March 5, 2007
The El Paso Zoo on Sunday was the venue for the marriage of Masao Suzuki and Eri Honami, both of Japan. They exchanged their vows in front a crowd of nearly forty of their friends and family members. The wedding took place upon a rock altar, with a cascading waterfall and willow tree providing a serene backdrop for the occasion.
Waiting at the altar was the groom, Suzuki, dressed in a white formal coat and a red tie. His bride, Honami, walked down a white carpet strewn with red rose petals to the song “You’re the One That I Want” from the musical “Grease.” Glenn Greene, a motorcycle enthusiast and friend of the groom, administered the couple’s vows. Many of the guests were also avid motorcycle riders, and were dressed accordingly.
The crowd cheered as the bride and groom placed their wedding rings on each other’s fingers, and more cheering was brought on as the couple shared their first kiss as husband and wife. The newlyweds then led their party to a reception held inside the Zoo’s café, which is housed under a large Asian-inspired pagoda.
Sandra Wakitsch, the Zoo’s caterer, said that guests would dine barbecued ribs and chicken. Guests also drank Japanese tea for a traditional toast. Wakitsch also pointed out that though there was a large crowd of bikers present, a group is sometimes viewed as wild and rowdy, all of them chose to make the reception alcohol-free. Instead, they drank lemonade, tea, and coffee.
Suzuki and Honami are both from Toyohashi City, located on Japan’s Pacific coast. Suzuki had promised his bride that they would wed in the United States, and because of his friends in the area, he decided El Paso would be a nice location.
Suzuki is a well-known craftsman who specializes in building custom motorcycles known as “choppers.” He often travels throughout the United States to attend motorcycle rallies such as those at Sturgess and Daytona, and he has made many stops in El Paso as well. “He buys about six or seven bikes each time he’s here (in the US)” said Victor Burciaga, who has known Suzuki for seven years. Burciaga, a fellow biker, said he has helped Suzuki build some of his choppers.
Though the zoo is not a place many think of when scouting wedding locations, it did make for a unique setting. “Out of all the choices he was given in El Paso, he chose the zoo,” Wakitsch said. “The groom chose the zoo because of his love for animals,” she added.
The wedding, with its international appeal and lively guests, highlighted one of our city’s most important assets: the zoo.
As our city plans to revitalize the Downtown area, and with impressive growth taking place on the West, East, and Northeast sides, it is also important to take advantage of the recreational opportunities already being provided by the City. Major renovations have taken place to upgrade the zoo grounds; new animals have been added and visitor facilities have been improved over the past few years. And now, because of these investments, the El Paso zoo is a pleasant place to spend an afternoon, or celebrate a wedding.