You guys. This is the kind of wedding that Miami dreams are made of: a beautiful couple so obviously in love (the way they look at each other!), an elegant affair under the twinkling stars and string lights, and the fusion of the most delicious food and drinks imaginable, all brought to life by our talented faves, Pogo Photo and Ines Naftali Floral and Event Design . Every detail of this day, designed to delight the couple's guests from the first moment on, was planned to perfection by JCG Events .
Christine, an Otolaryngologist (or ENT, for all of us non-medical folks) and Diego, a general surgeon, met during their surgical residencies at the University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Hospitals. Christine jokes that they "fell in love at 'first incision'!", and that they love everything about each other. Christine was born in Miami, and did all of her studies at UM; she felt it was inevitable that they would marry at the St. Augustine Church on campus.
The two loved the small church's charm and character, and the large windows that flooded the space with light. Christine tells us about one of their favorite memories from the ceremony: "We remember fondly how the priest and all of our family and friends burst into laughter as my aunt gave out loud words of wisdom to Diego that echoed in the small church: 'Just Be Quiet!'"
The nearby Fairchild Tropical Gardens was the next choice in their planning, and I love how Christine describes why they chose it: "We were enchanted by the whimsical ambiance, enhanced more than a hundred fold by Chihuly's artwork and the glittering sky of stars."
The two were inspired by their diverse backgrounds - she is Vietnamese, and he is Spanish - to create a fusion of cuisines for their reception. Guests were welcomed to the gardens with a ginger beer bourbon cocktail, then treated to a lavish cocktail hour under the Vine Pergola that featured Pata Negra (acorn-fed cured pork). Dinner was served on the garden house lawn under a canopy of string lights, and was followed by Dulce de Leche frosted cakes especially for the kiddos. Late night snacks of mini bahn mi sandwiches rounded out the soirée.
Our Fave Ines Naftali Floral and Event Design worked magic on the tables, arranging a gorgeous mix of purple hues on driftwood and accented by tons and tons of warm candlelight.
One of the couple's favorite moments came during the best man and maid of honor speeches, when Christine's brother and sister surprised them with a rendition of "Time After Time" by Cyndi Lauper: "There was not one dry eye in the entire crowd!"
“We wanted our celebration to be outside without constraint, underneath the twinkling stars, symbolizing a love that we know is infinite.”
We wanted to be surrounded by nature, sitting on rustic chairs that appeared beautifully weathered with time. Even the succulents appeared as if they were growing from the crevices and nooks of pieces of driftwood - a nice symbiosis of opposing characteristics. We spent hours on the Spanish-Vietnamese menu, obsessed with pleasing the taste palates of both our families. And we danced the night away, free spirited, and to our hearts content.
I couldn't come up with a better way to sum up a perfect night than that! Congratulations, you two!
