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Real Weddings

From a Double-Decker Bus to a Mariachi River Boat: No Wilder Ride Than This Wedding

By Lisa Chontos

Photography By Philip Thomas Photography

Physician assistant Jennifer Quinones met Johnny Paniaqua when he injured himself doing government work. Jennifer stayed professional in the office, but destiny wasn’t finished with them yet. Some time later, they came across each other again when they were out with friends. It didn’t take them long to discover they both loved hunting, fishing, and the music of Texan country singer Pat Green. Soon they were regular guests at the ranch of a family friend, and Jennifer introduced Johnny to quail hunting.

After 3 years of dating, Jennifer had started to think they might just stay friends. Then, one moonlit night, Johnny took her out by the pond on the ranch where they had made so many memories. There, under the moonlight, he added one more memory to the list, when he proposed.

The ecstatic bride-to-be quickly set about finding the perfect planner, interviewing several before discovering Tina Humphrey of Diamonds and Dreams. Humphrey is a former corporate planner who has coordinated events for up to 3,000 people, and she has spent nearly the last 10 years planning weddings.

“I’m so happy we picked Tina,” Jennifer said later. “She helped us see what we could afford, and she matched us with vendors who suited our personalities—all so down-to-earth and easy to talk to, and extremely good at their jobs.”

Hoping to ensure that their 225 guests had as much fun as they did, the couple met with Humphrey at length to get every detail just right.

On May 9, 2009, Jennifer slipped into her one-of-a-kind dress from Alfred Angelo and met Johnny at the end of the aisle in the spectacular Chapel of The Incarnate Word. They made a striking pair, and the bride was stunning in her strapless, beaded gown that hugged her perfect hourglass figure.

After the ceremony, the wedding party piled into the top of a double-decker bus operated by The Lion & Rose. With Journey songs as their soundtrack, they made their way to the river, and the elated groom narrowly missed hitting his head on a stoplight. Once at the river, they took a boat to the Weston Centre, and their soundtrack was replaced by a live mariachi serenade.

When Jennifer and Johnny climbed the steps of Weston and entered the reception hall, they looked at each other in disbelief. What they saw left them speechless, and Jennifer turned to hug her wedding planner and florists.

Veteran florists Tony Ferro and Gene Weston of Ambiance Floral and Event Design have 17 years in the business, and they take a very visual, artistic approach to their craft. Dragonflies were suspended in tall vases, rose centerpieces were lit with floating candles, and 5-foot-tall peach and white gladiolas were used to full effect, creating a dramatic scene. Escort cards were taped to planters containing green and purple succulents, presented on blocks of granite.

A cascade of roses spilled down the side of the tiered wedding cake by Sweet Traditions, and the groom’s cake was positioned between stuffed quail, with a real, coated log nearby. Nature was also brought in through two real trees, 7 feet tall and 4 feet wide, decorated with silk petals and blossoms. A martini luge from Signature Ice dispensed watermelon martinis made with real watermelon, a huge hit with the guests.

Young dancers from a folkloric dance studio kept everyone entertained during dinner, even changing costumes for different performances.

As the night went on, the groomsmen introduced Johnny to a cultural tradition of partially undressing the groom so that the bride can dress him. Hoisting him over their heads, they took off his shoes, socks, and pants, leaving him in just his shirt and boxers.

“I didn’t dress him,” Jennifer laughed later. “I just shielded him from the audience while he dressed.”

As incredible as it was to see their vision come alive after all the tireless planning, what touched Jennifer the most was the feelings expressed by her family and friends. The couple was moved by the thoughtful toasts given by the maid of honor, the best man, and Jennifer’s father, who couldn’t resist also teasing her the way only a father can.

“I’ll always remember hearing those toasts and seeing my husband’s face as we were listening,” she smiles. Her dad had also welded a custom cake-topper for them, with a rustic scene and the letters JP on the top, representing both their initials. As they start their lives as husband and wife, they look forward to finding just the right place for it in their home.

Wedding Resources:

Rehearsal Dinner: Las Leyendas at Rita's on the River at Rio Plaza
Ceremony: Chapel of The University of Incarnate Word
Reception: Weston Centre
Wedding Consultant: Diamonds & Dreams
Photographer: Philip Thomas Photography
Videographer: Citi-Video