Our Arizona Reception

It's a little overdue, but I decided to finally post the pictures of the reception we had in Arizona 3 weeks after we got married.  It was quite the whirlwind of a weekend- remember Joe had just had his appendix removed 2 weeks earlier and it was infected at this time- Grossty! He had the 3 feet of gauze shoved in his incision, poor guy had a miserable time on the flight. I was ready to fight any TSA guy who stopped Joe because of his insanely wrapped bandage around his abdomen.  It looked a lot more sketchy than it actually was...

We had this reception at my Dad's house in Scottsdale and it was absolutely beautiful.  Growing up in this house I had always envisioned having some sort of reception here when I got married. The last big party we had here was when I graduated high school. It seriously seems like it was just yesterday. 

It's always nice to go home to my house.Thinking I spent so much of my young life in this house reminds me of all the good times I had; making good decisions along with bad decisions, sneaking out on the weekends {sorry mom and dad...but can you blame me? This house was the easiest to sneak out of}, learning who I was as a person, deciding what college to go to, bringing my now husband home to meet the fam. Most of my major young adult decisions happened here.  Every hallway has a memory, every room was filled with laughter. And there was a candy drawer that was fully stocked all the time. {the real reason I'm homesick} 


 I miss it a lot.  It's hard now that I'm married and in school because the chances of going home anytime soon are slim.   
So many good, happy memories are in that house, along with some sad ones, of course.  I think it's a combination of all those that makes a house a home. I loved being able to have such a special moment in my life take place in the home where, in my mind, my family will always {still} be a family.

Some of the beautiful centerpieces 

Back patio 

Oh, how I love you Arizona 

Beautiful 

Giving Joe his medicine. He was so drugged up for the reception haha poor thing

So glamorous 

All the delicious food being prepped. We actually got to eat at this reception!!!

We had over 200 candles all around the house, backyard, and driveway. It was magical

Oh, heyyy!

So romantical 

Candid

Gorgeous evening 

The rest of the pictures were taken by the lovely Jennifer Bluth with, The Paper Bag Co. 

Love this picture of the courtyard 

Candle lit courtyard that leads up to the front door

Candles everywhere! 

Did I mention that Joe forgot his suit in Rexburg? We were in Salt Lake and he asks, "did you grab my suit?" Uhhh...no! 

Dad and McKenna 

So yummy 

I think Joe forgot his suit on purpose so he could get a brand new one

This picture is actually really funny because Joe couldn't sit {normally} with his incision. He was too nice to say anything about it haha.  

Joe's parent's came all the way from Coeur d' Alene to attend the reception. So nice! 

These are what Heaven tastes like

Those were to die for

Mini red velvet and pumpkin cupcakes. Divine 

So yummy