{real wedding} everything's coming up roses...

sorry for the delay in posting. recovering from the christmas weekend and a wii dance marathon with my sister.
but here's a gorgeous wedding for you to enjoy.

"The most challenging thing for me was not having my Mom or Maid-of-honor around. Both live in different States (my Mom in Texas and my MOH in Tennessee) so coordinating dress trials & fittings was not fun. They were only able to be in for one fitting and then hope for the best because they were not able to come until the Thursday night before the wedding. "

On the favorite moment of the day:

"My sixteen year old daughter, Olivia, has been my companion since she was two years old. This is why it was so important for me that she walk me down the aisle to present me to be married. She also had everyone is stitches when she delivered the best toast ever at the reception!"

"The most important aspect of our wedding day was the blending of both our cultures. Robert is originally from Northern Ireland and I am from Central America. Although we both have lived in the States for most of our lives, we wanted to pay tribute to the past that brought us together, as we look forward to our future. Both our parents decided to move us from our respective homelands for a better life in the suburbs of Detroit, Michigan--where we first met as teenagers. In addition to providing entertainment from both our cultures (Irish Dancer and Flameco Guitarists) and incorporating The Claddagh symbol and the Red Rose (to represent my Spanish roots), we had a table of photographs set up just outside the ballroom...so that when guests walked in they could see the journey that brought a boy from Belfast and a girl from Honduras together to become husband and wife. "

congratulations to Sandra and Robert!

i truly admire how they combined both their cultures into their wedding.
and love how it all came together.
many thanks to Sandra for sharing her big day here.
she also shared some wedding planning advice:
"My advice is to hire a wedding planner. Even if you only get one for the week of the wedding, or even the day of! I tend to be a bit of a control freak and a perfectionist, so everyone was so surprised when the week of the wedding came and I was calm and cool as cucumber and not flitting about like the normal bride. That's because I hired a professional that made sure that all the bases were covered and I just had to show up to marry my best friend and then enjoy a beautiful party afterward! Be sure to do your research and interview them to make sure that you are compatible and that he or she is in line to execute your vision!"

and last, but not least, the wedding vendors:

venue: The Langham Huntington Hotel and Spa
wedding planner: Center of Attention
photographer: Heidi Ryder
videographer: Kolkey Productions
florists: GD Designers
make-up: Laurie Zedah
hair: Jose Neira Salon (Mina)
dj: Andrew Bowden (allestaire@aol.com)
linens: Classic Party Rentals, Resource One, GBS Linens
officiant: Rev. Stephen Stewart (stephen.stewart@securitynational.com)
entertainment:
Claddagh School Irish Dancers
Jose Garcia and Fleur de Lis (guitar and band) Fretwiz1@gmail.com
Adam Del Monte (flamenco guitarist) adamdelmonte@gmail.com

thanks again Sandra!
to see more of this wedding, head on over to the talented Heidi Ryder's blog here.