Cabeza-Flores vows exchanged
in double ring ceremony

The Monastery Chapel of the Brothers of St. John in Century City was the setting for the afternoon wedding of Fabiola Eugenia Cabeza and Eduardo Alfonso Flores on Saturday, December 28, 2002.
The couple exchanged vows in an impressive double ring ceremony with Rev. Father Dominique Francis Peridans serving as the celebrant during the Nuptial Mass.
The bride is the daughter of Luis Zacarias Cabeza and Gloria Elena Riojas de Cabeza of Brownsville and Austin, and the groom is the son of Ricardo Marcelo Flores and Laura Cordelia Casso de Flores.
Fabiola Eugenia's white silk gown, designed by Nancy Issler, was of a fitted, sleeveless bodice, a deep round neckline, and silk-covered buttons. The full skirt was draped with an overlay of silk organza hemmed with a flat band of silk satin. The overskirt parted from one side in front and also in the back to create the illusion of opening petals. In back, the parting overskirt, accented by a flat satin bow, revealed the chapel-length train. Flat satin bows also accented the waist in front and back. For "something borrowed," Fabiola wore a diamond tiara belonging to the groom's sister, Gabriela Flores Gutiérrez. The double-tiered veil of illusion was of cathedral-length and was delicately embroidered with silver bugle beads and and irridescent sequins. The cathedral-length veil was delicately embroidered with silver bugle beads and iridescent sequins. She carried a bouquet of calla lilies and ivy garland adorned with a white tulle bow.
The matron of honor was Monica Cabeza de Valdes of Nuevo Laredo, sister of the bride. She wore a long, moss green, A-line shantung Jim Hjelms design. The bodice was of embroidered fabric and featured spaghetti straps. A matching stole completed the outfit.
Bridesmaids were Shivani Joshi of North Carolina, and Avy Jaimes and Larissa Arteaga, both of Brownsville. Their pink champagne-hued gowns were identical to the design worn by the maid of honor.
The best man was Carlos F. Rodriguez. Groomsmen were Jonathan Delay of San Antonio, Jorge Gutierrez, and the groom’s brothers, Ricardo M. Flores-Casso and Oscar I. Flores-Casso.
Flower girls were Gloria Cabeza Escobar of Mexico City and Alexandria Ekert of Brownsville.
The ring bearer was Jorge Valdes Cabeza of Nuevo Laredo.
Padrinos and madrinas included the bride’s uncle and aunt, Mr. and Mrs. Rene Solis, who presented the rings. Karla Riojas Aguirre of Sabinas, Coahuila, cousin of the bride, presented the traditional arras.
Of special note was the use of an exquisite silver lazo belonging to the bride’s paternal grandmother. Ornate oval silver medallions forming part of the lazo are engraved with the names of the Cabeza-Resendez brides and grooms who have used it. Cordelia Hortensia Flores-Casso and Luis Cabeza-Riojas were in charge of the lazo.
The bride’s paternal grandmother, María Luisa Resendez de Cabeza, presented the bride’s rosary. The bride’s maternal grandmother, Gloria Davila de Riojas of Sabinas, Coahuila presented the bride’s Bible.
The scriptural readings were given by the grooms’s cousin and aunt, Juan (Bebo) Garza Casso of Nuevo Laredo and Graciela Casso Pinilla of Coral Gables, FL.
Jorge Cabeza Escobar of Mexico served as acolyte.
Marking the entrance to each pew in the church were tall hurricane lamps of polished brass and glass holding lighted white tapers and adorned with tuberoses, star lilies, Christmas greenery, and bows of white tule. Two seven-taper pedestal candelabras adorned with profusions of white spider mums, roses, star lilies, tuberoses, and ivy garlands flanked the altar.
A string quintet, under direction of Professor Cuautehmoc Ibarra at the keyboard, provided the liturgical music.
Following the ceremony, a reception and seated dinner was held at the Laredo Center for the Arts.
Guest tables were covered in ecru cotton brocade. Floral arrangements on all tables featured Christmas greenery, white roses, star lilies, tuberoses, and spider mums centered with large white four-wick lighted candles.
A large tapestry featuring a pastoral scene formed the backdrop for the bride and groom’s table.
The gifts and the bride’s cake rested on a large rectangular table featuring a tall arrangement of bridal flowers and cascading greenery.
The round, double-tiered cake was frosted in white fondant and topped with a bouquet of calla lilies and baby’s breath. Marsapan ribbons and bows in pale yellow adorned the circumference of the confection.
The bride and groom danced the Blue Danube Waltz and were soon joined on the dance floor by their parents, padrinos, and other family members. A stringed orchestra under the direction of Professor Cuautehmoc Ibarra played vintage waltzes and semi-classical music for the first dances and during the dinner.
After the dinner, the guests danced into the evening to modern swing and popular Latin music.
A solo clarinet serenade was offered by a long-time family friend and Julliard musician Mark Kapner of Austin. The newlyweds and guests enjoyed lively group dancing to his beautiful renditions of klesma or Eastern-European Jewish celebration music.
Approximately 170 guests attended, including a large number of relatives from Sabinas, Piedras Negras, and Saltillo, Coahuila; Mexico City, Queretaro, Veracruz, Coral Gables and Miami Beach, FL, Brownsville, San Antonio, North Carolina, Nuevo Laredo, and London, England.
After a honeymoon trip to Las Vegas, the couple is residing in their new home at 11214 Woodwaters Way in the Woodridge Village subdivision in San Antonio.