With the city lights and a few stars looming above, Tyse and Anthony celebrated their union in the hauntingly beautiful historic 17th-Century ruin of Casco Viejo in Panama City, Panama. 

“My wedding was truly a fairytale come to life,” Tyse says. “I wanted the day to feel romantic, elegant, and sexy, with a perfect mix of Panamanian and Persian cultures, and it exceeded every expectation.”

Nearly 11 Years in the Making

Before there were ruins or veils or violinists, there was just Tyse and Anthony. After nearly 11 years of history together, saying “I do” wasn’t the beginning of something new so much as the official chapter of something already well underway.

“Marriage signifies not just a commitment to each other but also a deeper understanding of what partnership truly means,” Tyse reflects. “It’s about continuing to build our lives together, creating a home filled with love, laughter, and adventure.”

Ask either of them what they love most about the other, and you’ll get two very different answers that land in the same place. Tyse points to Anthony’s authenticity and humor: “He’s always so real, and that makes it easy to be myself around him.” Anthony points to Tyse’s intuition and wit, admitting he’s still not sure how she always seems to know what he needs before he does. “Having her in my life is not just having a loving partner but a best friend,” he says, “which is everything I could ever ask for.”

Finding “Home” in Panama

Long before the proposal, the Tyse and Anthony had already agreed they wanted a destination wedding, something that would feel, as Tyse puts it, “like one big vacation with all our favorite people.” Tulum, Cabo, and Cancun were all in the running.

Then, on a trip to visit Anthony’s family in 2023, everything changed. Wandering through Casco Viejo one evening, Anthony’s mom pointed out “The Ruins,” the remains of a 17th-century convent destroyed by pirate attacks in the late 1600s. Back home in Kansas City, Tyse couldn’t stop thinking about them.

“I found myself falling in love not just with the ruins, but with the entire country,” she says. “It felt like our true destination was ‘home’ after all.” For Tyse, the symbolism ran deeper than aesthetics. “The ruins symbolize how relationships, too, can evolve through both beautiful moments and tough times. Just like these historical remnants, our love story is a journey marked by challenges, but it continues to grow and thrive.”

Getting Into the Details

Design-wise, Tyse and Anthony decided to keep things intentionally soft: ivory, white, and beige/tan tones throughout, with chandeliers, an abundance of candles, and all-white flowers. The goal was to allow the venue’s history and uniqueness to truly shine.

“I wanted the decor to honor the beauty of the historic site, not overshadow it,” Tyse says, “creating a space that transported us back in time while incorporating modern, timeless touches.”

Ask Tyse about her dress search, and you’ll notice something unusual for a bride: there’s no long, agonizing story of trying on gown after gown. She knew what she wanted, and she found it fast.

She actually found her after-party dress first, a short, flirty piece from JLUXLABEL. “It perfectly matched that bridal vibe I had in mind,” she says.

For the gown itself, Tyse drew inspiration from designers like Galia Lahav and Berta before walking into Mimi’s Couture, her very first bridal appointment. There, she found an Ines Di Santo gown, ivory with a nude underlay, form-fitting with a soft mermaid silhouette, and fully beaded. “It’s very modern, balancing classy and sexy,” she says. She paired it with a cathedral veil from True Society. “It was a match made in heaven.”

Meanwhile, Anthony dazzled in a custom double-breasted three-piece suit from SMH Atelier, finished with gold hardware to complement the wedding’s color palette.

Music That Told Two Love Stories

If there’s one part of the day Tyse says she obsessed over most, it’s the music. The ceremony opened with “Bridgerton vibes,” elegant, romantic, carried by a live electric violinist. Anthony walked down to “Fields of Gold”; Tyse walked down to Canon in D, both performed live.

The reception then moved through two distinct chapters. The first leaned into Tyse’s Persian heritage, blending Middle Eastern tones with Elderbrook-inspired romance. As the night went on, the energy shifted toward Anthony’s Spanish and Panamanian roots, turning the dance floor into a full-blown celebration. Two belly dancers performed as part of the cultural nod, a moment Tyse knew guests would love.

The Menu: Two Cultures, One Buffet

The couple originally planned a plated dinner but pivoted once they realized it limited their options with the venue’s in-house restaurant. Their solution was a live station buffet, which they felt gave the meal a more elevated, interactive feel. Guests moved between a salad and appetizer station, a meat and seafood station, a dessert station, and a side dish station, a mix of Panamanian and American cuisine, backed by a premium open bar.

Anthony and Tyse’s cake was a four-tier white design, simple and sleek, finished with orchids and white flowers at the base and displayed on a mirror or clear stand.

The Moments That Meant the Most

Some of the day’s most powerful details weren’t about aesthetics at all. Both Tyse and Anthony have lost their fathers unexpectedly, and the ceremony was built, in part, around honoring them.

Tyse’s brother walked her down the aisle, “stepping into my father’s shoes,” before handing her off to her stepdad, who then gave her to Anthony at the altar. Both brothers gave speeches during the ceremony. And in the front row, on both sides, sat roses in memory of their dads.

“We wanted to ensure they always have a front-row seat,” Tyse says, “as we continue our journey through life.”

The couple also chose traditional vows over handwritten ones, a deliberate decision, not a default one. “There’s something incredibly powerful about reciting words that have been spoken by countless couples before us, connecting us to that legacy of love and commitment,” Tyse says.

Looking Back: The Reveal and the Dance Floor

Ask Tyse for her most memorable moment, and she doesn’t hesitate: walking through the gates of The Ruins with Anthony, before any guests arrived, and seeing it all for the first time together.

“It was just the two of us, breathing in every detail in a moment of stillness,” she says. “Every touch, from the smallest accents to the grandest focal points, was beyond anything we had imagined… I wish I could hold onto that moment forever.”

The second moment came later, on the dance floor, when the first Persian song of the night played. “I looked around and saw so many of our friends, and especially Anthony’s Panamanian family, get up and dance to the music, even though many of them had never been exposed to my culture before,” she says. “It was such a beautiful moment to not only celebrate the union of Anthony and me as one but also to witness our two cultures merging so seamlessly.”

Their Advice for Couples Planning a Destination Wedding

If there’s one thing Tyse wants future couples to take from her wedding, it’s to allow the day to be yours.

“Stay true to your vision and what makes you and your partner happy,” she says. “It’s easy to get caught up in what others expect or in current trends, but your wedding should reflect your personalities and relationship.”

Vendors: Photography: Hunter Hennes; Planning & Design: Events by Elle; Venue: Hotel La Compania and The Ruins; Floral & Production: Festen Panama; Travel Agent: Blue Water Travel; Stationery: Yellow Brick Graphics; Entertainment: By Olimer Blasco; DJ: Plataforma; Cake: Carmelita’s; Officiant: Excellency by Douglas McRae; Violinist: Jose Rada; Chairs: Eventos y Eventos; Lighting: Blue Mango Eventos; Dress Designer: Ines Di Santo; Dress Boutique: Mimi’s Couture Bridal; Hair & Makeup: The Touch by Itziak Beauty; Tux: Atelier by Shawn M Horton