Mother of: Christina
Wedding venue: Casa Chameleon Hotel in Las Catalinas, Costa Rica
Vibe: Intimate, seaside destination wedding
Dress: Elliatt strapless cocktail dress
There’s no fooling Mom, especially when it comes to matters of the heart. “I went through a lot of traumatic and unfulfilling romantic relationships prior to meeting my husband,” says newlywed Christina. “I tried to convince myself, and my mom, that I was happy but she always knew.” When Christina introduced her mom to her future husband, Devin, “My mom immediately adored him. It confirmed for me that he was my future.”
“They are a fabulous couple,” says Christina’s mom, Susan. “Both so kind and caring.”
Christina describes Devin as the best man she knows, besides her loving dad, who was always her blueprint for the ideal partner. But when it came to walking down the aisle toward the rest of her life, Christina wanted her mom on her arm as well. “I love my mom so much, and I’m so proud to be just like her in so many big and small ways,” Christina says.
For Susan, walking her daughter down the aisle was the highlight of a storybook day. “I’m not someone who likes being the center of attention, but it was incredible, and so meaningful.”
Susan says she typically wears a lot of black, but when it came to shopping for a mother of the bride dress, Christina encouraged her to be open-minded. And that led her to a strapless cocktail dress by Elliatt featuring architectural details like a asymmetrical neckline and hemline and a ruffle at the waist. The dress comes in several colors including black, pale blue and dusty rose. Susan went for turquoise, which, she says, was “definitely out of my comfort zone.” But the vivid hue was a perfect match for the lush, seaside setting. Bonus: the midi-length made the dress easy to travel with.
Susan admits she worried a bit about planning a wedding long distance, in another venue. She and Christina interviewed wedding planners on Zoom. “The venue was incredible and everything was top drawer,” Susan says. About 50 relatives and friends joined the happy couple in Costa Rica.
“I used to hate that my mom would worry about me because my partner was either not looking out for me or treating me poorly,” Christina says. “And now, knowing that she can sleep peacefully at night, knowing I am deeply happy makes me feel so proud—proud of us for our enduring love for one another, and proud of us for all we’ve been through as women and still maintain our tender hearts.”
| Photography by Wyeth Augustine