Inside Couple’s Total Solar Eclipse Wedding: Photos (Exclusive)

• Alyssa and Jonathan Calvillo were married on April 8 in Wimberley, Texas, during a total solar eclipse.
• The bride walks down the aisle to Hans Zimmer’s “The Cornfield Chase” Interstellar.
• Two telescopes and 100 pairs of special glasses were provided for observing the sun.

For a bride and groom, April’s total solar eclipse is the perfect time to get married.

Earlier this year, Alyssa and Jonathan Calvillo got married during the total solar eclipse on April 8 at Wedale Manor in Wimberley, Texas—a dream they had had for eight years.

“When we first heard about the wedding in Texas in 2016, Alyssa planned to get married during the solar eclipse. She was just waiting to get engaged and start planning,” Jonathan said on Christmas Day 2023 Proposed to her that day.

The eclipse was due to start at 11:35am, so the bride, 31, and the groom, 39, told their 100 guests to arrive at the wedding as early as possible in anticipation of heavy traffic, with vehicles likely to side-park on country roads leading to the eclipse.

Since viewing the sun safely requires specialized goggles, Alyssa turned eclipse glasses into a calling card for her guests. The glasses are marked with each person’s table location and are displayed on a mirror in the welcoming foyer.

The couple got married during the solar eclipse, with the ceremony starting promptly at 1:05 p.m. The eclipse was expected to reach “totality” around 1:34 p.m., according to their wedding website. A total solar eclipse is the phase when the moon completely blocks the sun, causing the sky to darken.

“The timeline for the entire ritual is based on the moon’s path as it passes in front of the sun,” Alyssa tells People. “According to NASA, the whole food will only last four minutes, and we’re aiming for that time We said our “I dos” in there. I mean, I timed the aisle songs and walked with my coordinator, the DJ, and the violinist.

Alyssa walked the red carpet with her parents to watch Hans Zimmer’s “The Cornfield” from their favorite sci-fi movie, Interstellar. She wore a beautiful gown from I Do The Dress I Do that fit her perfectly thanks to the help of Couture Alterations. Her hair and makeup were designed by Viva la Glam. She also received some cosmetic work from Dr. Elizabeth Hernandez and Refined Aesthetics to look and feel her best on her big day.

Jonathan wore a black suit by Rex Formal Wear and perfume by Le Labo.

“It was absolutely magical!” Alyssa said of her wedding. “With my parents arm in arm, wearing a dress I never thought I would wear, standing on top of the ceremony deck at this amazing venue, hearing my aunt play violin to my favorite song, I knew My (future) husband immediately understood as soon as he heard the introduction, and as the light faded into darkness, I finally saw my results.

She added: “My husband and I have been together for nine years and I’ve just been waiting for this moment but it never seems to come.”

Guests matched the dark sky and everyone was encouraged to wear their favorite black dress.

The ceremony, which was punctuated by fireworks, white flowers, illuminated letters and a candlelit aisle in a dark sky, was eventually moved up about five minutes so the newlyweds could join their guests in looking up at the clouds. Two telescopes are provided for viewing the eclipse.

The moody skies then turned clear and the couple and their closest family and friends enjoyed delicious food from Got It Covered Events and slices of wedding cake baked by The Cake Shop. They also happily took photos in the photo booth.

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The eclipse featured striking wedding photos and videos shot by Davila Photography and Aria Productions. The wedding, planned by Bride on a Budget Events, was even named “Best Wedding of 2024” by the International Live Events Association’s Antonian Awards.

“I’m so lucky to have found the love of my life, my best friend, and the most caring, patient, and supportive person in my life,” Alyssa gushed about her husband. “I can’t wait to marry him and hang out in space together.”

She continued, “Even after wedding planning became my personality, he still loved me. Thankfully, I’m in the events industry and knew who all my vendors were going to be. Sometimes people ask us, ‘Why? Why this date? , why this big wedding with attention to detail? As Kim K once said, we would also respond, ‘Because it’s iconic, and I like to do iconic things—.

The newlyweds honeymooned in Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico.