Shop Whittier - Online Magazine, Shopping Guide and Business Directory

The Wedding of Mercedes and Sparky

It was a very special day for Uptown Whittier when two dogs, Mercedes, and Sparky, got married at Mimo’s Café on Greenleaf Avenue.

On a warm and sunny day in August, over one hundred dogs brought their humans - which amounted to about five hundred people - for a romantic and unusual experience in witnessing the marriage of two canines in Love and to enjoy the festivities.  It was a Mexican Fiesta themed event, and all dogs were encouraged to dress the part.

The celebration was complete with dog biscuit appetizers a doggie edible, tiered wedding cake and desserts, as well as human edible deserts for the people guests. A full lunch featuring hot dogs with all the trimmings, live music and a romantic ceremony - inspired by the doggie couple - which I had the honor of writing and performing.

Thanks for the Memories

How it Began

It all began back in 2006, in the upstairs hallway of the Elias Building, a “Dog Friendly” place with a back door mat that says: “Wipe Your Paws”. It’s also the home of Mercedes, dog daughter of building owner and photographer Rick Elias. I was talking with Trish Garcia, the CPA in office number three and dog parent of Sparky, and her seven year old daughter, Elizabeth, when Sparky arrived and spotted Mercedes at the end of the hall.  He ran over, love story style, and tumbled right into her.  Then he playfully began to nuzzle and nibble her left ear (I am not making this up.)   Elizabeth and I barely knew each other at the time. She was shy around me and I was looking for a way to break the ice, so I said, “Wow! Look at that, Sparky is actually nibbling Mercedes’ ear” Elizabeth chimed right in and said, “Yes, they do that all the time; they’re in love.” I immediately said, “Well, if they’re in love, then they should be married.” I watched her face light up like a Christmas tree. We locked eyes and the rest is Uptown history.

How it Happened

In the days that followed, Elizabeth and I became the best of friends, and worked on getting the other humans on board. Trish and Rick joined in right away, at first, just for fun, and then as the days went by, playing at the thought of planning a real wedding where friends and family from each side would be invited. We began talking about it around town and, before you knew it, word was getting around about “The Doggie Wedding”. So flyer invitations were made with the couple’s picture and we started handing them out to people we saw around town with their dogs. Word even spread to other cities and the guest list was now expanding (You know how that can happen when planning a wedding). Everyone was having fun just talking about it. What started out as a small wedding of less than 20 guests was beginning to get larger and larger. We all pulled together to help make it happen. Rick and Trish took responsibility as “Parents” of the “bride” and “groom”; I helped to make all the necessary arrangements. We rented guest tables and a ceremony riser. We shopped for table decorations and favors and arranged for fresh flowers. There were doggie dress fittings, and Mercedes had a pedicure and teeth cleaning. Doggie and human edible wedding cakes were ordered, and a reception luncheon of all beef hot dogs with all the trimmings was planned. Ernie Hernandez was hired to provide the live music. He was the obvious choice, since he led the band on the TV series Love Boat. We openly invited everyone in the community. Bill Bell mentioned the upcoming nuptials in his editorial in the Whittier Daily News.

Extended Family

Mercedes had me write a special note to “Uncle Gilbert” (Gilbert Alvarez is a tax preparer who is a tenant in the Elias Building), asking him to walk her down the aisle, as her “dad” would be taking the pictures.  We slipped it under his door that night with a favorable response that he would walk her down the aisle. In the meantime, certain locals were becoming “family” as we, naturally, started referring to them as “Aunt” and “Uncle”, a tradition that continues to this day. Mercedes was always a popular dog about town but now she enjoys almost “movie star” status in Uptown.

Trips to Mimo’s for breakfast, lunch or dinner turned into fun, playful conversations about Mercedes, Sparky, and “The Wedding”. “Puppy Love” was bringing imagination, happiness, positive conversations and a child-like playful spirit to a growing number of people.

The Big Day

On the morning of the wedding, a man from another town informed us that the pastor at his church made a special announcement about the “Dog Wedding in Uptown Whittier.”  Hours before the event, Ramon the owner of Mimo’s Café, was getting ready for the event, and told us, that the phone had been ringing all morning and people were trying to make reservations for the wedding! The excitement was building.

Meanwhile, behind the scenes, I was taking some time to be alone and prepare myself to stand on stage and conduct the inspirational style “ceremony”, in front of all the guests, whether they be few or many.  We had no idea how many people would attend, since no RSVP’s were required.

Then it was time… walking down Greenleaf Avenue I looked across the street at Mimo's.  What a sight… a sea of people, all gathered together. Guests filled the entire outdoor courtyard and reporters from the Daily News and television cameras from KTTV & KNBC were covering the story.

What a thrill to see so many people who were willing to live outside the box, be unconventional, use their imaginations and participate in the only public dog wedding in Uptown history! It shows what kind of togetherness an inspired “community” is capable of.

“What the World Needs Now, is Love Sweet Love”

The ceremony began with a very romantic Latin love song. Rocky, the flower dog, was escorted by two lovely flower girls Elizabeth 7 years and Metzpli 6 years.  Next, Alex the “I Do" tags bearer walked down the aisle with his Mom, Bernadette. They all looked so good in their traditional Mexican formal attire. Sparky, a 30 lb puggle, sniffed his way down the isle in a dapper black tuxedo with a Top Hat and bone in his pocket. With romance flowing, music in the air and excitement building, Mercedes, a 90 lb. Mastiff-Lab mix paraded down the aisle with Uncle Gilbert in her beautiful white wedding gown. It was just like she dreamed as a puppy. After the beautiful procession the ceremony began with an inspirational talk of romance in dog world followed by the romantic doggy vows and the exchange of doggy “I Do" tags.

With the message of how important love is in our lives, the audience sang along with “What the World Needs Now, is Love Sweet Love” accompanied by a live performance from wedding entertainer Ernie Hernandez. Ernie sang two love songs to the doggy couple (one exceptionally romantic one in Spanish). There was singing, there was laughter and there were even a few tears of emotion.

As I looked out at the faces of people in the audience, I felt how alive the Human Spirit is. No matter what the world’s current events may be, we have the gift and presence of love to transcend us…

Happily Ever After

Are you wondering how Mercedes and Sparky are doing today? Two years later, they still act like newlyweds. They enjoy doggie day spa trips together, regular weekends away and barbecues at Sparky’s family home. They are very much into health and fitness. Sparky takes daily walks that would challenge most of us, while Mercedes is into healthy foods (no table scraps). They’re both committed to eating “raw” for one meal a day. Mercedes has her regular fan club at Mimo’s Café and is seen there almost daily.

We are often asked "what’s next?"  Do we have any special events on the horizon?  Well, there has been some talk. We’ll just have to wait and see. Stay tuned!

~ End ~