We couldn't help but fall in love with Aileen Ramos and Grant Hignight's incredible wedding fiesta at The Ravington. And what better day to share it with you all than Cinco de Mayo? Enjoy!
The Couple
Grant and Aileen are both buyers for Sam’s Club. The two would see each other and hear about each other at meetings, especially since Aileen was on the team that bought K-cups and Grant was on the team that bought Keurigs. They dated for a few months during the winter of 2014 before they really knew it was love.
The proposal happened during a trip to Washington D.C. and New York City with Aileen's parents. All the while, Grant had been planning a secret proposal during their time in NYC. He proposed in front of the Flatiron Building, which happens to be Aileen's favorite building in the city. He sent out emails with maps on where everyone needed to hide and even flew his parents up so they could be there for the big proposal. "I was shocked and said yes after a lot of ugly crying," Aileen says. "That was a great day."
The Wedding
Date: March 30, 2018
Venue: The Ravington, Centerton
Headcount: 200 guests
The Inspiration
When it came time to plan their wedding, Aileen knew she wanted to draw on her family's Mexican heritage. The result was a totally unique and colorful celebration of life, love and family.
"I also LOVED the movie Coco," she said. "After I watched that, I knew that we could do something special and unique that celebrated both of our cultures."
How They Customized
Since the entire wedding was already a special marriage of Grant and Aileen's family cultures, the couple went all out with the Mexican fiesta vibe. Aileen's aunts who were coming from Mexico brought in colorful decor for the Ravington's patio that included papel picado (the fun hanging banners), the talavera vases for the reception tables and the tissue flowers which were used for the arches. The couple also had Yeyo’s outside with a taco cart making food on the spot, as well as Wright’s Barbecue inside for dinner.
Grant and Aileen also had a local Mariachi band that joined the guests for cocktail hour, which added great entertainment and really brought the outdoor area to life. Since no fiesta is complete without tequila, Aileen's mom brought some small jugs for shots. Not only were they adorable and festive, but they were great gifts for guests to remember the wedding by.
One of Aileen's favorite moments of the night happened during the reception. The couple hired Boom Kinetic for to play during the reception and they invited Grant up on the stage to show off his drumming skills.
"He drummed to the song 'Brown Eyed Girl' and I ran up on the mic and sang some parts of the hook," she says. "That was a total blast and will be one of the most memorable parts of our wedding."
The Details
Photographer: Two Carters Photography, Bentonville
Event planner/designer: Gala Garage, Fayetteville
Florist: Enchanted Designs, Bentonville
Rental companies: Eventfully Yours Parties, Rentals & Gifts, Fayetteville, Gala Garage, Fayetteville
Lighting: Lightworks Events, Fayetteville
Cakes: Rick’s Bakery, Fayetteville
Caterer: Yeyo’s Mexican Grill, Bentonville; Wright’s Barbecue, Johnson
Drinks service: Gala Garage, Fayetteville
Mariachi band: Mariachi Esencia de America
Band: Boom Kinetic, Fayetteville
Ceremony music: Brenda Cox, harpist
Wedding stationery: Moxy Ox, Springdale
Bridal boutique: Couture Bridal, Springdale
Veil: Tesori, Fayetteville
Bridesmaids attire: David’s Bridal
Groom/groomsmen attire: Suit Supply
Engagement ring and band: Blakeman’s Fine Jewelry, Rogers
Hair: NWA Occasions, Bentonville
Makeup: Genoa Falar Walls
Rehearsal dinner venue: Tavola Trattoria, Bentonville
Staffing for setup, food service and the cleanup crew: Bohemian Geeks, Springdale
