This issue’s wedding guide covers a lot of ground— a local bride’s tips and tricks for making the most of the big day; a wedding consultant’s dos and don’ts of wedding planning; and a showcase of different wedding dress styles, a spread that captures the many options available for brides-to-be. Enjoy!
Margo & Annissa Costilla
How did the two of you meet?
We met through mutual friends at the bar Bretz, which is closed now, and stayed great friends for about 15 years. Our lives took us in different directions where we had spans of not talking, and we had different relationships. But it all eventually brought us back to each other with the end result being marriage, knowing neither of us wanted to lose each other again.
Who popped the question, and how?
She did (Annissa). When I returned home from a week-long trip to see my sister in Florida, she told me she never wanted me to leave her again, and could she keep me forever? I, of course, said, “Well, yes, you can,” and she popped out the ring and said, “Please, for the rest of my life.”
What made your wedding day special?
What made our wedding so special to me was that June 2015 (before our wedding in August), gay marriage become legal across all states.
During the wedding process, did you ever want to elope and just get it over with?
Absolutely not. Our wedding was DIY, and I wish I could do it again 100 times over.
Was there anything in the wedding that didn’t go according to plan?
Yes, of course. I didn’t find these things out until the wedding was over since my wife is so amazing and kept me out of the loop. Our wedding coordinator suggested that we change the position and walking entrance of the wedding party the day of, after we had already practiced over and over.
Did you do anything in the wedding that would be considered nontraditional?
Yes, all my bridesmaids that wore dresses wore white. I also feel that, being a gay couple, our whole wedding was nontraditional.
Your top three moments:
Walking down the aisle seeing her glowing face; our lantern that was released at night, riding in golf carts around the golf course, to take wedding pictures.
Three words to describe your wedding reality: Huge, colorful, unforgettable
How big was your wedding? 250 people.
Wedding coordinator: Becky Clawson.
Caterer: Valleywood Golf Course.
Baker: Becky Clawson.
Photographer and/or videographer: Trademark images.
Florist: a friend of ours named Dawn
Music/entertainment: Tom Carrot DJ.
Photo Booth: John Pollock photography.
Tips and tricks for other couples: Don’t let anything stress you out. No one knows how the wedding is supposed to be but you. Don’t forget to take pictures with both sides of the wedding party, and make sure your DJ knows how to pronounce everyone in the wedding party’s name.
Where did you spend your honeymoon?
We didn’t. We wanted to save the money for a house.
Was there a bridal shower, lingerie party, or bachelorette party?
The bridal party was put on by my sister and best friend. It was coordinated with the wedding theme, which was bright and white. For the bachelorette party, my friends threw me a bar hop dancing party where I had to complete a list of tasks by the end of the night.
Anything else you’d like to share?
If you’re able to do your wedding DIY, do it. It was so much fun for me and my mother to spend all that time together planning the whole thing.
owner
What are the most challenging things about planning a wedding?
When you are handling multiple weddings a year, there is always something that changes. Reacting to the problem at hand is what most people hire us for. They don’t want to deal with last minute changes and/or challenges yet they are to be expected on a wedding day. We train our entire team to be at the ready with answers and/or solutions to the ever-changing events or situations that can arise, always ready to adjust to the problems that can happen.
What are the most common mistakes people make while planning their own weddings?
Assigning a friend or family member to serve as a wedding planner. These people should be enjoying your celebration along side you. That is a lot of responsibility to put on someone that doesn’t do this several times a year.
Brides who “assume” that the venue will handle all of the details are, often, misled. Your point of contact for the venue is not necessarily trained to handle all of the other responsibilities that a separate wedding coordinator anticipates and handles.
Do you remember any curve balls during a wedding that surprised you? How did you address it?
We pride ourselves in the bride NOT knowing that anything went wrong. There are always those last minute things that no one anticipated….not having an auxiliary cord to play your music; groomsmen passing out at the altar; the cake melting before the couple even arrives at the reception; the limo not having air conditioning on a hot day; grandma not having good directions to the ceremony location and calling the father of the bride immediately before he is ready to walk his daughter down the aisle… I could go on and on.
The most elaborate thing anyone has requested for their wedding:
Several years ago we were part of a team of designers who created a clear dance floor made of plexiglass that had gold fish swimming in it. The appearance was that the guests were dancing on water.
Your biggest triumph as a wedding planner:
Every weekend! Once that bride gets down the aisle, our job is only 1/2 over. We still have the reception to work through. When we are saying our good byes to our brides (who become our friends) and the bride says with a gracious tone of voice….”We could not have done this without you” – we know they could have but we are so glad they didn’t. Or when a father of the bride (or groom) says “you are the best money we spent.”
Two things you should do when you are planning a wedding:
1. Have a go-to person on the day of that is not a family member and who has experience to make tough decisions; someone that will make a decision the way YOU would respond to a situation
2. Do not think that everything will be perfect; things will happen that are not what you anticipated. Be flexible and pick your battles about what you are going to let upset you.
Say “Yes to the Dress”
Toledo brides showcase their unique gowns.
Rebecca Trumbull Photography
This bride is MacKenzie. She had a winter wedding and went all out. I would describe the dress style as ‘princess’— sparkling from head to toe and full and fancy. I do not see ball gown style dresses commonly. They can be heavy which makes things very warm. In July, a ball gown might be uncomfortable to wear, but in December, this dress was a great choice. MacKenzie paired her gown with a faux fur wrap which made the ensemble even more classy and royal looking. The dress trends lately have included a lot of lace and a more fitted silhouette. This bride’s choice for attire was very different!” — Rebecca Trumbull Photography
Noelle Ann Photography
“Jess and Jason live in Toledo but wanted to elope in their favorite location, Sedona, Arizona. They brought me along to photograph their intimate wedding amongst the red rocks. Her dress was handmade by her brother Quentin Hyde and Jess did the beadwork. I thought it was just really amazing that her dress was handcrafted by her brother whom she’s very close with. Jess and Quentin collaborated to combine a style of classic 1930’s Hollywood with botanical elements inspired by the agave plant and the southwest. She wore earrings that belonged to her mother, and a necklace purchased in Sedona that was a perfect fit with the rest of her attire.” — Noelle Shumer
Mary Pencheff Photography
Swatch Studios
“We love Kallie’s dress because she opted for a unique, blush gown (as many brides are starting to do). The soft layered tulle skirt was so light and airy and flowed like a dream. We loved the lace top and especially enjoyed the custom detail that bedazzled the back of her dress.” — Diana Clayton
