FAQs

Question

What is Day of the Dead?

Answer

Mallory fell in love with this tradition when she lived in Mexico. Day of the Dead honors and remembers deceased loved ones in a joyful and colorful way, rather than a mournful and solemn way. It is a vibrant tradition that combines indigenous Aztec beliefs with Catholicism, creating a unique cultural celebration that takes place over several days, primarily on November 1st and 2nd. There are many key aspects and customs associated with Day of the Dead including: Altars: Families create elaborate altars at home or in cemeteries to honor deceased relatives. These altars typically include photographs of the deceased, candles, incense, marigold flowers, colorful decorative paper, sugar skulls (which sparked Mallory's love for skulls), and the favorite foods and drinks of the departed. Sugar Skulls: Sugar skulls, often intricately decorated, are a symbol of Day of the Dead. They represent the sweetness of life and the celebration of those who have passed away. Bread of the Dead: A sweet, round bread is baked and decorated with bone-shaped pieces of dough on top. Candles and Incense: These are lit to guide the spirits of the deceased back to the world of the living and to create a welcoming atmosphere on the altars. Visiting Cemeteries: Families often visit the graves of their loved ones during Day of the Dead. They clean and decorate the graves, bring offerings, and spend time in reflection and prayer. This practice is an essential part of the celebration. Face Painting: Some people paint their faces as skulls, resembling the sugar skulls, as a way of symbolizing the cycle of life and death. It is both a decorative and spiritual practice. Marigold Flowers: The bright orange marigold flowers are thought to guide the spirits of the dead with their vibrant color and fragrance.

Question

Why is Day of the Dead important to you?

Answer

Day of the Dead originally sparked Mallory's love for skulls. After the passing of her father, Wesley, she took the respect and appreciation that she had for the holiday, and put it into practice. Every year she creates an alter for her dad with pictures of him, lilacs, lucky pennies, his favorite belongings, and his favorite foods and drinks, including Mountain Dew, Whoppers, KitKats, Mugs Up, and Dr. Pepper with lots of ice. Mallory will have an alter for honoring and celebrating him at the wedding.

Question

Are children allowed to attend the ceremony and reception?

Answer

While we would love to celebrate with everyone, we request an adult only affair. The only children attending are those who are part of our wedding party. If anyone needs help with making arrangements for child care, please let us know and we will do our best to assist.

Question

What should I wear to the wedding?

Answer

Please dress in standard wedding attire; no costumes please. Also, bring winter coats, as the ceremony will be held outside.

Question

I've only had the pleasure of meeting Mallory. Can you give me the Cliff Notes on Michael?

Answer

Michael grew up in Green Bay, WI eating cheese curds and wayyy too many corn dogs. As a kid, he would deplete the McDonalds napkin supply wiping his ketchupy fingers with a new, clean napkin after each and every fry. Nowadays he has turned his obsessive tendencies toward the kitchen sink, where he can be found whiling away the hours with a sponge and some Dawn dish soap. When he's not obsessively cleaning, you can find Mike educating teenagers on how to properly throw garbage in the trash and how to arrange themselves in a circle. Oh, and he teaches them some music too. Michael knew Mallory was the one for him when he revealed that he taught high school choir, and she didn't block him on Hinge. FUN FACTS: Favorite color: Orange Favorite food: Frozen pizza Weird aversion: Answering texts Favorite movie: White Christmas

Question

I've only had the pleasure of meeting Michael. Can you give me the Cliff Notes on Mallory?

Answer

Mallory was born and raised in Columbia, Missouri. Midwest people were too good at being polite, so after high school she spent some time living in a shoebox in New York City. After changing her career path multiple times and moving to multiple countries, she settled back in the Midwest. Turns out she can't survive without Provel cheese and awkward encounters with people politely holding the door open for too long. Enter Michael Carlton Brand... :) Mallory works as an instructor at Muse Pole Fitness and for Pole Sport Organization, a company that sets up pole dancing competitions across the United States. Basically she teaches people how to dance around a metal death stick. When she is not training, she loves to run her dogs in agility competitions, force Michael to share his LEGO sets with her, and cook way too much food. FUN FACTS: Favorite color: Black Favorite food: Macaroni and cheese Weird aversion: Getting a haircut Favorite movie: Beetlejuice or the Addams Family (1991)

Question

Will the dogs be at the wedding?

Answer

Lurch, Beau, and Rosie will be there! Binks and Agatha are flight risks, so the family will be leaving them at home. The venue allows the dogs to be a part of the ceremony, but not the reception. They are an important part of the ceremony and of Mike and Mallory's lives. Feel free to say hi and give them belly scratches if they want! Beau: Rated PG13, Occasionally startled by boxes and hats... Lurch: Rated R, Zero body awareness and potentially harmful to kneecaps. Rosie: Rated R, Will eat anything and everything.