Kayla and Austin’s vibrant Santa Fe wedding celebration at La Fonda on the Plaza knocked our socks right off—or should we say boots? As in, we can NOT stop ogling over the crazy-amazing colors and details imagined by the incredible team at The Hitching Post. The florals by Melissa Paquin of Renegade Floral are beyond gorgeous and the invitation suite by the one-and-only Ladyfingers Letterpress is stationery taken to another level. You guys have to check out all the fun and lively details in these beautiful images by the talented Alicia Lucia Photography. We know you’re going to love it too!
What made the wedding special and unique?
Just having the wedding in Santa Fe; it was the place that we fell in love and also the place that we got engaged. Being able to share that place with our family and friends made the wedding so incredibly special to us.
One of the most unique things about our wedding is that we did a venue flip, meaning that the ceremony and reception were in the same place and the dinner was at a separate location. The ceremony and cocktail hour was at La Fonda on the Plaza, which is right off the Santa Fe square. After the cocktail hour we paraded through the Santa Fe square to Coyote Cafe, where dinner was. The parade was a huge hit with our guests and was so much fun. The guests picked up their escort cards at the cocktail party, which were miniature tambourines with colorful ribbon attached to them. During the parade, all of our guests were shaking their tambourines and dancing their way down the streets as Savor, a Cuban street music band, played.
Tell us about the gown and where/how you found it!
I really love long-sleeved wedding dresses and wanted to find the perfect one for our wedding. I wanted a dress that was flowy and had a bohemian feel to it. After much searching, I went to Stardust Celebrations in Plano, Texas and completely fell in love with Hailey Paige’s Remmington Gown. The detailed beading on the top of the dress was to die for and the rosewater color combined with flowing net bottom gave it that bohemian feel that I was wanting. The dress also had a small band on the waistline that helped accentuate my waist, which flattered my figure. It truly was my dream dress.
What were some touches added to make the wedding personal?
One of my favorite personal touches were our floral initials. Our florist made a floral “K” and “A” and placed them at the entrance of the ceremony. They later moved to sit on the fireplace for the reception. The floral initials were definitely one of my favorite design elements.
Another of my favorite personal touches was our craft cocktail bar. Austin and I love handcrafted cocktails with fresh ingredients; it has even became a joke between our friends that since being together we have become “craft cocktail connoisseurs.” Our wedding designer, Jessie Baca, helped us implement this into our wedding by creating a jar bar. Our guests would choose their liquor and their ingredients (which consisted of fresh herbs and fruit). Their concoction was put into a jar, topped off with soda water, shaken and served.
What was the most memorable part of the day?
The most memorable part of the day was the first look. It was very emotional and intimate. In that moment we were able to soak everything in and truly appreciate the meaning of the day. It will be a moment that I will forever remember for the rest of my life.
Tell us how you met and became engaged.
Austin and I met through mutual friends while we were in college at Texas Tech University. When we first started dating, we took a spontaneous weekend trip to Santa Fe, NM. Neither of us had been there before and we were not quite sure what to expect. That weekend, we fell in love with Santa Fe as well as each other. As our relationship progressed, Santa Fe quickly became “our place.” One December night, Austin proposed to me in the Plaza square under the Christmas lights.
Photography: Alicia Lucia Photography // Wedding Design, Planning & Coordination: The Hitching Post // Floral Design: Melissa Paquin, Renegade Floral // Invitation suite: Ladyfingers Letterpress // Venue: La Fonda on the Plaza // Gown: Hayley Paige // Cake: Chocolate Maven Bakery // Makeup: Monica Stark Makeup // Hair: Jess Evans Hair and Makeup Artistry // Sounds: Absolute Entertainment / Ceremony: Cielo String Quartet / Cocktails and Parade: Cuban Group Savor / In-House Dance Band: Soulstice Santa Fe // Shoes: Valentino // Bridesmaids Dresses: Amsale // Videography: Scott Hussion