From limes to love, to an electric fiesta in Lima
Nov. 23, 2018 | Virgen del Pilar
and Lima Art Museum, Lima, Peru
When Giuseppe Lanzone, a “tall, dark, and ridiculously handsome man with a foreign accent” approached Frances Holuba, “a gorgeous brunette with a ponytail and peacock earrings,” at a bartending event seeking assistance with cutting limes, she responded “with enough sass to start a fire.” With a quick slice of the knife, it was limes to love. Fittingly, five years later, the couple wed in Lanzone’s home country of Peru, with plenty of citrus for their guests’ mojitos and a grand fiesta with an all-night dance party.
Holuba, the chief of staff for Global Entrepreneurship Network, and Lanzone, a two-time Olympic rower and co-founder of Peruvian Brothers, a food truck and catering company, chose every detail of their highly-personalized wedding together.
It began with a pre-wedding send-off at the residence of the Peruvian Ambassador to Washington. Once in Peru, the rehearsal dinner filled both floors of the Yacht Club Peruano with sunset toasts over the cliffs of Isla San Lorenzo. They married at the same Catholic church where the groom’s parents and grandparents said their vows, and held their reception at the stunning Museo de Arte de Lima.
“I live for cocktail hour so we wanted to be bold with our first sips,” says Holuba, which meant spotlighting a human champagne bar art element with steel-framed cup holders worn by a greeter. Peruvian culture was woven throughout the reception, with traditional dishes, a recreated fresh fruit cart with a chocolate fondue fountain and, of course, a pisco sour bar.
Electric violinist Marco de Gennaro performed live before the “Hora Loca” or “Crazy Hour” where the crowd was electrified by vibrant Afro-Peruvian dancers with illuminated attire, confetti and carnival balloons, drum beats, dance music and a human “walking tree,” symbolic of the Peruvian yunza tree celebration. As Holuba notes, “No visitor to Lima should ever leave uninspired.”
One of the couple’s favorite memories is seeing Holuba’s eight nieces and nephews falling asleep in various positions across the museum at the end of a long night of dancing. The honeymoon was spent in the Philippines swimming with whale sharks, rope swinging into waterfalls and sipping coconut cocktails (limes not included).
DETAILS
Bride’s Dress: Sareh Nouri Wedding Jewelry: Bullion Diamond Groom’s Attire: Suitsupply Wedding Planner: Norma Santillan of Allegra Eventos in Lima
Music: Marco de Gennaro on electric violin Rehearsal Dinner: Yacht Club Peruano Photographer: Nakano Studios
