Malia & Ryan’s Intimate Wedding at Red Agave Resort in Sedona

A Relaxed Wedding Weekend with Family and Friends at Red Agave Resort

Malia and Ryan came down from Canada with their family for a relaxed, fun wedding that felt more like a backyard celebration with incredible red rock views than a traditional wedding. They wanted plenty of time to just enjoy being with their favorite people, so that’s exactly what we created.

Everyone stayed together at Red Agave Resort, which made the whole experience feel more like a long weekend with family and friends than an overly fancy event. Check out my Red Agave Resort Wedding Venue Guide if you are considering it for your wedding.

Getting ready was as easy as walking from one casita to another. Malia and Ryan shared a first look on the trail behind the property before gathering with everyone for their ceremony. They decorated everything themselves with pampas grass, candles, dried florals, and soft neutral tones that fit beautifully with the desert. Their ceremony, officiated by Patricia from Earth Elopements, was emotional, with plenty of happy tears mixed in with the smiles.

A huge part of the day running so smoothly was thanks to Malia’s best friend, who unofficially took on the role of planner, MC, and all-around hype woman. A spin instructor by trade, she brought the same upbeat energy to the wedding, keeping everyone moving, keeping things on track, and making sure people were having a blast.

After family portraits in a little opening on the trail behind the resort, everyone headed into cocktail hour while Malia and Ryan slipped away for what she had requested from the very beginning. “Let’s get out to the red rocks and take some epic out-of-the-box awesome pics.” So that’s exactly what we did!

We headed over to the Bell Rock area for couple’s portraits. The skies were bright and clear, and there were still a few spring flowers hanging on along the trail. Malia’s dress flowed behind her with every step, and by the end of the evening, the train had picked up that gorgeous Sedona red rock ombre we love to see. The whole session was full of laughter, and the two of them enjoyed some quiet time together before heading back to the party.

Back at Red Agave, string lights glowed overhead as everyone gathered for dinner. They entered the reception for their first dance, followed by their first toast with a couple of beers, then gourmet pizza and salad from Into the Fire Pizza. Coolers full of drinks kept everyone happy, speeches were shared over a portable speaker, and once dinner wrapped up, they hit play on their playlist, and the dance floor took over.

During the reception, Malia’s candy bar kept guests busy filling little bags as they checked out photo books. Their cake featured little dog toppers in honor of the pups they had to leave back home, but some of my favorite moments came later when they shared one of the Sedonuts together. With the dance floor in full swing, light wands came out, kids changed into pajamas, parents relaxed, and everyone let loose.

Malia and Ryan’s wedding felt laid-back with a pinch of elegance. Pizza under the string lights, donuts, candy bags, dancing, and lots of laughter with the people they love most made it feel like a pretty perfect backyard celebration, just with much better views.