Find Your Dream Vendors: A Valley Ho Scottsdale Fall Wedding

I’ve been lucky enough to capture hundreds of love stories throughout my photography career, and every wedding holds a unique charm. However, Courtney and Matt’s October wedding at the Valley Ho was something truly special.

Everything from the beautiful Scottsdale venue, the fall desert palette (including asking their guests to dress in the pallet), the dinner and the company to their talented vendor team made their big day was an absolute dream!

Courtney, the radiant bride, was not only insanely beautiful but also incredibly sweet and thoughtful. She made sure to honor not just me, but also her friends, the stylist, the DJ, the venue, the videographer, and all the other vendors during her heartfelt toast. She literally took several minutes to praise and uplift OTHERS at her wedding. I was so shy on the dance floor I had the sillies grin on my face the whole time. I’ve never experienced such a genuine and kind gesture at a wedding, and it truly touched my heart.

For this blog I thought I would ask my lovely bride if she would share a bit about her wedding for this blog, and of course she wanted to share about her dream team of vendors!!!

One thing I am asked frequently is what vendors I recommend.

Even if clients don’t book my wedding planning services I frequently help my clients pick the best vendors for their weddings as it means my job is ALSO so much better! As a photographer I have worked with MANY vendors across the whole country especially here in Arizona now that I’ve been here almost a decade in the industry. I’ve worked with fabulous vendors and not so fabulous. lol. And I see all the behind the scenes and can give my two cents worth!

Courtney shared some invaluable wisdom on hiring the right vendors- and it’s mostly ensuring they’re the top in their respective categories and they know their craft.

Honestly, It’s the secret sauce that can make or break your wedding day. As an experienced photographer, I can vouch for the fact that having a dream team of vendors can turn your wedding into the magical day you’ve always dreamed of.

So here’s what Courtney had to share!

“It takes a village! But, when that village is meticulously curated of the top professionals in each category, now THAT is your key to a successful wedding.

I received a few comments during the day of my wedding like- “wow, you are so calm! Just getting relaxed vibes from you!” It’s because I was peaceful! Why? Because I knew we had all the top of class pros in to rock the most important day of our lives with us!

Risa Kostis- stylist & community leader and connector extraordinaire- was the crux of a lot of the professionals having connected me with Schaffer’s Bridal, Sam Helmer for makeup, Nicole for hair, Gaby for Bridal alterations, Sonya with Bronze Buddha Glow & Tracy / Fully Alive Photography.

Having worked with J. Forte (live music for ceremony), DJ Soloman (Reception DJ), Carly / Good Vibe Media (videographer) Gary with Stem Swag for all florals + décor & Michael Sinkula with Alpha Graphics on University for custom wedding invitations + signage for many years already, it was a no brainer to hire them for their areas of expertise for our wedding!

Tracy was our photographer for our engagement photos as well that we have been fawning over since 2021, so we knew how magically she would capture the wedding too!! She helped us create the timeline for the day, select photo locations on property and picked out the best times to take certain photos based on light. Priceless services, truly.

Selecting a venue based on of course its location & vibe, but also the people at the helm, is also crucial to success! Hotel Valley Ho’s team continuously went above and beyond for us, and we felt how much they cared about us from start to finish.

The wedding cake was part of the package we purchased via the hotel, & Paula Jacqueline Cakes and Pastries was so accommodating to my dairy & gluten allergies! Huge thank you’s to Amber Allen, Ronen Aviram, Allison Chapin & Chef Russell LaCasce.

Risa’s services for wedding party & bridal styling are essential also, she never misses a beat and ensured our day ran smoothly- even when it didn’t- its ok because she and The Rescue Kit were there to manage ANYTHING that came up!!

And lastly but not least, working with an officiant who truly cares about both the bride & groom too really made for an incredibly special ceremony. Thank you to Letitia Frye for connecting us with the book “A Wedding Ceremony to Remember” that led us to curating the most personal & special ceremony for us!”

-Courtney Gervais

So, to all the couples out there, take a page from Courtney and Matt’s book:

Surround yourselves with top-notch vendors, and be as sweet and thoughtful as Courtney was. Your wedding day will be a memory for the ages, just like theirs!

Find Your Dream Vendors: A Valley Ho Scottsdale Fall Wedding

It Takes A Village: Truly, It takes A Village to throw a wedding! Here are the tags for Courtney & Matt’s Scottsdale Hotel Valley Ho Fall Wedding.

Bride: Courtney

Groom: Matt

Stylist: Risa Kostis & The Rescue Kit Company

Photography: Fully Alive Photography

Videography: The Good Vibe Media

Venue: Hotel Valley Ho

Dress: Schaffers

Menswear: Nicks

Spray Tans: Bronze Buddha Glow

Cake: Paula Jacqueline

Florist: Stem Swag

Live Music: J Forte

DJ: DJ Solomon

Invites/Signage: Michael Sinkula Alpha Graphics

Brides Makeup: Sam Helmer @sjh_mua

Bridal Party Makeup: Whitney: Makeup & Glow By Whitney

Bride /Party Hair: Nicole Rehak

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