Monica + Phillip

Monica walked into the living room crowded with family and was met with “oohs” and “aahs” and smiles. Then her aunts took her by the hand and began to dance. The celebration of the life Monica was about to share with Phillip had begun and there was joy on her face as she moved around the room in her wedding gown. 

 

A short time later Phillip arrived to play his part in another wedding day custom. Monica’s sister guarded the door and wouldn’t let him leave with his bride for the church until he’d made a satisfactory offer for Monica’s hand. A wad of cash appeared, a gift bag exchanged hands, there was lots of laughing and soon, a beaming Phillip and his bride headed out the door. They were married a short time later at St. Therese Catholic Church. 

Monica’s gown, delicate in its lace details and thin shoulder straps, set off her own serene beauty perfectly. And when she and Phillip stepped into the warm May sun on the grounds of Philbrook, where their reception awaited, the two of them literally glowed. The tiered southern garden at Philbrook was set in stair-step fashion with large square tables topped by yellow roses. Ornate wooden chairs brought a level of elegance that perfectly complemented Philbrook’s classic setting. When the sun went down, lighting in the trees and around the fountain at the base of the garden cast a pretty pink glow on everything. 

It was a great night to celebrate a marriage of cultures. Monica’s family led everyone in traditional dances and then readily mixed it up with the couples’ friends when the DJ played a modern beat. Their friends and family mingled late into the pleasant night when, at last, the two waved goodbye in the darkness and set off for their life together. We wish them the best! _ Kelly