Salvage One Wedding with Mexican Traditions

Sandi and Mike’s Salvage One wedding embraced her Mexican heritage and his love of woodworking. Photography by Ingrid Bonne Photography.

How We Met

I was a huge traveler, traveling for work overseas and decided to try Match.com, that is where I met Mike, two months before a four month trip to India! We actually didn’t even meet right away. I was cautious about online dating and so we talked for about a month before I agreed to meet him in person. Ironically enough, we grew up in the same neighborhood, hung out at the same spots, and he would even frequent the ice cream shop where I had my first job! Funny, how we were so close yet the internet brought us together.

For our first date, we went to a local Italian restaurant and I only agreed to meet him there. I didn’t want him to know where I lived. We now live down the street from that restaurant and has become a favorite place to visit.

The Proposal

Mike’s original plan was to surprise me on Christmas, but he shared that he couldn’t hold out till then, so one wintry night right before Christmas Eve, we ordered in food. I was working from home that day and Mike was on his way over. He is into woodworking and would often make me things. On his way he shared the he made me something and couldn’t wait to show me. Little did I know, he was really going to surprise me

He said “I made you something small and here it is”, as he began to get down on one knee. It was a small wooden box made out of purple zebra wood. He said “I just couldn’t wait any longer” and he proposed! I of course said yes.

The Wedding Vision

Mike loves woodworking and I very much embrace my Mexican heritage. We decided that our wedding should be rustic with some romance and a pop of fun. He made many of our decorations: giant sugar skull backdrops, a Chicago sign, hearts, and our love sign, and many others including our papel picado came from Mexico. Mike also embraced my culture so we added many cultural traditions such as special dances and a mariachi band.

We also both love winter and love winters in Chicago, so we wanted to people to walk into Salvage One feeling like they were off in a magical Spanish city.