There are so many spectacular places to create a dream wedding and so many details to consider. Through her work as a makeup artist, my LA-based daughter has had the opportunity to visit many amazing locations across the U.S. and, after consid...ering a number of locations, she chose the historic Arizona Biltmore Resort in Phoenix, Arizona. While choosing a venue took some time, there was never any question about who would be her wedding coordinator. Having worked and lived in Colorado for several years, she had the pleasure of having worked alongside Heather Dwight of Calluna Events and considers her the best in the business.
Most people think that hiring a local wedding coordinator for a destination wedding would be the most practical, safest and most cost effective thing to do. After all, wouldn’t someone “local” have access to more resources and be able to negotiate better contracts? Wouldn’t they be more available during the planning process and provide better organization and supervision during the actual wedding? Heather proved that that isn’t necessarily true.
Over the years, Heather has perfected her craft and knows exactly what needs to be done to produce a successful event. Whether it is an intimate local party or a destination black-tie affair, she handles each event with precision while her calm demeanor puts everyone at ease. The result was a dream wedding for our daughter and son-in-law that went off without a hitch.
There were no surprises – no cost overruns, no slipped schedules, no disappointments. The guests arrived to a string quartet; the ceremony began and ended on time, and after a lovely cocktail hour the guests were escorted into a show-stopping ballroom and greeted by a ten-piece band. After a fabulous dinner, guests danced the night away and captured memories at the photo booth. When the last guest left (well past midnight), Heather and her team supervised the relocation of the reception décor to another ballroom where the post-wedding brunch would be held the following morning.
While all this was taking place, Heather and her team were nearly invisible working behind the scenes to make sure that the night was unforgettable and that our family would be able to enjoy every minute of the weekend festivities. The ceremony rehearsal was held the day before the wedding. Just before beginning, Heather took me aside and said, “From this moment on, you are a guest. If you have any concerns or need anything, just ask me.” I thought I was ready to do that but then she told me that I needed to take a moment, step aside and take it all in. She told me that after leaving the ceremony, I should visit the reception ballroom before heading to the cocktail hour. I needed to see the room before the crowd entered.
It is this kind of insight that sets Heather apart as a Wedding/Event Coordinator. She understands the significance of these moments in our lives. I took her advice and will be forever grateful to her because these memories are imprinted in my mind and in my heart.
Thank you, Heather, for making my daughter’s vision of her perfect wedding a reality and for leading me to a place that made it possible to capture these special moments. I will remember them for the rest of my life.