Real Weddings: Erica & Maidel

Real Weddings

ERICA & MAIDEL August 8, 2017 / mle pictures

Real Weddings

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN TOGETHER? We’ve been together since October 2012. Miami has a funny way of bringing people together when they least expect it. Erica and Maidel didn’t know each other despite working a block away from each other, having mutual friends, being in the same social circles and Erica even knowing Maidel’s sister. Their paths simply never crossed.

It was a typical Friday night and Maidel’s friend insisted that she accompany her to a birthday party. Maidel was reluctant but finally agreed. Somewhere across town, Erica’s friend insisted that she too accompany her to the same birthday party. As if fate had a fair play, they both ended up at the same Sports Bar Restaurant in celebration of the friend that would ultimately be responsible for bringing them together.

WHAT IS THE BIGGEST OBSTACLE YOU’VE HAD TO OVERCOME AS A COUPLE? Erica and Maidel grew up very differently. While Erica’s parents have been married since they are teenagers and she grew up in a stable loving home with supportive parents, Maidel did not have that experience. Maidel grew up with a single mother of two. Her relationship with her mom was strained and difficult. As a result she moved out at a very young age and experienced her late teens as a self-sufficient adult. Erica enjoyed college and fewer responsibilities. These childhood experiences molded them into different adults, with very different views about many things in life. Bringing these two sets of ideals into one cohesive direction moving forward has not always been easy. Together we have learned to accept and

understand our views and communicate our feelings. These days things are a lot more natural and easy.

WHAT DO YOU LOVE THE MOST ABOUT YOUR SPOUSE? Erica’s love and dedication to me and our relationship is relentless, it never weakens even through the most trying of times in our relationship. I love how she loves me without restrictions or limitations. I always feel like I’m the most important person in the world to her. True love is a choice we make every day. She enthusiastically chooses me every day.

Maidel encourages me to be a better person every day. I have grown into a much better version of me because of her. I have been blessed with a wife who believes in me, and that makes it so much easier to succeed and stay focused. Her sincere willingness to make our lives beautiful is awe-inspiring. My wife is my and our greatest cheerleader!

DESCRIBE YOUR WEDDING DAY: I may be one of the few brides that can say that their wedding was perfect. Besides an unforeseen strong trade wind that evening, everything else went according to plan and then some. Some things had to be placed facing down on the Welcome Table to prevent the wind from knocking them down, but that was the worst of it. As soon as the ceremony started the winds died down and it was picture perfect. We even had the good luck sprinkle of rain during the ceremony that lasted about 15 seconds and then rewarded us with a beautiful rainbow.

WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE PART? Asking me to pick the favorite part of our wedding, I would imagine being like asking a mom to pick her favorite child. This wedding was my baby for over 2 years. I spent countless hours on every single detail that went into our special day. Endless nights of worrying and hoping were invested into this production. My favorite part is a complete unified favoritism towards the entire day. My favorite part is that I pulled it off, that it was all there and happening and that it was everything and so much more than I ever dreamed or imagined. My favorite part was having some of my closest friends and family

witness all my hard work and love for Erica. My favorite part was marrying my best friend who for so many months supported all my dreams and wishes to make this wedding be everything it was.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO OTHER COUPLES PLANNING THEIR WEDDING? The problem is you think you have time. Start Early! Even with almost two years we felt rushed. We were so fortunate to have extra time to really research what we wanted and not have to settle based on the need to book right away. Planning ahead also tremendously made picking vendors and items that fit our budget a lot easier.

Yes, you need a wedding coordinator and at the very least if you’re an excellent planner like me, you still need a day off wedding coordinator. After planning this wedding I cannot even begin to express the work that Wedding Coordinators do. They are the true heroes of the wedding world.

Photographer: mle pictures Wedding Consultant/Reception/Ceremony/ Caterer/: Merriman’s Maui Wedding Cake: Maui Wedding Cakes Florist: Dellables Clothing/Gowns/Suits: Maidel: Kleinfeld Bridal Lazaro Gown Erica: Brides of Florida Gown Hair/Make up: Soleil Luna Music: Marvin Tevaga Invitations: Invitations by Jill Videographer: All Time Media