Modern Multicultural Wedding in Miami: Sabdy + Cale

Today’s wedding is full of fun modern details and vibrant colors! Sabdy and Cale met in 2003 at the University of Florida; however, it would take two years for Cale to get up the courage to ask Saby out. They became college sweethearts, and their wedding day marked 10 years from when they first met!

Sabdy is the Director of Sales and Marketing for a A Joy Wallace Catering, so she had plenty of help in pulling off her dream wedding!  The couple decided to have a traditional church ceremony, which blended Sabdy’s Panamanian/Puerto Rican roots and Cale’s Turks and Caicos Islander culture, and a modern reception, which allowed Sabdy and Cale to showcase their fun personal style.

As guests entered the reception, they were greeted with a gallery that took them on a “trip down memory lane” as Sabdy and Cale’s favorite childhood and college memorabilia lined the halls.  The reception space was a sight to see! Rustic elements, such as wooden tables, river rocks and succulents were juxtaposed against modern acrylic elements, ghost chairs, candles and glass vases, creating a stunning romantic ambiance.  The couple definitely thought outside the box, serving a naked cake with sprinkles to match their spunky personalities and opting for a unique gourmet donut dessert station. The evening ended with a confetti canon and a traditional Miami “Hora Loca” (Crazy Hour). Beach balls were thrown from the mezzanine onto the dance floor, bridesmaids passed out glow sticks/jewelry/glasses, and “Fatheads” were ordered in the shapes of a University of Florida Gator as well as the bride and groom’s faces. Cendino Teme Photography captured all of the unique details of this modern multicultural wedding.

Quick Facts

Wedding Style 

My wedding dress was the first I tried on! I did try a few others just to get the whole “bridal experience” but I couldn’t get it out of my head. It was the one!

What I loved about the dress was the combination of fabric and style. The a-line skirt, full of undone ruffles of tulle and organza was set against a fitted bodice with dropped waist, corset back, and fun feather details at the bust. The overall look was a perfect mix of comfort, playfulness and a touch of sexy.

My favorite wedding accessory were the earrings! They were definitely statement pieces, still in tune with the overall ivory tones of the dress but the exotic style added a nice pop and framed the hair & makeup. I loved them!

Incorporation of Culture

Definitely – my family is Panamanian/Puerto Rican, so there were traditional Latin touches in terms of the wedding ceremony. In addition to having a ring bearer and flower girl, it is traditional for a third child to carry “Las Arras” (which mean “coins”), to the altar. There are 13 coins, representing Jesus and the 12 Apostles. The coins signify that the man will care for his wife, children and home, and the wife accepts them to commit to using what the household has earned to help those in need. The coins we used were used in my mother and father’s wedding, and they were cared in a music box given to me by my grandmother.

For Cale – his family is from Turks & Caicos and is Methodist. We were married in a Methodist church, and the ceremony was presided by his uncle, an ordained pastor. Additionally, Cale is a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, so we were sure to incorporate their traditions as well. Before the party started, his fraternity members circled around Cale and I to sing their “Sweetheart Song.” They then performed a mini step show which was a HUGE HIT for our guests. You get so used to seeing this in college you forget how cool it is – to this day, my guests cannot stop talking about that moment.

Most Memorable Moment 

Best memory had to be the first dance. The venue has this beautiful ceiling to floor sheer curtain which separates the cocktail area from the reception area. During cocktail hour, you could barely see the reception design details, just the faint glow of flickering candles (which we used everywhere!) The sheer curtain allowed Cale and I to sneak into the reception from a separate door, undetected. So we were able to take everything in without seeing the guests quite yet.

When it was time for the first dance, the curtains were pulled away to reveal the dinner area, with Cale and I standing on the dance floor waiving. We then began our first dance while everyone watched on from the cocktail hour area and the second floor mezzanine.

Help a Bride-to-be Out…

This is hard to narrow down….I’ll give a few:

1. Take the time to sit down and set a budget. Really give it some thought – people say “they don’t have one” but regardless of what you COULD spend, everyone has a limit they’re WILLING to spend. Once it’s set, work backwards to create your savings plan, but give yourself a 3 month gap before the wedding to be finished. Expenses always pop up at the last minute and having that gap gives you some extra time to prepare.

2. Once you’ve done this, take time away from wedding planning. Seriously, schedule time outside of “wedding mode” to relax and ENJOY being engaged! Being a fiancé is such a special phase, but incredibly shorter than being a girlfriend or wife. Enjoy it!

3. Put good money towards the photographer and videographer. It’s all you have when the wedding is over, and it will fly by. In today’s world, people only seem to get together for weddings and funerals, which is sad, but true. This is the perfect time to have everyone you love together in one place, those memories are important! Don’t skimp here.

4. If you can afford it, hire a wedding planner. They are WORTH IT, and ensure you aren’t the one running around handling loose ends, forgotten details, things that go wrong (and inevitably, something will go wrong that day). They’ve done this a million times, trust in their experience and connections with top vendors – it’ll make a world of a difference.