Sedona, Arizona, DIY wedding

From the photographer and friend, Maria Fossler: Roberta and Erika’s wedding was a DIY type affair, incorporating wine corks and succulents for the napkin rings, empty bottles with simple floral for the centerpieces, to the amazing pies for dessert. They wanted to be surrounded by the beauty of Arizona (where they got engaged), so their wedding took place at Poco Diablo Resort in Sedona, after a cross country drive from Nashville (where Erika is working on her PhD at Vanderbilt), as they were surrounded by family, friends and beloved three-legged pooch, Tucker. They chose not to do a first look, but a first touch, and they wrote their own vows.

Erika and Roberta utilized pages from used books they had duplicates of from their classes together at Harvard for the table number markers. They made sure that there were pies instead of a cake, representing Erika’s love of baking. Instead of a sand or candle lighting ceremony, Erika and Roberta had guests fill a planter that held a Meyer Lemon Tree with soil, then they added soil from where each grew up. They also did a chant, lit some incense, and had prayer beads handy as well, in addition to saying the Lord’s Prayer to bring both their religious beliefs together.

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Erika surprised everyone during her dance with her father by having their dance broken up with a good Irish jig, where they showed their stuff! Lastly, they brought in one of their favorite bands, Sistahs Too to dance the night away, which ended up being INDOORS after a monsoon came through and drenched the outdoor area.