The Murgas
Wedding Party
Our Parents
Napoleon & Julia Martinez + Gene & Evelyn Cruz
Of course, we spent a lot of time praying for our future spouse and we are so thankful that God has answered our prayers. But, our families being equally compatible and welcoming has been the cherry on top that has shown us that God always goes above and beyond anything we could think or imagine. Seeing our parents together - at church, at each other's homes, and of course celebrating on our wedding day - makes our hearts so full that God brought our two families together.
Maria Rosario Rodriguez
Grandma
George's grandma has been an integral figure in his life and in many ways has been like a second mother to him. It was so special to have her fly over 4000kms, at 97 years young, to celebrate with us! Elle has loved having George's grandma around, as it often reminds her of both of her Lolas that have passed. She particularly remembers her Lola Monang (maternal grandmother) whenever she sees lipstick stained straws or cups at the family dinner table. We are so grateful that Grandma Maria was able to join us for our Vancouver celebration, checking off a huge item off of our wish list. We will cherish these special moments with her for our lifetime!
The Cruzs
Matron of Honour, Groomsmen, Jr Bridesmaid + Ring Security
Having all of Elle's immediate family in the bridal party is truly a reflection of their relationship together - all in and always there! Jan stood as the matron of honour, Kuya Em as a groomsmen, Emma tackled being a junior bridesmaid for the first time while Isaiah and Judah protected our wedding rings. We couldn't imagine standing up there without this family beside us.
The Salazars
Best Man and Flower Girls
The Salazar family continues to show up for us in big ways and our wedding was no exception. Flying in from Calgary, Josh stood as George's best man and Isaura and Isabella brought the cuteness as our flower girls. A special shout out to their youngest sister, Isamar. We would have asked her to walk down the aisle with us too, but she's still learning to walk! We are so thankful, that even despite the distance, we know The Salazar family always has our backs!
Wagner Alvarado
Groomsman and Emcee
Wagner stood as one of George's groomsmen. The two met at Hillsong Toronto and have been best buds ever since. For our wedding, Wagner was a jack of all trades. He stood as a groomsmen, emceed the reception and helped translate between Spanish and English for our families. We're excited to continue to party with him at the October reception, where he will continue to showcase his personality and emcee skills!
Isabel Opiniano
Bridesmaid and Emcee
Isabel and Elle met serendipitously on the sandy shores of Australia in 2018, through one of Elle's titas! The two are known to always be giggling together and the wedding was no exception. Isabel stood as one of Elle's bridesmaid and also emceed the reception with Wagner. She always brings her fun and bright personality wherever she goes and she will definitely be leading the party at our October reception too!
Candice Mayers
Bridesmaid
Candice and Elle also met serendipitously in 2018 at a church conference in Calgary (the same conference that George and Elle met at...talk about an important event!). The two have bonded over their love for the church, anything creative and all things music. Candice has had the unique privilege of knowing both George and Ellen individually before they were a couple so it was so special to have a dear friend stand up there with us as one of our bridesmaids!
Our Pastors
Brent & Nicole Coulter + Damian & Julie Bassett
A huge thank you to the Coulters & the Bassetts for introducing us to each other! ;) Our faith has been a cornerstone in our relationship and we would be remiss to not honour some key individuals who have had influence over our faith journey. The Coulters and The Bassetts walked us through pre-marital courses that have helped us start our marriage in strength. Ps. Brent officiated our wedding, making one of Elle's 'must haves' come true. We are so grateful that he travelled all the way to Vancouver to marry us, especially since his daughter got married just a couple days later back in Toronto. We are so thankful for the leadership of The Coulters and The Bassetts. Their support and example of a healthy marriage is an integral part to the foundation to our own marriage.
Our Godparents
Hamid & Rose Hakimi + Ray & Cynthia Bauman
In both El Salvadoran and Filipino cultures, godparents play a significant role in the ceremony, symbolizing guidance, support and mentorship for the newlyweds as they embark on their marital journey. Hamid & Rose stood as our Padrino and Madrina and placed the unity veil on us. Ray & Cynthia stood as our Ninong and Ninang and placed the unity cord on us.
Esteban Gaytan
Pianist
Esteban is like a little brother to George and Elle. They've connected over all things music, leadership and tacos. Elle always jokes that she often has to be the third wheel on dates when they all hang out - and that hasn't changed much since they got married. Esteban brought his incredible talent to our wedding day and played all the music on a grand piano for our ceremony. As a special request, he even learned the difficult song 'Golden Hour'.
Bonnie Girl
Dog of Honour
While sweet Bonnie girl did not fly out with us to Vancouver, we had to give her an honourable mention! As a fun fact, Bonnie has a sweet significance to Elle and George's relationship. In December 2022, Elle didn't own a dog and was still single. She had a dream that she was at her engagement party and was being greeted by her family and a golden puppy! Elle used to tease her parents that they needed to buy a family dog so that her dream could come true. A year after Elle had that dream, Bonnie was in fact present at their engagement party. Since then, Bonnie and George have a special relationship and are inseparable - she follows him wherever he goes! Everyone has wondered where Bonnie would live after the wedding. Would she stay in Acton with Elle's parents? Or move to Toronto with George and Elle? We're happy to announce that we came to a 50/50 custody agreement where she maximizes cuddles at both homes!