Whispers in the Mist: A Pre-Wedding Tale

Tiffany & Jarrod's romantic moments framed in mist and mountains

Tiffany & Jarrod started as friends, but their story bloomed into something full of warmth and wonder—a love that carried them all the way to “I do.” Before the aisle vows, they shared intimate moments at the base of Volcán Barú. Mist-shrouded mountains, birdsong, and the gentle hum of farm life framed their tender morning, creating a world where time paused and two souls quietly became one amidst Panama’s wild embrace. All captured with poetic precision by Rodrigo Sack Studio.

Whispers in the Mist: A Pre-Wedding Tale

^{The Day We Met}

We met in the summer of 2017 at a Dirty Heads concert on Coney Island, introduced by a mutual friend. I was deep in bar exam prep after graduating from law school and filled with anxiety, but Jarrod’s easygoing nature, sarcastic sense of humor, and of course, our shared love for offbeat ska punk-rock music put me instantly at ease. We ended the night on the boardwalk carnival, where he won me a stuffed animal, and while I never imagined I’d find love on Coney Island, our friendship slowly blossomed into something more over the years.

^{Our Engagement Story}

During a trip to Oaxaca, Mexico, we stayed at a stunning boutique hotel Casa Silencio, nestled in the agave fields with its own “Palenque” (mezcal distillery). We were the only guests on the property, and after a private tour and mezcal tasting, Jarrod surprised me by proposing just as the sun was setting over the mountains. As I was taking in the sunset, he got down on one knee, and I was shocked when a photographer popped out.

The ring Jarrod designed was beyond anything I could have imagined: a moi et toi style with an oval diamond set in platinum and a yellow pear canary diamond set in gold. I was completely overwhelmed with joy and couldn’t stop crying happy tears — so much so that the photographer gently asked if I wanted to take a moment, since I was tearing up in every single photo. At the wedding, we served a mezcal-based cocktail called Besos Calientes, an ode to our engagement story and also the name of the drink we shared on our very first date at New York’s Employees Only bar.

^{Our Wedding Highlights}

Our wedding was a multi-day celebration set in Panama, where my father’s side of the family is from and where I always dreamed of getting married. We began the celebrations with a church ceremony in a 16th-century church in Panama City, followed by a moonlight dinner in the historic Panama ruins. Then we traveled with all our guests to Boquete, Panama, a charming mountain town known for its coffee farms, where we hosted a welcome party — “Parrillada” or BBQ — held our wedding ceremony the next day on a family friend’s coffee farm estate, and finished with a hangover paella brunch on Sunday. The ceremony blended Hispanic and Jewish traditions under a custom huppah adorned with red anthuriums, peonies, anemones, carnations, and red peppers, all set on a red-carpeted deck overlooking the mountains with custom red benches for a monochrome look. Watching our families, friends, and cultures blend seamlessly was a highlight.

But the most grounding moment came when Jarrod and I quietly snuck away early one morning for a personal photoshoot at the base of Volcán Barú — just the two of us, no hair, no makeup, completely natural. Surrounded by misty mountains, birdsong, farm animals, and the wild beauty of Panama, it felt like a return to my roots and a celebration of our love in its purest form.

^{Style Details}

For our intimate church ceremony and photoshoot at the bottom of Volcán Barú, I wanted a silhouette that felt entirely different from my Kyha drop-waist ball gown, Spanish lace bolero, and mantilla veil. I discovered ABAPPUR, a Brazilian brand founded by two sisters, on Instagram through another bride they had designed a dress for, and instantly fell in love with their work. Despite the challenges of distance and language, we collaborated completely remotely over WhatsApp, mixing Spanish and Portuguese and exchanging sketches to bring the vision to life.

They created a breathtaking pleated leather corset, a pearl-adorned skirt, and a silk neck scarf — and even surprised me with a hand-drawn fan depicting Jarrod’s proposal in the Mexican agave fields and our wedding church. The first time I tried it on was in my New York apartment, with them watching from Brazil. It fit like a glove and perfectly captured the ethereal, Virgin Mary-inspired vibe I was hoping for. It was so beautiful and meaningful — I’ll always be grateful for their artistry and heart.