Valeria and Benjamin’s meet-cute happened in a grocery store. His simple question (“Do you know where the Parmesan is?”) set their whirlwind romance in motion and eventually led to a whimsical garden wedding full of joyful colors, personal details and a touch of goofiness.
Their celebration took place on the lush grounds at Kiana Lodge, where towering cedar trees, brilliant blooms and a cascading willow provided an enchanting ceremony backdrop. There, the couple’s four tuxedo-adorned pups joined them down the aisle. The wedding party, dressed in shades of dusty blue, each received a bouquet or boutonnière—a single flower style handpicked by the bride that she felt reflected their personalities. Those same flower varieties, along with roses plucked from her mother’s garden, were gathered to create Valeria’s colorful bouquet. As they recited their vows, Benjamin paused, then read his again in Spanish, honoring his new wife and her family and ensuring every guest could appreciate the moment.
Guests found their seats for dinner via small glass vases filled with keepsake florals. The tables featured hand-drawn illustrations of the couple’s dogs and four cats, plus several drawings of their dearly departed pets. After cutting the cake, which was detailed with lace-like piping to match the bride’s dress and a spray of family-favorite forget-me-nots, the party was in full swing. The newlyweds departed by boat—named after Valeria’s grandparents—amid an epic fireworks sendoff.
