Calendar of Events

Below you can find the authoritative and comprehensive list of events surrounding our wedding. Grab a beverage of choice and enjoy, there are a LOT of events! If you have any questions about events not answered here, please contact me!

Engagement Party

A tiki-theme pool party and BBQ to celebrate the engagement of Kimberly and Derek. Hosted by the maid of honor, Melissa Calvart, it is sure to be a good time and may get a little rowdy before the night is over! I suspect there will be some amusing games for the bride & groom to be.

Bachelorette Party

A long weekend in Lake Tahoe over the July 4th holiday to enjoy beautiful scenery, sunbathing, and many cocktails and games. No boys allowed, but it will be chaperoned by Peter and these beautiful girls are sure to attract quite a bit of attention!

Bachelor Party

A last night on the town as a single guy. All the local buddies will be taking Derek out on the town for a night that is sure to be remembered... if only I could remember what happenned!

Camelback Mountain Hike

A hike to the summit of Camelback Mountain to see exactly where Derek proposed to Kimberly. Depending on who attends we may divide into two groups - one to climb Echo Canyon Trail and perhaps one to climb Cholla Trail.

Echo Canyon trail is very strenuous and recommended only for experienced hikers. The trail ascends through some spectacular sandstone rock formations and offers unparalleled views from the summit of the greater Phoenix area. Expect a vigorous climb similar to walking up a giant sized stairway for 100+ floors.

Cholla Trail is considerably less vertical, and thus less strenuous. There are steep, rocky sections with drop-offs on both sides, so it is not for those easily frightened by heights.

If neither option works for you, relax by a poolside with a cocktail, absorb some sun, and ask to see the pictures and short video of the proposal!

Meet the Parents I

Due to logistics, and perhaps lack of a lengthy engagement, our parents will first meet when they arrive in Scottsdale for the wedding weekend. We wanted to set aside some time for the immediate family to get to know each other.

Meet the Parents I is a dinner event for Derek's mother and Kimberly's parents, and our siblings, to share dinner and some wine at one of our absolutely favorite restaurants. Dooby's is the best Mediterranean food in town - start with a bowl of amazing Lentil Soup, try the Chicken Schwarma over Rice Salad, and finish with some Baklava. And they have belly dancers entertaining the crowd on Friday and Saturday. Attending will be: Kimberly & Derek, Cindy Thurston & Jake Markey, Greg Thurston, Julie Thurston, Chris & Kathy Petersen, and Jeff & Lindsay Petersen. All others are invited to keep in touch around 10:00 pm, as we are likely to stop by an Old Town Scottsdale hot spot for a bit after dinner!

Rehearsal

The rehearsal will, obviously, be located at the venue for the wedding, Sassi Ristorante. We have scheduled it for the morning to avoid a potentially hot afternoon in the sun. Therefore, be there at 9:45 am so we can get started at 10:00 am. There will be a champagne brunch following for all at the rehearsal as well as any out of town guests willing and able to attend.

Rehearsal Champagne Brunch

Immediately following the rehearsal, attendees and any out of town guests, are invited to a champagne brunch at Bloom Restaurant. Bloom serves New American Cuisine with a seasonally changing menu. Featuring classic American favorites with influences from European and Asian cuisines, the menu at Bloom showcases the freshest, most delicious ingredients resulting in something for every palate. We will have a special brunch menu, including items such as Brown sugar banana French toast and seared Ahi tuna salad with cilantro-ginger vinaigrette. Champagne, mimosas, and cocktails will complete the champagne brunch experience!

CHAMPAGNE BRUNCH MENU

Choice of:

Seared Ahi tuna, Sunomono salad, fresh avocado, cilantro-ginger vinaigrette

Shrimp eggs Benedict, sourdough toast, warm shrimp salad, parsley hollandaise

Bowtie pasta, roasted chicken, tomato, spinach, toasted pine nuts

Egg sandwich, crispy bacon, jack cheese, avocado aioli & home fries

Dessert: Brown sugar banana French toast, toasted almond butter, berry compote & cinnamon syrup

Drinks: Champagne, Orange & Pomegranate Mimosas, Bloody Maries, Coffee, Juice

Please RSVP to Cindy Thurston if you will be attending.

This restaurant is an excellent choice for dinner while you are in town. They have an interesting menu with a few selections not easily found elsewhere, and always well executed!

Meet the Parents II

Meet the Parents II will occur the rehearsal brunch at Bloom, and give Derek's father and Kimberly's parents a chance to extend their initial meeting at the rehearsal.

Bridesmaid Preparations

More details on the ladies preparations are forthcoming... Kimberly will contact all the bridesmaids with the final plans for the wedding day. Everyone needs to plan on being completely ready for the ceremony a good bit early, as we will do a number of pictures with bridal party and parents. Kimberly and Derek will remain separated before the ceremony.

Groomsman Preparations

Tentative plans have the groomsmen gathering for BBQ and a couple pre-wedding libations at our pool. We will relax and hang out for a bit before we clean up and get ready for the wedding around 2:00 pm and plan on arriving at Sassi shortly around 3:00 pm to get a head start on pictures. As stated above, there will be various family and friend pictures prior to the ceremony, but the bride and groom will be participating separately.

Ceremony and Reception

Extensive details can be found on our Big Day page. We look forward to celebrating with each of you.

Family Farewell Brunch

We want to relax and spend time with close family and friends the day after the wedding and are planning a brunch to that effect. It will be very informal after all the events throughout the weekend. Further details will be forthcoming.

"Day After" Photo Shoot

In order to spend as much time as possible with our guests and trying to enjoy and remember our wedding day, we have devised a couple strategies to still capture amazing photographs of our big event. In addition to several photos taken before the ceremony, the bride and groom will travel to Sedona for a "day after" photo shoot. Ours is technically two days after, as we want to relax and spend time with as much family and friends as possible on Monday.

We will head up to scenic Sedona for a photo shoot set in the famous red rocks. This will supplement all of our amazing photos throughout the wedding day and give the photographers some unique additional material as they memorialize our wedding. We are excited for our chance to be models for a day!

Midwest Reception/Party

We know not everyone we want to celebrate with can make it out to Arizona for a weekend in September. So we thought we would head your way shortly after the wedding and have another celebration with those who couldn't make it. And with those that did make it and want to celebrate again! There will be BBQ and drinks provided. Bring your favorite drinks if you want. Be ready to have fun! Bonfire in the back yard in the evening will provide ambiance, warmth, and an opportunity to enjoy s'mores!

There will be a special family gathering time from 2:00 to 4:00 pm, followed by open invitation to all attendees! See additional details on this event on our Midwest Reception page.

Honeymoon

A trip to one of the most romantic destinations, the couples only all-inclusive resort on Negril's famous 7 mile beach. A few things you can be sure of - we will be enjoying the tropical sun and beach, relaxing and sipping yummy food & drinks!

At Couples Negril, style surrounds and infuses everything in sight. From the laid-back charm of the swim-up bar to the intoxicating allure on an in-suite Jacuzzi, there’s just something about Couples Negril that says chic.

Defined by imaginative, artistic features and possessing a beautiful balance of elegant and eclectic, Couples Negril is 18 acres of all-inclusive luxury, personality and pleasure. All expertly carved into the captivating landscape of Negril, Jamaica.

And while our unique appointments set us apart from any other resort, our unwavering attention to your every desire has earned us recognition as the premier all-inclusive resort not only in Jamaica, but the entire Caribbean.