A San Antonio couple turned one of the city’s biggest traditions into an unforgettable experience. JoAnn Tello Mermea and Oscar Mermea raised a cute altar and exchanged vows in the middle of the Fiesta Flambeau Parade on Saturday, April 25.
The two, both 50, were going back and forth about having a big or small wedding since they got engaged a year ago. But JoAnn told MySA that she suddenly thought they could get married during the Flambeau parade, a tradition they have participated in together for the past 4 years.
“We just said one day, ‘Let’s do it at the parade,'” JoAnn said. “All our friends and family were already going to be there, and we’ve always just loved to be at the parade.”
Pulling it off wasn’t as complicated as it seemed. JoAnn told her children about it, and they made an arch and a bouquet. With lights on her veil, JoAnn said it all came together in about a week. The police along the parade route learned about the spontaneous wedding on the day of and helped find a moment for JoAnn and Oscar to have their special wedding ceremony.
JoAnn said she aimed to focus only on Oscar and their pastor, Mike Galvan, from Strong Tower Ministries. But, she said, when the ceremony started, she could feel and hear the love surrounding her. However, she said she zoned out everything and enjoyed the best five minutes of her life.
“As soon as the arch went up, we just started hearing everybody say, ‘Oh, they’re going to get married,'” JoAnn said. “Everybody just surrounded us. And they were throwing confetti, silly string and everything. It was quick, but it was so memorable.”
JoAnn and Oscar have known each other since they were 9 and 10 years old. They stayed friends over the years, seeing each other in different relationships and life events. However, the two reconnected four years ago and started their love journey. The couple wanted to plan a big wedding down the line, but JoAnn said, “We can’t beat this. It was so surreal.”
The two went viral for their wedding. Nearly every social site was sharing the sweet moment, which is something JoAnn said she didn’t expect.
“We didn’t do it for attention. We just wanted our friends and family to be there,” JoAnn said. “Having a great time all together, enjoying San Antonio and Fiesta. We love our city, and it was just a good time. The best decision we’ve made so far, I think. So now, we look forward to next year on our anniversary.”