1. Real Weddings

An Edgy, Landscape-Inspired Wedding at Havasu Springs Resort in Parker, Arizona

Christa Paarni (26 and the owner of furniture retailer Salvaged Soul) and Jesse Crawford (32 and a low voltage foreman) met through common friends—wit

Christa Paarni (26 and the owner of furniture retailer Salvaged Soul) and Jesse Crawford (32 and a low voltage foreman) met through common friends—with some help from MySpace. Their modern romance was reflected beautifully in their desert wedding at Havasu Springs Resort in Parker, Arizona. “It overlooked the water on a cliff of desert rocks with cactus and good Arizona vibes,” says Christa, who landed on a color scheme of hip, earthy cactus greens, copper and blue. The bride’s grandmother officiated the service between Christa and Jesse, who exchanged vows in front of 140 guests under an eight-foot triangle that Christa built with macrame plant holders filled with cactus and geometric wooden accents. At the reception, guests picked up their favors—custom geometric marble or wooden name pieces crafted by Christa’s company—and sat at long tables topped with hammered copper and gold bowls filled with different cactus breeds and vintage gold flatware and velvet napkins. As for advice, Christa focuses on the partnership. “It's you and your man’s day,” she says. “So do not build it around anyone other than that.” —Carolyn Meers

"We met several times with our calligrapher, L Shannon Designs, to customize the font and water coloring on many parts of the wedding," Christa says. "She absolutely killed it on our custom signs, menus, escort marble tiles and geometric wooden pieces. Her work was definitely one of the most special parts of our wedding, and it showed everywhere."
Christa's headpiece added to her bohemian bridal look. It was made with green eucalyptus leaves and air plants.
Christa's two-piece Grace Loves Lace dress was the perfect mix of romance and modernity. "I'm all about feeling like myself, as corny as that sounds," Christa says. "I had a pair of nude wedges picked out to walk down the aisle, but at the last minute I chose to wear my combat boots. I am so happy that I did. I look back on those photos and love how nontraditional this day was for us."
"I wanted something that looked wild. Not something super-fancy, because that's just not me," Christa says. "My florist, Interior Gardens, created the most beautiful boho bouquet, which spoke to who I am: free-spirited."
"Jesse has probably never worn a tux in his life, so I was not about to put him in something he's not comfortable in," Christa says. Instead, Jesse walked down the aisle with their sons in jeans, a white button-down shirt, a floral tie, boots and his signature beanie.
Christa and Jesse exchanged vows at dusk at the newly renovated Havasu Springs Resort in Parker, Arizona, on a cliff that overlooked Lake Havasu. To add even more ambiance, the aisle was lined with oversize candles filled with desert sand.
"I'm all about feeling like myself," says Christa, who chose a modern two-piece dress by Grace Loves Lace and paired it with her favorite nontraditional footwear. "At the last minute I chose to wear my combat boots. I am so happy that I did. I look back on those photos and love how nontraditional this day was for us."
Christa, whose business is making custom wooden home furnishings, designed the triangular holders for the marble escort tiles. They were inscribed with guests names and doubled as favors.
Colorful vintage glassware matched the day's green and blue palette and matched the cactus centerpieces.
Keeping with the desert theme, each reception table was topped with copper- and gold-hammered bowls, which were filled with various cacti and sand.
"We met several times with our calligrapher, L Shannon Designs, to customize the font and watercolor on many parts of the wedding," Christa says. "She absolutely killed it on our custom signs, menus, escort marble tiles and geometric wooden pieces. Her work was definitely one of the most special parts of our wedding, and it showed everywhere."
Calligrapher L Shannon Designs crafted the font for the signs, menus, escort marble tiles and geometric wooden pieces. "Her work was definitely one of the most special parts of our wedding," Christa says.
Calligrapher L Shannon Designs crafted all the signs for the event, including this playful piece (placed at the reception's bar).
"Our cake was so cool," Christa says. "It was three tiers with marble and gold accents, all vanilla filled under the most gorgeous fondant. We did not have a topper, but we did have the most amazing air plant on the side of the cake to add a spark of green."