Gabrielle (Bri) and Carlos's Mexican Inspired Wedding

Gabrielle (Bri) and Carlos’s Wedding (Sept. 26th, 2009)
(Photos shot by Kella MacPhee)

This wedding was a perfect example of the beautiful cultural weddings with which we work. Bri and Carlos showered their guests with blasts of bright and joyful colors in honor of Carlos’ Mexican heritage. The couple’s fun and refreshing personality made this a great event to work!
From start to finish, Bri and Carlos made sure to immerse touches of Mexico within every aspect of their wedding- starting with invitations designed by their family friend. Invitations, RSVP cards, and Additional Information inserts were orange, teal, and purple with raised print written in English and Spanish for guests from both sides of the family to appreciate! It was also a clever way to hint to guests what was soon to follow for their Mexican inspired wedding day...

On the morning of the wedding, the couple chose a few non-traditional photo spots for some of their pictures. These included stopping at various Philadelphia murals and Eastern State Penitentiary, which surprisingly served as an excellent backdrop for photos. The couple, and Bri’s colorful and overly sized bouquet, stood out perfectly against the monotone atmosphere of the penitentiary backdrop.

Bride and Groom were then off to Philadelphia Magic Gardens, located on South Street, for their ceremony where they incorporated another maelstrom of color and artistry into their wedding day. A Mariachi band added stimulation to the sense of hearing as they blended playful notes and sounds of traditional Mexican music with the maze of tile, glass, metal, and other miscellaneous items all strewn together to create an entire building covered in art! In addition, the guests were treated to a complimentary tour of Philadelphia Magic Gardens as well as a symbolic and heartwarming butterfly release at the end of the ceremony.

For the reception, The Society Hill Dance Academy was transformed into a scene reminiscent of a traditional Mexican Market for the reception. Pumpkin orange linens were draped over tables and centerpieces made with mason jars and various colorful flowers were simply designed and filled the room with an absolutely stunning effect. In addition, the couple had strings of custom made ornate paper art (Papel Picado) flown in from Mexico and hung all over the reception hall, making the room a festive sight to see!
Catering was provided by Stephen Starr Events where they fused delicious Mexican flavors into the foods and presented a feast for the eyes as well as the taste buds. We also had a face painter present to add color and fun for guests and their little children as the night went on! The couple had their first dance as husband and wife to a salsa song and everyone danced salsa, merengue, and bachata all night with splashes of top American pop hits thrown in as well.

And of course, for all of you who know me, my favorite part of the wedding is… THE CAKE! So gracefully breaking western tradition again, Bri and Carlos opted for a fabulously made chocolate cake with coconut and nuts as a filling instead of the more common white icing and vanilla cake. It was decorated with bright orange and purple flowers with fluttering butterflies dancing within each floral bundle! In addition, the cake table had Mexcian Catrinas on display to represent their remembrance of family members passed.

Bravo to Bri and Carlos for treating their guests to a feast of color, sound, and taste throughout their entire Mexican inspired wedding day. It was great working with you!!!

Here is a list of the wonderful vendors we worked with throughout the day who really played a major part in helping to make the day run smoothly and magnificently.
Vendor Round Up:
Day of Coordination: cHill Weddings, LLC (Tasha Bunch and Sara Doughty)
Flowers: Flowers by Priscilla
Ceremony Venue: Philadelphia Magic Gardens
Reception Venue: Society Hill Dance Academy
Catering: Stephen Starr Events
Photographer: Kella MacPhee
Videographer: Digital Creations Videography (jim@digitalcreationsvideography.com)
Mariachi Band: Oro de Mexico (mariachiorodemexico@yahoo.com)
Face Painter: Philly Face Painting
Transportation: American Trolley Tours/ Choo Choo Trolley