Rebeca Salmeron and Jacob Park had no idea their love story would lead to a breathtaking destination wedding in Lucca, Italy, when they first met playing sports in a social league in the Washington, D.C., U.S.A. area.
However, after years of travel, cultural exploration and a shared love for history, the couple knew there was no better place to exchange vows.
Salmeron’s Upbringing and Love for Exploration
Born in Silver Spring, Md., U.S.A., Salmeron, a Salvadoran American, grew up immersed in various cultural influences. She attended a boarding school in western Virginia from first to 10th grade where the majority of students were of African descent and she was one of the few Latinx kids.
Coming home for Christmas or summer break was “interesting,” she says, because the District of Columbia-Maryland-Virginia area is a “very fluid melting pot where you have all types of ethnicities” compared to the more monocultural environment she experienced while at the boarding school.
“It was definitely something I had to get used to, but I quickly learned that that was my new normal,” she says. Living at the boarding school for 11 months out of the year “started becoming more home than not.”
Raised during the summers as well as her last two years of high school at a public school in Maryland in a single-parent household with her mother and brother, she found solace in nature, developing a lifelong passion for adventure and the outdoors.
“With the [boarding] school, it was very regimented. It was all about routine; it was all about outdoor activity, not so much about being with screens. When I grew up, we weren’t allowed to have phones or tablets. You really were living as a child in the outdoors,” Salmeron says.
Consequently as an adult, Salmeron isn’t the type of person who likes to watch television or play video games.
“I like being outdoors, I like being sporty,” she adds.
This love for exploration shaped her desire to travel the world, a passion she later shared with Park. Today, she continues her travels as a professional with the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health.
Park’s Journey From Homebody to World Traveler
Before meeting Salmeron, Park — who was born in Washington State, U.S.A., and also grew up in Maryland — hadn’t traveled extensively. However, Salmeron’s adventurous spirit quickly inspired him.
“I think one of the best things about Rebecca is that she ignited my passion for traveling. Immediately when we started to spend some time together, we did a lot of travel, and we hit a bunch of different countries, one of them being Italy,” Park, who works for a restoration company specializing in natural disasters, says.
Just a month after they met, Park joined Salmeron and her friends on a trip to Colombia, marking the beginning of their shared adventures. Since then, the couple has explored Ecuador, Japan, the Netherlands and Costa Rica, immersing themselves in different cultures.
Their travels were made even more memorable by their mutual passion for sports, as they attended soccer matches around the world, experiencing the electrifying energy of global fans. Yet it was Italy that truly captured their hearts, leading them to choose it as the place to say “I do.”
A Wedding That United Their Cultures
The couple’s wedding in Lucca was a heartfelt celebration of their individual backgrounds.
“I was very confused culturally growing up because I always wanted to know my roots,” Salmeron says. “It was very odd coming home. Sometimes it didn’t feel like home when I spent about 11 months of the year at this boarding school.”
Their ceremony beautifully blended Park’s U.S. traditions with Salmeron’s Hispanic heritage. Christian prayers were spoken in both Spanish and English, ensuring that all guests felt included in the sacred moment. Honoring the location, the couple also incorporated traditional Italian cuisine, adding an authentic cultural touch to their special day.
“I just remember going there the first time we visited. It was absolutely gorgeous. The property there was very historical; it had been owned since the 1900s. They’re not remodeling it in any way,” Salmeron says.
The Triumphs of a Destination Wedding
Planning a wedding abroad came with its challenges. One of the toughest decisions for the couple was curating their guest list.
“The most problematic thing was just getting people to the actual destination. This wedding wasn’t only important to us and what it signified. For me, especially, it was like a thank you,” according to Salmeron.
With limited space and the logistics of international travel, they ultimately decided on an intimate gathering of 40 close friends and family members. Despite the hurdles, their loved ones were treated to an unforgettable experience, surrounded by Italy’s rich history and the couple’s deep love for each other.
“One thing we did when we got back from the destination wedding was we had a local celebration where we invited essentially everybody who could not make it. It was basically one big party,” Park says. “It paid off to see the joy on their faces that they were there.”
One particularly meaningful moment in the ceremony was the release of doves, a tribute to Salmeron’s love for nature and her background in animal science. In the wild, doves find their mate at just six months old and remain together for life, symbolizing the everlasting bond Salmeron and Park promised to share.
A Love That Continues to Soar
As they begin this new chapter together, Salmeron and Park remain committed to their shared love of adventure, culture and each other. Their wedding in Lucca was more than just a celebration — it was a reflection of their journey, built on love, respect and a passion for the world around them.
And just like the doves they released, their love is set to soar for a lifetime.
