Alicia Gaspar de Alba and I were married on Saturday, August 16. We selected this date because it was a full moon with a partial eclipse earlier that day. Also, the Electra yacht in Newport Beach was available that night. It was a small wedding. We shared this day with only 50 family members and friends We wanted to keep the wedding ceremony, dinner and dance on the yacht intimate and comfortable. So, unfortunately, we weren't able to invite many more of our friends.
In this photo, Alicia and I are accompanied by Alicia's mom and sister, our best women (my sister Leti and Alicia's aunt Margot), our four madrinas/godmothers (Ayde, Lindsey, Deena, and Alicia's cousin Blanca), our ring bearers (my niece Amber and Alicia's godchild Bianca), and our flower girls (my nieces Sydney, Sarah and Allison).
The ceremony was performed by Captain Chuck Pieper. He and Alicia worked closely tailoring the ceremony for us. I read a poem by Francisco Alarcon and Alicia read a poem she wrote for us. We had a sand ceremony. The sand vase currently sits in the center of a bookshelf wall in our living room. At the conclusion of the ceremony, our family and friends blew bubbles as Alicia and I danced down the isle to "I Believe in Miracles/You Sexy Thing" by Hot Chocolate.
For the dinner tables, the madrinas helped us make recuerdos consisting of two refrigerator magnets and chocolate covered sunflower seeds in small boxes. We also made our own orchid centerpieces and personalized candles. Everyone, even our vegetarian friends, said they enjoyed dinner.
We had a three layer cake. The bottom layer was white with lemon cream cheese and fresh raspberries. The center layer was white with chocolate truffle and fresh raspberries. The top layer was carrot cake with cream cheese. Unfortunately, Alicia and I only had a tiny bite size slice each of the bottom layer while we posed for the cutting cake ceremony pictures. We ate some of the top layer in our hotel room after the wedding. We are looking forward to our one year anniversary complimentary cake from Cinderella Cakes next summer. It's going to have to be the white with lemon cream cheese and fresh raspberries.
Alicia and I danced all night long. Our first dance was "El Vals de las Mariposas" performed by Chalinillo. The money dance, I think was "La Pollera Colora." Well, at least the first money dance song. The money dance just seemed to go on and on. The flowers girls kept borrowing $1 bills from all the guests to dance with us.
August 16 was an amazingly beautiful and memorable day for us, our family, and friends. We feel so fortunate to have each other to share the rest of our years together. We are so glad that the California Supreme Court ruled in favor of same gender marriage.
Alicia and I are very happy together. How can our happiness and our marriage affect heterosexual marriages negatively? I don't see how.
But, you can help save our happy marriage. Please vote NO on California's Proposition 8 in November.
Posts
