13 couples say ‘I do’ on Valentine’s Day weekend at the Anaheim Marketplace
Thomas Schamber and Magda Sellon-Schamber met in 2009.
“He was my neighbor,” said Magda. “After being neighbors and being good friends, we decided to start a relationship.”
They planned to get married, but timing, COVID-19, retirement and other obstacles kept forcing the couple to put their wedding nuptials on hold.
Then Magda heard about the Anaheim Marketplace sponsoring community weddings through local radio station, KLVE 107.5 FM.
“I said, ‘Well, what are the odds of us winning?’” said Magda. “Because I know there was a lot of people.”
Magda submitted their application at midnight on Feb. 5, just before the deadline.
The couple found out they were among the lucky few chosen, and Magda and Thomas joined a dozen other couples to wed at the Anaheim Marketplace on Feb. 12.
“In the name of love and Valentine’s Day we wanted to sponsor 20 weddings for the community,” said Giselle Lopez, marketing coordinator for the Anaheim Marketplace. “Sometimes, unfortunately, a wedding can be very costly, especially with the hit of COVID. A lot of couples had to put their wedding plans on pause.”
Couples walked down a red-carpeted aisle, flanked by ample seating and potted white birch trees, leading to an arch with red and white flowers.
Some of the 20 couples chosen got cold feet, so 13 in total participated in ceremonies both religious and civil, with a priest presiding as brides and grooms all stood on stage together in front of friends and family.
Besides the ceremony, Anaheim Marketplace provided a wedding celebration experience for each couple along with eight additional guests. The celebration included live mariachi, a private appetizer party and wedding cake for each couple and professional photography.
After the ceremony, couples headed outside for photos while Lopez and her team broke down the ceremony seating and flipped the space with appetizer tables and wedding cakes.
“The last time we did this was a couple years back, and it was a big project to take on,” said Lopez. “You can just imagine the stress of planning one wedding, let alone 13 at the same time.”
Champagne flowed and mariachi played as each couple cut their wedding cake and took to the dance floor for their first dance.
An after-party with live music in Anaheim Marketplace’s Placita, decked out in wedding decorations, followed until 6 p.m.
Anaheim’s Indoor Marketplace is Orange County’s largest indoor swap meet and one of the county’s most vibrant cultural hubs, with more than 200 Latino vendors and small businesses from the community ranging from food to clothing, retail, party supplies, jewelry and more. It is a popular destination for Latino families planning a wedding, and many vendors offered discounts and promotions to the 13 couples for wedding items.
“The Anaheim Marketplace takes pride in bringing community events because we are such a central focal point in Orange County, especially in the Latino community,” said Lopez.
Lopez said Anaheim Marketplace plans to continue the event annually.
“If you are looking to get married in the following year, please contact us now,” Lopez said. “We will start our list now so you can start wedding prepping.”
The newlyweds expressed gratitude to the venue for helping their wedding bells ring.
“Thank you to everybody that put this together,” said Magda. “Thank you to Anaheim Marketplace for giving us the opportunity to do this amazing event. Anything and everything is possible when you believe God is with you.”
As the couples exited the ceremony, Magda pumped her bouquet in the air with an excited “whoo-hoo!” as Thomas clasped her hand.
“We feel fabulous,” said Thomas. “It’s like a gigantic relief right now!”
For more information of Community Weddings at the Anaheim Marketplace, call (714) 999-0888.
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