Robert + Jackie...where to start. They have such big love not just for each other but for all of their friends and family and their wedding held true to that. They were supposed to get married a year ago in Mexico when a tragedy occurred - Jackie's Dad had an unexpected stroke and passed away 2 weeks before their set date. Understandably, they put everything on hold while they grieved the loss of such an incredible man. A year goes by and they are finally in a place where they can celebrate their love and man, did they not hold back. The wedding was held at a family members house in Dallas where they pulled out all of the stops. From an open bar, to deliciously catered food to fireworks, to confetti cannons and even a fog machine for their first dance, it was a magical evening.
Q: Tell us about your wedding! What was the inspiration behind your day? Did you have a specific theme, style or color palette? Did you incorporate any cultural or religious traditions in any part of your day?
A: My husband and I love nature and architecture. So we decided that our wedding should be where he designed his first house (my sisters house). The wedding took place outside of the house to involve the nature part of it all. We were aiming for a "Timeless Fairytale" theme. Since we were merging two cultures both Mexican and American we did have a couple cultural traditions. An important part for us was to have both parties understand us, so in our ceremony we translated everything (english-spanish). For the reception, in Mexico there is this dance called La Vibora de La Mar where the bride and groom will stand on chairs and are held by two family members, the bride and groom will then use the veil to create a "passage" where the wedding guest (first ladies and then men) in a single file line will pass through with the attempts of pushing the couple down, all in good fun! Then there is another tradition where the groom gets thrown in the air by his important male friends while they take off his shoes, socks, tie, etc. and then return him to his bride as a "new man" where I then put his socks, shoes, tie on. We also had two cakes, a traditional 2 tier cake and then a Mexican inspired gelatin cake, both absolutely beautiful!
Q: Let's talk wedding decor. How did you decorate your space for the ceremony and the reception? Was any part of the decor DIY?
A: For our wedding we thought less is more, especially with the beautiful setting, we wanted to keep that scenic view. There were lots of greenery and a few DIY projects. All the lighting was done by my siblings a few days before the wedding, which included twinkle lights throughout the outside. My husband and I took care of all the signage including wedding day schedules, table numbers, drink menu etc. For the ceremony, we used a hexagonal arch to symbolize our marriage something different yet unifying. There were lots of white flowers and flower petals everywhere. For the reception we used rectangular wooden tables with real and fresh greenery like eucalyptus to have a nice smelling aroma and white roses with tall white candles as the centerpieces.
Q: What were the florals like in your wedding? Did you use flowers in any of your design elements like the bridal bouquets, centerpieces or ceremony backdrop? Did they play an important part in the overall style of your wedding?
A: The florals were an important part of the wedding and honestly would not have done them any differently! I loved the greenery with the pops of white roses and other flowers. All my guest loved the smell of the greenery of the centerpieces and some even asked if they could take them home! I used the florals and greenery to enhance the Hexagonal arch where the ceremony was held. As well as on signage and on our wedding cake. All the wedding party had some sort of floral on them, whether it was boutonniere, wrist corsages or bouquets. Everything was lovely!
Q: Did you personalize the day in any way (food trucks, guest entertainment etc.)? What were some of your favorite parts of your wedding?
A: For the ceremony, we kept a chair reserved with my Fathers picture, he passed away December 1st 2021 from Pancreatic Cancer and we wanted to have him there, even if it was just in picture. During the cocktail hour we had a Mariachi band come out to play and take request from guest. This is pretty traditional in Mexico and we wanted to incorporate it. Another surprise was having a bottle of 1942 Don Julio Tequila on every table as a gift to our guest for joining us. This was something my father would do in all our parties. My brother was so wonderful in helping us make this happen. For wedding favors we gave out shawls of all colors. During the reception dancing we asked to have characters come out to hype up the crowd. We brought out The Mask from the Jim Carrey film as well as a human Robot! Throughout the day we had all sorts of fireworks going off. Then at the later portion of the evening we had an all you can eat taco vendor come out for guest to enjoy a midnight-snack.
Q: Let's talk fashion. How did you both choose your wedding day look? Describe the looks in detail.
A: Navy blue is his favorite suit color, he said he feels the most comfortable in that color long with brown shoes, belt and watch. I actually fell in love with the dress I least expected to love. It was the last dress I tried on and nothing like the ones I wanted, but after I tried it on I loved it and felt so happy with it. The shoes I picked where Aladdin shaped J. Renee shoes which matched the dress perfectly. However, I LOVE to dance so I knew I would need another dress for the reception. It had beautiful floral details on the top made by MNM Couture.
Q: How did you meet? Tell us about the proposal.
A: Robert and I met in high school band and we were just friends. We both ended up playing the same instrument (percussion) and we had joined a group called Infinity Percussion. Nothing happened with us though, until one lucky Halloween night (years after high school) in 2017, I remember going out with some friends downtown because they wanted to get some drinks so I followed. When we got to downtown, I see someone who caught my eye on the other side of the street, and it was Robert! We all talked to a little while and then went to this underground bar where they had live music, but honestly Robert and I just kept talking and talking and everything was flowing so well that I could feel sparks fly. We went on a date a few days later and shortly after that we became boyfriend and girlfriend. The proposal was simple and sweet. He had planned everything for a while. He had asked for my fathers permission a week before and then he took me on a magical trip to Savannah, Georgia. This is the place that I told him I would want to grow old with him. He had hired a photographer to follow us around, which I never noticed until we got to Forsyth Park by this Fountain where he got down in one knee and asked me to marry him. One of the happiest moments of my life.
Q: What was the most anticipated or special moment of your wedding day?
A: As cheesy as it may sound, marrying him was one of the most special and anticipated moments. This wedding was actually suppose to happen 11-20-21, so that my father could be present for the wedding, however, life had another plan for us. A week before the wedding my father had a stroke and was then left immobile on his right side and we were told he did not have that much more time left, so we had to postpone the wedding. My dad meant the world to both of us, so it is with a heavy heart that we had to establish a new date where we both knew he wasn't going to be a part of. We picked October 29th for a variety of reasons. One, because Halloween night was when Robert and I met again in 2017. Two, we actually got married via the courthouse on that day in 2021 to make it official before having a wedding, so this wedding would then mark a one year anniversary for us in 2022. Three, we both love Halloween.
Q: Do you have any wedding planning or marriage advice that you'd like to share with other couples planning their day?
A: Do not let the stress of one day get in between why you are celebrating this day. Enjoy it, know that not everything is going to be perfect but that it will be worth it. Take a moment to step back and take it in.
