Finally Married

Our Wedding Day: When Everything That Could Go Wrong, Did—But It Was Perfect in the End

If ever God was testing our resolve, it was during our wedding week. It felt biblical. Everything that could go wrong did. First, the florist canceled. Then our day-of coordinator showed up… after everything was already done. And to top it off, there was the residual weather of a hurricane in Kentucky, which is practically unheard of. Due to the predicted winds, our tent company canceled on us at the last minute. The tent was supposed to go up on Thursday—literally the only day it didn’t rain—to keep the ground from turning into a muddy mess. But by Friday night, we were told we might not even get a tent for the big day.

It turns out the person in charge of setting up tents for the company simply decided he didn’t feel like doing it. To make matters worse, there was only a single narrow road leading to the venue. Neil joked with his groomsman, Jason VanBenschoten, that the only thing stopping this wedding now would be a downed tree. Well, wouldn’t you know it? That same night, Edward Lozano, returned to the venue and said a tree had fallen across the road. Luckily, they managed to lift it and drive under. But fate wasn’t done with us yet—though, thankfully, the guy setting up the benches that night had a chainsaw in his car and was able to clear the tree!

Knowing the tent might not happen, Jason and Neil took matters into their own hands. They drove an hour away to pick up a 40x60 tarp and some 30-foot ratchet straps. By 6 p.m., they were out there trying to rig up a makeshift lean-to between two buildings. It was just Neil and his best man, Luis Quinones, trying their hardest to make it work. Our family and friends—Guadalupe, Johnican, Elijah, Alejandra, Elida, Ericka, Clarita—saw them struggling and came out to help, spending hours in the rain trying to hold it all together. Every time the wind blew, it was like that parachute game from gym class, with added addition of water pouring off and drenching whoever was holding the edges. It was like being at the worst water park ever!

We finally got it up, but the tarp was too big to stay tight enough to slope, so it started to bubble, and we eventually had to admit defeat. We decided to lay the tarp on the ground to keep things dry and prayed for a miracle.

The next morning, our prayers were answered. The tent company didn’t bring the 20x20 tents as planned, but they found a friend who owned a fireworks display tent—a 20x40 white tent—and they were on their way. The "Adams Boom" fireworks display team went above and beyond, helping us set up lights and rearrange benches. They were so kind and gracious, even staying for dinner—authentic Mexican food in Kentucky, which they were thrilled about!

On the day of the wedding, we were overwhelmed with gratitude. Of the 45 people we invited, only four couldn’t make it. Unfortunately, one of Neil’s groomsmen couldn’t attend because of military orders. But we were blessed to have Steven Malone step up and fill his place. Steven has always been one of Neil’s closest friends, and he was on the initial list when we were deciding how many bridesmaids and groomsmen to have. Having him there made the day feel even more complete.

We did hit another snag with our officiant. Our ordained officiant was nowhere to be found. Thankfully, Luis had gotten ordained the week before, just in case. He took the script and nailed it. The ceremony went smoothly, and when the original officiant finally showed up two hours late… well, better late than never.

The weather that day was bizarre. The worst was supposed to hit between 6 p.m. and 10 p.m., which was exactly when the ceremony and reception were scheduled. And wouldn’t you know it? It rained until 6 p.m. on the dot, and then—just like that—God turned off the faucet. The rain stopped right when we needed it to, and it didn’t start again until everyone was gone. It felt like a blessing, like every door that closed had a window opened just wide enough for us to squeeze through.

The night was filled with heartfelt speeches. Neil’s dad and best man left everyone in tears. Luis even managed to weave in a beautiful message about the bride that brought her to tears as well. On her side, the family’s words were equally touching, and her bridesmaids made it clear they were fiercely protective of her, with some playful threats about her mean right hook. Her sister humorously said, “No returns,” “No store credit,” “No refunds.” She was now Neil’s problem—and great blessing—to deal with.

In the end, despite all the chaos, our wedding day felt like a parable. Every obstacle had a way out, and with the love and support of our family and friends, we got through it all. It wasn’t the day we planned, but it was exactly the day we were meant to have. We’ll never forget the memories we made, the laughter through the rain, and the feeling of pure joy when it all came together.

Special Thanks To Lisa & Joel Calderone (Groom’s Parents): Thank you both for all the effort you put into acquiring and making sure the linens and dishware matched my wife’s vision—it was amazing! You also helped with the cost of the wedding dress, provided DJ equipment for the wedding, and supplied the wine for the event. Plus, the wine tasting you hosted for both families during the wedding week was a much-needed break that everyone appreciated. Special thanks to Lisa for coming up with and assisting in the alternative table positioning. This positioning was absolutely necessary to provide a comfortable and spacious seating arrangement for all the guests.

Special Thanks To Elida & Joe Ochoa (Bride’s Parents): Elida, your constant support throughout the wedding week was so appreciated. You provided beautiful florals that helped bring our vision to life. Joe, thank you for supplying the sangria, and both of you for helping with miscellaneous costs as everything kept going wrong.

Additional Thanks to Ericka Ochoa: Thank you for volunteering to be the bartender as well as being a bridesmaid. You were incredible!Finally, thank you to everyone who was there that week for enduring both my and my bride’s frustrations. Your love and support made this day unforgettable.

For more photos, please check the Google Photos links below. Note that guest-contributed photos are mixed in with the professional shots. You can search by family then your name to help filter for the specific photos you're looking for. Stay tuned for the Honeymoon Photos (ETA: Mid December)!

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