This Colorful Private Residence Wedding in Fresno, California, Was a Prismatic Work of Art

Much of Jenn Emerling (37 and a wedding and travel photographer) and Roque Rodriguez’s (42 and a designer and producer) love story centers around their home. “It is where we fell in love, had our first kiss and where we expressed our creativity during the pandemic lockdown,” says Jenn. For their at-home wedding, Jenn, a self-proclaimed maximalist, envisioned “color, lights and music filling up our backyard, our front porch drenched in florals, with our favorite people gathered together all in one place. I could see it. I could feel it.” She calls the vibe “folk art meets pop art.” Specifically, Leonard Knight’s Salvation Mountain art installation inspired the epic tunnel guests walked through at the colorful whimsical-yet- eclectic nuptials. 

Jenn designed a 17-page deck to visualize all of the design details and setup. Every detail had sentimental value and much of the decor came from their own home. The couple tapped the wealth of local talent to achieve their vision. “Our color-blocked vases were made by a glassblower who went to Fresno State and our street sign and candleholder were made by our neighbor across the street,” says Jenn. The couple wove a personalized logo of two hands holding a moon throughout their design. It nods to a saying Jenn likes: “Love is like holding moonlight. It’s rare, and not everyone gets to touch it.” Additionally, the couple “even commissioned piñatas to look like us and our dog, as well as a giant ring-pop piñata to represent the one Roque proposed with. We both love piñatas and I had one of Roque made for his 40th birthday. We decided it would be super fun to have Jenn and Max (our dog) piñatas too. They were a huge hit—we even crowd-surfed them during the party!" says Jenn.

Roque’s Mexican heritage inspired many wedding details beyond the piñatas. “Roque’s father passed away when he was a teen, so we created an ofrenda to honor his memory—a tradition used during Mexico’s Dia de los Muertos,” Jenn says. “Also, during the reception, we passed out confetti-filled eggs and smashed them on everyone’s heads, which is a fun Easter tradition in Mexican culture.”

The couple left their flower arrangements in the hands of their floral designer. “I cried happy tears when I saw the installation for the first time. It was lush, layered and filled with surprising elements,” says Jenn. 

“The fashion reveals from our guests were some of my favorite parts of the day,” says Jenn. “Many folks were inspired to dress in the spirit of us, embracing bold color. At one point my brother said to me, ‘Normally you are the most colorful person in the room, but not today!’ Which I consider a success.”