Romantic Modern Wedding
Onnie & Tyler, September, 2010
Imagine….a destination wedding in Brighton, Colorado! Who would have thought…
With our September, 2010 couple living in CA planning their wedding in Colorado, it took several very fun meetings while bride Onnie was in town and lots of emails and phone calls to create their Modern, Romantic Wedding Celebration just the way they imagined it. The wedding celebration, décor and ambiance for Onnie & Tyler were truly one of my favorites to assist in creating. It all began with Onnie’s amazing mother Pam, pictured above with Onnie, Tyler and myself at their wedding.
Pam found The Bella Sera in a magazine. She was so excited to show it to Onnie when she flew out from LA, and kept telling her that the venue she found was a “hidden gem” tucked away in a small farm town just north of downtown Denver. Dozens of family members and friends asked Onnie’s mother “How did you find this place, it matches their style and personality perfectly?” This is always a pleasure to hear.
The bride and groom wanted a modern romantic feel, yet still very traditional, and their ceremony was to be the most important part of their celebration. This is something my husband John and I always love to hear, as the ceremony, their love for each other, and the commitment in good times and bad “IS” the reason for the celebration.
Pam and I quickly became good friends speaking several times a week about the many options we could present to Onnie when she arrived from LA to view the venue for the first time. I was careful to present options that realistically fit within their budget. Establishing a budget and helping our clients stick to it is something we take very seriously and help them to accomplish in any way we can. For that reason, Bella Sera offers many options to fit every budget, and if you can’t afford something, we stress not going into debt to get it. The couple chose a Sunday over a preferred Saturday wedding so they could accomplish all of the priorities they wanted for their wedding. I was impressed!
When Onnie arrived for her first viewing of the venue, we presented her with dozens of options that could compliment all of the beautiful elements and ideas she already had for their dream wedding. She had a very clear vision of what she wanted and we spent many fun-filled hours choosing just the right linens, chair covers, centerpieces, table numbers, ceremony décor items and overall ambiance to create the “Modern Romantic” look that truly reflected their personalities and style. Lighting was an integral part of the overall mood and look. Amber lighting from, Lighting and Design by Scott, transformed the dinner reception ballroom creating the romantic mood that so beautifully complimented all of the candlelight on the dinner tables and columns.
It was clear that Onnie & Ty’s wedding day was going to be a celebration of the promises they were making together, a focus on their values of God, love, their relationship, and the support of their pastor, family and close friends. The décor and beauty was all secondary to this sacred piece of their wedding day. It was evident that together with their pastor they created a meaningful ceremony that thoughtfully incorporated elements of rituals and personal values to reflect their personalities and what was most important to them. These elements included readings, blessings, a gorgeous family rosary and cross, and the bread and wine to honor their Christian beliefs. The ceremony was a truly momentous occasion, not only for the couple, but also for all of their family and friends who attended. They were focused on the moment, on each other, on God and on the blessings from their family and friends as they came together as husband and wife in our venue. The obligation and honor we feel as owners to our couples who become husband and wife in our building is something we take very seriously. We encourage our Bella Sera couples to focus on “why” they have decided to get married and what they mean to each other. This is a big commitment that comes with many joyful times and also many tough times along the journey. Making the ceremony the main focus is something we value as a married couple and business owners of Bella Sera.
As mentioned by their photographers Krystal and Matt of Verve Studio, “Onnie and Ty are the kind of people photographers dream of photographing. They’re beautiful, laugh so easily, are so obviously in love and have such wonderfully loving and supportive families”. Onnie and Ty found Verve Studio and knew they were the perfect match for their style and the type of photos they wanted the day of their wedding and the day after. This husband and wife duo photographer team was amazing! I was blown away by their artistic style and how totally calm, cool and collected they were through the whole wedding. The photos speak for themselves.
Together we accomplished their Modern Romantic Wedding by use of:
* Candles, candles and more candles!
* Tuscan candleholders decorating their ceremony aisle
* Dozens of flower petals for the ceremony aisle and the recessional
* One-of-a-kind vintage unity candle holders & table numbers
* Lavish organza table overlay linens complimented by ivory chair covers and sheer organza sashes
* Rhinestones, gems and crystals on dinner tables and hung from the centerpieces
* Hundreds of fresh red roses for the base of the centerpieces
* Lit Columns adorned with candles throughout the venue
* Crystal votive candle holders and elegant gold charger plates
* Romantic beaded votives hanging from the trellis in amber and clear glass and an amber chandelier cascading behind their head table
* Up lighting and custom monogram by Lighting and Design by Scott
* A classic cake designed by Onnie and created by her Aunt Sandy with colorful rhinestones draping down each tier and set on a very classic cake stand.
Fun embellishments and proof that an elegant wedding can still be fun, the couple included:
* Gumball machine favors with their personal monogram and miniature champagne bottles for each guest
* An adorable photo strip napkin ring with photo-booth photos taken of the couple showcasing their fun personalities
* They smashed their first bite of cake into each other’s faces, and their first dance was accompanied by a slide show displaying their “love story” from the beginning with tons of fun photos telling us all who they are as a couple.
In the end, this elegant wedding celebration was created on budget, exceeded their expectations for a sacred and meaningful ceremony, delighted their guests with beauty and fun, was a blast for all and accomplished the ultimate goal of hearing guests say “This was the most beautiful and fun wedding I’ve ever attended”.
Thank you Pam, Onnie and Tyler for choosing The Bella Sera. It was truly an honor to be a special part of the overall celebration. You are such an amazing couple!
THE TEAM OF EXPERTS
Onnie & Tyler for their vision and attention to every detail / Mom Pam Medina for all of her hard work and contributions to the wedding / Wedding Photography: Verve Studio / Wedding Venue: The Bella Sera Event Center / Lighting: Lighting and Design by Scott: Wedding Designer: Elisabeth Montoya-Bella Sera and Onnie Medina/ Cake: Sandy Carson / Hair & Makeup: Sister, Naomi Pajon / / Floral Design: DIY/ Linens & Chair covers: Belinda’s Creations at Bella Sera / Wedding Gown: Vintage Designer Gown / Décor Embellishments: Bella Sera Event Center / DJ: Sipres Entertainment – Robert Sipres / Catering: Bella Sera Catering / Pastor: Doug Burroughs