I want to jump inside these amazing photographs by Erica Velasco and live there for a while, kind of like Bert, Mary and the Banks’ children did in Mary Poppins. I promise I won’t mess up any of the succulents adorably planted in milk glass containers, I won’t snatch any of the sweet-as-can-be papel picado for mementos either. But you can bet your booty that even though I’m a married chica, I’ll be right up in front to catch that amazing succulent bouquet. I mean, really, how freaking beautiful is that? Kudos to Signature Events for pulling together all the details for this super sweet wedding! And there’s even more in the gallery!
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My husband and I had a long engagement; although we were immediately ready to be “husband and wife,” we weren’t sure if we wanted to be “bride and groom.” After law school, we were led to Charlee, who became not only our wedding planner, but our surrogate mother, and rallied us into the wedding spirit.
On board and with a game plan, Javier and I wanted to incorporate the Arizona landscape, and blend our Mexican and Jewish backgrounds. We decided to have the ceremony and reception at the Phoenix Art Museum, and collaborated with a local artist, Teresa Villegas, to incorporate her Loteria images throughout the wedding, including imagery in the wedding invitations, the escort cards, and table cards. We used only local succulents for the bouquet, boutonnieres, centerpieces, favors, aisle, and chuppah decoration. In lieu of a wedding party, we had the mariachi in the processional of our Jewish ceremony, who performed siman tov and hava nagila for the occasion. We decorated the reception with papel picados, served our guests Mexican street-style food, and danced the hora.
Above all, Javier and I wanted the wedding to be relaxed, have a sense of humor, and feel like we were celebrating those attending just as much as we were celebrating our marriage. We tried to make each element of the wedding a gift for our guests; we turned the escort cards into fridge magnets, collected antique milk glass vases as centerpieces which guests could keep, had succulent favors, and provided customized yarmulkes. I surprised Javier in the middle of our first dance with a performance by the Epik Dancers of Beyonce’s“Single Ladies,” just to keep him and our guests on their toes.
Simply put, our wedding was a fantastic party with a lot of love. We get it now; it really is one of the best days of your life.
Wedding Photography: Erica Velasco / Flowers: The Flower Studio / Event Planning and Design: Signature Events, LLC + The Flower Studio / Ceremony and Reception Location: The Phoenix Art Museum / Wedding Invitations: Letterpress Finnesse / Bride’s Shoes: Christian Louboutin / Wedding Gown: Mariee Bridal / Groom’s Suit: Hugo Boss / Bride’s Hair: Tru Salon / Bride’s Makeup: Barney’s / Mariachi: Mariachi Luz Del Sur / Cake Topper, Ketubah, and Guest Book: Etsy