FULL NAMES
Michael Herbert & Sonia Herbert
OCCUPATIONS
Michael – HVAC Entrepreneur
Sonia – Spa Owner & Beauty Educator
CULTURAL BACKGROUND
Micahel – Barbadian (Father) & African-American (Mother)
Sonia – African American (Father & Mother)
WHERE & HOW DID YOU MEET?
2019 Brooklyn, NY ( Bedford Stuyvesant) on a rainy day. He offered his umbrella to me and I respectfully declined. It must have been fate because I truly hate the rain and I happened to be retrieving something from my car which is uncommon for me to do while it’s raining unless it is an emergency. After declining the umbrella he was persistent and asked me if he could take me to dinner. We exchanged numbers that day and have been inseparable ever since.
WHERE DID YOU GET MARRIED AND WHY DID YOU PICK THE LOCATION?
Dreams Riviera Cancun Resort – Riviera Maya, Mexico. We chose this location because the grounds were beautiful and they had a stunning staircase that we chose to have our ceremony on. We were looking for a modern, minimalist, and memorable feel. The setting felt regal and like a fairytale. It was something you would see in a magazine. Once we realized that we could have the style of wedding that we were looking for at an amazing price point and enjoy our family and friends for an extended period, it was a no-brainer for us to have a destination wedding at this resort.
WHAT WAS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO YOU BOTH WHEN PLANNING YOUR WEDDING?
The most important aspect of planning our wedding was making sure that we remained within our budget, creating memorable moments, and ensuring that our desires and traditions could still be present. We also wanted to include a memorial to honor our close deceased loved ones. During our reception, we added an audio voiceover of one of our deceased cousins, who would have been part of Michael’s wedding party, to be played as one of the speeches. “It was a very emotional moment, but also memorable.”
WHAT DOES FAMILY MEAN TO YOU?
Family is extremely important to us. Although we weren’t able to share our special moment with all of our loved ones, we provided a virtual live stream of our ceremony for the family members who were not able to attend. We also had an engagement party before our destination wedding which a lot of our family was able to attend and celebrate with us.
WHAT TIPS WOULD YOU GIVE TO A COUPLE PLANNING THEIR WEDDING?
Planning a wedding is not easy and it can cause a lot of stress if it’s not managed properly. The best tip that I can give a couple who’s planning a local or destination wedding is to make sure that everything that you and your spouse envision your wedding to be is prioritized and honored. It is important to understand that it is your special day and as much as you might want to cater to others it is ultimately all about you and your forever companion.
