An Old World Portugal Meets Mexico Wedding

An elegant outdoor picnic, sangria and caipirinhas, a family tree with old pictures of ancestors, and Spanish and Mexican music; these are just a small part of this incredible wedding that was a reflection of the Portuguese and Mexican cultures of the bride and groom, Catia and Marcus.

The bright, vibrant colours of the bridal party clothing, bouquets and floral arrangements, and the beautiful tablescape of the outdoor tables really make this wedding so incredible.

We love this fun, relaxed wedding, photographed by Shoops Photography.

“Our focus was not on having a “different” wedding, but rather having a wedding that was authentic. We wanted our wedding to reflect our cultures, values, families and personalities: Old World Portugal meets Mexico/country. We wanted an understated, unstuffy, effortlessly elegant outdoor picnic with amazing food and wine that would make our guests feel at home. We achieved this vibe by having the reception at Marcus’ family farm in Wilton, having a Portuguese inspired menu and drinks, sangria and caipirinhas (Brazilian rum drink), mix of Spanish, Portuguese and Mexican music, Mariachis, and the Lasso during ceremony. We also kept things relaxed by having no seating plan and a family style menu which forced our guests to interact with one another. We also had a family tree with lots of old pictures of our ancestors. This exemplified the strength of our family values and the roots we sprouted from and will continue to nurture for future generations.

“We chose one of the oldest Portuguese Churches in America for our wedding. Over 100 years old, St. Elizabeth Church is the parish where my family have been members since emigrating from Portugal in 1985. It is a quaint church with stunning stained glass windows and Mediterranean architectural features. During the ceremony, we had the entire mass accented by the music of Los Gallos Mariachis. This was a reflection of Marcus’ Mexican side of the family and really set the tone of our wedding day, which was a celebration of our two families and cultures joining as one.

“We were involved in every aspect of the wedding, from choosing the theme, colours, décor, hay bale couches/seating, pillows, accents, music, menu, kids activity table, guest favours, etc. We even worked together with our families on several DIY projects, including various hand-painted signs, the family tree, and large flower stringers that were the backdrop to the head table; however, due to our hectic work schedules, we hired a wedding planner to help us execute our vision.

“Our wedding colours consisted of blues, greens, chartreuses, and yellows. These colours reflect the Mediterranean Ocean and the pastures of Wilton, CA, and were pulled through in the table settings, décor, flower girls’ dresses and flowers, which consisted of Maidenhair ferns, Bells of Ireland, hydrangeas antique, succulents (grey colours), dahlias, stock, berries, parrot tulip orange protea, craspedia, and green kale.

“The Old World meets Wilton Country theme was also reflected in the table settings and décor, and even in my jewellery. I found a Vintage, 1930s, Portuguese Filigree necklace and bracelet online that were one of kind and very traditional. It was the perfect accent for the reception portion of the wedding, when I removed my Spanish lace veil.

“Our families and close friends played a pivotal role in our special day. Our respective siblings served as the maid of honor, matron of honor, and best man, and our closest friends were in our wedding party, as well as our nieces and nephews as flower girls and ring bearers. For our first dance, my thirteen year old sister, Tatiana, a gifted pianist, composed an original song which was a one of a kind treasured gift.

“Our favorite memories, aside from exchanging our vows in front of our families and closest friends, was seeing everyone out on the dance floor, under the market lights and red wood trees throughout the evening…. the after party included delivery of Pizza Bell pizza, a private playlist of old Country and Mexican music, and lasted until 3am.”