Prepare to be enchanted with today’s vintage styled backyard wedding captured by Dan & Erin PhotoCinema. The entire wedding was DIY’d in the bride’s family home and filled with so many dreamy handmade details. I love that the bride wore her mother’s wedding dress, that she actually didn’t end up wearing since they eloped. It is so sweet that she passed it on for her daughter to wear!
Leonardo and I’s wedding was at my parent’s house in Queen Creek, Arizona. Their house is on a one and a half acre citrus grove. When I envisioned our wedding, I wanted it to look like a fairy tale; like a whimsical garden wedding. When I think of a fairy tale, I think of Cinderella, which is why I wanted I went with grey for the suits, and deep teal for the bridesmaid’s dresses.
I wore my mother’s wedding dress that she bought in 1986 from Azteca Bridal for $200.00. I wanted to keep the dress as original as possible, while altering it to compliment my body shape. The main thing I changed was the bodice which I made into a dropped waist (I am much more curvy then my mom). I also had a brooch on my wedding bouquet that belonged to my Gran. My Gran passed away a few months before Leonardo proposed and every day before she passed she asked me if Leonardo had proposed yet. My mother’s wedding dress was important to me not only because it was her wedding dress, but she never had an opportunity to wear it. My mother and father planned their wedding but was later canceled due to family indifferences (on my dad’s side). They eloped to Annapolis, Maryland and married in their courthouse. My mother picked out her wedding dress with my Gran, which was purchased by my Gran. By wearing my mother’s wedding dress and my Gran’s broche, I felt like my Gran was with me.
My favorite parts of the day were mine and Leonardo’s personal wedding vows to each other. We did the traditional wedding vows, but we also did our own vows to each other. Another favorite part was the wedding lasso ceremony, which is more of a tradition in Leonardo’s family. The wedding lasso symbolizes unity, and was placed around Leonardo and me by our mothers. Lastly, my Papa (my mother’s dad and husband to my Gran that passed) gave a blessing before we ate. My Papa does a blessing before every meal our family has together, and his words were extremely touching.
The most important thing for us while planning our wedding was accommodating both of sides of our families. My husband, Leonardo, is from Mexico and a lot of his family barely speaks English. Music was very important, which is why we chose Matthew Figueroa, he was great with playing both Latin and American music to entertain both families. We also said our wedding vows in English and Spanish, so both families felt involved. (Even though my Spanish isn’t the greatest lol I still tried)
Our wedding had an endless amount of DIY/ homemade details. My mother designed her backyard based off of my wedding being there. She also designed the wooden arbor Leonardo and I were married at which was built my dad. (At the time the arbor was built, I wasn’t even dating Leonardo yet. Lol) The arbor was decorated by me and my mother with pearls, crystals, dried grapevine and a vintage chandelier. My dad installed the poles to hold up the market lights, which he set up all himself. I mentioned I had a florist, which is true; Terri Saba made the bouquets and boutonnieres. But all the center pieces were made and designed by me and my mother with the help of my aunt and cousin. I shopped at every Hobby Lobby to collect the concrete square pots we used for the floral arrangements on the tables, and my mother made the moss round pots that we planted potted plants in which were also used on the tables. My mother and I made the moss balls which were placed on top of the candelabras used for the tables. We draped the candelabras with crystals and pearls. I made the Mr. and Mrs. sign that was hung behind mine and Leonardo’s sweetheart table.
We had three wedding cakes, and my mother made two of them. (Her Red Velvet and Italian Cream cakes are to die for!) The middle, bigger wedding cake was made by Robert’s Catering. My mother made our card box, and I made the tree used to hang our wedding favors (the bottle opener keys). I could go on! But we would be here all day! Lol I feel because the wedding was at my parent’s house, we had full control over everything and had time to design and set up everything ourselves to make it all truly original. I wanted something that no other bride could pick out for her wedding.
Photography | Dan & Erin PhotoCinema | Bridal Party Florals | Terri Saba| Catering & Rentals | Robert’s Catering | Gown Alterations | Danese Creations | Bridesmaid Dresses | Atom Attire | Hair | Erin Romley | Makeup | Nicole Doxon | Groomswear | Nick’s Menswear | Entertainment | Matthew Figueroa | Transportation | Carey Phoenix Limo
