Day... - International Regional Magazine Association

Married
new mexico
Love
Saves the
Day...
in
For lovebirds of both
the local and far-flung
persuasions, New Mexico
offers a wealth of
outstanding wedding
locations that have a
strong sense of place.
The landscape, the
architecture, the food,
and so much more add
up to exquisite special
events that just couldn’t
happen anywhere else.
Six creative, passionate
couples share the hows,
whys, and wows
of their spectacular
New Mexico weddings.
By Susana
Lucero
photo
anne stavelEy
If you have a flair for the theatrical, as this couple clearly does,
what better location for your
wedding than a movie ranch?
54 NEW MEXICO | FEBRUARY 2014
nmmagazine.com | February 2014 55
creating
the moment
Turner (a documentary
filmmaker) and Sarah (a
nonprofit consultant) asked
their guests to create an ontheme identity and dress the
part: a Wild West outlaw,
circus performer, or saloon
girl. Sarah sewed red and
white curtains and created
a giant banner with paper
pinwheels. Sarah’s mother
scoured thrift stores in central Texas, amassing a large
collection of hobnail milk
glass in which they placed
red chrysanthemums, faux
succulents, and more. For
the reception, guests were
encouraged to
participate in
a dance-off.
Sarah
wore a 1950s
emotely nestled in the foothills eight miles south of Santa Fe,
silk chiffon
Bonanza Creek Ranch’s Movie Town set hosted the wedding
debutante’s
of Turner Ross and Sarah Wolters, who live in Talpa. Bonanza
dress from
Creek, where westerns like Lonesome Dove and Young Guns were filmed, was
Off Broadway
the perfect backdrop for their “1920s traveling circus ghost town theme.”
Vintage
Clothing and
Costumes, in
Albuquerque.
Susan, the owner, was such
anne staveley
a pro to work with that
Sarah tried on only two
dresses before finding the
one she chose.
Ghost Town Vows
R
photos
56 NEW MEXICO | February 2014
Farm-Chic Union
the menu
The couple wanted to share
fresh, flavorful New Mexican
food with their guests.
Appetizers included tostaditos
with mole negro, avocado,
and asadero, and empanaditas
with local lamb picadillo.
Turner and Sarah both love
Santa Fe Brewing Company;
they secured kegs of its pale
ale, nut brown, and porter
brews, perfect for pairing with
red-chile-dusted peanuts and
buttered popcorn with greenchile salt in the saloon.
In lieu of traditional
wedding cake, for dessert
they served the bride’s three
favorite desserts: Mexican
chocolate brownie sundaes,
Nutella s’mores, and Mexican
wedding cookies.
W
ith its historic 1930s landmark architecture by John
Gaw Meem, majestic views of the Sandía Mountains, and winding garden pathways, J.J. and Sara
Mancini felt Los Poblanos Historic Inn and Organic Farm,
in Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, was the ideal setting for their
intimate, colorful October wedding. And even better: it was
close to their home in Albuquerque, where Sara works for the
city as a policy analyst and J.J. is the owner of Desert Fuels.
photos
Kim Jackson
advice from
the Bride
“Our photographer, Anne
Staveley, took stunning
portraits of all our wedding
guests. These served as our
party favors. Your wedding is
not just one day, it’s a pinnacle
moment in your legacy. Use
it to honor each other, and
everyone in your lives who
has supported and loved
you both.”
creating
the moment
The bride and groom wanted
their marriage to be “a light for
others,” so the décor included
lots of candles. Loving the
contrast of fun colors against
white and vice versa, Sara
opted for a big, colorful bouquet that would pop against her
lacy white Vera Wang wedding
dress. The 12 bridesmaids were
encouraged to choose any dress
they wanted to wear, as long
as it was made of non-shiny
cotton material in a solid color;
they each carried a single white
hydrangea. J.J. and Sara also
had four of their nephews form
a bubble brigade; they walked
down the aisle blowing bubbles
at guests. The couple wrote
their own vows, and read them
to each other for the first time
at the wedding ceremony.
the menu
Los Poblanos was recently
named one of the “Top 10
Food Lover’s Hotels in the
United States” by Bon Appétit
magazine. Served family style,
dinner included locally grown
quinoa-stuffed bell peppers
and roasted chicken wrapped
in bacon. J.J. recalls, “And
those tomatoes ... oh, those
tomatoes. Could you call them
candy?”
For dessert, J.J. and
Sara served an assortment of
cupcakes from Cake Fetish, an
Albuquerque cupcake bakery.
Cupcakes were decorated with
hand-inscribed flags describing
a memory associated with each
type of cupcake. The s’moresflavored cupcakes included a
tidbit about how they loved
camping and making s’mores;
the snowball cupcake flags told a
story about how the couple once
trekked up a snowy mountain
to find their Christmas tree.
The women of the bride’s family
made their favorite kinds of
cookies, and guests were invited
to take home a selection as a
wedding favor.
advice from
the Bride
“Don’t be afraid to limit your
guest list for whatever reason
if you want or need to. We
wanted an intimate wedding
and kept our guest list small,
but the day after, we invited
all of our friends, family,
and co-workers to celebrate
our first day of marriage at a
backyard barbecue.”
nmmagazine.com | February 2014 57
La Marcha locales
Day
These downtown Santa Fe venues
are also situated perfectly for a
la marcha procession to the Plaza.
R
of
Wine & Roses
photos
oderick and Jenae Mendoza, of Las Cruces, dreamed of getting married near the bride’s childhood home in southern
New Mexico. Jenae, a musician who also works in accounts
payable, and Roderick, a barista who also works with a production
company, soon realized that the Rio Grande Winery was the perfect
setting for their “vintage meets rustic” wedding. Set in the Mesilla
Valley, it also offered gorgeous views of the Organ Mountains.
Inn and Spa at Loretto is among the most
photographed buildings in all of New Mexico. As an
architectural re-creation of the famous Taos Pueblo,
this Santa Fe hotel provides a magnificent backdrop
for your wedding photographs. (800) 727-5531;
innatloretto.com
La Posada de Santa Fe Resort & Spa’s adobestyle architecture, colorful gardens, and cozy outdoor kiva fireplaces evoke magic and charm.
(855) 278-5276; laposadadesantafe.com
Latisha lyn
Destination: La Plaza
J
ay Barron and Corrie Plant, lawyers from Santa Monica, California,
had visited Santa Fe twice before, and found it to be a very romantic, unique city. They especially fell in love with the art, food, and
historic character.
They chose the Santa Fe landmark hotel La Fonda on the Plaza to
host their wedding, because they liked its Pueblo Deco style. They also
appreciated that the ceremony and reception could take place in the
same space, and serve as lodging for their guests. And they knew that
friends and family from out of town would enjoy exploring all of the
downtown shops, galleries, and restaurants on foot.
creating
the moment
Corrie had a personalized
stamp made with the word
“love,” their names, and their
wedding date, then set about
stamping the paper items:
napkins, menus, welcome-bag
items, and programs. Their
florist, Margaret Bost, incorporated coordinating shades
of peonies into all of the
bouquets and table arrangements. Corrie wore a strapless,
draped-bodice Monique Lhuillier gown with hand-bustled
trumpet skirt.
To welcome guests, they
assembled and gave out goodie
58 NEW MEXICO | February 2014
bags packed with snacks, treats,
and information about Santa Fe.
They also included blank cards
in which they asked guests to
write a little something about
what inspires them in life and
bring their card to the wedding
to be placed in the card box for
Jay and Corrie to enjoy after the
wedding day.
After the wedding ceremony,
the couple and their guests
enjoyed a festive mariachi-led
musical procession known as la
marcha. Though it is typically
done at Hispanic weddings, this
New Mexico wedding tradition
is being incorporated by people
of all cultural backgrounds. This
procession travels through the
photos
Robin Parrott
Two Birds Studio
streets, traditionally from the
church to the wedding reception space, and leads the bride
and groom to their first dance.
the menu
For dessert, the couple
decided to offer guests a bar
stocked with pink candy
instead of a traditional
wedding cake. They thought
it was one of the areas they
could save on cost while
adding something fun and
personal. The bride made a
sign for the table that read
“love, sweet love.”
advice from
the Bride
“We definitely recommend
including the local tradition
of la marcha musical escort
and dance. One of the greatest
memories we have is of the
mariachi band leading all of our
friends and family in a parade
around the Plaza right after the
wedding ceremony. The guests
lined up on the sidewalk outside
La Fonda shaking their maracas
as the mariachi band led us
through the crowd. We felt such
joy in that moment.”
creating
the moment
Full of do-it-yourself details,
Roderick and Jenae’s wedding
day became a collaborative
effort among family and friends.
From the boutonnieres and bouquets made by the bride and her
bridesmaids using hydrangeas,
wildflowers, and mustard yarrow
for pops of color, to the centerpieces (mason jars wrapped in
burlap as candleholders), the
wedding decor was kept simple
to harmonize with the pastoral
theme. At the reception, there
was not a dry eye in the house
when Roderick and Jenae, both
very musically inclined, performed songs they had written
for the occasion as special gifts
to each other.
the menu
To share their love of New
Mexican food, Roderick and
Jenae chose Las Cruces restaurant !Ándele! as their caterer.
Dinner included red and green
enchiladas, flautas, beans, and
rice, as well as an appetizer of
chips and fresh salsa.
The couple served a
four-tiered wedding cake with
vanilla, chocolate, and red
velvet layers covered in almond
buttercream frosting. They chose
to give their guests handmade
chocolate truffle favors from the
Chocolate Lady, in Old Mesilla,
custom-wrapped with ribbon
matching their color scheme of
mustard yellow and navy. The
winery’s muscat and port were
also available to guests.
advice from
the Bride
“We had two couples that
we love and respect give us
advice and a blessing at the
reception. This meant so
much to us.”
nmmagazine.com | February 2014 59
creating
the moment
For her June wedding bouquet,
ceremony, and reception
decor, Melissa chose roses in
colors of peach, apricot, and
cream with gold accents to
create a warm and summery
feel. The bride’s bright blue
jewel-studded shoes added a
pop of color, as well as doubling as her “something blue.”
Mark McKenzie, the
minister from their church in
Albuquerque, served as officiant, and read from love letters
that the bride and groom had
written to each other.
Northern
Glory
photos
TALITHA A. TARRO
A
the menu
Melissa and Don made
lbuquerque couple Don and Melissa Ortega knew they
New Mexico–themed
had to consider Taos’s El Monte Sagrado Resort when
gift baskets and
a friend described it to them as “the garden of Eden.”
delivered them to their
Melissa, a project manager, and Don, the owner of a jujitsu studio,
guests’ rooms. They
were charmed by sunlit streams, tropical flora, and the sounds of
contained candied
calming waterfalls. Views of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains from
pecans from Las Cruces’
the Taos Mountain Lawn ceremony site sealed the deal.
Stahmann Farms,
bottles of St. Clair
Winery’s red and green
chile wines, and El
Pinto salsa, all nestled into
Native woven baskets.
The couple chose a cupcake
tower, plus a cake for the
traditional cutting of the cake.
The cupcake frosting was
piped to look like roses, then
decorated with fresh flowers by
Taos florist Simply Shelia. As
a parting gift, guests received a
locally sourced honey-chipotle
spice mix.
advice from
the Bride
“Each year on our anniversary, we’re going to make
a trip back to El Monte
Sagrado. We recommend
every other couple visit their
wedding site, too.”
60 NEW MEXICO | February 2014
creating
the moment
Echoing the desert’s palette,
Jasmine chose a color scheme
of cream, copper, peach, and
pale gray. The bride’s friends
decorated the ceremony arch by
wrapping a fabric sash around
it and accenting the top with
large paper flowers. The Hacienda staff hung papel picado,
intricately punched paper that
is traditionally made in Mexico
but used throughout New
Mexico, across the Hacienda’s
courtyard, along with string
lights. Other handmade details
included carefully embellishing
each wedding invitation with a
single feather. For place cards,
Jasmine attached kraft paper
cards to sage sticks and dried
flowers sourced from the Santa
Fe Farmers’ Market.
the menu
Marja Catering provided a light,
seasonally driven Southwestern
menu with chicken mole appetizers, a make-your-own flank
steak taco bar, veggie enchiladas, and chilled gazpacho.
advice from
the Bride
“Don’t be afraid to ask for
help. I tried to do so much
of it myself and finally
realized I needed someone
besides my fiancé to help me
work through all of the tiny
decisions, because we were
beginning to stress out and
lose perspective.”
For more
nm weddings,
visit NewMexicoWedding
Magazine.com, edited by
Susana Lucero.
Hitched at
the Hacienda
A
lthough Jasmine and Nick Firchau live in Brooklyn,
where they are Web editors, they were born in Santa
Fe, and decided to celebrate their wedding in this
beloved Southwest setting. Nestled in the Ortiz Mountains,
with courtyard views of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in the
distance, the just-remote-enough Hacienda Doña Andrea (in
Los Cerrillos, an hour’s drive from the Albuquerque airport)
set the scene for Jasmine and Nick’s gorgeous Southwestmeets-Gatsby-inspired wedding.
photos
ASHLEY DAVIS
web extra
For Susana’s best bets for
wedding vendors, and contact info for the wedding
elements seen here, go to
mynm.us/nmweddinglistings
Read more about Susana
Lucero (and her own
wedding) in the “Editor’s
Letter,” p. 6.
nmmagazine.com | February 2014 61
Susana’s
BEST BETS
calligraphy
Elizabeth Danae Calligraphy
Studio Custom calligraphy
wedding invitations, save-thedate cards, watercolor wedding
maps, and more. Featured in
both national print and online
publications, including
Martha Stewart Weddings.
(505) 795-2331;
etsy.com/shop/eDanae
caterer
Marja Catering Thoughtfully
prepared menus using local,
seasonal ingredients and the
bold flavors of our region.
(505) 986-3858
dress
designers
Conscious Clothing Highfashion glamorous, low-carbonfootprint hemp/silk dresses and
tailored men’s suits, shirts, and
ties. Santa Fe; (505) 982-7506;
on Facebook
Laura Sheppherd This Santa
Fe designer selects rare textiles
from around the world to create
wedding gowns as well as other
garments; ready-to-ear and
made-to-order. (505) 986-1444;
laurasheppherd.com
Teresa Romero Designs Couture, vintage-inspired gowns and
lingerie. Collaborative approach.
Albuquerque; (505) 508-1750;
teresaromero.com
event
planner
performer
For the Love Events
A full-service event company
and design house specializing in
handmade and vintage designs.
Albuquerque; (505) 553-5908;
fortheloveevents.com
music
flowers
Amy Nicole Floral Studio
Specializes in eco-conscious
weddings; supports local New
Mexico growers whenever
possible. Albuquerque; (505)
301-8062; amydoesflowers.com
Melba’s Floral Studio Familyowned and -operated, fullservice business, works to meet
any budget. Albuquerque;
(800) 289-6444;
melbasfloralstudio.com
jewelry
Douglas Magnus Turquoise
jewelry using stones from New
Mexico’s Tiffany Cerrillos
Mines. Santa Fe; (505) 9836777; douglasmagnus.com
Absolute Entertainment Mariachi and guitar. (505) 986-5882;
musicsantafe.com
DIGITAL EXTRA! NEW MEXICO | February 2014
by
Maja Custom Catering.
Behind these
great
weddings...
flowers
Peoples Flowers Albuquerque;
(505)-884-1600;
peoplesflowers.com
Kevin’s Photography
(505) 345-6322;
kevinsphotography.net
Here are some of the
singers, bakers, and
Santa Fe Floral Santa Fe; (505)
982-4143; santafefloral.com
Mariachi Nuevo Sonido
(505) 899-3075;
mariachinuevosonido.net
candlestick placers (and
more!) who participated in
featured weddings.
Simply Shelia Taos; (575)
737-0245; simplyshelia.com
Kim Jackson Photography
(505) 850-6124;
kimjacksonphotography.com
Michael Hearne and his band
South by Southwest. (615)
262-6886; michaelhearne.com
edibles
Cutmaster Music DJ. (505)
269-5585; cutmastermusic.com
Los Primos (Full disclosure:
led by Susana’s husband, Juan
Lucero.) A seasoned group of
musicians, performing the traditional music of the mariachi
and trío romántico. Specializing
in ceremonies, receptions, and
la marcha. (505) 839-2286;
losprimos.co
Ronald Roybal Romantic,
earthy, and ethereal Native
American–style flute and
Spanish classical guitar. (505)
466-2242; ronaldroybal.com
Santa Fe Goldworks HandTapestry Jazz and party band.
crafted custom inlay wedding
(334) 782-3952;
rings. Santa Fe; (877) 982-2875; tapestryband.com
santafegoldworks.com
K Frances Designs Along with
custom wedding rings, Kay Frances has also created cufflinks
for the king of Spain. (505)
293-6901; romerojewelers.net
food
Michael Hearne and his band,
South by Southwest, serenade
bride Renae Vagher Quinn.
papel picado
JMohr Studio Papel picado
with Southwestern motifs by a
Contemporary Hispanic Market
artist. jmohrstudio.com
hair &
makeup
¡Ándele! Restaurante Las
Cruces; (575) 526-9333;
andelerestaurante.com
Mesh Hair Studio Juliann
Upton. Albuquerque; (505)
858-3000; meshhairstudio.com
Cake Fetish Albuquerque;
(505) 883-0670; cakefetish.com
Makeup Santa Fe Santa Fe;
(505) 412-5125;
makeupsantafe.com
The Cake Shop Las Cruces;
(575) 639-7170; on Facebook
Salon Marjorie Taos; (575)
751-7246; salonmarjorie.com
The Chocolate Lady Mesilla;
(575) 526-2744; oldmesilla.org
New Mexico Pie Company
Albuquerque; (505)-506-2928;
nmpiecompany.com
Q’s Cakes Albuquerque;
(505) 514-6775; qcakes.com
event design
Corazón Events (505)
890-4381; corazonevents.com
Joanne Emerick Las Cruces;
(505) 975-4033;
[email protected]
Orange September Albuquerque; (505)-263-6057;
orangeseptember.com
jewelry
The Golden Eye Santa Fe;
(505) 984-0040;
goldeneyesantafe.com
TWIN LENS, ASHLeY DAVIS, liz anne photography
As the woman behind of NewMexicoWeddingMagazine.com, Susana Lucero spends her day
poring over the visuals, details, and vendors
that compose some of the state’s most beautiful
weddings. Here are some of her favorite nuptial
building blocks.
Marc Howard Santa Fe; (505)
820-1080; marc-howard.com
photographers
Anne Staveley Photography
(505) 577-1555;
annestaveley.com
Ashley Davis Photography
(303) 447-0429;
ashleydavisphotography.com
Latisha Lyn Photography (505)
977-2835; latishalyn.com
Talitha Tarro Photography
(505) 264-7123;
talithatarro.com
2 Birds Studio Robin Parrott
(505) 429-9100; robinparrott.com
venues
Bonanza Creek Ranch Near
La Cienega; (505) 615-6159;
bonanzacreekranch.com
Just
desserts
Jeff and Maeve Henry Lavelle, who live
in Phoenix, decided to have a destination
wedding in New Mexico, where Maeve grew
up. At the recommendation of their wedding
planner, Vicki Lee Newsom, of event company
Orange September, the bride and groom
worked with New Mexico Pie Company to
create a locally themed dessert bar. They
served caramel apple green chile mini-pies,
chocolate hazelnut red chile mini-pies,
biscochitos, and Mexican wedding cookies.
Their cake was composed of a layer of vanilla
sponge cake filled with cinnamon-and-anise
whipped cream and berries, and another layer
of chocolate buttermilk cake filled with red
chile Grand Marnier orange cream.
El Monte Sagrado
Taos; (575)758-3502;
elmontesamarriΩgrado.com
Hacienda Doña Andrea Los
Cerrillos; (505) 424-8995;
hdasantafe.com
La Fonda Hotel Santa Fe; (505)
995-2322; lafondasantafe.com
Los Poblanos Historic Inn &
Organic Farm Los Ranchos de
Albuquerque; (505) 344-9297;
lospoblanos.com
Rio Grande Winery Las
Cruces; (575) 524-3985;
riograndewinery.com
For more
video
artists
Luminance Wedding Films
(505) 301-1668;
luminanceweddingfilms.com
Vlad Films (505) 490-9184;
vladfilms.com
nm
weddings,
visit NewMexicoWeddingMagazine.com, created by
Susana Lucero. Read more
about her and her family
in this month’s “Editor’s
Letter,” p. 6.
nmmagazine.com | February 2014 DIGITAL EXTRA!