Alberto and Dayana's Love Story

“We have a lot of dreams, and together we will make them come true”

Your theme is one of the most important details when planning a wedding, it sets the tone for the whole event. When I asked my sister (in law) Dayana what her theme was she simply replied, “our wedding theme was obviously Love, we chose fuchsia for bridesmaids and the bouquet, and the design of the cake was a gift box because marriage and love are gifts from God”. Of all the answers ever given to that question, that is certainly my favourite.

Alberto and Dayana met on their first day of University in 2002 and instantly forged a unique and special friendship, they soon became best friends, sharing all the things they had in common, supporting one another and learning from each other. It would only be three years into their friendship that they became a couple. Since then they have experienced so much together, from graduating college and moving to a different country, to starting their life as a married couple and planning a family.

Their wedding took place on December 18, 2010 and began with a ceremony at Lakewood Church in Houston, followed by a reception at the Crowne Plaza hotel and an after party hosted by Dayana’s cousins Andres and Shaddia. Simple, classic and elegant, their big day had a unique welcoming touch, which I believe was because it was planned by family, with the exception of the ceremony at Lakewood, organised by Kathy Trevino.

Dayana and Alberto’s wedding holds a very special place in my heart, not just because he is my brother and I love her like a sister, but because I helped make it happen. This was my first real planning experience, I remember arriving in Houston exactly a month before the wedding and asking the bride what she had ready, to which she replied ‘the church and the dress’. Granted these are the most important things but in order to make their day truly memorable I would have to put my organising skills into overdrive, and that I did. From finding a hotel to host the reception with short notice, picking a menu and going cake tasting to DIY decorations, online invites and wedding favours… we made it happen.

ASK THE BRIDE 

How did you find your dress?

I selected the wedding dress online while we were still in Venezuela, but as soon as I came to Houston I went to Camille La Vie Bridal to make sure it was the perfect dress for me… and it was.

What did you feel walking down the aisle?

I was happy and excited, I felt thrilled seeing the faces of the people there to share our love, and my excitement was unexplainable when I looked at my fiancé and saw the smile on his face, it was an unforgettable moment.

What was the most important part of your wedding?

Sharing that special moment with our families and realising that we would be together for the rest of our lives. A great journey was starting for us in that moment.

Favorite part of your bridal experience?

Starting out as best friends and ending up married. From the actual wedding the best moment was standing before God and our families choosing to be together forever.

Worst Bridezilla moment on the day? 

The stylist wasn’t at the salon when I got there, so I went to her house to pick her up.

Best souvenir or keepsake?

We had these clear picture cubes that were placed on each table, they looked great and we kept one for ourselves.

Something old, new, borrowed and blue?

Something new: the dress and tiara. Something old and borrowed: the necklace and earrings my cousin Nola lent me, they were the same accessories she used for her wedding. Something blue: the garter.

“The secret to our success as a couple is that I married my best friend”