[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/equallywed.com\/real-weddings-christen-and-christina\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/equallywed.com\/real-weddings-christen-and-christina\/","headline":"Real Weddings: Christen and Christina","name":"Real Weddings: Christen and Christina","description":"Into the Sunset Christina and Christen capture Arizona\u2019s warmth and promise with their fall evening nuptials By Sarah Gleim           Christina Ausick...","datePublished":"2011-10-11","dateModified":"2021-06-21","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/equallywed.com\/author\/admin\/#Person","name":"Equally Wed","url":"https:\/\/equallywed.com\/author\/admin\/","identifier":787,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/ca62cf123aaaf135c80b055249bacbda79de9226e11cdfcde6529bedf89683de?s=96&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/ca62cf123aaaf135c80b055249bacbda79de9226e11cdfcde6529bedf89683de?s=96&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Equally Wed","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"http:\/\/equallywed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/equally-wed-lgbtq-weddings-logo.jpg","url":"http:\/\/equallywed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/equally-wed-lgbtq-weddings-logo.jpg","width":218,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"http:\/\/equallywed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/real-gay-weddings_christen-and-christina.jpg","url":"http:\/\/equallywed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/real-gay-weddings_christen-and-christina.jpg","height":"382","width":"659"},"url":"https:\/\/equallywed.com\/real-weddings-christen-and-christina\/","about":["Real LGBTQ+ Weddings from Equally Wed"],"wordCount":958,"articleBody":" Into the Sunset Christina and Christen capture Arizona\u2019s warmth and promise with their fall evening nuptials By Sarah Gleim          Christina Ausick and Christen Rope planned their October 2010 wedding ceremony in Scottsdale, Ariz. at the Desert Mountain Club\u2014all while living elsewhere. The couple had been together for more than four years before getting engaged. \u201cWe met in January 2005 on a blind date through a mutual friend and dated for a few months before deciding to part ways,\u201d Christina says. \u201cA year later, in March, we met again and realized that this time our relationship was the \u2018real deal.\u2019\u201d The wedding went off without a hitch. Their simple sunset ceremony was followed by dinner and dancing with 115 of their closest family and friends. But planning the wedding wasn\u2019t all smooth sailing. After Christen graduated from the University of Arizona in 2008, the couple moved to Madison, Wis., so Christina could complete her master\u2019s degree in speech-language pathology. So they actually chose their Scottsdale venue while living in the Midwest. The women say if you\u2019re planning your wedding out of town or somewhere you\u2019re not familiar with, take the time to go visit the area. \u201cWe were lucky enough to know the area and have returned to Arizona four months before our wedding so we had time to sort some details out,\u201d Christen says. \u201cChristina contacted vendors and reserved our wedding date as soon as possible, but we still went out in August 2009 and January 2010 to do some wedding planning before our permanent move.\u201d Of course, planning the wedding from across the country was the \u201cfun\u201d part, but ultimately it was the attention to detail at the actual event that we think will inspire you.{loadposition easysspchristenandchristina} The Setting Choosing the right setting, theme or color palette is a simple way to reflect your personality or style\u2014and it doesn\u2019t have to cost a fortune. Christina and Christen\u2019s outdoor location alone made the women\u2019s wedding unforgettable, and timing it as the sun was setting only added to the ambiance. Plum, eggplant, burnt orange, yellow and ivory accent colors were used throughout to play off the Arizona sunset, which ultimately became the theme of the wedding. To make their ceremony more intimate, Christina and Christen exchanged vows \u201cin the round\u201d surrounded by their guests and bridal party\u2014something nearly any bride or groom can re-create in the right spot. They also included a sand ceremony\u2014similar to a unity candle except using sand\u2014and two readings, the most special being \u201cForever Soon,\u201d a poem Christen wrote for Christina after the two began dating again in 2006. \u201cThe reading was my favorite part,\u201d Christen says. \u201cWatching two good friends read something special I wrote for Christina carried a lot of meaning for both of us.\u201d Vendors: Location: Desert Mountain Club Caterer: Desert Mountain Club Cake: Desert Mountain Club Photography: Megan Robbins Photography DJ: Scott Keough Mandolin Player: Walt Pitts Florist: Carmen at Desert Rose Florist in Carefree, Ariz. Invitations: Sarah B. Fine Stationary in Madison, Wis. Hair and makeup: Latitude 33, (makeup by Jayme; hair by Tommy and Christy) Rings: Rony TennenbaumThe couple opted for purple and orange rose petals spread on the tables. \u201cWe didn\u2019t have any centerpieces at our tables because the setting was already so beautiful,\u201d Christina says. They did, however, have gorgeous flowers for the ceremony. Both women carried bouquets of cream roses, purple dendrobium orchids, and ivory and purple Picasso calla lilies. The female attendants carried bouquets of orange sunset roses, orange pin cushion Proteas, and purple dendrobium orchids, while the male attendants wore orange roses. Christen and Christina personalized their wedding menu by reflecting Christina\u2019s Italian heritage in their three-course sit-down dinner. The reception began with a cocktail hour featuring passed hot and cold hors d\u2019oeuvres, including dusted shrimp with coconut curry sauce; osso bucco empanadas; smoked salmon roulade on with dill cream cheese and cucumber relish on crostini; and peppered beef Carpaccio with arugula pesto, pine nuts and crisp Parmesan on crostini. The Italian dinner included an amuse of butternut squash ravioli with brown butter sage sauce; a salad of mixed greens with pears, walnuts and Gorgonzola cheese with maple-pear vinaigrette; and Chianti-braised short ribs and halibut with shallots and lemon saffron sauce, white truffle risotto and baby carrots. The lovebirds entertained their guests with a DJ who played a set list Christen, an avid music fan. They started their cocktail hour with \u201cYou & Me\u201d by Dave Matthews Band, the same song played on a mandolin for the recessional. A simple-and-sweet Italian white wedding cake\u2014a two-layer cake with pecans and coconut with maraschino cherry juice and a sweet cream frosting\u2014served only about 50 people, because they also had an Italian sweets table laden with individual tiramisus, chocolate decadence squares, lemon br\u00fbl\u00e9e tartes and amaretto cheesecakes. \u201cThe flavor of the wedding cake was actually nothing that we had ever had before. Both of us have different tastes,\u201d Christina says. \u201cI like chocolate, Christen doesn\u2019t. I like things with fruit; Christen doesn\u2019t, etc. So, I was looking up wedding cake flavors and found this and it sounded good and the pastry chef was able to make it. We tasted it and thought it was perfect!\u201d And so was the entire wedding. \u201cWe are lucky that our family and friends are so loving and an important part of our lives\u2014not that I didn\u2019t already know that, but it was so evident on our wedding day,\u201d Christina says. \u201cMy feelings all day were so surreal\u2014I couldn\u2019t believe that the day had finally come, and that we actually got married!\u201d  Photos\/Megan Robbins Photography"},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Real Weddings: Christen and Christina","item":"https:\/\/equallywed.com\/real-weddings-christen-and-christina\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]