Are you prepared for an emotional first look? We’re going to the woods today for some real romantic wedding romance.
Tara and Efrain held their wedding in Pennsylvania near their parent’s home. Surrounded by lush trees, ferns, and other natural elements, the couple was spoiled with a fantastic backdrop for their sweetest portrait session. This wedding’s pre-ceremony portraits may answer your “should we do a first-look?” question.
Despite their non-traditional wedding, the couple found many ways to honor their parents and their destination. The day was full of eclectic traditions and honor, with the couple surprising their parents with mariachi performances and Czechoslovakian food.
The Proposal
Efrain and my sister went to the jeweler to have my great-grandmother’s engagement ring resized after my Father asked for my hand in marriage. When he returned to get it, he said he could not wait to spend his entire life with me. He proposed as soon as he arrived home, with our dog at his side. It was so simple and genuine. We went to the bar and restaurant in our neighborhood where we met.
Dress & Attire
I wanted my bridesmaids to be able to choose their dresses. We chose a neutral color palette, and I was surprised at how well each dress fit.
Efrain, his groomsmen, and their families all grew together in Texas. They wanted to wear clothing that represented this bond. Each groomsman had their own unique boot and bolo ties. Efrain, and I love our friends for their uniqueness. We wanted to remember that on the day of our marriage when we were nervous and excited, and also the many ways they have supported us and will continue to support us.
Flowers & The Planning
We wanted to ensure that everything, from the decor to the menu, was meaningful and not traditional. I’m so glad we spent more on flowers and greenery.
Our flowers were to be the focal point of the wedding. We wanted everything to look like it was grown locally, so we used ferns and other botanical elements. Dahlias made up my bouquet, and I wore a single one in my hair to honor Efrain Davila.
Favorite moments
The morning before our wedding was stressful but an extraordinary moment. It was priceless to spend that time with our closest friends, reflecting on the past and celebrating the future.
After cocktail hour, Efrain, my husband, and I spent a few moments outside the reception hall. While guests were settling into their seats, we talked. The mariachi was still playing, and we asked them to play us a song to dance to. The moment was very private and tender. It gave us time to breathe before we moved on to the next set of events.
My Father began the wedding speeches with the song he sang to me as a child. There was not a dry eye to be seen in the room.
The Venue
We decided to marry where my parents lived in Pennsylvania because there’s a little wooded chapel and clubhouse just down the road. It seemed remarkable to us to create lasting memories in a place that our children could someday share. We wanted to include as much of the lushness of the surroundings as possible and pay tribute to its historical significance using vintage decor.
The Venue
We decided to marry where my parents lived in Pennsylvania because there’s a little wooded chapel and clubhouse just down the road. It seemed remarkable to us to create memories we could one day share with our kids. We wanted to include as much of the lushness of the surroundings as possible and pay tribute to its historical significance using vintage decor.
The Music
We surprised my parents with the string duo playing their wedding song during our ceremony’s recessional. We surprised Efrain’s parents during the cocktail hour by having the mariachi play their wedding song.
The Cake
As poppyseeds are a common ingredient in Czechoslovakian cooking, we made our wedding cake with lemon and cream cheese buttercream. We also used fresh raspberries and raspberry pastry. We served a variety of cupcakes to our guests. These included lemon poppy seeds with cream cheese frosting.
The Drinks
My Father made whiskey for the wedding shortly after we were engaged. We still have the barrel from the first batch to make it again.
I asked our photographer to take a photo of our wedding parties in reverse order (i.e., The guys popped a champagne bottle, and the girls cheered glasses of whiskey instead of the opposite. The photos were funny and unique.