Cecilia Dávila and Marc Galvan met in 2017 through a mutual connection—Cecilia’s college roommate, who had attended high school with Marc. Introduced one summer evening at a party in Marc’s Bronx apartment, the two navigated the early years of their relationship long-distance while completing their studies in New York and Delaware, eventually settling down together in West Hartford, Connecticut.
Six years later, on an October afternoon at Fort Tryon Park in New York City, Marc proposed overlooking the Hudson River. Timed deliberately for Cecilia’s favorite season, the proposal was followed by a surprise gathering of close friends and an impromptu day spent moving through Manhattan—an easy, familiar celebration rooted in the places that shaped their relationship.
From the outset, they envisioned a wedding that felt transportive—rooted in history, rich in culture, and unmistakably personal. On January 31, 2025, the couple gathered their guests in Old San Juan, where the storied halls of Hotel El Convento set the stage for a celebration defined by island glamour, layered tradition, and thoughtful design.
“With Marc’s Italian roots and my Puerto Rican roots, I wanted to embrace both of these cultures as much as possible,” Cecilia shares. “From the color way to the florals to the overall aesthetic, I feel like our wedding encompassed us each individually but also as a whole.” Brought to life under the direction of Karisha Marie Events, the design drew from the hotel’s 17th-century architecture, leaning into saturated reds, sculptural florals, fruit accents, and sinuous serpentine tables.
The day unfolded through the lens of Natasha De Jesús and Rey Colón of Phosphilic, whose editorial approach captured both the grandeur of the setting and the intimacy of the moments within it.
Fashion was approached with equal clarity. “When it came to deciding what I wanted to wear for my wedding day, I had a recurring thought—and it was nonnegotiable—that I wanted to feel like myself,” Cecilia says. She found that in the Amsale Atlas dress. “The bow on the back of my dress was the icing on the cake—it felt so bridal to me.”
She paired the look with Alexandre Birman heels and a cathedral-length mantilla veil, worn with her hair in a sleek bun. For beauty, Neidaliz Garcia Artistry kept the look polished and timeless, allowing Cecilia’s natural features to shine.
The ceremony took place at Iglesia de San José, one of the oldest churches in the Americas. In a quiet but powerful gesture, Cecilia walked herself down the aisle before meeting Marc halfway, a tradition inspired by her mother. Live strings by Susana and Karl of Cuerdas filled the space, and the ceremony remained focused, reverent, and deeply personal. “Marc even kissed my hand after he placed my wedding ring on my finger,” Cecilia recalls.
As guests exited the church, they were met with an unexpected procession—pleneros and cabezudos from Yuvi Plena led everyone through the cobblestone streets of Old San Juan and toward the reception. “The pleneros were a total surprise to all of our guests, so everyone was in utter shock!” Cecilia says. The moment set the tone for an evening that balanced tradition with playfulness.
Back at Hotel El Convento, cocktail hour unfolded on the terrace with ginger passion-fruit mojitos, passed empanadillas, and a live cigar roller. The reception space—revealed to the couple for the first time before guest entry—featured lush florals by Lorraine’s Flowers, custom stationery by LiliWeds, and a dramatic tablescape that exceeded expectations. Dinner was punctuated by a surprise mariachi performance, while music throughout the night was curated by DJ Rockhand of HighSetup, blending salsa, disco, pop, and Latin classics into an effortlessly packed dance floor.
Later in the evening, Cecilia changed into a feathered Taller Marmo mini. “If I was going for a dress change, I wanted to make sure it was memorable,” she explains. “The feathers were a MUST for me! I had mini dresses with feathers on my Pinterest board from the moment I began my bridal era.”
The night ended, fittingly, not with a formal send-off but with an invitation to continue celebrating at La Factoría, where rum cocktails, live music, and spontaneous dancing carried the energy well into the early hours.
