Amber + Curtis: J Knox Corbett House Intimate Wedding

Amber and Curtis were married on October 7^th, with a ceremony at the J. Knox Corbett House and a reception at their home overlooking downtown Tucson.

Amber and Curtis have been together since Maryana was a baby. And of course, as people often do, they decided to undertake multiple projects all at once. So, they decided to get married and completely renovate their retro home. At the same time! Their home is perched on a hill near a mountain overlooking the downtown Tucson area.

Curtis did almost all of the renovation work himself, and he worked hard to get it finished in time for the reception. I’m so glad they were able to pull it off, because the house looked amazing. It was the perfect location for an intimate wedding. The kitchen/dining area, with windows that spanned the length of the room, made for a beautiful dance floor with a killer view of Tucson at sunset. Outside, the patio and garden areas were set up for some more amazing views.

J. W. Marriott Wedding Portraits and a J. Knox Corbett House Ceremony

The two of them got ready at the J. W. Marriott Starr Pass resort. With green grass and a mesquite tree oasis in the desert, it was absolutely perfect for a first look. This year, since I’ve started doing more Southern California wedding photography, I can’t wait to work at more of the J.W. Marriott resorts, like the J. W. Marriott Santa Monica Le Merigot. [link to http://www.marriott.com/hotels/event-planning/wedding-planning/laxlm-jw-marriott-santa-monica-le-merigot/ ] Each of their properties provides such a luxurious backdrop for wedding photography, be it on a beach or in the desert!

After their first look, the ceremony took place on the lawn in front of the historic downtown Tucson J. Knox Corbett House, where I was able to capture some great photos with the whitewashed arches and shady green space.

Chasing the Light

I love what I do and know that light is SO important to great photos. It’s also so important to get that amazing sunset light and epic backdrops. That’s why, after the ceremony we all piled into my vehicle. We literally raced at breakneck speeds, careening around corners along winding mountain roads, to get to an overlook area at Saguaro National Park West at the Gates Pass. Because it was a popular tourist spot, we also had to fight for parking, so we were rushing once we found a spot. We hauled out of the car, ran to the perfect spot, and managed to get 10 minutes of amazing shots before the sun sank into the horizon.

Despite the harrowing race against time, I think Amber and Curtis were impressed with how we were able to make it all come together. It was a bit of a thrill ride for them—but the images are some of the best of the day, so it was all worth it. Of course, it was a little nerve-wracking, since I had to unload the off-camera lighting, my bag, and get my second shooter’s drone going in 10 minutes flat. But we are professionals! We know how to make things run fast and furious!

An Intimate Reception at an Amazing Home

My second shooter, Jonathan Philips, [link http://jonathanphillipsphotography.com/ ] out of Denver, had drones to do some footage of the sunset and reception. He helped me to set up a photo booth for the guests for an extra measure of enjoyment. With a Seis food truck full of delicious Mexican street tacos and Nothing Bundt cakes for dessert, we’re pretty sure the guests were having a blast! DJ Master Mixx turned the house into a club-level dance space with lighting and mad beats, too.

I absolutely adored Amber and Curtis as a couple. Once again, they really planned a day that was about them and what they wanted: a reception at their home, a real party their guests could enjoy, and minimal fuss with real joy. I couldn’t think of a better way to start their Forever After.