KATE MCLEAN & PEDRO VELOSO
June 11, 2023 | Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art | Bentonville | Elizabeth Salazar Photography
Kate and Pedro met at a mutual friend's birthday part over eight years ago. They were both enrolled in graduate school at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Kate was completing her Master’s degree and Pedro was completing his Ph.D. They have been together ever since!
Pedro proposed to Kate at a rental lake house on Beaver Lake over a long weekend vacation. On the last night of their trip, Pedor got down on one knee and asked her to marry him in his native language, Portuguese. He proposed with Kate’s Claddagh ring, which belonged to her grandmother - who gave Kate the ring on her 16th birthday.
“The hand it’s worn on and the direction of the heart indicate the wearer’s relationship status,” Kate said. “I used my Claddagh ring for both the engagement and wedding ceremony. It is a symbol of love, loyalty, and friendship – the three elements of a successful partnership and marriage.”
WEDDING VENDORS WE LOVE
Photography
Elizabeth Salazar Photography
Wedding dress
Tesori
Venue and catering
Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art
Florist
PIGMINT Floral Studio
Planning and design
Christa Wilkins of JLK Weddings
MORE VENDORS
Furniture rentals: Alchemy Event Rentals; Linens: BBJ La Tavola; Charger rentals: Host Rentals; HMUA: Blossom Beauty Bar; Stationery: Minted; DJ: Mega DJ Company; Band: Smoothman Music
Q & A
Q: What inspired your color palette?
A: “I’m a very outdoorsy person so I chose wildflowers as my inspiration,” Kate said. “I wanted the guests to feel like they stumbled upon a beautiful clearing in the woods filled with flowers.”
Q: What was your favorite moment of the day?
A: “The dance with my dad was easily the sweetest and most beautiful moment for me,” Kate said. “As his only daughter, it meant a great deal to him and it showed. I will never forget it and am so thankful for our incredible photographer, Elizabeth Salazar, for capturing it so beautifully.”
Q: What is your secret to wedding planning success?
A: “Jessica Kernsey and her team at JLK Weddings,” Kate said. “I could never have pulled this off without them. They made the planning experience painless. The day of the wedding flowed seamlessly without any stresses or issues.”
Q: What personalizations did you plan for the wedding day?
A: “We had a traditional hand-fasting ceremony in which my husband’s and my hands were wrapped with braided cords to symbolize commitment to each other,” Kate said. “We had both of our mothers perform the wrapping ritual, interweaving our two families. It was a personalization that meant a great deal to me.”
Q: Was there a special detail from your decor that sticks out to you the most?
A: “The flowers from PIGMINT were fabulous,” Kate said. “They made the whole hall smell incredible. The flower-covered trellises were a huge hit with our guests looking to take whimsical group photos and selfies. They totally captured the feeling I was looking for, especially with the moss and bud glasses for the table settings.”
MIDSUMMER NUPTIALS
“The theme of Shakespeare’s 'A Midsummer Night’s Dream' was a significant influence as well,” Kate said.
DITCH THE DRESS CODE!
“We did not want to burden our guests with a dress code that may push them to go out and buy something they would not wear again,” Kate said.
