An Intimate, Spring Wedding at Sanctuary Camelback Resort and Spa in Paradise Valley, Arizona

Hedy Kishel and Matthew Aronsky met after being set up by a mutual friend. Their first date included a fun Mexican dinner with great music, drinks, and tacos; and by the end of the evening, the two had already made plans for their next date.

“We were attracted to each other from day one,” Hedy recalls. “After about two years of dating, Matt proposed and it was perfect. A typical weekend usually starts when Matt brings me a cup of coffee in bed to wake me up. Only this time, the coffee was in a special mug that posed the question, ‘Marry Me,’ and instead of coffee, a beautiful emerald cut diamond ring was inside.”

Unlike some brides and grooms-to-be, Hedy and Matt couldn’t think of anything they wanted to do less than plan a wedding. Neither had any interest in browsing online or flipping through magazines to find the perfect décor and wedding inspiration. They did, however, enjoy the process of finding the perfect wedding gown by Mira Zwillinger, and designing Matt’s custom tuxedo by Martin Greenfield and shoes by Stubbs and Wootton.

“With the help of our magical wedding planner, Cherly Clisby, we were able to plan an amazing destination wedding that perfectly fit our personalities,” says Hedy. “We wanted to have an intimate ceremony with close friends and family, and thought Sanctuary Camelback Resort and Spa was the perfect place for the weekend wedding celebration. On Friday afternoon, we had welcome drinks at the pool, followed by an outdoor barbeque.”

When the wedding day arrived, the bride and groom were excited for the upcoming events. From the moment the wedding ceremony began, the entire day unfolded seamlessly.

“We never take things that seriously, but one thing we do cherish is family and laughter,” says the bride. 

“We decided to forgo bridesmaids and groomsmen, and instead had our brother and sister officiate our wedding while seven of our nieces and nephews (aged preschool through college) walked down the aisle. Having our family officiate the wedding brought the personal touch we were going for. There wasn’t a dry eye in the audience from laughter during the ceremony. The levity and meaningfulness of the ceremony set the vibe for a super energetic and lively party.”

The ceremony transitioned into a cocktail hour, where a live musician performed as guests took in the beautiful views of Arizona’s Paradise Valley. For the reception, the bride and groom flew in DJ Equal from New York to create a club-like ambiance with minimal downtime for speeches and interruptions. From start to finish, DJ Equal had the newlyweds and their guests dancing throughout the night.

“At the end of the day, we couldn’t have asked for a better wedding weekend,” Hedy describes. “The venue, food, and entertainment were all top notch, but being able to share the weekend with 100 family and friends is what makes our wedding something we will never forget.”