For Christina Suarez and Zack Alvarez, it all started in 2007 at a Grill Smith in Tampa, Florida. During a seemingly casual gathering with mutual friends, Zack noticed a beautiful, funny, quirky woman who had the ability to keep his attention throughout the entire meal. Christina was also intrigued, finding Zack to be handsome, calm, and cool. Without wasting any time, Zack reached out to Christina the next morning to ask her out on their first date, and they’ve been together ever since.
It was a Friday in July of 2015 when Zack decided to take the day off, so he and Christina could enjoy a beautiful summer day together in Central Park.
THE NEWLYWEDS REVELED IN THE LOVE THAT SURROUNDED THEM, ALL THE WAY THROUGH THEIR 3 A.M. EXIT
After leaving their East Village apartment and strolling through the strawberry fields, Zack led the way down some stairs and to a majestic, well-known fountain. As he proposed and dropped to one knee, Christina noticed a man photographing them, who Zack had hired to capture the moment.
Living in New York City and putting together a destination wedding in Florida made for an interesting wedding planning process. The ups and downs that came their way were made easier thanks to wedding planner, Cindy Stonehouse, and the couple’s dream wedding slowly unfolded.
When the wedding day arrived, the bride and groom both woke up eager and ready to tie the knot. Running on “typical Cuban time,” their Catholic wedding ceremony began 30 minutes late, as the groom anxiously awaited his bride’s arrival – although, after nearly ten years of being together, an additional half hour didn’t seem too long.
From the cocktail hour, to the cigar bar, to the reception space, every expectation the couple had for their special day was exceeded. Over-the-top florals left their 400-plus guests speechless, and Christina’s personally curated five-course menu with wine pairings was a hit. Both the bride and groom have a sweet tooth, so their cake cutting was a highlight of their day as they shoved champagne-infused strawberry and mimosa cream cake in each other’s faces.
After a full day of enchantment, a “lick-your-plate clean” food experience, music that kept guests dancing, and an uncle’s speech that kicked off the party with a confetti pop, the newlyweds reveled in the love that surrounded them, all the way through their 3 a.m. exit.
WEDDING TALENT
Location: Private Estate, Tampa, FL; Planner and Event Design: Stonehouse Events, Tampa, FL; Linen: Nuage Designs Miami, FL; Linen: Wildflower Linen, Buena Park, CA; Wedding Dress: Vera Wang; Groom’s Attire: Custom-Made; Groom’s Shoes: Salvatore Ferragamo
