The Meet Cute : The couple met in New York City through mutual friends in 2014 . His friends were her neighbors in Spanish Harlem in New York City . After living in the Big Apple for a while , they relocated to Boston for work .
The Engagement : Zuren was on a business trip in Vegas and invited Bella for the weekend . They had been many times but had never been to the Grand Canyon . One of the most beautiful views of the national park is from the bottom of the valley , but the only way to reach it is by helicopter . The couple took off in the air and once they landed in the valley , a surprise picnic and Champagne were ready , and that ’ s when Zuren popped the question . Zuren had to plan ahead and take a trip to the valley with his supplies , since the helicopter was small and couldn ’ t hide any of the setup . Because it was so small , they didn ’ t even have a photographer to capture the moment ! “ It was just us and the pilot ,” Bella says . “ It was so cute , sweet and unexpected .”
The Venue : Bella and Zuren fell in love with Newport : the beach , weather , vibes . “ It feels like a wedding destination ,” Bella swoons . They didn ’ t want to travel far away and wanted to keep the destination within a two-hour drive . Since they were still in the middle of the pandemic , they didn ’ t want their wedding guests to travel too far . They also decided against a city , cabin or farm wedding .
The First Look : While most partners may cry during a first look , Zuren made sure he was all smiles for Bella . He made silly faces and danced around to ease her nerves . “ He always has a way to make me laugh ,” she says . “ I was so nervous right before the ceremony .” He assured her there was nothing to worry about , as he was excited for that day and the weather was beautiful .
The Ceremony : The couple kept the guest list small , originally planning for 100 to 150 guests but ending up with fifty . “ We weren ’ t even sure if we could have a wedding with COVID restrictions ,” Bella recalls . That didn ’ t keep guests with four paws out of the question . “ Teddy , our dog , was part of the wedding ! He wore a tux . We hired a local dog sitter to bring him and have him be a part of the ceremony ,” Bella says . The music wasn ’ t your typical wedding lineup , either . While Zuren is Asian , he is from Uruguay and has friends from South American countries . Everyone jammed out to a mix of Latin music , and the couple hired a band only ten days before the wedding .
The First Dance : Bella and Zuren took it to the next level by enrolling in dance classes . They chose “ Can ’ t Help Falling in Love ” by Hailey Reinhart . “ It ’ s the only situation where you can force your significant other to go to a dance class with you ,” Bella says . “ I enjoyed the process very much ! It ’ s a cool thing to do as a couple .”
94 | ENGAGED IN SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND 2023