As the owner of Theory Bridal House, I am dedicated to helping others find the perfect wedding dress, in one of the biggest seasons of their life. So it was a unique and wonderful experience to have the opportunity to plan my wedding last year to my now husband, Ismael.
In this feature, I am sharing all the behind-the-scenes details that led to our “Garden Party” wedding celebration and some of our favorite photos! Enjoy!
Wedding Theme
My vision for our wedding day was to be surrounded by the type of flowers you would find in the most beautiful garden. With that in mind, our wedding theme was “Garden Party.”
As you can imagine, I am detail-focused when it comes to weddings, and it was important to us that our guests knew how much we appreciated them traveling to celebrate with us. We had an intimate group of 75, so we integrated small personalized touches. These touches included a customized seating chart and acrylic place cards for each guest. If you know us, you also know coffee has a special place in our hearts, so we turned that detail into a unique wedding favor and had our cocktail hour in a coffee shop!
The Venue
When we saw photos of Hotel Haya online, we instantly knew it was the perfect wedding venue for us. The floor-to-ceiling windows and history of the ballroom sold it for me, along with the modern yet vintage feel that was the perfect mix for us.
One special detail of Hotel Haya is its tribute to Cuban Culture (they’re located in Tampa, FL, about one and a half hours from Theory Bridal House in Orlando). I am Cuban, so it felt like the right fit, along with the fact that the venue created a Cuban-inspired menu with a twist to each dish.
The Dress
Once we booked the wedding venue, I started envisioning my big day, and part of that was thinking about how I wanted to feel. Since we were getting married in a ballroom, I thought it was only fitting to pick a ballgown. I wanted to feel like royalty and go all out!
I also wanted to pick something unlike the dresses Ismael had seen me in. And that was a challenge because owning a bridal shop means he sees me casually playing dress up all the time!
When I first saw a picture of the dress I chose, I remember thinking it was “the one” instantly. It was part of the Maggie Sottero Fall 2024 collection that hadn’t officially launched, so I wouldn’t be able to see it in person until I went to Chicago for the National Bridal Market, where I select the new dresses for Theory Bridal House.
Not only did I get to see my wedding dress on the runway, but I got to try it on with the designer by my side! The Maggie Sottero team made me feel so special. And even though my dress shopping was a little different than most brides, it was absolutely perfect (yes, I cried)!
Fun fact: I did not show any of my bridesmaids my dress and surprised them on our wedding day with a first look! I highly recommend sharing something special like this with your bridal party, as it was so fun listening to them try to guess what dress I may have chosen and created a special memory for us together!
Special Additions
We love our sweet pups, so we included Emma and Zoe in the wedding! Both of them walked down the aisle and were at the altar with us. I’m so happy we got to include them in our special day and get the most perfect pictures with them.
Ismael and I got married ten years to the day we met (which was on a cruise). We were able to print out a life-size photo of the very first picture we ever took, which also happened to be on the cruise!
My Wedding Takeaways
After helping hundreds of brides during their wedding season, and now after celebrating my own, I’ve compiled a quick list of tips to help plan something special for you and your partner!
- Choose details that represent you both. Whether incorporating your pets, heritage, or love of coffee, we found that highlighting something uniquely us helped create an intimate experience with our guests.
- Take time to think about how you want to feel in your dress, look for inspo. Save dresses you think you may like and be open to trying different styles.THE dress is the one that most suits your personal preference and tastes, your wedding theme, and, of course, makes you feel absolutely amazing. Remember, there are going to be so many beautiful dresses. There really is no wrong choice! If you’re looking for your wedding dress in Central Florida, we’d love to help you at Theory Bridal House!
- Trust your vendors! You hired them for a reason, they are the experts and want your day to be just as perfect as you do. Lastly, hire a planner or coordinator for at least the month of your wedding. They are heaven-sent!
Wedding Vendor List
Venue: Hotel Haya
Dresses: Theory Bridal House / Designer: Maggie Sottero
Floral and design: The Floral Way
Coordinators: Truly Yours Coordinators
Photography: Dovetail photography
Video: Darlin Studios
DJ: Danny Garcia
Tabletop rentals: Treasury rentals
Ceremony Music: Rachel Durrham Music
Petcare: Fairytale Pet Care
Officiant: Ceremonies By Crystal
Stationary: Lilly and Laine
Hair and Makeup : Liz Maldonado, Ashmar Beauty, Bronze Glow Beauty
