✨ Vows That Wow: Each month, our editors review dozens of San Antonio weddings and select the best of the best to feature as our Vows that Wow. ✨
Roma didn’t set out to have her wedding in San Antonio. She’d imagined Mexico. But when it came down to it, one thing mattered more than the setting: Ramon’s grandmother, 96 years old, needed to be there. So Roma made herself a promise, if she couldn’t bring the wedding to Mexico, she’d bring Mexico to San Antonio. She kept it.
With VOLARE Planning & Design at the helm orchestrating every breathtaking detail, the day began at one of San Antonio’s most iconic landmarks, Mission San Jose, with a traditional Catholic ceremony officiated by Archbishop Gustavo Garcia-Siller. The rosary used during the ceremony had been blessed by Pope Francis — a detail that set the tone for everything that followed. This wasn’t a wedding that did things halfway. Roma, familiar to San Antonio audiences as the host of Great Day SA, walked through those carved stone doors in a stunning lace gown. As she and Ramon walked out as husband and wife, Mariachi Azteca De America, carried that energy right through the doors and into the afternoon.
What happened between the ceremony and the reception is the part of this wedding that people are still talking about. Roma and Ramon slipped away in their something blue,a 1969 Chevy Chevelle, and headed to the Thompson Hotel, where a private rooftop moment with their closest family and friends was waiting. Tequila shots, a view of the city, and a breath before the celebration really began. Then came the Callejoneada. A traditional Mexican street procession, led by Bexar Brass, wound its way from the Thompson Hotel over to The Southwest School of Art — guests in tow, music filling the streets. VOLARE Planning & Design coordinated five live performances, multiple venues, and a street procession all in a single day, and the reception still had to hold its own after all of that. It did.
Freesia Designs & Events transformed the Southwest School of Art with Mexican tin Petalo stars suspended throughout the space, catching the light alongside their vibrant floral arrangements that brought color and life to every table, as well as a stunning pink stage facade. Backstory Backdrops created custom table numbers featuring Roma and Ramon’s favorite Mexican musicians — the kind of detail guests actually stop to look at, and a captivating seating chart that led guests inside. Cat Haus Collective layered in colorful glassware and small brass accents that gave the tablescapes warmth and personality, and rentals from Bright Event Rentals pulled the room together beautifully. Catering by Chef Ceasar Zepeda and bartending by Rivercity Bartending kept guests well fed and well poured throughout the night.
And then there was the music. We’ve never seen a wedding day with this many live musical performances — and we’ve seen a lot of weddings. Mariachi by Danielle Charles set the tone during the ceremony itself, while Mariachi Azteca de America and Bexar Brass carried the energy through post-ceremony and cocktail hour. Doc Watkins kept the atmosphere alive through dinner, and LA45 — a Tejano showband — closed out the night on the dance floor in style. Five distinct performances across a single day, each one rooted in the couple’s heritage and the world they wanted to create for their guests. It never felt like a lineup. It felt like a story being told in music.
John David Weddings captured every moment — from Roma in the doorway of Mission San Jose to the Callejoneada moving through the streets to the dance floor at the end of the night. And can we talk about the behind-the-scenes magic? Content by Jenni was on site throughout the day making sure every stunning detail lived on beyond the wedding day. The cake came from Cakes by Cathy Young, cookies from Sweet Cheeks, and — because this is San Antonio and no wedding is complete without it, Whataburger showed up as the late-night snack.
Roma wanted Mexico. She chose San Antonio. And somehow, she got both. Congratulations to Roma + Ramon — Los Lopez, por siempre. 🤍
Other Local Vendors:
John David Weddings, Southwest School Of Arts, The Thompson San Antonio, Mariachi Azteca De America, LA 45 Music, River City Bartending, Cakes By Cathy Young, Olivia Grace Bridal, Rex Formal Wear
