Wedding Bells: Didi and Sy Hornbuckle

Photo by Cat Lemus Photography.

At her New Year’s Eve party in 2010, Didi met Sy. “I was borderline pathetic, honestly,” Didi says of their first meeting. “Any excuse I could get for her to talk to me or notice me, I was on it.”

Sy had been told by some friends that Didi was “trouble,” so she shied away from the beautiful, wild-child hairdresser. Sy had dreadlocks at the time, and Didi came up to her and begged Sy to let her cut them. Even though Sy already had plans to let her sister cut her dreads, she made plans with Didi.

“Many females are beautiful, but not all of them have the sense of humor that Didi has,” says Sy. “She snorts when she laughs too hard and too fast – how can you not love that?” The two are about as outwardly different as they could be: Didi is a “violent femme” type with tattoos and dramatic makeup and hair. Sy’s low-maintenance, casual style is the perfect foil. “On our first date, Sy asked for exactly three lemons with her water. Who does that?” says Didi of her wife’s exacting personality. “I am the opposite: a total hot mess.”

After about a year of dating, Didi knew she wanted to marry Sy and spend her life with her. She made no bones about it, and suggested they stop at jewelry stores all the time (just to look, of course). Any excuse to go near a Jared or Kay Jewelers, Didi made it up. “Seriously. I did it for months,” she says. Sy concurs, “Didi is very good at giving hints.” Sy says she always wished for a woman who wouldn’t make her guess what she wants and wouldn’t play games. “That’s what I got with Didi.”

Sy popped the question in Hawaii at a mutual friend’s wedding. She asked permission first, and got the friend’s blessing before planning the proposal. After the reception, Sy and Didi got into an argument, which quickly escalated to a full-on “determine the relationship” fight. “I was so worried that she was going to leave the hotel where we were and stay with our friends, that I panicked and dropped to one knee and proposed right there,” says Sy. “I have no idea what the hell else was said that night because I was too busy ugly crying,” says Didi.

Didi and Sy started planning the wedding, but it got so stressful they just gave up and went to Vegas for the ceremony and decided to do a separate reception in Orlando a little later. “I was a hot mess until I reached out to my friend Jennie Maretti of Pixies and Petals,” Didi says.

The couple prides themselves on throwing a wicked party, and they love the company of their family and friends more than anything else. With the help of Maretti and photographer Cat Lemus, they planned an unforgettable White Party at the Westin Orlando North in Lake Mary. While the guests wore white, the brides decided to stand out by wearing black.

“Being married was scary in the beginning, but now I feel so much stronger in our relationship, like we are an unstoppable force,” says Didi. “I have my favorite party buddy with me for life!”

ENGAGEMENT DATE: March 15, 2015

CEREMONY DATE: December 19, 2015

RECEPTION DATE: July 23, 2016

RECEPTION VENUE: Westin Orlando North, Lake Mary, Florida

FLOWERS: Pixies and Petals

COLORS: Black, white and gold

WEDDING SONG: “All That I Am” Rob Thomas

DJ: Wayne Osley

ATTIRE VENDORS: Sassy’s Bridal, Men’s Warehouse

CAKE BAKERY: Christine Cody Cake Design

WEDDING PLANNER: Jennie Maretti, Pixies and Petals

THEME: White Party (but the brides wore black!)

PHOTOGRAPHER/VIDEOGRAPHER: Cat Lemus Photography

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