A Romantic Garden Wedding at Hotel Albuquerque in Albuquerque, New Mexico

With a venue exuding Southwestern charm and a color palette of pink, ivory and gold hues, Allison Anderson and James Wenzel's spring wedding was the picture of elegance and romance.

After a traditional Catholic ceremony in Albuquerque’s Old Town, the pair headed to Hotel Albuquerque for dinner and dancing. The historic venue’s Spanish-style gardens played host to the festivities, its wisteria-trimmed pergolas and lush blooms filling the air with a fresh floral fragrance. Crisp white linens gave way to low arrangements of silver dollar eucalyptus, mums and ivory pillar candles that made it easy for guests to chat while keeping the focus on the striking surroundings.

“What really made our décor special was the beautiful handwritten calligraphy on all of our signage,” Allison says. “It filled the space with our personality and added a classy touch.” In lieu of more traditional options like wood or paper, acrylic was used for the signage for a cool, modern touch.

As a play on their last names—Anderson and Wenzel—the couple swapped out the traditional champagne for their toast in favor of A&W root beer floats. “It was a huge hit and right up our alley as, naturally, we are ice cream lovers!” Allison says. Other sweet treats that went over big were pink frosted doughnuts from local shop Rebel Donuts.

After dinner, Allison hit the dance floor with her dad, where they wowed onlookers with their choreographed moves to a medley of upbeat tunes. “It incorporated everything from the handshake from ‘The Parent Trap’ to a shot of tequila with pops following the iconic tequila dance. It was definitely one for the books!” Allison says. When guests needed to rest their dancing feet, they could strike a pose in a photo booth. To keep the party going, the newlyweds treated guests to a late-night snack of quesadillas and empanadas.