Hjordys Matos & Marcus Moore – Alabama Weddings

May 29, 2021 – Marion, Alabama

Hjordys Marie Perez Matos of New York, New York married Marcus Childs Moore, Jr. of Marion, Alabama on Saturday, May 29, 2021, at the historic First Congregational Church of Marion in the presence of their family and friends. Their union was officiated by Ambassador Andrew J. Young, Jr., at the first church he was assigned to as a Minister and where he married Jean Childs Young (deceased) 67 years prior.

While this wedding is full of beautiful details and endearing moments, it is also full of intention and meaning in the choices the couple made for their wedding story.

The Moore’s goal in celebrating the blending of their families was to tell the story of both cultures and their common ancestry (Dominican and African American) through their most cherished medium – music. For them, both as individuals and as a couple, music is the center of their lives. Marcus proposed to Hjordys at Lincoln Center in New York during the Lincoln Center Out of Doors Festival, a festival established by his Great Uncle and famed Black conductor, Leonard de Paur. It was an honor to paint the journey of the two cultures through spirituals, jazz, salsa, boleros, and merengue to highlight the common threads of their cultures as they blended their families.

Hjordys Marie Perez Matos is a New York, New York native who began her vocal and acting career at a very young age. As a Mezzo Soprano, Hjordys has toured nationally and internationally in the award winning off-Broadway show “Platanos & Collard Greens”, debuted the role of Nycteris in The Day Boy and the Night Girl at the Spirit of Broadway Theatre in Connecticut where she won a Spirit Award for Lead Actress in a Musical, amongst being featured in many short film festivals. She received her BS in Organizational Behavior and Change from New York University. In addition to performing, Hjordys worked as a Strategy Consultant at Deloitte & Touche. She now works at Facebook in Digital Rights as a Systems Project Manager, designing tools and products that protect content creators and empower the creator voice across all platforms.

Marcus Childs Moore, Jr is a Marion, Alabama native who began studying violin at a very young age. He received his BFA in Jazz Performance from City College of New York, JD from Howard University and Master’s of Music Business from New York University. In addition to performing, Marcus started his career in producing concerts at Jazz at Lincoln Center. After practicing law in Washington, D.C. and working for the Obama Administration, Marcus returned to New York where he worked for BMG Music, YouTube, and currently works in Music Partnerships at Instagram.

The Lincoln Normal School, also known as the Lincoln School, was a historic African American school in Marion, Alabama. Its roots traced back to a Union soldier who remained in Marion after the end of the Civil War to teach newly freed African Americans. His efforts proved successful and in 1867 the school was incorporated with the support of African Americans from the surrounding Perry County.

Founded less than two years after the end of the Civil War as the Lincoln Normal School in Marion, Alabama, it is one of the oldest HBCUs in the United States. Nine ex-slaves, Joey Pinch, Thomas Speed, Nickolas Dale, James Childs, Thomas Lee, John Freeman, Nathan Levert, David Harris, and Alexander H. Curtis, made up the first Board of Trustees.

One of the few buildings remaining on the campus site is the Phillips Memorial Auditorium, now on the National Register of Historic Places and the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage.

The First Congregational Church of Marion is a historic church in Marion, Alabama and was built in 1871 after the congregation was established in 1869 by freed slaves and the American Missionary Association. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.

Favorite Memory:

Walking down the aisle to “One Hand, One Heart” by Stephen Sondheim was magical. I took a moment to really take in the faces of our family as I walked down the aisle to my husband and my heart burst as I felt all of the love and support we created as a family and how blessed we are to experience it. Mindfulness had been on my heart and it was the perfect moment to practice it as I took in every smile that was present with us. Time slowed down for me and I will never forget it!

Advice from the Bride:

“Take the time to be intentional in your planning – your wedding party, your vendor team, the creatives in your circle. We wanted our day to be filled with our values: love, patience, creativity, and most of all abundance. Our vendors were a dream to work with and the common denominator was always their love for their art and creating something special for others. Marcus and I are both artists and it was such an honor to have our wedding and union as a platform to showcase other artists.”

The Creatives:

Floral & Event Design, Decor, Custom Dancefloor, Lighting: Sweet Luxury Events. Photographer: YNOT iMages. Second Shoot Photographer: Sam Jasper Photographer. Draping: Amor Events. Cake: Barb’s Cakes. Hair Stylist: Katrina Kurtz. Makeup Artist: Jenn Thompson. Videographer: Fractal Image. Catering: Tre Luna. Stationery: Longest Time Design. Bridal Gown: RK Bridal, Martina Liana Bridal. Bridal Jumpsuit: Patsy by Rime Arodaky. Bridal Shoes: Manolo Blahnik. Bridal Party Dresses: Amsale. Groom’s Suit: Black Lapel. Groom’s Party Suits: Indochino. Quartet: Hilarie Rivas Quartet. Entertainment: Brian Murray Jazz Band, Orquesta MaCuba, DJ Top Notch. Dancers: IV Motion. Officiant: Ambassador Andrew Young, Jr.

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