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OUR FAVORITE UNDERGROUND ARTIST (P.70)

CLOVIS & PORTALES ROCK ‘N’ ROLL ROAD TRIP

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LOVENM STYLE DREAM-COME-TRUE WEDDINGS DATE-NIGHT HOTEL RESTAURANTS

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Married in new mexico

nmmagazine.com | FEBRUARY 2014 55

For lovebirds of both the local and far-flung persuasions, New Mexico offers a wealth of outstanding wedding locations that have a strong sense of place. The landscape, the architecture, the food, and so much more add up to exquisite special events that just couldn’t happen anywhere else. Six creative, passionate couples share the hows, whys, and wows of their spectacular New Mexico weddings.

By SUSANA LUCERO

photo ANNE STAVELEYIf you have a flair for the theatri-cal, as this couple clearly does, what better location for your wedding than a movie ranch?

Love SaveS the Day...

56 NEW MEXICO | FEBRUARY 2014

creating the momentTurner (a documentary filmmaker) and Sarah (a nonprofit consultant) asked their guests to create an on-theme identity and dress the part: a Wild West outlaw, circus performer, or saloon girl. Sarah sewed red and white curtains and created a giant banner with paper pinwheels. Sarah’s mother scoured thrift stores in cen-tral Texas, amassing a large collection of hobnail milk glass in which they placed red chrysanthemums, faux succulents, and more. For the reception, guests were

encouraged to participate in a dance-off.

Sarah wore a 1950s silk chiffon debutante’s dress from Off Broadway Vintage Clothing and Costumes, in

Albuquerque. Susan, the owner, was such a pro to work with that Sarah tried on only two dresses before finding the one she chose.

the menuThe couple wanted to share fresh, flavorful New Mexican food with their guests. Appetizers included tostaditos with mole negro, avocado, and asadero, and empanaditas with local lamb picadillo.

Turner and Sarah both love Santa Fe Brewing Company; they secured kegs of its pale ale, nut brown, and porter brews, perfect for pairing with red-chile-dusted peanuts and buttered popcorn with green-chile salt in the saloon.

In lieu of traditional wedding cake, for dessert they served the bride’s three favorite desserts: Mexican chocolate brownie sundaes, Nutella s’mores, and Mexican wedding cookies.

aDvice from the Bride “Our photographer, Anne Staveley, took stunning portraits of all our wedding guests. These served as our party favors. Your wedding is not just one day, it’s a pinnacle moment in your legacy. Use it to honor each other, and everyone in your lives who has supported and loved you both.”

ghoSt town vowS

R emotely nestled in the foothills eight miles south of Santa Fe, Bonanza Creek Ranch’s Movie Town set hosted the wedding of Turner Ross and Sarah Wolters, who live in Talpa. Bonanza

Creek, where westerns like Lonesome Dove and Young Guns were filmed, was the perfect backdrop for their “1920s traveling circus ghost town theme.”

photos ANNE STAVELEY

nmmagazine.com | FEBRUARY 2014 57

creating the momentThe bride and groom wanted their marriage to be “a light for others,” so the décor included lots of candles. Loving the contrast of fun colors against white and vice versa, Sara opted for a big, colorful bou-quet that would pop against her lacy white Vera Wang wedding dress. The 12 bridesmaids were encouraged to choose any dress they wanted to wear, as long as it was made of non-shiny cotton material in a solid color; they each carried a single white hydrangea. J.J. and Sara also

had four of their nephews form a bubble brigade; they walked down the aisle blowing bubbles at guests. The couple wrote their own vows, and read them to each other for the first time at the wedding ceremony.

the menuLos Poblanos was recently named one of the “Top 10 Food Lover’s Hotels in the United States” by Bon Appétit magazine. Served family style, dinner included locally grown quinoa-stuffed bell peppers and roasted chicken wrapped in bacon. J.J. recalls, “And

those tomatoes ... oh, those tomatoes. Could you call them candy?”

For dessert, J.J. and Sara served an assortment of cupcakes from Cake Fetish, an Albuquerque cupcake bakery. Cupcakes were decorated with hand-inscribed flags describing a memory associated with each type of cupcake. The s’mores-flavored cupcakes included a tidbit about how they loved camping and making s’mores; the snowball cupcake flags told a story about how the couple once trekked up a snowy mountain to find their Christmas tree.

The women of the bride’s family made their favorite kinds of cookies, and guests were invited to take home a selection as a wedding favor.

aDvice from the Bride“Don’t be afraid to limit your guest list for whatever reason if you want or need to. We wanted an intimate wedding and kept our guest list small, but the day after, we invited all of our friends, family, and co-workers to celebrate our first day of marriage at a backyard barbecue.”

With its historic 1930s landmark architecture by John Gaw Meem, majestic views of the Sandía Moun-tains, and winding garden pathways, J.J. and Sara

Mancini felt Los Poblanos Historic Inn and Organic Farm, in Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, was the ideal setting for their intimate, colorful October wedding. And even better: it was close to their home in Albuquerque, where Sara works for the city as a policy analyst and J.J. is the owner of Desert Fuels. photos KIM JACKSON

farm-chic union

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creating the momentCorrie had a personalized stamp made with the word “love,” their names, and their wedding date, then set about stamping the paper items: napkins, menus, welcome-bag items, and programs. Their florist, Margaret Bost, incor-porated coordinating shades of peonies into all of the bouquets and table arrange-ments. Corrie wore a strapless, draped-bodice Monique Lhuil-lier gown with hand-bustled trumpet skirt.

To welcome guests, they assembled and gave out goodie

bags packed with snacks, treats, and information about Santa Fe. They also included blank cards in which they asked guests to write a little something about what inspires them in life and bring their card to the wedding to be placed in the card box for Jay and Corrie to enjoy after the wedding day.

After the wedding ceremony, the couple and their guests enjoyed a festive mariachi-led musical procession known as la marcha. Though it is typically done at Hispanic weddings, this New Mexico wedding tradition is being incorporated by people of all cultural backgrounds. This procession travels through the

streets, traditionally from the church to the wedding recep-tion space, and leads the bride and groom to their first dance.

the menuFor dessert, the couple decided to offer guests a bar stocked with pink candy instead of a traditional wedding cake. They thought it was one of the areas they could save on cost while adding something fun and personal. The bride made a sign for the table that read “love, sweet love.”

aDvice from the Bride“We definitely recommend including the local tradition of la marcha musical escort and dance. One of the greatest memories we have is of the mariachi band leading all of our friends and family in a parade around the Plaza right after the wedding ceremony. The guests lined up on the sidewalk outside La Fonda shaking their maracas as the mariachi band led us through the crowd. We felt such joy in that moment.”

DeStination: La PLaza

Jay Barron and Corrie Plant, lawyers from Santa Monica, California, had visited Santa Fe twice before, and found it to be a very roman-tic, unique city. They especially fell in love with the art, food, and

historic character.They chose the Santa Fe landmark hotel La Fonda on the Plaza to

host their wedding, because they liked its Pueblo Deco style. They also appreciated that the ceremony and reception could take place in the same space, and serve as lodging for their guests. And they knew that friends and family from out of town would enjoy exploring all of the downtown shops, galleries, and restaurants on foot.

La Marcha LocaLeS These downtown Santa Fe venues are also situated perfectly for a la marcha procession to the Plaza.

Inn and Spa at Loretto is among the most photographed buildings in all of New Mexico. As an architectural re-creation of the famous Taos Pueblo, this Santa Fe hotel provides a magnificent backdrop for your wedding photographs. (800) 727-5531; innatloretto.com

La Posada de Santa Fe Resort & Spa’s adobe-style architecture, colorful gardens, and cozy out-door kiva fireplaces evoke magic and charm. (855) 278-5276; laposadadesantafe.com

photos ROBIN PARROTT TWO BIRDS STUDIO

nmmagazine.com | FEBRUARY 2014 59

creating the momentFull of do-it-yourself details, Roderick and Jenae’s wedding day became a collaborative effort among family and friends. From the boutonnieres and bou-quets made by the bride and her bridesmaids using hydrangeas, wildflowers, and mustard yarrow for pops of color, to the center-pieces (mason jars wrapped in burlap as candleholders), the

wedding decor was kept simple to harmonize with the pastoral theme. At the reception, there was not a dry eye in the house when Roderick and Jenae, both very musically inclined, per-formed songs they had written for the occasion as special gifts to each other.

the menuTo share their love of New Mexican food, Roderick and

Jenae chose Las Cruces restau-rant !Ándele! as their caterer. Dinner included red and green enchiladas, flautas, beans, and rice, as well as an appetizer of chips and fresh salsa.

The couple served a four-tiered wedding cake with vanilla, chocolate, and red velvet layers covered in almond buttercream frosting. They chose to give their guests handmade chocolate truffle favors from the Chocolate Lady, in Old Mesilla,

custom-wrapped with ribbon matching their color scheme of mustard yellow and navy. The winery’s muscat and port were also available to guests.

aDvice from the Bride“We had two couples that we love and respect give us advice and a blessing at the reception. This meant so much to us.”

Day of wine & roSeS

Roderick and Jenae Mendoza, of Las Cruces, dreamed of get-ting married near the bride’s childhood home in southern New Mexico. Jenae, a musician who also works in accounts

payable, and Roderick, a barista who also works with a production company, soon realized that the Rio Grande Winery was the perfect setting for their “vintage meets rustic” wedding. Set in the Mesilla Valley, it also offered gorgeous views of the Organ Mountains.

photos LATISHA LYN

60 NEW MEXICO | FEBRUARY 2014

creating the momentFor her June wedding bouquet, ceremony, and reception decor, Melissa chose roses in colors of peach, apricot, and cream with gold accents to create a warm and summery feel. The bride’s bright blue jewel-studded shoes added a pop of color, as well as dou-bling as her “something blue.”

Mark McKenzie, the minister from their church in Albuquerque, served as offici-ant, and read from love letters that the bride and groom had

written to each other.

the menuMelissa and Don made New Mexico–themed gift baskets and delivered them to their guests’ rooms. They contained candied pecans from Las Cruces’ Stahmann Farms, bottles of St. Clair Winery’s red and green

chile wines, and El Pinto salsa, all nestled into Native woven baskets. The couple chose a cupcake tower, plus a cake for the traditional cutting of the cake. The cupcake frosting was piped to look like roses, then decorated with fresh flowers by Taos florist Simply Shelia. As a parting gift, guests received a locally sourced honey-chipotle spice mix.

aDvice from the Bride “Each year on our anniver-sary, we’re going to make a trip back to El Monte Sagrado. We recommend every other couple visit their wedding site, too.”

photos TALITHA A. TARRO

northern gLory Albuquerque couple Don and Melissa Ortega knew they

had to consider Taos’s El Monte Sagrado Resort when a friend described it to them as “the garden of Eden.”

Melissa, a project manager, and Don, the owner of a jujitsu studio, were charmed by sunlit streams, tropical flora, and the sounds of calming waterfalls. Views of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains from the Taos Mountain Lawn ceremony site sealed the deal.

creatingthe momentEchoing the desert’s palette, Jasmine chose a color scheme of cream, copper, peach, and pale gray. The bride’s friends decorated the ceremony arch by wrapping a fabric sash around it and accenting the top with large paper flowers. The Haci-enda staff hung papel picado, intricately punched paper that is traditionally made in Mexico but used throughout New Mexico, across the Hacienda’s courtyard, along with string lights. Other handmade details included carefully embellishing each wedding invitation with a single feather. For place cards, Jasmine attached kraft paper cards to sage sticks and dried flowers sourced from the Santa Fe Farmers’ Market.

the menuMarja Catering provided a light, seasonally driven Southwestern menu with chicken mole appe-tizers, a make-your-own flank steak taco bar, veggie enchila-das, and chilled gazpacho.

photos ASHLEY DAVIS

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Although Jasmine and Nick Firchau live in Brooklyn, where they are Web editors, they were born in Santa Fe, and decided to celebrate their wedding in this

beloved Southwest setting. Nestled in the Ortiz Mountains, with courtyard views of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in the distance, the just-remote-enough Hacienda Doña Andrea (in Los Cerrillos, an hour’s drive from the Albuquerque airport) set the scene for Jasmine and Nick’s gorgeous Southwest-meets-Gatsby-inspired wedding.

hitcheD at the hacienDa

aDvice from the Bride“Don’t be afraid to ask for help. I tried to do so much of it myself and finally realized I needed someone besides my fiancé to help me work through all of the tiny decisions, because we were beginning to stress out and lose perspective.”

For more nm weDDingS, visit NewMexicoWedding Magazine.com, edited by Susana Lucero.

web extra For Susana’s best bets for wedding vendors, and con-tact info for the wedding elements seen here, go to mynm.us/nmweddinglistings

Read more about Susana Lucero (and her own wedding) in the “Editor’s Letter,” p. 6.

DIGITAL EXTRA! NEW MEXICO | FEBRUARY 2014

caLLigraPhyElizabeth Danae Calligraphy Studio Custom calligraphy wedding invitations, save-the-date cards, watercolor wedding maps, and more. Featured in both national print and online publications, including Martha Stewart Weddings. (505) 795-2331; etsy.com/shop/eDanae

catererMarja Catering Thoughtfully prepared menus using local, seasonal ingredients and the bold flavors of our region. (505) 986-3858

DreSS DeSignerSConscious Clothing High-fashion glamorous, low-carbon-footprint hemp/silk dresses and tailored men’s suits, shirts, and ties. Santa Fe; (505) 982-7506; on FacebookLaura Sheppherd This Santa Fe designer selects rare textiles from around the world to create wedding gowns as well as other garments; ready-to-ear and made-to-order. (505) 986-1444; laurasheppherd.com

Teresa Romero Designs Cou-ture, vintage-inspired gowns and lingerie. Collaborative approach. Albuquerque; (505) 508-1750; teresaromero.com

event PLannerFor the Love Events A full-service event company and design house specializing in handmade and vintage designs. Albuquerque; (505) 553-5908; fortheloveevents.com

fLowerSAmy Nicole Floral Studio Specializes in eco-conscious weddings; supports local New Mexico growers whenever possible. Albuquerque; (505) 301-8062; amydoesflowers.com

Melba’s Floral Studio Family-owned and -operated, full-service business, works to meet any budget. Albuquerque; (800) 289-6444; melbasfloralstudio.com

jeweLryDouglas Magnus Turquoise jewelry using stones from New Mexico’s Tiffany Cerrillos Mines. Santa Fe; (505) 983-6777; douglasmagnus.com

Santa Fe Goldworks Hand-crafted custom inlay wedding rings. Santa Fe; (877) 982-2875; santafegoldworks.com

K Frances Designs Along with custom wedding rings, Kay Fran-ces has also created cufflinksfor the king of Spain. (505) 293-6901; romerojewelers.net

muSicAbsolute Entertainment Maria-chi and guitar. (505) 986-5882; musicsantafe.com

Cutmaster Music DJ. (505) 269-5585; cutmastermusic.com

Mariachi Nuevo Sonido (505) 899-3075; mariachinuevosonido.net

Michael Hearne and his band South by Southwest. (615) 262-6886; michaelhearne.com

Los Primos (Full disclosure: led by Susana’s husband, Juan Lucero.) A seasoned group of musicians, performing the tra-ditional music of the mariachi and trío romántico. Specializing in ceremonies, receptions, and la marcha. (505) 839-2286; losprimos.co

Ronald Roybal Romantic, earthy, and ethereal Native American–style flute and Spanish classical guitar. (505) 466-2242; ronaldroybal.com

Tapestry Jazz and party band. (334) 782-3952; tapestryband.com

PaPeL PicaDoJMohr Studio Papel picado with Southwestern motifs by a Contemporary Hispanic Market artist. jmohrstudio.com

Behind these GREAT WEDDINGS...Here are some of the singers, bakers, and candlestick placers (and more!) who participated in featured weddings.

eDibLeS¡Ándele! Restaurante Las Cruces; (575) 526-9333; andelerestaurante.com

Cake Fetish Albuquerque; (505) 883-0670; cakefetish.com

The Cake Shop Las Cruces; (575) 639-7170; on Facebook

The Chocolate Lady Mesilla; (575) 526-2744; oldmesilla.orgNew Mexico Pie Company Albuquerque; (505)-506-2928; nmpiecompany.com

Q’s Cakes Albuquerque; (505) 514-6775; qcakes.com

event DeSignCorazón Events (505) 890-4381; corazonevents.com Joanne Emerick Las Cruces; (505) 975-4033; jefallingup@gmail.comOrange September Albuquer-que; (505)-263-6057; orangeseptember.com

performer Michael Hearne and his band, South by Southwest, serenade bride Renae Vagher Quinn.

Susana’s beSt betSAs the woman behind of NewMexicoWedding-Magazine.com, Susana Lucero spends her day poring over the visuals, details, and vendors that compose some of the state’s most beautiful weddings. Here are some of her favorite nuptial building blocks.

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nmmagazine.com | FEBRUARY 2014 DIGITAL EXTRA!

fLowerSPeoples Flowers Albuquerque; (505)-884-1600; peoplesflowers.com

Santa Fe Floral Santa Fe; (505) 982-4143; santafefloral.com

Simply Shelia Taos; (575) 737-0245; simplyshelia.com

hair & makeuPMesh Hair Studio Juliann Upton. Albuquerque; (505) 858-3000; meshhairstudio.com

Makeup Santa Fe Santa Fe; (505) 412-5125; makeupsantafe.com

Salon Marjorie Taos; (575) 751-7246; salonmarjorie.com

jeweLryThe Golden Eye Santa Fe; (505) 984-0040; goldeneyesantafe.com

Marc Howard Santa Fe; (505) 820-1080; marc-howard.com

Photog-raPherSAnne Staveley Photography (505) 577-1555; annestaveley.com

Ashley Davis Photography (303) 447-0429;ashleydavisphotography.com

Kevin’s Photography (505) 345-6322; kevinsphotography.net

Kim Jackson Photography (505) 850-6124; kimjacksonphotography.com

Latisha Lyn Photography (505) 977-2835; latishalyn.com

Talitha Tarro Photography (505) 264-7123;talithatarro.com

2 Birds Studio Robin Parrott (505) 429-9100; robinparrott.com

venueSBonanza Creek Ranch Near La Cienega; (505) 615-6159; bonanzacreekranch.com

El Monte Sagrado Taos; (575)758-3502; elmontesamarriΩgrado.com

Hacienda Doña Andrea Los Cerrillos; (505) 424-8995; hdasantafe.com

La Fonda Hotel Santa Fe; (505) 995-2322; lafondasantafe.com

Los Poblanos Historic Inn & Organic Farm Los Ranchos de Albuquerque; (505) 344-9297; lospoblanos.comRio Grande Winery Las Cruces; (575) 524-3985; riograndewinery.com

viDeo artiStSLuminance Wedding Films (505) 301-1668; luminanceweddingfilms.com

Vlad Films (505) 490-9184; vladfilms.com

For more nm weDDingS, visit NewMexicoWedding-Magazine.com, created by Susana Lucero. Read more about her and her family in this month’s “Editor’s Letter,” p. 6.

Just DeSSertS

Jeff and Maeve Henry Lavelle, who live in Phoenix, decided to have a destination wedding in New Mexico, where Maeve grew up. At the recommendation of their wedding planner, Vicki Lee Newsom, of event company Orange September, the bride and groom worked with New Mexico Pie Company to create a locally themed dessert bar. They served caramel apple green chile mini-pies, chocolate hazelnut red chile mini-pies, biscochitos, and Mexican wedding cookies. Their cake was composed of a layer of vanilla sponge cake filled with cinnamon-and-anise whipped cream and berries, and another layer of chocolate buttermilk cake filled with red chile Grand Marnier orange cream.

food by Maja Custom Catering.

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