On June 6, 2021, Alana Burstyn and Kevin Rios Altamura married in front of 115 of their closest family and friends at the JW Marriott Turnberry Resort in Aventura, Florida. As the expression goes, their love was “written in the stars.” Because of this, they decided on an elegant celestial theme with a night full of surprises for their guests, including an epic musical performance.
After six years together, the couple wanted a short engagement. The wedding planning process was easy, because Alana had a clear vision; and part of that vision was to hire celebrity wedding planner, Bonnie Walker. When the time came to select an officiant, the couple knew they wanted Alana’s mom, Angie, to officiate with the help of their immediate family.
“As Alana and her father began dancing to ‘My Girl,’ the DJ stopped playing the song, and in walked The Temptations.”
The evening began with a cocktail reception which took place in one of the four rooms used for this extravagant wedding. The string trio from the prestigious New World Symphony began playing to signal guests to the stunning ceremony area.
The ceremony took place under a dramatic architectural grand staircase draped in delicate baby's breath. The walls, covered in an exquisite blue velvet wallpaper, were accentuated with romantic lighting. Kevin awaited Alana under an acrylic chuppah as she descended the staircase while the string trio played Elvis’ “I Can’t Help Falling in Love with You.”
After the ceremony, guests entered the dining area lined with palm trees and walls draped in delicate white fabric. The couple knew that they wanted their guests to dine at one long, elegant dining table, so a table for 115 guests was constructed. The table setting was nothing short of spectacular, with candles and ornate blue chinoiserie objects used for centerpieces.
Dinner started with a toast from the bride's father, Samuel, and a glass of vintage Dom Pérignon for each guest that continued to flow all night. Dinner service was of particular importance, as the staff trained and executed a beautifully synchronized dinner service with each plate being put down simultaneously for every guest.
After dinner is when the fun really began. Following the final course, guests were greeted by servers with trays of tequila and a fleet of customized golf carts adorned with cans and “Just Married” banners to drive themselves to “LoonyC” nightclub – a one night only extravaganza completely personalized for the bride and groom. (LoonyC is a nod to Alana’s childhood nickname, “Loony.”)
When it was time for the father daughter dance, the bride's parents had a surprise in store. As Alana and her father began dancing to “My Girl,” the DJ stopped playing the song, and in walked The Temptations to take over. The guests went wild.
The party room was transformed into a celestial disco with a color palette of varying shades of rich blues. The dance floor was designed in a blue marble finish, and the acrylic chairs were covered in celestial decals. There was even a bar that gave out scratch-off tickets featuring the couple's three dogs, along with fun prizes for those who won.
One of the highlights for the couple was their photo booth backdrop – a custom built crescent moon to highlight the celestial theme. It was an evening of pure magic that the newlyweds and their guests will carry with them forever. After a poolside brunch the following morning, the newlyweds said their farewells to family and friends and headed to Cabo San Jose, Mexico for their honeymoon.
