These Grooms Took Whimsical Glam to the Next Level During Their Wedding at Vibiana in Los Angeles
The phrase, “What’s meant to be will always find a way,” can apply to a lot of things in life. For Enrique Cheng-Robles (56, a family physician) and Cole Williams (30, a recruiter), their love story started with a series of chance meetings that ultimately led to a first date. The Los Angeles–based couple, who married on May 20, 2023, first met in 2017 at The Chapel, a bar and dance club in West Hollywood. “Enrique approached me and asked if I wanted to do a tequila shot with him. I did,” recalls Cole. “Then we exchanged contact information and he called the very next day. But somehow, our busy lives got in the way.” Over the next year, Cole and Enrique occasionally saw each other during nights out with friends. And although Cole says that Enrique was hard to miss—“He was always dressed to the nines in a suit!”—it was a slow burn. Finally, after rekindling their romance through a dating app, they went on their first official date in July 2018. “I was so smitten after that,” says Enrique. “It was obvious to me that Cole was a pure soul. His smile melted my heart. It was like nothing I had ever experienced before.”
With a shared love of travel, they visited Paris; Honolulu; Puerto Vallarta, Mexico; and London. But Enrique says it was their first trip as a couple to New Orleans that stands out as the time when he decided he wanted to marry Cole. “Knowing his pure heart and kind energy and our chemistry together…Well, it just hit me at that moment. I said to myself, I’m going to marry this beautiful man,” shares Enrique.
So in December 2021, Enrique planned a surprise weekend trip back to New Orleans, complete with a private streetcar tour with a brass band onboard, as well as an incognito photographer and videographer. The tour guide briefly distracted Cole, and when he turned back around, Enrique was on bended knee asking Cole to marry him. Enrique presented him with an engagement ring—a round, brilliant-cut, 3.64-carat Tiffany & Co. diamond—at exactly 11:11 am, which was even more sentimental for the couple. “Cole and I have a special connection around 11:11,” Enrique explains. “We feel it is the universe’s way of reminding us of how connected we are. If we happen to look at the clock at that time, we will text each other with our love.” The proposal concluded with a champagne toast and a surprise engagement celebration aboard the streetcar. Cole’s friends and parents were waiting further down the tracks (Enrique had secretly flown them in) and hopped on to join the revelry as they drove down St. Charles Avenue.
Enrique and Cole wanted to celebrate their wedding at home in Los Angeles. With the help of their wedding planner, Jason Mitchell Kahn, they got to work bringing their “whimsical glam” vision to life. First: the venue. The couple chose to marry at Vibiana, a former Catholic cathedral in downtown LA that dates to 1876. Reflecting on their Catholic upbringings, Enrique and Cole appreciated the venue’s grand architecture. Its outdoor space and in-house catering provided by Redbird (Vibiana’s sister restaurant) were other perks.
Next up: the designer fashion. Enrique and Cole tapped into their glitter-meets-glamour style with personalized Gucci tuxedos. Cole paired his mauve, double-breasted tux with an oversized white bow tie, cream-colored ankle boots and mother-of-pearl cuff links. Enrique chose a black tuxedo accessorized with a black oversized bow tie, white pocket square, black diamond cuff links and patent leather shoes. Heirlooms put the finishing touch on the ensembles. Enrique carried a family medallion from his mother and wore a cross gifted by his late grandmother. Following the “something borrowed, something blue” tradition, Cole wore his mother’s diamond earring and carried a blue embroidered handkerchief.
When it came time for the ceremony, personal touches and emotions brought the historic venue to life. Enrique walked down the aisle to Beyoncé’s “Halo” and Cole to Elvis Presley’s “Can’t Help Falling in Love.” Up next, the officiant performed parts of the ceremony in both English and Spanish, in honor of Enrique’s heritage and to make the event accessible to his Peruvian relatives in attendance. Through happy tears, they exchanged handwritten vows. “The main highlight for us was that neither of us knew what the other was going to say until we were up at the altar,” says Cole. “It was truly a beautiful moment to hear how we each felt about our relationship and commitment to one another.” It was Enrique’s favorite part of the day, and he recalls how it felt to stand there surrounded by family and friends while watching Cole walk down the aisle. “Knowing that this amazing man loves me the way I love him and will be mine forever just makes my heart swell,” says Enrique. “The vows really brought that home for me.”
Finally, after exchanging wedding rings, they sealed their union with a tequila shot at the altar—an homage to the night they met. It was a standout moment from the day for the couple and their guests, says Cole. Mendelssohn’s “Wedding March” ushered guests into the cocktail hour in the courtyard, where they took glasses of champagne from gloved hands coming out of a decorative hedge wall.
Inside the venue, a color palette of blush, mauve, lavender and bright pink blended the couple’s tastes. The pastel pink and purple tones, showcased through flowers, menu cards and soft ceremony lighting, captured Enrique’s appreciation for formality and tradition. Vibrant pops of color—including hot-pink tablecloths and a yellow signature cocktail (a Peruvian-inspired “Kiko Sour”)—spoke to Cole’s love of trendy and unusual details. Accents of black, white and forest green provided contrast and depth. No two centerpieces were exactly the same, but many included a mix of anthuriums, pincushion proteas, spider mums, dahlias and sweet peas. Lavender roses in the centerpieces, bridesmaid bouquets and groomsmen boutonnieres nodded to Cole’s parents, who used them on their own wedding day.
The reception began with Enrique and Cole’s memorable entrance: a New Orleans–style second line. The newlyweds performed their first dance to Adele’s “Make You Feel My Love” and served a California-chic dinner consisting of watermelon and feta salad, California sea bass and cauliflower steak. As the festivities kicked into high gear, attendees decorated their faces with sparkles and rhinestones at a glitter station, echoing the fun vibes of the colorful lights projected onto the ceiling all night. At one point, Cole snuck away for an outfit change and stepped onto the dance floor in a neon yellow, long-sleeve Balenciaga maxi dress accessorized with a hot-pink Saint Laurent clutch and Christian Louboutin stilettos. The couple had one final surprise up their sleeves: a performance by Sasha Colby, the Season 15 winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race. As the reception ended, guests received gift boxes filled with Bottega Louie macarons, heart-shaped tea bags and coffee inspired by Enrique and Cole’s favorite drinks, respectively. The newlyweds hosted an after-party at The Chapel, where they first met.
Looking back, Enrique and Cole agree that the most important piece of advice for other to-be-weds is to stay present as much as possible during the planning process, because it’s over so quickly. “Enjoy the process, even the stressful moments,” says Cole. Enrique adds, “Everything works out in the end. Don’t lose focus of the reason for the wedding: marrying the love of your life.”