Clayton House by Wedgewood Weddings

Ceremony

Happy Hour

Dinner

Dancing

work bridal shower

Our Wedding

So, picture this: it’s New Year’s Eve 2018. Mikaela and Dallas are at the same party, the music’s loud, the drinks are flowing, and Dallas is minding his own business. Meanwhile, his buddy is over in the corner striking up the strangest business deal of the night—basically bribing Mikaela with shots if she’d kiss Dallas at midnight. Dallas, of course, is blissfully unaware he’s part of a bartering system.Midnight hits, the countdown hits zero, and before he can even process what year it is, Mikaela suddenly leans in and kisses him. Dallas is left blinking like he got hit by a confetti cannon. Mikaela just shrugs, downs her shots like a woman who keeps her word, and they both wander off in opposite directions like it was just another Tuesday.Fast forward to fall 2019. They run into each other again—no drink-based negotiations this time, no surprise ambushes. Just actual talking. Actual hanging out. And, plot twist… they actually like each other. Turns out things go a lot smoother when there isn’t a friend acting as a back-alley kiss broker.Then comes spring 2020. Graduation season. Things are rolling along nicely when Dallas casually drops that he’s moving to Detroit—in, like, a week. That should’ve been the abrupt end of this almost-romance… except his original moving plan with a buddy fell through. Somehow, Mikaela ended up being the one who drove to Michigan with Dallas to help him get settled before she flew back home to Sioux Falls. If that last-minute switch hadn’t happened, they’d probably just be two people laughing about a random New Year’s kiss that came with a tequila receipt. Instead—that’s the moment things actually stuck.Since then, they’ve done long distance, lived together in South Dakota, moved across the country to Arizona… and in November 2024, they got engaged. They can’t wait for this next chapter of their lives as a married couple.All because Mikaela once blindsided Dallas with a midnight kiss he never saw coming—and a couple shots sealed the paperwork.

Love at first kiss?

Our Story

Photos

Mike and Teri Appeldorn

Tom and Deb Stanley

Chelsey Borkhuis

Logan Olson

Savannah Conyers

Morgan Wookey

Brittany Appeldorn

Laike Wirtjes

Kaili Sager

Maddi Maguire

Our People

Guide to Wedding-Appropriate Casual Attire

What to Wear to a Backyard Wedding

How to Level-Up Casual Wedding Attire

We can't wait to celebrate with you! Since this is such a special day for us, we ask our guests to dress in summer cocktail attire - think put together, comfortable, and celebration ready. We want everyone to dress up a bit and feel their best. For women, this could mean dresses, skirts, dressy jumpsuits, or stylish pants. For men, slacks or chinos with a button-down shirt or a polo are perfect. Jackets and ties are welcome but totally optional.To keep the vibe elevated for the night (and the photos!), please avoid jeans, shorts, and very casual footwear (boys, we are talking about your flip flops). When in doubt, it's better to be a little dressed up than too casual - we promise you will fit right in!Thank you for helping us make our wedding day feel extra special - we can't wait to celebrate with ya!

Dress Code

Q + A

Lodging

Where should you stay? Phoenix offers many unique vacation rentals through VRBO and Airbnb. These are ideal for large groups or those that will be staying for an extended period of time. We also have blocks at a few hotels that are located near the wedding venue and are linked below.

Transportation

Transportation in Phoenix will mainly be by car. You can bring your own or rent one from the many car rental services. Otherwise, there are rideshares like Lyft, Uber, and Waymo. If you are located in one of the more populated areas you might even find an e-scooter.

To reserve a room under this block you can either call 1-800-321-2211 and let them know you are booking under the Appeldorn and Stanley Wedding group or use the website link listed below. The shoulder dates here are limited, if it states ‘No rooms available please reach out to Dallas or Mikaela. Please make sure to book before May 6, 2026 to get the group rate.

Courtyard by Marriott Scottsdale Old Town

To reserve a room under this block you can either call Hyatt House at 1-866-974-9288 or visit their website and use the block code listed as the group/corporate number while booking. The rate can be used anytime between June 1 - June 9. Please make sure to book before May 5, 2026 to get the group rate.

Hyatt House Scottsdale/Old Town

Travel

Our Favorite Places

We are so excited to share our home of Phoenix with you for the weekend. There is no shortage of places to go but if you are looking for some inspiration, here are a few our favorites. Since the city is so big, we haven't even scratched the surface of all there is to offer. If you find a spot that you LOVED let us know so we can check it on our next date night!

This is one of our favorite dive bars. It's a block from our first apartment and reminds us of bars back in the Midwest. It is a typical dive that includes bikers, billiards, and beer - all at a great price.

Larry's Cocktails

This was one of our regular meetups when we first got to AZ. It's considered a "trendy" bar and restaurant in the Scottsdale Quarter. The atmosphere is always upbeat and lively. The food and drinks are amazing. The Scottsdale Quarter is an open air shopping center that has tons of restaurants and shops. A fun spot there is Puttshack - an indoor minigolf course that includes a bar and restaurant.

Culinary Dropout

This is a local brewery that is one of our go to's when we are looking for a patio beer. They have all the classic yard games. This place is VERY PRO-bring-your-dog so there is always some cute pups to watch as you enjoy your drinks or meal. If you are staying in another area, there are lots of other locations. Every spot we have been to so far has been just as fun as the last.

OHSO Brewery + Distillery

This is a fun spot for day or night. It is an outdoor complex with 4 eateries, 2 bars, and 3 shops, plus a shared courtyard, and live music. We have had breakfast, lunch, and dinner here all from different vendors and all amazing! Just two blocks down are some popular bars which include Châm Pang Lanes, Luckys, Sazerac, and Cobra Arcade Bar. These are more of a going out drinking vibe than the casual atmosphere of The Churchill.

The Churchill

Craving tacos and a margarita? This is the place. When we went for the first time (while out on the town) we could not stop raving about this place. Pretty sure we had dreams that night of our entrees. It's a fun atmosphere and AMAZING food. Another bonus is happy hour everyday from open until 6 PM!

Joyride Taco House

Award-winning authentic Mexican fine-dining from scratch. They have world-class tequileria and legendary cocktails, tequila flight anyone? This is the type of authentic Mexican food you think of when visiting the Southwest. Barrio Queen's happy hour is top notch with light bites, tacos, drinks, and tequila all for around $5.

Barrio Queen

Things to Do

Registry

Day of Timeline