Why Bride and Groom Wanted 'Magical' Total Solar Eclipse Wedding: 'Couldn't Wait to Nerd Out Together' (Exclusive)

• Alyssa and Jonathan Calvillo got married during a total solar eclipse on April 8 in Wimberley, Texas.

• The bride walked down the aisle to Hans Zimmer's "Cornfield Chase" from Interstellar.

• Two telescopes and 100 pairs of specialized glasses were provided for solar viewing.

For one bride and groom, April's total solar eclipse was the perfect time to tie the knot.

Alyssa and Jonathan Calvillo got married earlier this year during the total solar eclipse on April 8 at The Vedere Estate in Wimberley, Texas — something they had dreamed of doing for eight years.

"It had been Alyssa's plan to get married during the solar eclipse when we first heard it was coming to Texas back in 2016. She was just waiting to get engaged and start planning," says Jonathan, who proposed on Christmas Day in 2023 even though that meant they would have just a few months to plan the wedding.

The eclipse was scheduled to begin at 11:35 a.m., so the bride, 31, and groom, 39, told their 100 guests to arrive at their wedding as early as possible in anticipation of heavy traffic and cars that may pull over on the sides of the country roads for the eclipse.

Related: Bride's 'Touchy-Feely' Wedding Photos with Her Bridesmaid Confuses 5-Year-Old Son: 'Did You Marry Emma or Daddy?'

Because specialized eye protection is needed for safe solar viewing, Alyssa turned eclipse glasses into name cards for her guests. The glasses were labeled with each person's table location, and were displayed on a mirror inside the welcome foyer.

The couple timed their wedding with the eclipse, with the ceremony starting promptly at 1:05 p.m. This was in expectation for the eclipse entering into "totality" at approximately 1:34 p.m., according to their wedding website. Eclipse totality is the phase in which the moon completely covers the sun, which causes the sky to darken.

"The timeline for the entire ceremony was based on the trajectory of the moon passing in front of the sun," Alyssa tells PEOPLE. "According to NASA, totality was only going to last four minutes, and it was our goal to be saying our 'I dos' during that time. I mean, I timed my aisle song and walk with my coordinator and DJ and violinist at every 10 second mark to know exactly where I was supposed to be."

Fittingly, Alyssa walked down the aisle with her parents to Hans Zimmer's "Cornfield Chase" from their favorite sci-fi movie, Interstellar. She wore a stunning gown from I Do The Dress I Do, that fit her perfectly thanks to Couture Alterations. Her hair and makeup was done by Viva la Glam. She also had a little cosmetic work done by Dr. Elizabeth Hernandez and Refined Aesthetics in order to look and feel her best on her big day.

For his part, Jonathan wore a black suit by Rex Formal Wear and scent by Le Labo.

"It was absolutely magical!" Alyssa says of her wedding ceremony. "Being arm in arm with both my parents, standing in a gown I never thought I’d wear, at the top of a ceremony deck in this breathtaking venue, hearing my aunt playing the violin to my favorite song that I knew my (future) husband would get as soon as he heard the intro, and finally seeing my fruition come to life as light fades into darkness."

Related: Couple Tracks Down 2 Women Who Crashed Their Wedding to Learn Their Story: 'We Think It's Hilarious'

She adds: "My husband and I had been together for nine years, and I was just waiting for this moment that seemed like it would never come."

The guests matched the dark sky, with everyone having been encouraged to wear their favorite black formal attire.

The ceremony — which juxtaposed the dark sky with sparklers, white florals, light-up marquee letters and a candlelit aisle — ultimately ran about five minutes early, which allowed for the newlyweds to join their guests in looking up through the clouds together. Two telescopes were provided for eclipse viewing.

The moody sky turned sunny for the upbeat reception afterward where the couple and their closest family and friends enjoyed delicious food from Got It Covered Events and slices of wedding cake baked by The Cake Shop. They also had fun taking photos in a photo booth.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

The eclipse made for striking wedding pictures and videos, which were taken by Davila Photography and Aria Productions. The wedding, which was planned by Bride on a Budget Events, was even named "Best Wedding in 2024" by the Antonian Awards, which is presented by the International Live Events Association.

"I am so lucky to have found the love of my life, my best friend, and most caring, patient and supportive person in my life," Alyssa gushes of her husband. "I couldn’t wait to marry him and nerd out together over space s---."

She continues: "He still loved me even after wedding planning became my personality. Thank goodness for being in the events industry, and knowing who all my vendors were going to be. Sometimes people asked us, 'Why? Why this date and why this big detail-oriented wedding?' And just like Kim K once said, we also respond, 'Because it’s iconic, and I like to do iconic s---.'"

The newlyweds honeymooned in Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico.

Read the original article on People