Real Weddings: Christine and Luis

Christine Tessaro, the founder of boutique fitness studio Spokehaüs, met Luis Alfonsolo, a director at Liberterre Meat Co., through mutual friends in Guelph during summer break in high school. After dating on and off for more than a decade, they found their way back together for good three years ago.

Luis proposed to Christine last summer. After dinner at Harbour 60, they went back home, where he asked her to put on a blindfold at their doorstep. “I have a surprise for you,” he said. When they walked in, their 10-year-old Yorkie, Chloe, came to the door with a ring dangling from her collar. When Christine removed the blindfold, Luis was down on one knee and the house was covered in candles, flowers, balloons and photos of the couple with promises that Luis written on them. They celebrated the engagement the next evening by seeing John Mayer—they’ve attended every one of his Toronto concerts.

Luis and Christine already knew where they wanted to get married. Twelve years ago, Luis, who was born in Colombia, took Christine to Cartagena, and she fell in love with history and beauty of the old city. During their visit, they dined at Mansion Tcherassi, a boutique hotel and restaurant owned by prominent designer Silvia Tcherassi. Over the meal, Christine told Luis that this would be the place they would get married one day.

Cheat Sheet

Date: February 24, 2018 Planner: Leidis Leguia Photography: Alvaro Delgado Fotógrafo Bride’s dress: Vera Wang Groom’s attire: Indochino Flowers: Floristeria Al Ala Hair: Makenna Elmore, Lola Salon Ossington Makeup: Justine Seah Beauty
Venue: Mansion Tcherassi Caterer: Vera Music: The Faces
Lighting and DJ: Playa Producciones Invitations: Post Calligraphy Guests: 100

The bridesmaids wore crop tops and flowy skirts from Australian designer TwoSisters (Christine loves Australian fashion and sells exclusively Australian-designed clothing at Spokehaüs). She picked the colours to match the decor:

The groomsmen’s tuxes from Indochino were a little less breathable in the hot Cartagena night:

The ceremony took place next to a pool in the hotel’s courtyard:

Guests snapped plenty of Instagram pics in front of a seven-by-seven-foot wall of hydrangeas. The couple chose the flower because Luis’s grandmother (who walked him down the aisle) is named Hortensia, which means hydrangea in Spanish. Here they are with Luis’s goddaughter and the wedding’s flower girl, Sienna:

The seven-course meal included octopus and beef carpaccio, penne cacio e pepe, jumbo garlic prawns, pork belly and a floral ice cream dessert:

The couple hired U.K. watercolour artist Viola Kreczmer of Frankie and Pearl to create their drinks menu. She created art for both the bride and groom’s custom drinks: Christine’s included Hendrick’s gin, soda and grapefruit; Luis’s was Hendrick’s, cucumber and pink peppercorn. They set a few up on a vintage bar cart:

The couple also created stir sticks with their wedding’s hashtag, #LCL4EVER:

The couple’s first dance was to John Mayer’s “Waiting on the Day,” but things quickly got rowdier. A band called the Faces played house music on classical instruments (violins, trumpets and piano). Later, Colombian ballet dancers surprised guests with a couple of traditional performances. “The Colombian culture is all about the dancing,” says Christine. “It’s not typical to have anyone seated whenever there’s music on”:

The dancers kicked off what they call “hora loca” around 1 a.m. All the guests dressed up in costumes, and the couple wore custom flower crowns and boutonnieres that the bridal party had made back in Toronto. Things finally wrapped up around 4 a.m.: