Mayanna & Leandro’s Wedding

Every couple wants their wedding day to be flawless, but sometimes it’s the unexpected hiccups that make the most memorable stories. For Mayanna & Leandro’s wedding, they poured their hearts into creating an event filled with unique and personal touches. Yet, it was a last-minute glitch with a very special piece of décor that turned their big day into an unforgettable adventure with Mayanna using soldering in the bridal suite all while hair and makeup were going on… Read more below!

How did you two meet? What were your first impressions of one another?
My husband and I first crossed paths at a lively bar in Jacksonville Beach, where we were each out with friends. I approached him first, and the rest, as they say, is history. I often joke that my sense of humor was what won him over. When I discovered he worked for an accounting audit firm, I couldn’t resist sharing a joke: “Why did the auditor cross the road?” Despite its cheesiness, it made him laugh, and that moment was the start of everything. I think there was a sort of magnetic attraction between us. Describe a hurdle you had to overcome in your relationship or during your wedding planning.
While it may seem obvious, there’s nothing like a global pandemic to test a relationship! The world was going through an incredibly difficult time, full of uncertainty and change. Before the pandemic, my husband was frequently traveling for work, often out of town every other week. But when everything came to a halt, we both began working from home together. Those months brought us closer than ever. He truly became my rock during that time, providing the strength and support that kept me going through it all. Any special ways you incorporated your family or family history into your wedding day?
We put a lot of thought into the small details of our wedding, making sure everything was personal and meaningful. One of the highlights that our friends and family loved was a giant crossword puzzle filled with fun facts about us. We also created a custom cocktail, named after our dog, made with Kahlúa that my mom and I made using a family recipe. What was your favorite part about planning your wedding?
My favorite part was seeing it all come together! Seeing all of the details, personalized items, planning and hard work come together and my vision come to fruition was magical. What part of your wedding day was/is most important to you?
It was very important for us to be able to enjoy the day and spend time with our close friends and family. We knew that the day would go by very fast so we wanted to be very intentional with everything that we did that day! If you had one piece of advice for other couples, what would it be?
Do not lose sight of your vision and what is most important to you! During planning you will receive a deluge of advice and opinions but remember that it is your day and that you should only do what makes you and your partner happy. Also, Pinterest can be equally helpful and hurtful do not let it overwhelm you with ideas remember what is important. Tell us a funny story relating to your wedding day or relationship!
I crafted many special details for our wedding, but the pièce de résistance was a custom neon sign featuring our initials and wedding date. On the morning of the wedding, I was making my rounds checking all the decorations. When I plugged in the sign to test it, I discovered that a large section wasn’t lighting up. I immediately panicked and asked a bridesmaid to swing by my house on her way to the venue to get my soldering tools. I ended up reworking part of the neon sign right in the middle of the bridal suite, all while hair and makeup were in full swing! I got the sign working again and it was a PERFECT feature that our guests loved!
What is the best thing you’ve learned from one another?
I am a very indecisive person because I am always thinking about how my decisions will impact others. I love how much my husband supports me and during the wedding planning process he really helped me stick with the vision I had for the day. He helped me to be more confident in myself and my decisions.

What is your favorite thing about each other?
Him: I love how she lights up a room. May is always smiling and it is almost impossible to have a bad day when she’s around.
Her: I love how supportive he is and how he makes me feel like anything is possible. What is the most honest thing you can say about love?
Love is Everything! It is having someone support you on your good days and bad days. It is understanding and patience. It is acceptance and the ability to be yourself! VENUE / AZALEANA MANOR / https://azaleanamanor.com/ @azaleanamanor
PHOTOGRAPHER/LAURA PEREZ PHOTOGRAPHY LLC/ https://lauraperezphotography.com/ @LAURAPEREZPHOTOGRAPHYLLC
PLANNER/ KELSI ELIZABETH EVENTS/https://www.kelsielizabethevents.com/about/ @KELSIELIZABETHEVENTS
DJ ENTERTAINMENT/ Y ENTERTAINMENT/https://yentertainmentdjs.com/ @yentertainmentdjs
MAKEUP / SOL BEAUTIFUL /https://www.solbeautifulmakeupstyle.com/solbeautifulms
HAIR / HANNAH OSHEA /https://osheastyles.com/ @HANNAHOSHEA
FLORALS/ JACKSONVILLE FLOWER MARKET /https://jacksonvilleflowermarket.com/@JACKSONVILLEFLFLOWERMARKET
CAKE / BISCOTTI/https://www.biscottis.net/catering-information/ @BISCOTTISJAX
CATERING/ BISCOTTI /https://www.biscottis.net/catering-information/@BISCOTTISJAX
PHOTOBOOTH/ TOCORORO PHOTOBOOTH/ https://lauraperezphotography.com/tocororo-photobooth/ @TOCORORO_PHOTOBOOTH