The top priority for Kat and Paul, who had been together for 12 years when they got married, was that their wedding was super bright and colourful. Both Mexican Americans they also wanted to bring little nods of their shared heritage and the Day of the Dead, which was the weekend before, into the day as well.

“We designed our wedding with comfort for everyone in mind”, Kat told us. “We had mismatched ‘you pick’ wedding party attire, we ditched the hours of endless formal photos and had a family style meal because you should never be hungry at a wedding! We also aren’t beige and sage kind of people so colour was important, followed closely by neon signs and a vibe that felt 1000% like us.”

They ditched a lot of wedding traditions such as the bouquet toss and formal dances in favour of more time with everyone on the dance floor. However, one of their favourite moments of their day was their private moment alone in a small chapel right after the ceremony. Inspired by the Jewish tradition of yichud, it gave them a quiet space to absorb the significance of the day and be together.

“We wanted to be present instead of performing”, she continued. “With Paul being autistic, it was important for us that he was comfortable and not overwhelmed – so we made sure to have no morning of DIY, spending a lot of time together behind the scenes including a first look, and had a sweetheart table in case we needed some space before celebrating with everyone.”

The reception was a neon-lit wonderland. Highlights included their custom neon sign with Kat’s last name (which Paul took), the hot pink uplighting in the courtyard, and their grand entrance to Gimme Gimme a Man After Midnight by ABBA. “Feeling like the most loved people in the world when we walked out to our friends and family was incredible,” Kat said. They enjoyed a family-style dinner and then the bride changed into a white rhinestone-covered disco suit to keep the party vibe going.

“Find a wedding planner who gets you and makes the process fun”, the bride advises. “Make your wedding your own, whatever that means for you. And plan it together, equitably. You will forget something, but it’ll be okay. If I could relive our wedding day again, exactly as it was, I’d do it in a heartbeat.”