About year ago, Alison and Justin drove to Merry Go Round Rock to scope out the exact spot that they wanted to have their wedding ceremony. They said that it was such a special moment for them because it was a beautiful day (plus a beautiful view, as always!) and they were excited to say their vows there in the near future. Several months later, they saw their Sedona wedding at Merry Go Round Rock dream come to life. Man, was it incredible. Here’s the details:
HOW THEY MET
Justin and Alison met while he was teaching a computer programming class at ASU as a first year graduate student. Alison was going back to school for aerospace engineering, and was one of his students! She said “it sounds scandalous, but we didn’t actually start dating until about a year and a half later when he was the TA for another one of my classes (he was not grading anything though, haha).” After Alison graduated and he finished his graduate degree, they moved to Boston for two years so that she could complete a graduate degree and then both moved to LA together to work at SpaceX. Justin then later proposed while on a backpacking with Alison in the French Alps, overlooking a glacier (to hear more about that story, click here!).
THEIR WEDDING VISION
As they started planning their wedding day, they decided that they wanted it to be laid back, fun, outside, and joyful for everyone! They wanted it to feel like a mini vacation for their closest friends and family. She said that they “…chose Merry Go Round rock for the ceremony, because we knew we wanted to get married in nature and have a beautiful view to top it off. We also love the desert, and had been in the same area during our first camping trip together, so it felt right. We chose Viola’s Flower Garden for the reception because it was a large inside/outdoor space with beautiful gardens to meander through and a large dining hall. We wanted to dance under the stars!”
I’m telling you – their day was such an adventurous one, complete with an off-roading caravan up a VERY bumpy road to their ceremony site. We then all drove up to Flagstaff for their incredible reception at Viola’s Flower Garden. They danced under the stars with their closest friends and family, making their wedding vision truly come to life. What a truly rad day.
Cheers!
Allison
Want to book with me for your Sedona Wedding at Merry Go Round Rock OR your proposal, engagement or Elopement? Click here to read all about my pricing and collections!
Photographer: Allison Slater Photography @allisonslater
Wedding Gown: Spell
Florals: Shawn Foster Wright Floral @fosterwrightfloraldesign
HMUA: Sedona Beauty Team @sedonabeautyteam
Rentals: Verve Rentals and Sedona Offroad Adventures
Venue: The Gardens at Viola’s @thegardensatviolas
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Alison and Justin,
I loved seeing your wedding through these beautiful photos. We wish you a lifetime of happiness. May all your blessing come true as you go forward as a
married couple. Mary and Gary Keltner (54 years of marriage) Love you both.