Work of Art

Designers are innovative by nature. So when 3-D exhibit designer Kristiann Seguin and graphic designer Manny Vargas combined their talents to plan their August 2008 wedding at the Wadsworth Mansion in Middletown, Connecticut, a grand and customized affair was bound to follow. First on their 18-month-long project's to-do list was deciding on a color scheme. "We picked our colors in a craft store's ribbon aisle," explains Kristiann. "After two hours, he picked lime green and I picked fuschia." From this simple color selection evolved custom stationery, a handcrafted logo, interior and exterior lighting, table decor, and floral pieces – each of which reinforced the event's distinctive identity.
Wedding Ceremony & Dinner – Customized Customs The couple designed the ceremony and dinner to spotlight their Portuguese and Puerto Rican heritages. The "very old-school Catholic ceremony" included a traditional lasso ceremony where their godparents tied them together with rosary beads as they declared their vows. The dinner included pernil (a Puerto Rican pork-shoulder dish), mojitos, and family-made Portuguese pastries.
Wedding Decor – Club Scene Kristiann knew lighting would unify the design with the layout. Hiring a lighting designer helped create a high-end club look. With a seven-man crew and Kristiann's guidance, Correlation Productions set up LED lighting to cast a fuschia up-lighting effect on the walls throughout the mansion.
Stationery Suite & Cake – Borne Identity A specialist in typography and logo design, Manny created a designer logo special for the event in the form of a cursive V (for Vargas) and '08 (for the year). It was them emblazoned on the invitations, plaques, and cake. The color scheme completed the event.
Wedding Music – Dancing with Spice The couple met on a salsa team in New Haven, Connecticut, so festive music and a great place to dance was a priority. Manny loved the mansion because "it had a place to dance indoors and [out on the patio] under the stars." Along with a blend of Spanish music and salsa by DJ Aresnnal at the reception, DJ Dase infused R&B and house music to create a party atmosphere on the patio.
The Lasting Memory - Finished Product From the moment they selected their color scheme, the couple encountered doubt from family and friends concerned about the hefty dose of personalization they were putting into the wedding. Kristiann specifically remembers the best man's dismay when she told him he'd be wearing a hot pink shirt. All that dissipated on her wedding day when she walked into the reception with her new husband and saw the product that was a fusion of both their creativity and labor. "It was blood, sweat, and tears for 18 months. To walk in, see it all done, and to see how it was received was my proudest moment," Kristiann remembers. "This was our baby. It was just fantastic."