Mr & Mrs Aurelio Suales

Former Newtown resident Mary Ellen Reiner married Aurelio Suales on Saturday, June 6, 2009, at Winnemucca Wedding Chapel in Winnemucca, Nev. The Reverend Janet Sorenson performed the ceremony. The bride and groom live at Sage Acres Ranch in Winnemucca.

The bride’s parents are John and Dorothy Coffey of Danbury and Indiantown, Fla. Mary Ellen was given into marriage by her father.

The groom’s parents are Jose Alfonso Suales-Tamayo and Margarita Vargas, from Amajaquillo, Jalisco, Mexico.

For her wedding day Mary Ellen wore a full-length sheath of ivory brocaded Celtic crosses coupled with an ivory satin jacket. She carried a bouquet of yellow and scarlet daisies, representing her two daughters.

Aurelio wore a traditional charro suit in ivory with gold sutach embroidery.

“We were married with a lasso, a double rosary with one loop over Aurelio and one loop, of Swarovski crystal, over me,” said Mary Ellen. “He also gave me the arras, a bag of small coins that symbolize his intention to provide for me. After the ceremony my bouquet was taken to the Virgin de Guadalupe and presented to her. These are all Mexican wedding traditions.”

Bridesmaids were Zayda and Sabrina Suales, Alin, Myra, Aracely and Delila Camacho, and Lily and Erika Carrillo. The female attendants wore French blue satin tea-length dresses, and carried sandalwood fans in lieu of flowers.

Ushers were Tony Suales, Romerio, Giovani, Mark, Jesus and Jose Camacho, Hector Carrillo, and Brian Sanchez. The male attendants were dressed in the caporal style with French blue satin moños (charro-style ties) and bells.

The families celebrated the wedding at Battle Mountain Civic Center.

“At the reception my husband’s family served birria — a goat dish that took four goats — perauno beans, red rice, salsas and tortillas,” Mrs Sueles continued. “A wedding cake of lemon pound cake filled with pineapple and coconut was decorated with candied violets and rose petals. Homemade polvorones de boda, or Mexican wedding cakes, were in little bags.”

Mary Ellen is a graduate of Newtown High School, Mattatuck Community College and PTEC in Clearwater, Fla.

This is the bride’s third marriage, having twice been widowed. This is the groom’s first marriage. The groom is the ranch manager for Sage Acres Ranch in Paradise Hill, raising grass-fed Angus beef. The bride is one-year cancer free after defeating breast cancer.