El Convento Archives – Studio Laguna Photography

Most destination weddings include multiple days of events, and Victor and Laura’s was no exception. They were excellent hosts and truly bent over backwards to make sure all of their guests had gift bags on arrival, a welcoming committee, a guide of Spanish basics, and places to see. Each group of family and friends chose different outings and ways to spend their time and it was fun to hear of all the adventures.

We all started off in Managua, Nicaragua’s capital city. Destroyed by an earthquake in the 70s and kept from rebuilding because of revolution and civil war, the city started revitalizing in the 90s and now is a very large bustling city. Though there is quite a bit of culture shock due to the fact that this is still a developing country, there was a lot to see and do, and much to learn…this is definitely a country for the adventurous and people that love the outdoors and a more relaxed way of life.

Two days before the wedding, Laura treated her family and friends to a mani/pedi and mimosas. It was a great way to get to meet all of her friends from different parts of her life and from all over the world.

After a fun afternoon, the out of town guests went to El Patio for dinner. Laura and Victor chose to have their wedding during rainy season, since it would be a bit cooler…but we also witnessed how a torrential downpour can take you by surprise. As we arrived at the restaurant, thunder and lightning was quickly followed by a lot of rain.

The BBQ chicken was delish!

Since it was the 4th of July, we had patriotic straws…such a cute touch!

The next day, the entire out group hopped onto a bus for the journey to Leon. Leon is a former capital and a beautiful colonial city near the Pacific Ocean. We arrived at El Convento, and got acclimated to the heat (well, most of us cranked up the AC and took a siesta). That evening, family headed to Victor’s house for the civil ceremony.

These lovely flowers bloomed in the garden just the day before.

Victor’s family were gracious hosts and were excited to meet everyone.

A family friend married the couple, and had a sweet talk about marriage hand written in his notary book.

There were some funny translation moments.

“We’re married!”

After the ceremony, the families chatted a bit and sat down to a nice dinner on the patio. All of the flowers were picked from the garden!

Oh my, where to begin…Victor and Laura were married last week in Nicaragua! As with all of our destination weddings, we have so much to show you…especially since this wedding included blending cultures and traditions. Nicaragua is a beautiful country, warm both in spirit and weather, and all who journeyed to this wedding had a marvelous time. I’ll blog about all of the different activities and adventures over the next few days, but today we’ll start with the wedding itself.

Victor and Laura wanted to have a clean aesthetic to the wedding but also embrace the town of Leon, which is the intellectual center of Nicaragua and dates back to colonial times. They chose a white and aqua color palette with pops of coral and lavender and used succulents and roses in the decor. The entire wedding had a beautiful crisp style that was also breezy and modern.

On one of Laura’s trips back to Minnesota, she was able to shop at Flutter Boutique and found the perfect dress that floated in the tropical breeze.

While Victor’s brother helped him get ready in one part of the hotel, Laura’s sister prepared her speech in the bridal suite.

Sadly, Laura’s parents are no longer with us, but before her mother passed away, she wrote a card to Laura for her wedding day…

…and Laura kept a piece of her mom’s wedding dress and dad’s dress shirt close to her heart…sewn right into her wedding gown.

Ashley Hanson created Laura’s bridal look with natural makeup and beautiful chignon. Laura wore simple, classic jewelry including pieces of her mom’s and grandmother’s, and a ring from her sister.

The wedding took place at El Convento, a hotel with a modern colonial design built on the site of an old convent and containing many antiques and relics. The bright blue of the hotel inspired the colors for the wedding, and all of the out of town guests stayed there as well, which gave such a feeling of community to the festivities.

The first sight was so sweet, and I loved Victor’s reaction when he saw Laura.

One thing I love about this couple is their sense of adventure. When Laura asked if it was ok if they did pictures on the top of the Cathedral of the Assumption I did SUCH a happy dance! Up to the rooftops of the 200 year old Cathedral we went, which gave us the most beautiful views of the volcano and city!

It was VERY hot, but Victor looked cool and fresh in his stylish suit.

Half of the rooftop had been cleaned and the other half still had the gorgeous patina of age…the contrast was marvelous.

Back at the hotel we all bathed in the glorious air conditioning for a while and had a bit of a siesta as the sun dipped low on the horizon and guests started to arrive.

Then it was time to get married! The darling flower girl, Laura’s niece, had practiced her petal throwing skills and did a wonderful job at the ceremony.

At the cocktail hour, guests enjoyed the cooling evening in the garden and then sat down for a delicious dinner. The couple enjoyed bilingual speeches and were even serenaded by Victor’s brother.

The sweet first dance was to the Arctic Monkey’s “Baby I’m Yours”.

The dance floor opened up to all, and music varied between a live band, salsa, and a fantastic playlist of 80s and 90s pop music.

Victor and Laura, we were so honored to be a part of your wedding festivities! We had an amazing time getting to see Nicaragua and telling your love story! Enjoy your sneak peek!

Nicaraguan Civil Ceremony

Victor Y Laura