1. Real Weddings

Sylvia & Mike: An Intercultural Wedding in Mission Hills, KS

The romance of railway travel is often associated with a bygone era. But Michael (Mike) Haverty proved that railroad romance is still alive with his m

The romance of railway travel is often associated with a bygone era. But Michael (Mike) Haverty proved that railroad romance is still alive with his modern day proposal in a refurbished railcar to Sylvia Surjaatmadja. The Bride Sylvia Surjaatmadja, 30, marketing communications manager The Groom Michael (Mike) Haverty, 32, business development manager The Date October 15 Though they opted not to hire a consultant, Sylvia relied heavily on the expertise of her vendors to help bring her wedding visions to reality. “We had a lot of different hands involved in different pieces,” she says. “In fact, sometimes I would laugh and think, ‘All this work for one day!’” Their families also pitched in to help, and the result was a beautiful fall-themed affair with both Indonesian (Sarah’s heritage) and Irish (Mike’s background) influences.

Balinese dancers welcomed everyone to the dance floor after dinner, with the newlyweds taking a spin to Frank Sinatra’s “The Way You Look Tonight” for their first dance.
A white bridal bouquet of sweet peas, tulips (Sylvia’s favorite flower), ranunculuses, and phalaenopsis orchids, all scattered with small sparkling crystals, rounded out her wedding day ensemble.
The Ceremony Decor
Guests were sent home at the end of the celebration with one final nod to Sylvia’s heritage: small silver boxes made in Indonesia.
The happy couple hopped aboard a trolley with their wedding party and headed off to have their photos taken around town, making a special stop at the railcar where Michael proposed.
Crystal hurricanes and towering centerpieces of cymbidium orchids, bittersweet, hydrangeas, lilies, and roses adorned the guest tables at the reception.
The couple was married in a historic cathedral in downtown Kansas City. In honor of Michael’s Irish heritage, bagpipers escorted the newlyweds during their recessional.
The two-piece Watters & Watters bridesmaid dresses featured low-V backs and narrow belted waistlines. Since Mike and a few of the other groomsmen owned tuxedos, they rented similar tuxes for the remaining attendants at Pinstripes in Kansas City.
Simple nosegays in fall colors adorned the end of each pew, and two larger arrangements at the altar added another burst of color.
Sylvia’s boss’ wife makes wedding cakes as a hobby, and she created the incredibly moist and delicious four-tiered chocolate and vanilla wedding cake. “The cake was such a hit that we ended up serving the top tier because everyone was asking for more,” admits Sylvia.
For her walk down the aisle, Sylvia donned a silk taffeta ball gown by Stephen Yearick. Originally it featured cap sleeves and was cut straight across the back, but Sylvia had it customized into a strapless gown with a V back. She kept her accessories fairly traditional with simple earrings, a tennis bracelet that her grandmother had given her mother, and comfortable ballerina-style slippers.
The Bridesmaid Bouquets