#realchicbride Christie in Alex Perry

Real bride Christie on her love story, wedding in Puerto Rico and falling in love with this Alex Perry wedding dress…

Tell us your love story! How did you meet and how did you get to a proposal? 

Adonis and I met almost ten years ago through mutual friends. We are both from Puerto Rico, it’s a small island… the older you get,  everything connects and everyone knows each other. Back then, when we met we we were both on different paths. The timing wasn't quite right for us. But we continued to stay in touch as friends…  stayed in touch through Instagram mostly, liking each other’s pictures here and there. It wasn't until three and a half years ago, both recently single... he slid into my Dm's congratulating me on my birthday and asking me if he could take me out to have ice cream (which I thought was the cutest thing ever). Im not that much of a sweet tooth,  so I invited him for drinks and he said he wanted to take me out to dinner instead. A man with a plan, I liked that. 

Fast forward to our first date, and it was the best first date I ever had, we talked for hours, shared so many common interests and life goals, and we even ended up salsa dancing that same night... and I stole a kiss( couldn't help it, he literally swept me off my feet). I KNEW I wanted to marry this man since that very first date. 

The proposal was very intimate, just the two of us (exactly how I wanted it to be)...It started like any normal day would, went to work, we had dinner after at one of our favorite spots (Cafe Mida), we really love Italian food and had just come back from a dreamy Italian vacation. We stuffed our faces, paid the bill, we left the restaurant and it wasn't until I stepped in the car ... he placed a little wrapped box in my lap...when I opened it I realized it was the ring I had tried on in this small jewelry shop in Como, Italy ( a pink sapphire ring I had been obsessing over since I tried it on ) ... and I started ugly crying when I realized it was the ring of my dreams, then he looked at me and asked " well will you marry me?" and of course I said yes. In true Adonis fashion, he kept the proposal very practical and to the point. It was simple, just a private moment between us. . . and that's very much how we are. We love the little moments that make life grand.

When you started planning your wedding what did you envision? How close did the actual wedding get to that vision? 

When I was a little girl, I was obsessed with the movie “The Secret Garden”, it’s my favorite movie of all time. The aesthetic of my wedding was very much inspired by this movie. I wanted it to have that Italian garden feel, rustic but elegant, lush greenery with white flowers …  (the gardenias were the star of the show, they’re my favorite flower.) We wanted the look and feel to be ethereal, romantic, and intimate more than anything. 

And for the party, we wanted the old Hollywood glam… we wanted everything to look elegant but still cozy. We asked for a lot of candles, and imperial table seating … like you’re having an intimate family dinner. 

Emilio Olabarrieta Atelier - Our decorators are visionaries, they truly understood the vision since our first meeting. They brought the Italian aesthetic to Puerto Rico, they made everything come to life and we are so grateful. 

What were a few things that were important to you as a couple to include (or not include) in the wedding? 

Music plays a big role to us, we’re very sensible to music. I wanted to walk down the aisle to Elvis Presley’s “Can’t Help Falling in Love”  (my dad used to sing me this song when I was little, it seemed fitting to walk down the aisle with him by side to this song.) Also, my bridal party walked to “Home” by a Cinematic Orchestra… the lyrics of this song have a special meaning, especially since we decided to marry by this tree…

“Out in the garden where we planted the seeds, there is a tree as old as me… this is a place where I don’t feel so alone, this is a place where I feel at home…”

It was also important to us as a couple to have our photographers to capture the moments( not pictures that felt forced or posey, journal photography and candid pictures that tell a story, our love story) .

We’re very traditional and we’re both old souls so we wanted to have a photo booth to capture everyone just having fun… being able to have these memories to look back on is everything to us. 

Lastly, it was important for us to pay homage to our culture… so everything from the food to the music was a part of how we grew up and what we love. 

How did you decide on the location? 

Initially, we wanted to have a small wedding with our closest friends and family in Portofino, Italy. Portofino is a beautiful sail town, with so old school charm. Adonis has a sailboat and we both enjoy being by the sea, we felt very at home when we visited. We instantly fell in love with this magical place and both envisioned getting married here. Once we started planning everything, it became very evident that planning a wedding in Portofino when we were both so far away would be an extra challenge. Also, a lot of loved ones wouldn’t have been able to travel so far, which was important to us. 

Ultimately we decided to do it in The Ritz Carlton Reserve in Dorado. I grew up visiting this resort and I have the most fond memories with my family vacationing here. 

The ceremony was held right by this 100-year-old ficus tree, it’s majestic and so beautiful. It was essential for me to have the ceremony be held outdoors. Being in nature makes us feel a little closer to God, the energy that surrounded us this day was truly magical. 

Let's talk dress! Give us all the deets! 

I work in fashion, ( ’m a buyer for a boutique men’s and women’s store in Puerto Rico)… I’m very detail-oriented, the dress was probably the most important aspect of this process. 

I had many pins on my mood board on Pinterest, when I went to shop for my dress I had an idea of what I wanted. A form-fitting dress, always leaning towards a fit and flare. 

Lady, was the loveliest … she gave me the best advice: which was to try every single dress that caught my attention even if it was different than what I had originally envisioned because once you try something on, your vision changes. And she was so patient and kind with me throughout this proccess. 

I shared with her that I wanted a dress that felt timeless, something I could wear ten / twenty years from now and I could still love it. She understood my vision and brought me options, even a few out of my comfort zone. 

The fifth dress I tried on was the one.  

To my surprise, an A-line dress, a simple silhouette, with an amazing fit… the corset on this dress was to die for. Made me feel snatched. My mom and sister cried as soon as  I tried it on. The Alex Perry dress of my dreams. 

It’s true what they say, once you try on the one. You just know. This gave me Jackie Kennedy vibes but with spice. 

I felt very regal, very much like a princess in it. I didn’t even know I wanted to feel like a princess. But when else could you feel this way? Once we choose the dress, we picked a veil.  I always knew I wanted a mantilla veil, and since the dress was simple … the mantilla veil with lace details complimented it perfectly. It was absolutely dreamy. 

How did your family, friends, etc play into your wedding planning and wedding day? 

This process would not have been the same without my mom. She was there with me planning every detail, the best wedding planner I could’ve asked for. 

We’re very close, so she understands me like no one else does. I absolutely adore her. Getting to share this moment and journey with her was the best part, seeing how emotional and genuinely happy this made her filled me with joy. I love making her proud. She really felt like it was her wedding… I had to remind her that I was the one getting married, not her haha. It was sweet to see her so excited. 

What's one specific memory you have from your wedding day that you don't think you'll ever forget. 

The overwhelming amount of love we felt. Seeing my now hubby’s face as I was walking down the aisle, he looked like a giddy little boy… that moment was priceless. 

I also really enjoyed watching everyone all glammed up and having the time of their life… all celebrating us. 

How did you decide on your hair and makeup look? 

I wanted a very natural look, something that enhanced my features. Rosy cheeks and glowy dewy skin. I referenced a picture of Lily Aldridge I had pinned… she always looks flawless. 

I researched a lot of makeup artists until I finally found Carlos Marrero. He was a gem to work with, and gave me a lot of peace while I was getting ready. Also, it’s hard to find in PR MUA who do French beauty type of makeup, usually for weddings a lot of artists do pageant makeup which is not what I wanted. I wanted to look enhanced not hidden behind makeup. 

He described it perfectly: “You want to look like how you look when you’re in love… when your cheeks are blushing and your lips are flushed. Literally a blushing bride…”

Was there one vendor you used that you wish everyone knew about? 

Yes! Everyone who was involved in the planning were amazing.

Jorge & Evy specifically @pearlmemories My photographer/videographer. Not only did they take the most beautiful/ editorial pictures but their energy made us feel very peaceful … in a day that can be quite stressful. They made this whole process very enjoyable and we’re very receptive and open to our suggestions. They translated our vision effortlessly. 

Where did you go on your honeymoon and what was the best part? 

We went to Japan for our honeymoon- we’re both very inspired by Japanese interiors… and I personally love the movie “In the mood for love”. Japan has always been on our bucket list. 

We visited Kyoto, Hakone ( the countryside), and Tokyo. We figured it was the farthest place to travel and eventually with kids it would be a bit more complicated to do so in the future. 

We have so much to learn from Japanese culture… they are so calm and respectful and so precise in everything they do. We really enjoyed Kyoto the most, the food, architecture( mix of old and new) and history is so impressive. They were so kind to us, all the attention to detail… they made us feel like we were in a love bubble. A trip we will never forget.