Vintage Chanel and Modern Romance Come Together in This San Miguel de Allende Wedding
My vision for the wedding was not traditional. I wanted the reception to feel moody, with dim lighting and lots of candles. I wanted my guests to feel as if they were having dinner at a friend’s house, rather than dining at a reception. I was also heavily inspired by the stone and greenery in Casa San Jose. I felt it was both whimsical and homey at the same time.
The first night I saw Gordie, a friend and I sent him and his friends drinks from across the restaurant. They ended up coming over to say thank you, and we all had a drink together. Gordie asked for my number that night, and we went out on a proper date the next weekend. We didn’t spend much time apart after that. We were engaged two years later in Napa, California. Staying true to ourselves, it was just the two of us, sitting on a blanket overlooking a vineyard. No friends, family, or photographers. I wouldn’t have had it any other way.
Gordie’s tux was handmade by the brand Hamilton (very fitting), a brand Gordie has been using for costume dress shirts and pants for years. It was an obvious choice for Gordie, and one he felt very confident and comfortable making.
When choosing the food for the reception, we knew we wanted to stay true to Mexico. Penzi made it impossible for our guests to have a bad meal. People couldn’t stop raving about the poblano corn soup.
When it came to florals, I wanted them to feel natural. Since my vision was to keep the reception feeling homy, I did not want anything over the top. I went with simple, white flowers and greenery. The florals brought out the beauty of Casa San Jose, rather than distracting from it. One thing that was very important to Gordie and me was making our guests feel appreciated and loved. We kept our guest list very small for this reason. Gordie and I wrote letters to each of our guests, which were waiting for them at their seats to come dinner time. It was a great way to remind ourselves how truly blessed we are to be surrounded by such great friends, and we could tell it was a touch that made everyone feel like an important part of Gordie and I’s life together.
Unlike most aspects of my wedding, I wanted to be very traditional when it came to the wedding cake. I stuck with the classic almond-flavored sponge and vanilla buttercream. I loved the natural and imperfect florals that dotted the icing. The cake itself felt like a part of the background.
When discussing what we wanted for our ceremony, Gordie and I decided it was essential that the person marrying us knew us well. We asked our friend Brad Neunuebel. Brad and Gordie were roommates freshman year of college and have been best friends ever since. Brad was with Gordie the night we met, so he has truly been there to see our relationship grow and change from the very beginning. Brad has become such an important and amazing friend to me over the years, and we really couldn’t have imagined anyone else marrying us. Brad was able to incorporate details about Gordie and Imeas individuals as well as a couple. He also threw in a quote by my favorite author, William Faulkner, which proved Brad was the right person for the job. “You don’t love because: you love despite; not for the virtues, but despite the faults”. -William Faulkner
Gordie and I wanted an intimate and small wedding, but also did not want the stress of sharing our vows publicly. We always knew we would write them for each other, but we weren’t sure how to share them in a meaningful way. We decided to read them to one another the morning of our wedding day. We woke up, ordered breakfast, and read our vows to one another before saying goodbye for the last time before meeting at the altar. It was one of the most special and meaningful memories I have from the entire weekend.
One of the funniest memories I have from the weekend is the game of putting your drink on your head. It sounds weird, but throughout the weekend, one person would casually hold their drink above their head and wait for everyone else to notice and join in. The last person to pick up on the game would have to take a sip of their drink. This led to some hilarious photos and memories of tables and crowds of people with their drinks held above their heads.
