Grace and Francisco
Congratulations to Grace and Francisco! Your wedding was the perfect blend of families and small special moments. Thank you for trusting me with your memories!
I like to let folks learn about my couples through their own words - please find the link to their complete gallery at the end of this interview.
How did you meet?
Francisco and I met on the Friday before Mother’s Day in 2015. I was studying abroad in Cuenca, Ecuador, where he is from. We happened to both go to a restaurant opening of a close friend. We talked all evening and decided to meet up the next day. I lied to him and told him I couldn’t, because I was nervous. We agreed to meet the next day (Mother’s Day). I happened to get sun-poisoning on my face and my eye was swollen shut. We had planned to go to a movie, clearly not able to do that, he took me to a pharmacy instead.
How did you choose VES and Tresca for your wedding?
Choosing VES for us was simple. As a 2012 graduate from VES, I returned in the fall of 2016 and began my career as a Spanish teacher here. Tresca was also an easy choice for us, we knew we wanted a venue downtown that had a lot of character. The building is beautiful.
Tell us about your dress, shoes and other accessories!
I wanted to keep my dress and shoes plain and simple, it was a brunch wedding afterall. I purchased my dress from J.Crew. The selling point for me were the pockets. I made it a little more personal by adding a blue heart on the back. The blue heart came from the pocket of my paternal grandfathers worksuit.
The story behind my necklace is actually a very special one. When I was 18 years old, my parents told me I could choose who I wanted my godparents to be. Naturally, I immediately thought of a couple that had been very close to my family for years, Robert and Wayne. So loving and accepting, it made sense to ask them. We have been through many difficult and exciting times. Their marriage and now mine. The night after Francisco and I were engaged, we went to dinner with them. They showed me a beautiful diamond pin and told me they wanted me to have it for my wedding day. After much discussion, we decided to make the pin into a necklace that I would be able to wear. It will be a piece of jewelry I will cherish for my life.
What detail did you like best about your wedding day?
My favorite detail about our wedding day were the centerpieces on the table. We had wooden stands with old graniteware pitchers. The pitchers were all different colors and sizes. My mom and I had been collecting the pitchers since we thought of the idea. They are my favorite because we will be able to keep them forever and have them as a display piece in our future kitchen.
What was your favorite moment during your wedding day?
My favorite moment, by far, was just as I walked in the chapel with my dad. I hate to admit it, but it wasn’t because I saw Francisco.. It was because I realized that my dad had done something very special and meaningful. At the front of the chapel there is a flag from the United States. Directly opposite of the US flag my dad, with the help of Davis, had placed an Ecuador flag. This was so meaningful to me because it was even more of a merging of two cultures. I will never forget them moment when I noticed them.
Tell us about your food and cake!
Our food was provided by Meriwether Godsey and Market at Main. Meriwethers did a wonderful job with all the serving pieces. Marlene thought of every detail and really pulled through for us at the end. We couldn’t have asked better service.
The cake was done by Magnolia Foods. I couldn’t decide between chocolate or yellow, so we did a marble. It was yummy!
Why did you choose Allegra’s Studio for your photography?
Like many of the decisions we made for our wedding, Allegra’s Studio just made sense. We knew we wanted her from the get-go. She is a wonderful photographer. However, we sing her praises even more because she is bilingual. Francisco’s family is from Ecuador and do not speak much English. Having her Spanish was a huge stress off our shoulders.
What's next on your calendar as a couple?
Next our on calendar is Francisco’s Green Card. We are pretty far along in the process and can’t wait for it to get approved. In the meantime, we will travel around the US so he can get to know his new country!
View the complete gallery at this link.
Credits
Chapel: VES
Venue: Tresca
Floral Design:
Caterer: Market on Main
Cake: Magnolia Foods
