Laura Nunez & Patrick Patel
A destination wedding is what you got if you were invited to the Patrick Patel, Laura Nunez wedding on Jan. 2, 2010, in Lima, Peru. More than 100 family and friends from around the world attended the beautiful ceremony and more than 200 joined in for the 10 p.m. exotic multicultural celebration, which turned into a midnight Mardi Gras party lasting until 3 a.m. Among the movers and shakers were relatives and friends from India, England, Japan, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Germany, and various states in the U.S.
The bride-groom dance was beautifully choreographed by the bride and groom, and contained several Indian and Brazilian traditions. Games were hosted by friends. This wedding reception took the cake for a two-week vacation destination prior to the ceremony. Family and friends trekked all over the middle and southern parts of Peru. Riding in buses to mountaintops, planes to Cuzco, trains to a small town at the base of Machu Picchu, hiking part of the great Incan Trail, and ringing in the New Year on the beaches of Playa Palabritas brought everyone together. This trip was made possible by the groom’s father, Naresh Patel of Dallas and his lovely, motherly wife Helene, and the bride’s father, Roberto Nunez of Spartanburg, S.C., and his beautiful, creative wife Isabel. Also, all the wonderful family in Lima who opened their hearts and their homes to the influx of friends and new family members.
Two families became one and Peru will never forget those who attended the Destination Patel-Nunez Wedding 2009-2010. One of the most memorable was the lovely bride, whose strapless, white gown and wispy, fairytale veil complemented her understated elegance and natural beauty. Attending her as maid of honor was her sister Andrea Nunez, along with bridesmaids Nehal and Heather Patel, the groom’s sisters. The groom’s older brother, John Rensel, served as best man to the festive bridal party. Other attendants included James Yang and Walt Pfeffer.
The newlyweds now live in San Mateo, Calif., where they are both engineers after receiving their master’s degrees from Georgia Tech. The bride received her master’s degree in chemical engineering and the groom received his in electrical engineering and computer science. The groom is a 2003 graduate of Jesuit College Preparatory School of Dallas.
