Ezequiel and I, with the help of my mom (and many others!), planned our wedding in less than 5 months. Though it wasn't without stress, it was doable! We were happy with our short engagement, and we LOVED our wedding. It wasn't because it was perfect - far from that! - but because of the people we shared it with and the memories we made along the way. Here are some of the most memorable moments:
Two More Days
When my mom and dad were 2 days away from their wedding, my mom painted a huge sign that said, "Greg M. I love you!" and hung it from a bridge that my dad was going to drive under the next day. Talk about commitment to a surprise! Although I didn't hang anything from a bridge, I kept the tradition alive by painting a sign of my own!
Homemade Party Favors
My husband is from Uruguay, and I'm from Alabama, so to incorporate our two heritages (and my love for baking), we made homemade cookies to send home with our guests as the wedding party favors. And not just any cookies...to represent him, we made Alfajores de Maizena, and to represent me, we chose my grandmother's famous chocolate chip cookies. So, the Friday before our wedding, my parents' house was buzzing with cookie elves and delicious smells!
Wearing My Mom's Wedding Dress
Not only was it my mom's wedding dress, but her two sisters before her! My aunt lovingly sewed pearls on the dress to make it special and different for my mom to wear it. When I decided to wear it, we worked with a seamstress to keep the classic style, but with a modern twist. I decided on a high-low hem, shortened the sleeves to cap sleeves, and that was just about all the alterations needed to create my getaway dress.
Bride & Groom's Cake
I'm a total foodie with a major sweet tooth, so one thing I wanted to exceed expectations was our cakes. When I worked for Travel Channel, I discovered K & J's Elegant Pastries in Alabaster, AL, and shot a video about their Extreme Milkshakes! I was lucky enough to recruit my mom as Production Assistant, and she made quick friends with the sweet owner, Krystal. As they started making plans to make my wedding cake when that special time came (I was single at the time), I just laughed. But when that time actually came, I knew K & J's was the one to make my wedding cake - a delicious sweet potato cake with buttercream icing. While the cake was decorated with flowers, my granny's cake topper was nestled right below. Ezequiel chose white chocolate cheesecake - two of his favorite things.
Intimate Rehearsal Dinner
We had our rehearsal dinner at Heritage House Coffee & Tea Riverfront, and we loved everything about it from the delicious food to the intimate atmosphere. We had a candle-lit dinner while we listened to hilarious speeches, make-you-cry speeches, and speeches filled with Love. We had a slideshow going with pictures of each of us growing up, and then we played our engagement video. We laughed, we definitely cried, and we were filled with gratefulness.
It's All in the Details
I could go on and on about the details that went into our wedding! It truly was a family-and-friend affair as so many special people made it possible. From the cascading flowers on the fireplace (thanks Tracy!) to the hanging lights at the reception (thanks Dad and Uncle David!), the day was magical. My cousin, Leah Kathryn, played the piano during the ceremony, while our friends, Scott and Emily, sang our favorite songs: Amazing Grace as I walked in, In Christ Alone during the prayer, and Sweet Home Alabama as we left. Our prayer warriors laid hands over us, praying blessings over our new marriage, and then at the reception, we took it back to where it all began: a ping pong match.
Surrounding Wedding Events
There were so many events surrounding the wedding festivities that blew my mind away! My friends planned an epic Bachelorette Party made for me! From "Hannah's Met Her Match" Tennis Balls and "Friends" Themed Cards to Cooking Classes and H + E Jeopardy, Kylie and Ramona outdid themselves! I won't forget the surprise of having my out-of-town aunt surprise me by coming to help with the wedding festivities before she had to take off for her grandson's birth. I won't forget getting my nails done with my mom the day before the wedding, or the Bridal Shower with my best friends and family (and those delicious Uruguayan-fusion pies), or getting some exercise in playing doubles where my brother and I grew up playing tennis. And then, the day after our wedding, and before we left for our honeymoon, we had our families come together for a Thanksgiving Brunch. Such sweet moments!
Our wedding weekend was the best weekend of our lives, and I'm so thankful for all of the friends and family that loved on us to make it happen. THANK YOU!