Helena Kuhn & Ignacio Chavarria

Real Wedding

Helena & Ignacio

August 1, 2021

As Dr. Helena Kuhn and Ignacio ha arria shared their fi rst wedding dance to Frankie Valli’s Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You, they couldn’t help but focus on one line in the song: “At long last, love has arrived, And I thank God I’m alive.” At ages 35 and 40, respectively, the pair waited a long time to fi nd each other, and were especially grateful they decided to swipe right on Hinge three years earlier, launching a relationship that saw them sharing a life even when they were living on different continents. It was during a communal trip to Turks and Caicos that Ignacio decided to propose. While the couple strolled on a deserted beach (“It was the middle of the pandemic, so we had almost an entire resort to ourselves,” Helena says), Ignacio kneeled in the sand and asked for her hand in marriage.

Take It Outside

When plans to wed in Ignacio’s native Costa Rica fell through due to the pandemic, the pair decided to tie the knot in Newport, where Helena had spent many summers. Determined to give their largely out-oftown guests a thorough introduction to the city, they arranged a rehearsal dinner at The Vanderbilt, a sail on Narragansett Bay, a stroll on Cliff Walk, the wedding itself at Salve Regina’s Our Lady of Mercy Chapel followed by a waterfront reception at The Bohlin, and a farewell brunch at Castle Hill Inn. “As a doctor, it was essential to me that our wedding was as COVID-safe as possible,” says Helena, who only booked events that could take place outdoors or under a tent.

Latin Lovers

A patient of Helena’s, Father Robert Hayman, came out of retirement to perform the ceremony, for which the bride wore a sleeveless V-neck mermaid dress by Reem Acra, and the groom sported a tux from Hugo Boss. The reception tent was dressed in crystal chandeliers, cascading sheers and endless bou uets of pink and white fl owers, for a look the couple describes as “Classic Newport with some atin fl a or he latter was provided by a mariachi band, which made a surprise appearance after dinner, luring normally reticent guests onto the dance fl oor t was a beautiful moment of blended cultures and families, refl ects Helena.

Where Are They Now?

After a honeymoon in France, the pair returned to Pawtucket, where Helena is a dermatologist and Ignacio is a manager at a consulting fi rm — Fred Albert

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