A couple of years ago I wrote about Sedona, a place I fell in love with at first sight. Impossible not to. What I did not know at the time is that Sedona would be back in our lives for a very special reason. It was the place chosen by my stepson and his fiancée (aka “the coolest couple in L.A.) to tie the knot. And tie the knot they did, on a breathtakingly beautiful spot around a rock formation known as “Merry-Go-Round Arch“.
Sedona, April 12th, 2014
We drove over 16 hours to attend the magical wedding ceremony performed by a Native American Indian. As the sun slowly set down on the horizon, we were all mesmerized by the beauty surrounding us, and united in our wishes of happiness for the newly weds.
Our trip was an opportunity to connect with the three “kids”, who are kids no more. It was also an opportunity to connect with our beautiful planet. It could not have been more special than it was.
I share a few additional shots of our adventure
(click to enlarge each composite photo)
There was some golf… (both good and bad golf, as expected). Obviously, I am standing up too straight to start the shot, oh, dear Lord of the Golf, when will I ever learn?)
We had a great rehearsal dinner at René Restaurant in Sedona. Here we are, waiting for our guests, Phil carefully studying the wine list… Me? I was trying to win the fight for attention with the wine list. Not an easy task, but I like a challenge. That explains the golf too. 😉
The afternoon of the big day, and the excitement of getting ready for it… Remember my other stepson? J & M got married only 7 months ago. He got his PhD in Cancer Research at the University of Arizona, in a flawless defense we attended a couple of days before the wedding, and they will move to San Francisco very soon. This was a week with many reasons to celebrate!
The jeep ride to the site, and the arrival of the beautiful bride with her proud Dad…
After the wedding and the jeep ride back to town, we had dinner at Heartline Café. During the meal, a fantastic caricaturist made drawings of all the 13 members of the party. What a cool idea that was, everyone left with a unique and quite personal souvenir of their wedding day!
I close this post with something special we found while walking around town the day before our departure. Rings made by a local artist, in copper and silver. We decided it was a nice additional souvenir to remember their happiness, and celebrate ours… 😉
ONE YEAR AGO: Secret Ingredient Turkey Meatballs
TWO YEARS AGO: Swedish Meatballs and Egg Noodles
THREE YEARS AGO: Italian Easter Pie
FOUR YEARS AGO: Black Olive Bialy
Bewitching Kitchen 
Congratulations to the happy couple!
A stunning location, beautiful pair of newlyweds and very attractive parents too. The rings and portrait will be lovely mementos of the occasion.
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Love the rings! that was such a lucky find, and all credit goes to Phil, he is the one who noticed them
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I love Sedona. The energy there is unlike anywhere else I’ve been. It’s so peaceful and beautiful and I think I could live there. You are all such beautiful people! That caricature is so cool!
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We were talking about how wonderful it would be to retire there – a bit too far from where we live, but still… a fantastic spot in this planet. as you said, it has a type of energy you don’t find in that many places.
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Such a beautiful post.. Congratulations to all of you!
You’re so beautiful, Sally… I wish I had those arms!! 🙂 I think I might have been your size in kindergarten!!
What a lovely place, Sedona is.. It’s now added to my wish list of places to visit..
I love the caricature.. It always amazes me how quickly the artist can draw people… And to a pretty darn good likeness too!
Beautiful post… Beautiful wedding.. Beautiful family… Thank you so much for sharing… xx
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You are so sweet! Well, my small size got me in a lot of bullying while growing up. In those days, particularly in Brazil, bullying was not even a term used to describe the humiliation, the jokes,, but trust me, I had a hard time, especially in phys ed. I was the last one to be picked in any team, and everybody made clear I was not wanted – HA! I wish I could invite some of those guys today for a push-up contest…. 😉
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Well.. You are the perfect size… And so, so beautiful!
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Adorable!! You have such a beautiful family!! Congratulations!!!
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Thank you! Unfortunately I don’t have a nice photo of the youngest stepson and his girlfriend – oh, well….
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Beautiful photos! Daughter and I went to Sedona last August. It is one of my favorite places here in Arizona. Next time you are there, you must go to Elote(restaurant).
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Hi Carole! So nice to see you here! We have been to Elote a few times, and in fact had planned to have the rehearsal dinner there. However, they were impossible to deal with – refused to make a reservation even knowing that it was a special event, insisted that one guest should arrive there one hour earlier and wait. We did everything we could to negotiate, including phone calls to the owner, but he would not budge. So, we went to Rene instead, and I think in the end it was much better in terms of atmosphere. Service was impeccable and the food outstanding. Anyway, I liked Elote a lot when we went there, but the whole interaction with them kind of ruined it for me.
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Congrats to all!!! Looks like an amazing weekend. Sedona is the perfect place to tie the knot. And your new rings are gorgeous. You guys are an inspirational couple!
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hummmm…. inspirational? I like the sound of that….. 😉 Great to see you here, by the way… I’ve been anxiously waiting for signs…. posts…. photos…. stories…. (no pressure, right?)
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Oh wow, beautiful photos Sally. That first one is simply magic. I can’t believe we didn’t stop in Sedona!! I have to carve it into my heart so I don’t forget next time… You look so elegant in your black dress and pearls Sally. Quelle aventure! ♡
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You absolutely MUST visit Sedona next time you travel through Arizona, it is a must-see! One of Phil’s sisters has a house there, and she was wonderful to let us stay there in her absence. We’ve been to Sedona maybe 5 times, each visit better than the previous one, I think….. of course, it is hard to match a visit with so many reasons to celebrate!
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Congratulations! What a sweet post Sally!
Wishing them a life full of adventures and happiness.
P.S. love your rings and the nail polish color 🙂
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Thank you, Sawsan! They’ve had quite a few amazing adventures until now, traveling to Thailand, hiking in Machu Picchu, so I am sure lots more lay ahead….
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Congratulations to the beautiful couple! What a gorgeous wedding and location. Wishing them all the happiness in the world 🙂
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Thank you! I am sure they will continue to be very happy together – they have actually been together for 8 years!
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Happy Easter! I know that Elote does not take reservations. I had forgotten that. That’s not a very nice way to treat potential customers! I know we had to wait on the patio with drinks before going in to dinner. Rene sounds very nice. Have a glorious day. I’m going to a friend’s Egg Hunt and brunch. I’m taking your recipe for endive with smoked salmon!
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Awesome! That recipe is so simple, but quite elegant, I hope everyone enjoyed it!
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What a most special time for your family, Sally! A doctorate achieved, marriage vows taken, and soon a move to a new life In San Francisco. If ever there was a family with cause to celebrate, surely it was yours. And what a great idea to get something tangible to remember this time. Oh, I’m sure you’ll never forget it but now, when you look at your/his hand, the memories will be triggered. Nice. 🙂
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Yes, I am wearing the ring every day, and so is Phil – gives me a little thrill every time I look at my hand – indeed, it triggers the memories
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Hi, Sally! What a great ceremony and also adventure in Sedona. I had the pleasure to stop by this city when I visited the Grand Canyon many years ago. It is absolutely gorgeous!
Congrats to the newlyweds… You look so fit that you’re making me jealous! I hope you had a great Easter. xx
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Easter was nice, we needed the weekend to recharge our batteries, as landing late on Sunday and attacking a “normal” Monday was pretty tough. We were like zombies for the most part last week 😉
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What a memorable time and a beautiful place too! I can only imagine how beautiful the ceremony must of been.
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It was pretty special, simple but unique in many ways…. the setting was perfect, of course!
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oh how wonderful! They look so happy in that picture and I know you had a wonderful time! The place is just beautiful. what a great setting for a wedding
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It is a great place for a vacation, particularly a romantic type of vacation – you can hike, go for long walks with very few people around, surrounded by incredible natural beauty. Hard to beat Sedona…
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magical indeed. I have been to Sedona and quite mesmerized by the beauty of this place. What a wonderful place for a wedding. Happy couple, happy parent! You, as always looks amazingly stunning.
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Thank you, darling! You are always super nice to me!
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I somehow missed this post! i love sedona – the area – not the town anymore. i used to be a delightful hamlet. but the surrounding area is a spiritual experience. beautiful wedding, and I love all of your photos!
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I’m so glad I came back to revisit this post Sally — it’s a gem. Merry Christmas to you and Phil! Your cartoon photo brings a huge smile 🙂 xx.
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