Real Weddings: Moné & Mike

To impress the girl he had began chatting with on the dating site OKCupid, Mike sent Moné a Captain Murphy album after learning that she liked rap music. Moné, who works as a legal advocate, took note of Mike’s attention to detail. “It was a thoughtful way to reach out,” Moné said of the Mike’s gesture, which really sold her. The two immediately set up an in-person coffee date. Moné attended University of Colorado-Boulder for undergrad and the University of Denver for graduate school. As they began getting to know one another she learned that Mike had attended Arizona State University for undergrad and University of Colorado-Boulder for graduate school, so they had that in common. The pair sat and talked over coffee for hours, and after that date they couldn’t stop seeing each other. After six years of dating, on Valentine’s day of 2019, Mike took Moné wine tasting and then on to the couple’s favorite pizza place in Boulder, CO. Mike, who is a process development engineer for a tech company, had to coax Moné to keep walking around downtown with him that day amid cold, winter temperatures; she reluctantly agreed. Suddenly, Moné noticed they were in front of the coffee shop where they went for their first date. Mike was on his knee proposing. The couple hosted a non-traditional, bohemian chic wedding in sunny Southern California.

Wedding Details

LOCATION: Costa Mesa, CA

TIME OF YEAR: Winter

WEDDING STYLE: ethereal, natural, playful

CEREMONY & RECEPTION: The Harper

MENU: The wedding featured an entirely plant-based menu. It began with passed hors d’oeuvres of pumpkin empanadas and Adobo chili sauce, tomatillo pico de gallo and micro cilantro; tofu taco coronets with jalapeño chimichurri and avocado mousse; yuca fries with assorted house-made dipping sauces. Moving on to the main buffet there was tofu in Adobo seasoning, roasted red peppers, and a caramelized scallion vinaigrette; a tostada bar that used “soyrizo” (chorizo made with soy rather than meat), heirloom tomato pico, savoy cabbage slaw, and avocado mash; caesar salad featuring a cashew caesar dressing, brioche croutons and parsley pesto; roasted corn with red onion and cashew crema, and finally vegan Mexican pinto beans. The couple’s signature drink was called the “Bee’s Pajamas” made of gin, mint, yellow chartreuse, lemon, Angostura bitters.

DESSERT: Cake with tiers of raspberry vanilla using fresh raspberry mousse and vegan whipped cream, red velvet and simply chocolate

FIRST DANCE SONG: “Sempre” by Marcos Valle

INSPIRATION: The couple was inspired the juxtaposition of the open, clear air on the beach and quiet, dense, magical-feel of the forest found on the West Coast, especially along the 1 freeway. They deemed this “west coast natural.” The couple also love mushrooms and opted to use them as a motif throughout the wedding.

SPECIAL FEATURES: a Mariachi band during the cocktail hour; cigar rolling station; whiskey tasting; a vintage style photo booth out of a 1960s van; they did the African-American tradition of jumping the broom as well as the Jewish tradition of stepping on glass, the couple DIY’d the broom use for the tradition; mushrooms in their decor including in the bouquets and boutonniere and all tables were named after a variety of mushrooms; a friend created Moné and Michael’s hand-drawn table signs

HONEYMOON: The couple had to postpone due to Covid, but plan to go to Maui, HI

COLORS: