PJ + Angelina | Iowa Wedding Photographer | CB Studio Photography, LLC

{A Multi-Cultural Mexican-American Wedding in Sioux City, IA}

This is a very special wedding that I’m sharing today! You are going to love the beautiful Monte Carlo and cathedral length veil portraits…but what I love the most about this wedding is the couple! They are family!!! PJ is my cousin and he grew up pretty much being the only boy cousin at our family gatherings. Poor guy haha! But now he has brought another girl into our world and we LOVE her! She has such a fun and kind personality!

PJ & Angelina met in college in Sioux City and it was love and first sight! They have such a sweet love story and you can find it here along with their engagement portraits!

It was important to PJ and Angelina to incorporate many cultural traditions stemming from Angelina’s Mexican heritage and I truly enjoyed learning and experiencing all of it! The ceremony featured Las Arras Matrimoniales (wedding coins) and El Lazo (wedding lasso). The wedding coins are a set of 13 gold coins that are presented to the bride as a symbol of the groom’s trust in her. For Catholic couples, this tradition is incorporated into the wedding mass with an intricately decorated gold box that the priest blesses during the ceremony. The wedding lasso, for PJ and Angelina, is a jewel encrusted rosary that was placed around the couples shoulders in a figure eight to symbolizing new beginnings. The couple also made sure certain readings during the ceremony were spoken in Spanish to accommodate Angelina’s Spanish speaking family. Truly a beautiful ceremony in the historic Cathedral of the Epiphany in Sioux City.

Angelina carried a special penny in her shoe that belonged to my great, great grandmother. Many of the girls in my family have toted this penny on their wedding day and we were proud to invite Angelina into this family tradition.

At the reception the Mexican customs continued with the bridal entrance consisting of a parade of the bride’s wedding sponsors and close family members, the bridal party and a Mexican band bringing up the caboose to celebrate the marriage. After dinner and toasts the dance began alternating between a country band and Mexican musician. Both cultures observed a first dance, father/daughter and mother/son dance. Another special dance that was included is called La Vibora de La Mar (sea snake) where guests hold hands and dance around and through a “bridge” that is formed by the bride and groom holding the bride’s veil. The groomsmen also got together and tossed PJ in the air as another Mexican tradition. Then a bouquet and garter toss rounded out the dance traditions from both families. PJ and Angelina included “cutting the cake” into the reception as an American tradition. And the party continued well into the early morning hours!

Congrats PJ and Angelina!!!! I couldn’t be more happier for you two! I loved how you incorporated so many wonderful family and cultural traditions wedding day! I hope you take this idea and carry it into your marriage with not only traditions but also each other, perfectly combining the needs of both of you. Thank you so much for letting our family be apart of your day! Liella felt like a princess in her dress and crown and had WAY too much at the reception. I hope you enjoy reliving your day through my perceptive!