Colorful Handmade Decor Honored the Groom's Mexican Heritage at a Welcome Dinner in Pebble Beach, California
It was 2015 when Allie had just started her sophomore year of college at LMU. She was working at Mendocino Farms in Marina del Rey when she first met her shift manager, Julio. Though he lived in Inglewood at the time, Julio was saving up to transfer to university. Allie says, “It was obvious to both of us, and our friends/family, that we had a deep connection from the start. We came from completely different walks of life, but understood each other without trying!”
The two discussed marriage throughout their relationship, something Allie assumed would wait until after she graduated from law school. But her future groom surprised her one October during her school’s fall break with a trip to Carmel. “I was completely shocked (as evidenced by the fact I was wearing Nikes and joggers, while Julio was in a suit). My family had secretly flown into the area as well and were hiding behind a rock formation while he popped the question,” she adds, calling the moment “perfect.”
The couple took two years for wedding planning, to help give them time as they juggled work and school. With the date set for September, the months leading up to the big day were a whirlwind. Allie graduated from law school in May and took the bar exam in July, letting the final few months be dedicated to the wedding. “From then on, we reminded ourselves to be present in the moment and appreciate being bride and groom,” she says. “Being engaged was such a special and amazing phase of our lives together.”
Bringing their two different cultures together in their wedding weekend was important to the nearlyweds, with Allie’s Scottish background and Julio’s Mexican heritage. To kick off the events would be a welcome dinner on that Friday at one of their favorite spots, Barmel Supper Club. This venue would be host to a Mexican-themed night, honoring her groom and his family. Having moved to the US when Julio was four years old with his older brothers and parents, his older sister stayed in Mexico. Sadly, she also wouldn’t be able to make it to the wedding, but her presence was felt throughout the weekend. Allie says, “She kindly offered to make all of the welcome party decorations for us in Mexico and coordinated with Julio’s mom to bring them to the venue from LA. She made traditional papel picado with our names. She also made pins and centerpieces that looked like me and Julio out of Migajon for guests to wear and take home.”
Migajon is a traditional type of art from Mexico, utilizing bread dough as the base rather than clay. She embellished the pins and centerpieces with colorful ribbons, which blended seamlessly with the restaurant’s Latin-American theming. The couple found other ways to honor their loved ones who couldn’t be there, like their late grandparents. Allie wore a white dress with monarch butterflies sewn on, a symbol her family used to celebrate her grandmother, while they served drinks at the party in tribute to both of their late grandfathers: "Abuelito's Paloma" and "Gramp's G&T."
During this welcome party, there was also a fun ceremonial tradition that the couple participated in. “[The] Mexican Lasso Ceremony is a symbolic declaration of a couple’s intention to voluntarily bind themselves together before their family and friends. In Mexico, couples choose “padrinos” (godparents) to serve as sponsors and guides for their wedding and marriage… [who] perform the lasso ceremony,” Allie says. As for their wedding day, they planned to incorporate some Scottish culture into the day as well, like bagpipes during the cocktail hour and a dark green velvet plaid tuxedo for Julio.
Aside from the handmade Migajon pins Julio’s sister made, guests also took home hot sauce bottles with custom labels in their welcome bags, the perfect way to start the celebratory weekend. Surrounded by their friends and family, the couple danced on the patio with live music, enjoyed cocktails and mingled with guests on their last night before their wedding. Though the two loved the time they had as an engaged couple, Allie says, “Something tells me being married is going to be even better though!”