Ashley and Alfredo's special wedding combined his Filipino heritage, her German background, and a whole lot of their effervescent personalities.  We loved working with them on the planning process and being present on the wedding day to help bring their vision to life.  You'll have to look at the fantastic photos from E.P. Widor Photography to see what we mean!

The day started with the bride and groom getting ready at their separate homes.  Ashley chose a gorgeous white dress with lace detail while Alfredo and his groomsmen donned traditional Filipino Barongs, a lightweight, embroidered shirt. Both got dressed and made their way to St. Joseph's Parish in Somerville to see each other for the first time as Ashley walked down the aisle.

Ashley was walked down the aisle by both of her parents and then married Alfredo in a beautiful, traditional ceremony.  The most non-traditional part of it was the pronouncement; after being announced as husband and wife, Ashley and Alfredo sealed their vows with their secret handshake before the big kiss! We love how it showed their sense of humor.  They took some amazing group photos and portraits at the top of Prospect Hill before boarding the Above All Transportation bus to the reception.

While the bridal party and guests drove from Somerville to the reception, we were onsite at the BSV (Boylston-Schul-Verein) in Walpole, pulling together all of the details.  The BSV is New England's oldest German-American Cultural Club and has the perfect covered patio space for hosting weddings and events. The bride's friend Taryn Antoniou (the crab + the moon) put her design skills to the test by helping the couple think through all of the personal details that represented Ashley and Alfredo. Favors were custom decks of cards with Ashley and Alfredo's cartoon image on each card and the groom's cake was a giant shoe.  The awesome team from Caterstaff was essential for the event setup and service and The Pig Kahuna catered the wedding with an on-site pig roast.  The couple did their own floral centerpieces and brought in beautiful planters from neighboring Southridge Farm & Nursery.

After everyone arrived and took their seats, Ashley completed our new favorite Filipino wedding tradition.  She threw an apron over her wedding dress and used a machete to chop the head off of the roasted pig, with a little help from Alfredo of course.  The bridal party was introduced into the party and the newlyweds got the party started with a first dance with music from DJ Dindo Delloson.  Special parent dances followed, made especially significant because the couple chose to get married on Ashley's parents' anniversary.

After a few toasts and a delicious dinner, guests were treated to cupcakes from Just Desserts and then the dance party really got started.  Guests were invited to join in the Sayaw ng Pera (or "Money Dance") by paying a dollar to dance with the bride and groom - a long dollar dance means good luck for a long marriage! Guests joined for an anniversary dance and an awesome limbo.  The party didn't end at BSV... it continued with the afterparty at a nearby hotel.

We had so much fun with Ashley, Alfredo, their families, and their guests, and wish them all the best for a wonderful start to a long marriage! Congrats you two!

Who doesn't want to look and feel beautiful on the date of your special event? Christine Herbst is the one to go to when you want a hairstyle designed to fit your personality. Christine works by day at a local salon in Newton Highlands, MA while working on private events with clients on the weekends. She has done hair for proms, weddings, photo shoots, and many special occasions. 

Whether it's updos or soft curls for your special occasion, Christine brings her friendly and stress-free personality to the event, allowing you to fully enjoy yourself.  And her beautiful results speak for themselves! Christine travels to your event location and even brings an associate with her if you have a large bridal party to prepare.  We love to work with Christine because she is so sweet and does amazing work.

Don't forget to follow Christine on Instagram - she posts stunning photos and hair inspiration on the regular and check her out at her webpage.