Sarah Contrucci & Blake Smith

Sarah Jacobs Contrucci and Blake Sundberg Smith exchanged wedding vows January 3, 2014 at Casa Turquesa, Pedregal, Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. The rehearsal dinner, hosted by the parents of the groom, began the celebrations the night before with a traditional Mexican dinner. On Saturday, Phil Shahbaz officiated the sunset ceremony with the sounds of the breaking waves adding a dramatic counterpoint. McKittrick Simmons, one of the groomsmen, was the pianist for the wedding. A reception of dining and dancing followed, also at Casa Turquesa. The festivities began with a mariachi band followed by a jazz group for dinner and special tunes from the juke box for dancing afterwards.

The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Kent Contrucci of Redlands, Calif. She is the granddaughter of Richard and Stella Jacobs and Wiladene Jacobs of Chenoa, Ill., and Nola Contrucci and the late Victor Contrucci from Madison, Wisc.

The groom is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Bishop Smith of Dallas. He is the grandson of the late Herbert and Evelyn Frensley of Houston, the late William A. Smith Jr. of Atlanta, and the late Joe and Katherine Oxford, of Camilla, Ga. and Augusta, Ga.

Presented in marriage by her parents, the bride was escorted down the aisle on the arm of her father. Sarah wore a couture gown designed by Inbal Dror. Its mermaid silhouette was enhanced with layers of ivory and nude lace and a long train of tulle and lace layers.

Assisting the bride as maid of honor was Tannia Shankster. Bridesmaids included Peggy Haddad, Giovanna Epley, Jessica England, Calli Traub, Jessica Haring, Shelley Enarson, Stephanie Nitschke, and sisters-in-law – Sarah Bearden Smith, Claire Smith Mueller, Stacey Smith Beck, and Blythe Smith Koch. Flower girls were nieces Frensley Smith and Emery Smith, Natalie Koch, and Reese Beck.

Serving the groom as best man was his father Stephen Smith. His groomsmen included Matthew Innamorati, Will Graham, Marshall Estes, Will Nesbit, McKittrick Simmons, Evan Carter, Barden Brown, Zeke Patterson, Brannon Albritton, and his brother Thad Smith and brother-in-law Jonathan Contrucci. Ushers were Chandler Quisenberry, Brady Evans, David Dunlap, Ben Coffee, and John Robert Wunderlick. The ring bearers were nephews Will and Owen Beck, Cooper and Blake Koch, and Elijah Smith.

The bride is a graduate of Redlands East Valley High School in Redlands, Calif. She received a Bachelor of Science in business marketing, with a minor in art, from Azusa Pacific University in Azusa, Calif., and her Master of Art in international development from Eastern University in Philadelphia. Sarah formerly worked with the Akola Project in Uganda and is now a self employed social entrepreneur and designer.

The groom is a 2001 graduate of Highland Park High School. He received a Bachelor of Arts with a major in political science and international affairs from the University of Georgia in Athens, Ga. Blake has worked with the Akola Project in Uganda for the past six years and is presently doing an apprenticeship in agribusiness through the University of California at Santa Cruz. He plans to pursue an MBA/MS degree in agribusiness.

Following their wedding trip to Thailand, the couple have made their home in Santa Cruz, Calif.