I need to get myself to Mexico stat. Between the tacos, the colors, and those margaritas, I just know I’d be in my personal paradise… and that isn’t even mentioning the beaches! And if I have any doubt of where to go, Riviera Maya Haciendas is where I’ll set forth for because if this beautiful bash by Buzzworthy Events is any indication, the spot is pure magic. Britt Rene captured it all for us to crave right here!
From the Bride… Like most true love, it was met over drinks. Our mutual friend introduced us at a bar and quickly walked away so we were awkwardly alone. Luckily the awkwardness lasted only a moment and we instantly connected after that. After a long great conversation, Dan asked for my phone number and before he could finish, I had already started giving it to him. We barely waited for our first date which started at the De Young Museum and went on to a long stroll through Golden Gate Park, a low key Vietnamese dinner and drinks after. We finally looked at the clock and realized our date had lasted for 12 hours. Our friends that knew about our date were worried that they didn’t hear from us and thought we might have been kidnapped. After that, we were hooked.
Dan and I are most at home by the beach so when we got engaged we knew instantly that we wanted our wedding to take place in front of the ocean. Mexico holds a special place in our hearts because of Dan’s Mexican heritage and Playa Del Carmen was perfect. We wanted to have a wedding that was custom tailored to us as a couple so we chose two beautiful haciendas to host us. Our goal was to have a celebration where there were just as many laughs as there were tears so we worked to make the space beautiful yet youthful. Having the ceremony and reception all outdoors with the beach in front of us made the experience unforgettable.
From Ashley Smith at Buzzworthy Events… Emily and Dan emphasized that the day was really about their friends and family being enchanted by the scenery and kicking back to relax on the beach with amazing cocktails. The Riviera Maya Haciendas were a stunning setting and perfect enviornment. They are two private luxury haciendas complete with Botero’s on the walls, on the beach in Puerto Aventuras, a gated golf community next to Playa del Carmen.
The wedding began late in the afternoon at Hacienda Del Mar. The ceremony took place on top of the pool with the Caribbean sea as the backdrop and was cued by an instrumental version of Beriut’s “Nantes.” The sun set shortly after. Following the ceremony, during cocktail hour, the guests were served Chapulines from La Perla, traditional Oaxacan style, along with Gazpacho, mini Telera with Pork Pibil, Chaya and Cheese Empanadas. All of the cocktails were custom made by the groom, Dan. A slushie machine poured a Sherry Pina Colada and a refreshing margarita with blanco tequila, cucumber, genepy, lime, agave, absinthe. The groom also made a Watermelon Hibiscus and a Pineapple Mint Agua Fresca. The groom’s mother made her famous Horchata. My dear friend, and now dear friends of Emily and Dan, Sam tended bar for the event.
After Emily and Dan were announced to the wedding, guests made their way to dinner over in Hacienda Corazon where they dined, laughed and cried over the spontaneous speeches made by family member and friends. The head table was adorned with a deer skull and fresh flowers that Emily was very partial to and spent many weeks sourcing. The table numbers were made of Mexican tiles and many of the flowers were foraged by friends. When the guests returned to Hacienda Del Mar for dancing, the pool had turned into a custom Mezcal lounge lit by tiki torches in the sand and candles, where they sat ocean side and sipped many types of Mezcal de LuLa out of Copitas and danced until 2AM.
Photography: Brittrene Photo | Event Planning + Design: Ashley Smith | Floral Design: Studio Mondine | Wedding Dress: Monique Lhuillier | Invitations: Natalie Jensen | Ceremony Venue: Riviera Maya Haciendas | Reception Venue: Riviera Maya Haciendas | Bride's Shoes: BHLDN | Makeup + Hair: Katie Nash Beauty | Audio Equipment: Pentaflor | Bride's Jewelry: Sapphires & Diamonds Sourced From Mother Of The Bride | Bridemaids Gifts (Canvas Weekend Escape Bags): Forest Bound | Chapulines: La Pearla | Groom's Custom Suit : Al's Attire | Groomsmens Gifts (Japanese Knives): Chef Knives To Go | Mezcal: Mezcal De Lula | Rentals: Mayan Hospitality