This bright and cheerful day is sure to make you smile! The bride is admittedly a neutral lover but for her wedding day, she wanted the decor to pop! Cluster Events carefully curated a day with vibrant hues at the forefront, while Posey Pop designed organic floral arrangements so good that guests felt as though they’d wandered into a secret garden. You can feel the love bursting through the beautiful imagery by Birds Of A Feather. You can watch the full day unfold in the full gallery.
From the Bride… We’re an inter-abled couple. My husband, Roque, is a quadriplegic and uses a wheelchair. When looking for wedding inspiration, it was difficult to find couples like us to relate to, so we had to forge our own path in some ways. All love should be celebrated, and disability doesn’t preclude a couple from having their dream wedding.
We met online when I moved from St. Louis to LA for occupational therapy school. I had been learning about spinal cord injuries in school, and when I saw Roque’s picture with his wheelchair he immediately piqued my interest. We quickly got to talking, and 7 years later here we are. Roque proposed on January 1st, 2020, just as the clock struck midnight.
Our wedding was a unique cultural fusion. Roque comes form a large Mexican family and mine is Jewish. We made a conscious effort to incorporate both cultures into our wedding. We exchanged las arras matrimoniales (Mexican wedding coins) under our chuppah made from my grandfather’s tallis (prayer shawl), had a mariachi band, and danced the hora all in one night.
Music is such a cultural anchor. Because we both come from different cultural backgrounds, we wanted to make sure each of our families felt equally represented by the music that we chose. We had Motown and other oldies that I grew up listening to with my Jewish family, as well as Latin music from around the globe that my husband’s big Mexican family loves. Then of course we had all the early 00’s hits that all of our friends could sing along with. It was an eclectic mix, but somehow the DJ made it all work. The dance floor was filled the ENTIRE night!
We got married at Franciscan Gardens in San Juan Capistrano. We used their outdoor courtyard space, which is lined with tall greenery for privacy. It really feels you’re entering a secluded, intimate hidden treasure when you walk in.
When we chose our venue, I immediately knew I wanted sort of a “secret garden” theme. The courtyard enclosed in greenery was the perfect backdrop. To compliment this theme, we had lots of brightly colored blooms made into organic looking arrangements similar to the way wildflowers grow. We also had vines attached to the pergola and entrance to create the feel they’d been there for decades and are part of the landscape. I generally go for neutrals in my everyday life, but I fought the urge to do the same for our wedding. I wanted it to look exciting, approachable, and fun, but sophisticated at the same time.
I chose a sheath dress made from stretch crepe by Theia. I wanted something simple, elegant, and timeless. I tried to avoid anything too trendy, for fear I’d end up changing my mind later.
I found myself with a lot of extra time on my hands during the height of Çovid. I used that time to teach myself about woodworking. I set up a small wood shop in our garage, which is where many of our wedding details came to life. All of our signs, a jumbo Four in a Row game, and lots of other details were handmade by me.
DIYs Made by the Bride:
Welcome sign
Escort sign
Unplugged ceremony sign
Specialty cocktail sign with a cocktail named after our dog
“Yarmulkes” sign
“In loving memory” sign
Ceremony programs
Personalized jumbo Four In A Row game with fun facts about us on each of the pieces
Question booklets for each table for guests to fill out
Table numbers
Thank you notes at each place setting
At one point during the ceremony, our Rabbi had us turn around and look at all the guests that travelled from near and far to celebrate us. The feeling of love in the air from all of our family and friends is still something I’m trying to wrap my head around.
It seems easier said than done, but don’t sweat the small stuff! When it comes down to it, nothing else matters on your big day except for you, your partner, and the people who are so excited to watch you shine.
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Photography: Birds of a Feather | Cinematography: Grimace Films | Design: Handmade By Hannah | Event Design: Cluster Events | Event Planning: Cluster Events | Floral Design: Posey Pop | Wedding Dress: Lovely Bridal Shop | Cake: Susie Cake Bakery | Catering: Nes Events | DJ: Vox DJs | Wedding Venue: Franciscan Gardens | Beauty: OC Beauty by Elizabeth | Rentals: ARCHIVE RENTALS