showcase to all of our guests, given that we are from the Midwest,” Peyton remembers. “It was the perfect setting to have the wedding and reception in one location to keep the party going.”

Peyton and Jacob originally planned to get married in May of 2020, but they had to postpone the wedding a year to May 8, 2021, due to the pandemic, but Caitlin Caval at Outstanding Occasions helped them navigate the lengthy planning process. In the end, the couple had two goals: They wanted to spend valuable time with their 175 guests, and they wanted to throw a "classic glam" celebration. With a black, white, and neutral color scheme, Peyton and Jacob kept the day’s design timeless and added sentimental touches with details like personalized napkins and custom monograms.

Read on to see Peyton and Jacob’s chic desert wedding, including the bride’s four dresses, in photos captured by Elyse Hall Photography.

Peyton owns her own bridal salons, so she met with the team at Berta during New York Bridal Fashion Week to choose her big-day looks. In the end, she wore three different Berta wedding dresses on her her day (and an after-party dress from Theia) as a nod to her passion for wedding dresses. The fitted lace mermaid-style gown she wore for her ceremony was the one for her because it “just felt right.” Peyton accessorized with an ivory veil, Louboutin shoes, and jewelry accessories from Lindsay Marie Design.

She asked her beauty team to give her an elevated version of her everyday look. The result was a curled hairstyle and classic glam makeup look. “I fully trusted Makiaj Beauty and they did such an amazing job!” she says. She held a full bouquet of white flowers, including roses, peonies, and sweet peas, and greenery for texture.

The bride and groom each had ten bridesmaids and groomsmen by their sides at the ceremony. The bridesmaids wore blush floor-length Amsale gowns in varying styles and the groomsmen matched Jacob in black tuxedos. “We wanted to keep it neutral and classic,” Peyton explains.

The couple chose to have a first look on the wedding day because it worked well with their timeline and gave them an opportunity to spend dedicated time together. “It was just the two of us, so very intimate in the gorgeous Arizona desert,” Peyton says.

In retrospect, the first look served another important purpose for Peyton: She admits that it also helped with her nerves when all eyes were on her at the ceremony.

The couple's ceremony took place on the venue’s lawn underneath an open-air structure adorned with flowing white drapery and chandeliers. The ceremony arch was covered in greenery and white and blush flowers, while matching arrangements lined the aisle in planters. “We had so many flowers!” Peyton says. “It was definitely the focal point.”

Guests took in mountain views from all directions as the ceremony began. The couple’s nephew was excited to be their ring bearer. When Peyton entered, she walked down the aisle, which had been coated in white flowers, with both her dad and stepdad to “Stand by Me.”

Peyton and Jacob exchanged their own personal vows in front of their loved ones before celebrating back up the aisle as husband and wife.

The couple hired singer songwriter Sarah Vanell to perform during their cocktail hour and dinner. Guests visited a greenery-covered escort card wall featuring the couple’s custom monogram to grab glasses of Champagne and their table assignments as they entered cocktail hour. Table numbers were displayed on cardstock that featured the bride and groom's new joint monogram and were attached to the wall with gold numbered wax seals.  

After finishing their glasses of bubbly, guests were able to enjoy a variety of different cocktails from the open bar and light passed appetizers.

While guests enjoyed drinks and bites, the ceremony lawn was transformed for the reception. The couple’s design team repurposed the open-air structure to create an ethereal space for dinner. Tables were adorned with floor-length off-white linens and paired with gold framed cushioned chairs. The tablescape featured candelabras, taper candles displayed in gold holders, and all-white floral centerpieces of roses, orchids, hydrangeas, lisianthus, and greenery at varying heights.

Gold-rimmed glassware and charger plates were paired with gold flatware, white napkins, and custom menus at each seat.

Peyton and Jacob’s tiered wedding cake was embellished with cascading roses and displayed in front of their ceremony arch during the reception. “Confetti cake was our special item!” the bride says. “It is our favorite.”

For the reception, Peyton changed into a low-back Berta gown with beaded detailing, and Jacob switched into a white suit jacket.

Guests moved into the venue’s pavilion for the party portion of the evening. The ceilings were dripping with greenery and strands of flowers and decorated with opulent chandeliers. The floral arrangements that lined the ceremony aisle were repurposed to decorate the band’s stage and an all-white lounge area was set up in front of the fireplace.

A unique personal touch? The dance floor was emblazoned with Peyton and Jacob’s initials in gold. The Spazmatics performed, keeping guests on the dance floor all night long.