It’s been over a decade since the love of Dorka and Steven first blossomed! They got married when they were what feels like, babies but they never had a “real” wedding. So, for their ten-year anniversary, they flew to Puerto Rico for a destination vow renewal! The vibes were checked, the sun was shining and the colors were vibrant. Dorka and I first met when Gabby introduced us for a studio shoot. I’ll be honest, I was a little hesitant when Gabby said “Hey, I have a friend from high school who does really good makeup”! But after seeing the work that she produces and how she carries herself around clients, she really impressed me. After that, we slowly started to see each other at weddings and Dorka was (and still is) all the hype!
As she and Steven started planning the wedding they always dreamt of they reached out to Rae from Rae Nicole Events for guidance. Her vibe was tropical and trendy and they had a huge presence of her native home, Puerto Rico. They reached out to Andi Mejia for custom stationery which included a variety of textures and muted colors. The weather was perfect, hot, but so beautiful! Since we got to Puerto Rico a couple of days before the vow renewal the Florida crew took full advantage and strolled the cultured streets of PR. Of course, I couldn’t pass on the opportunity to get creative so I had Gabby bring some pieces and we had a mini photoshoot!
Fashion Forward Vow Renewal
Guests came with a sense of fashion with everyone dressing to the nines! Steven wore a double-breasted linen suit which was perfect for the tropical environment! Dorka looked gorgeous walking down the aisle with her sweet dad! She walked down wearing a stunning Ines Di Santo gown from The Bridal Finery! They kept their ceremony intimate and were married by a longtime friend and pastor local to Puerto Rico. After the ceremony guests gathered by the water for cocktail hour. It was truly a dream!
When I walked into their reception space for the first time I was astonished! It was so unique with a lounge-like setup for their parent’s tables. They put so much thought into the experience of their guests. After the formalities, Dorka changed into a sparkly cutout gown from Calvet Couture and the two entered the reception space again to start the party! Only this time, they were joined by cabezudos, or in other words people with big heads. This is a popular tradition in the Puerto Rico culture which resembles popular figures from Old San Juan. Everyone had a blast! Including the vendors and we felt so honored to be there to celebrate one of our favorite vendor friends.
