February at the Villa was starting to feel like spring as Erika and Bryan joined us for their wedding ceremony and reception on Valentine’s Day. It is a tradition in their family to be married on this day. The couple met their junior year in high school where they were in the same class.
Before the wedding, the couple showed friends and family how important they were by leaving a note at the hotel for all the guests thanking them for coming and detailing restaurants and fun activities for them to do while in Arizona.
Before the ceremony, guests were seated around two chairs that held pictures of the couple’s grandparents with a candle and rose on each chair. Then the ceremony began. The groom wore a black tuxedo with a white vest and red tie. Red, black and white argyle socks showed the fun side of the groom. The bride had the souls of her shoes lettered with the words I Do, and the groom’s shoes read Me too in diamond letters. The groomsmen wore fire engine red vests and ties while the bridesmaids looked fun and flirty in above-the-knee fire engine red strapless dresses. As Erika made her grand entrance, she mesmerized guests in a strapless fitted gown that flared out into a ruffled skirt. Beaded detailing wrapped across the dress. A cathedral length veil added a more traditional look while a bouquet of red and white roses brought a burst of color. The bridesmaids’ bouquets were an assortment of lavender and white roses.
Erika and Bryan chose a sand ceremony and a three strands ceremony as part of the formal wedding ceremony.
Love was in the air during the celebration as the ring bearer and flower girl shared a sweet hug. During the cocktail hour a slideshow of photos played. As guests filtered into the reception they were asked to add their fingerprints to a wedding tree where each print served as a leaf representing the life and love surrounding the couple.
Two Is Better Than One by Boys Like Girls and Taylor Swift played for a first dance followed by Butterfly Kisses for the father/daughter dance.
The cake was truly unique. Red and black writing covered the cake with sayings that included Soul mates, respect, life forever begins today, love deeply, everlasting love. At the end of the night guests took their red boxes filled with chocolates and wished the couple a final farewell.
Congratulations Erika and Bryan. May your lives always be surrounded with love, laughter and peace.
Photography by: One Fine Day Photography