Ceremony: Moran Point at the Grand Canyon
Reception: Rustler’s Rooste in Phoenix
Oct. 8, 2019
Photography by Tangled Lilac Photography, Melissa dunstan, tangledlilac.com
HOW THEY MET:
Lindsey Brink and Luke Wroblewski were both working at the same school. Luke was the PE teacher, and Lindsey was teaching third grade. The pair officially met in March of 2012 when they were both working at the same after-school program. The couple was friends for two years before they started officially dating. “We got along really well, and we have so much in common,” says Lindsey. The couple loves traveling, road tripping and hiking together.
THE PROPOSAL:
After about five years of dating, Luke proposed on April 26, 2019. Lindsey came home to a card on her car that said, “There’s so many reasons I love you. Go inside and find them.” So she went into her home, thinking Luke, a police officer, was at work. “He had written 100 cards for me with different reasons why he wanted to marry me and why he loved me and with different memories. They were everywhere,” says Lindsey, who’s currently a fifth grade teacher. “I was so surprised.” Then Luke came in the back door and popped the question. “He was so nervous, he forgot to get down on one knee. So I had to make him get down, and then he asked,” she says.
THE CEREMONY:
Around 10 family and friends attend the couple’s wedding at Moran Point at the Grand Canyon. The couple wanted a casual and comfortable wedding. The guys wore cowboy boots and jeans. Right before he officiated the ceremony, the minister asked everyone to turn around and take a moment to look out at the Grand Canyon before the roughly 30-minute ceremony. Lindsey and Luke exchanged vows as the sun was setting on the edge of the Grand Canyon. “It was absolutely perfect. The weather was perfect that day. There was no wind. And the sunset was beautiful. It was very peaceful. There weren’t a lot of tourists out there so we pretty much the place to ourselves,” says Lindsey. “We couldn’t have asked for anything better. It was amazing.”
POST-CEREMONY:
Following the ceremony, the wedding party headed to Big E Steakhouse & Saloon right outside the entrance to the Grand Canyon. The first time the couple hiked the Grand Canyon, the pair hiked the Bright Angel Trail and didn’t realize just how challenging it would be. After a hard day of hiking and not eating, the couple headed Big E’s where they devoured a $200 meal at the steakhouse. “It was so good. And then we got the bill and just looked at each other, and we were like, ‘What did we just do?’ But we were so hungry,” says Lindsey. “When we decided on the Grand Canyon we were like, ‘We definitely have to take everybody to eat there after because that’s a meaningful place and memory for us.’”
THE PARTY:
On Oct. 11, 2019, the couple hosted a reception for about 40 people at Rustler’s Rooste in Phoenix on the patio at night. Guests enjoyed a bonfire, chicken, ribs and pies from Rock Springs Café in Black Canyon City. The entire wedding party also went down the slide inside the two-story restaurant. Guests danced the evening away on the dance floor. “It was just a really good time,” says Lindsey.
WHY THE GRAND CANYON:
The couple never seriously considered any other place besides the Grand Canyon to exchange vows. Lindsey had wanted to get married at the national park ever since she saw the wedding scene in the 1997 Salma Hayek and Matthew Perry film, “Fools Rush In.” “When people think of Lindsey and Luke, they think of hiking and road trip and adventures,” says Lindsey. “It’s a very meaningful place.” And the Grand Canyon was a natural choice as their wedding venue. “Not many people can say that we got married at one of the seven wonders of the world,” says Luke. “It was just it was just fitting for us.”
WHAT WE LEARNED:
Hire a pro to plan the wedding. “Going through Grand Canyon Wedding Packages, it was so easy,” says Lindsey. “It was easy. It was stress-free. It was fun,” says Luke.
THE HONEYMOON:
The couple plans to jet off to Belize once it’s safe to travel again.
VENDORS:
Photographer: Melissa Dunstan, Grand Canyon Wedding Packages
Wedding Venue: Moran Point, Grand Canyon
Wedding Planner: Dana Micklos, Grand Canyon Wedding Packages, grandcanyonweddingpackages.com
Bride’s Gown: Serenity, Almond Tree Wedding Boutique, almondtreeweddings.com
Bride’s Jewelry: Red Carnation Design, Matching set: Silver and pearl earrings and necklace, etsy.com/shop/redcarnationdesign
Bride’s Hair & Makeup: Melissa Russo, Kristi’s Hair Studio, kristishairstudio.business.site
Groom’s Vest: Khaki vest from Men’s Wearhouse
Groom’s Shoes: Cody James Cowboy Boots, Boot Barn, bootbarn.com
Rings: Lindsey’s rings – Helzberg Diamonds helzberg.com, Luke’s Ring – Capri Jewelers, caprijewelersaz.com
Florals: Boho Bouquet with roses and a variety of other small flowers and greenery including eucalyptus, colors-burgundy, blush, ivory, champagne and wine, Qfloralstudio, etsy.com/shop/Qfloralstudio?ref=l2-about-shopname
Cake: Lemon raspberry cake with buttercream frosting. Grand Canyon Wedding Packages
Invitations: The bride created her own invitations on Zazzle, zazzle.com
Officiant: Philip Waring, Grand Canyon Wedding Packages
Entertainment: Brian David, Grand Canyon Wedding Packages
Getaway Car: The couple’s Jeep Wrangler
