REAL WEDDING | PANAMA

Planner: Gabriela Abraham, Stylo Panama, Panama City, Panama, www.stylopanama.com, info@stylopanama.com, gabrielaabraham@hotmail.com Years in Industry: 7Photography: Lizzie PhotographyBusinesses: Intercontinental Miramar Hotel Panama, Los Rabanes, Joker Animation, Dragon Rojo Fireworks, Belle Invites, Blue Mango Music bandWedding date: Oct. 10, 2015Guest count: 200 Involvement: Full consultingThe couple: Paula and Ernesto say they met by “error.” The couple met five years ago by accident online. At that time, both were in a relationship, so it was not until some time later, when they spoke again as singles, that romantic feelings emerged. One night, they went to dinner in a spot with a view of the sea and cool breeze. Unexpectedly, the police arrived and asked if a car, parked in a particular place, was theirs because a window was broken. Indeed, it was Ernesto’s. The police warned them to be cautious. This scary moment was transformed into a funny story and the beginning of their tale. Ernesto proposed on a Valentine’s Day date. At first, they wanted to get married in Las Vegas, but in the end, they realized that they wanted families and friends to share their special day with them.Inspiration: Romantic and chic“Aha” moment: Witnessing this couple’s love and affection for one another and their love for their friends and family inspired the romantic design. When they danced their first dance, we included an explosion of flower petals.Most unique design element: There are thousands of species of orchids in Panama, so our centerpieces highlighted the Panama orchids.Color palette: Navy blue, yellow, and whiteBudget: $30,000Staff hours: Working at the wedding, from the ceremony to reception, was eight hours. Set up was about 16 hours.Planning time: Six monthsClient meetings: Around 17 Budget breakdown: 30% venue, 22% decoration and planning, 20% show artist (Grammy Award-winning Los Rabanes), 7% photographer,  5% music, 4% drinks,  3% rentals, 3% stationery, 3% dessert, 3% entertainment. Biggest challenge: Dealing with the budget and making the magic happen within the price range is always a challenge. Also, coordinating a 53-member wedding party was not without difficulty. In total, there were six couples between the groom, the groom’s parents and godparents, plus 17 pairs of groomsmen and bridesmaids, along with the ring bearers, arras, rose petals, and rosary, and the bride with her father. We had to coordinate everything to be on time and perfect. They had to remember the order and remember their partners and other details. We did hold a rehearsal, but everyone was so filled with excitement that it was hard for each to focus on the details. Then, the day of, we had 15 minutes to organize and start the ceremony. But everything was on time. WPM