Nohelia & Karson Ballard

Their love story began when they met while serving missions for their church in the same area. Although they didn’t interact or even talk much during their time serving together, they both felt strongly that they should reach out to each other once they’d returned home. The only issue was that Nohelia lived in Ecuador and Karson was back in Idaho. They overcame all obstacles and knew they were meant to be together forever as soon as they began dating. And just three months later, they were married and sealed for time and eternity in the Provo, Utah Temple. 

   Perhaps one of the biggest hardships that came with their union was that due to Covid, the brides family was unable to travel to the U.S. for the ceremony….or so she thought! As a wedding gift unlike any other, just the day before the ceremony, her mother and siblings were able to surprise Nohelia when they secretly flew into Idaho just in time for the festivities. “It made our day perfect.” Her mother brought with her several traditional Latin wedding gifts, including a set of handmade wedding dolls that sat at the guest sign-in table. 
 
   Choosing the Valentine Ballroom was an easy decision. “It was already stunning so choosing the decorations was not a hard process” Nohelia said. “Having a wedding planner and coordinator working so hard for us to have it all set up and ready, so we could just relax and enjoy our day without stress, was the best choice we made. We enjoyed our wedding day and the days building up to it because our planner was on top of every detail.”   

   As Coordinator, Mecinna Price with Valentine Events, took care of said details like working with videographer Danielle Tarbet and Photographer Cade Legg, who is a close friend of the groom. “People often don’t realize the choreographed dance that good photographers and videographers have to do during an event like a wedding to capture all the special moments and glances to make it look genuine and timeless.”Helping choose professionals who can work together is of the many important parts of Mecinna’s job that she loves. 
 
   Nohelia looked radiant in a mermaid style, full train dress rented from Valentine Bridal. The florist, Jeanette Corona, is a life time friend of the groom’s mother and after choosing colors that the bride loved, fuchsia, burgundy and plum, they gave her free reign to do what she felt would make the room special. She coordinated her floral picks of lilies and pastel blooms with the table decors of fresh green garlands and plum glass blown vases and the result was a dreamy, colorful room that held special moments in every detail.  

     It was obvious that special care and time was taken to help blend their two cultures together. One serendipitous point came when the caterer, Candace Sandy of Valentine Events, happened to be traveling through New York City and was able to stop at an Ecuadorean Market, the week of the event. After speaking to the market owner, she was able receive and recreate recipes for several Ecuadorian dishes to add to their menu. The brides’ family was touched and said the Latin food tasted perfect. The grazing table was a colorful blend of of both families’ favorites and paired beautifully with a simple but gorgeous marbled 2 layer cake of French Vanilla and red Velvet by Lacey Jones with Occasions Cakes and Events. 
 
    “During our reception it was important to us that our guests just had fun. We wanted them to dance and enjoy the food we had chosen for the day.” The dance party was a big hit as DLR Audio brought down the house with a fun mix of American and Latin music that the couple requested and at one point the Conga line was wrapped around the entire room. Both of their families watched with glowing smiles the tender moment the newlyweds took to the dance floor for their first dance, and there wasn’t a dry eye in the room. Guests could feel how special and unique their love story really was. As the happy couple was sent off to begin their journey in a magical cloud of thousands of bubbles that reflected the beautiful lights of the Valentine’s downtown Pocatello night street, their friends and family cheered and waved. 
 
   “The day and evening were just perfect. We couldn’t have asked for anything more, and we wouldn’t have changed a thing.” Nohelia and Karson both agreed. “Our guests had a great time. We enjoyed a stress free and relaxing day and it was the perfect way to start the rest of our lives.”