I just fell madly in love with the Riviera Maya. And when I say madly, I mean madly, because all it took was just one look at this stunning fête by the ever-amazing Elegant Occasions and I was done for. The breathtaking setting, the beyond gorgeous florals, the seaside reception… I simply can’t say enough about this beach chic meets elegant affair. Which is why I’ll be spending my Thursday soaking in every last brilliant image captured by Craig Okraska Photography… and I suggest you do the same. Join me in the gallery for even more!
From Elegant Occasions… Erin Crandall, former buyer for Shopbop.com and now owner of NYC boutique, A Man and A Woman, chose The Tides as the venue of her wedding because of the eco-friendly resort as well as the beauty of it. It was important to her and her fiance, Ben Phillips, that the weekend was relaxing and fun. Their inspiration was the palm trees that grew all around the resort. They used this to create their theme of palm trees throughout the wedding, from the save the dates to the welcome bags.
Because they wanted everyone to enjoy themselves, the rehearsal dinner was meant to bring everyone a little closer together. Elegant Occasions designed a long table seating about 80 people. The organic-like structure was created to go with the feeling of eco-friendly and relaxed yet chic. The Tides was a great choice to host this fun-filled wedding weekend.
For the night of the party, the couple used a mixture of square and round tables to keep it interesting. The tables were set around the pool of the resort so at night when the pool lit up, it would add to the atmosphere. Lights were strung across the pool and more floating lights were put into the pool, again, to make the night even more romantic. This fashionably trendy couple got the wedding of their dreams!
This gorgeous Los Cabos soiree by Floataway Studios is what destination dreams are made of. The breathtaking setting, the rustic meets organic vibe, the soft color palette of yellow and gray, the succulent-filled florals by Florenta Flower Design… There isn’t a moment of this charming affair that I don’t absolutely adore. Not to mention the very (very) stunning bride and groom, who just so happen to fill each and every single photo with pure joy… and, trust me, you won’t be able to help, but smile. So, join me in the gallery for all of the pretty and then stay tuned for even more lovely from Floataway Studios below! (Hint: It’s an amazing film!)
As promised, we are sending you off into the weekend with one very fabulous film by Floataway Studios! Enjoy!
From the Bride… After a whirlwind year together, Greg proposed and we began planning the most significant day of our lives thus far. With family spread out all over the globe, we quickly decided that a destination wedding was the best fit for us, and luckily came across the absolutely gorgeous Dreams Los Cabos Suites Golf Resort & Spa, in Los Cabos, Mexico. Dreams Los Cabos provided the perfect backdrop for our day: sweeping views of the Sea of Cortez from the garden ceremony location, an intimate pool reception, lots of palm trees and all the sunshine we could ask for!
One of the most important elements of our day was how it would be chronicled, and Greg & I felt quite blessed to come across Mary & Scott of Floataway Studios. They are both absolutely gifted in their respective fields (photography and videography), and made us feel absolutely comfortable in front of the lens. It is an amazing moment to look back at your photos and watch the most important moments of your day unfold. (The expression on Greg’s face as I walked down the aisle as captured by Mary, is something that I will absolutely cherish forever!)
When setting out the vision of what I wanted the day to look like, I tried to keep it as simple as possible: sunny yellow contrasted with sea glass, organic burlap fabrics, wood-grained paper details and reclaimed barn wood. One of my favorite decor elements of the wedding were the vintage glass beer bottles we used for flowers at the reception – I spent months hunting down those just-perfect blue-green colors until I had the perfect collection! We wanted a warm, rustic feel contrasted with the bright, airy-ness of the resort setting, and all of the small details came together beautifully. Another detail we felt necessary to incorporate was our shared love for Rob Ryan, the paper-cut artist. Greg surprised me earlier in the year with a Rob Ryan brooch that said “Our Adventure is About to Begin.” I wore it clipped to my bouquet. Our wedding programs featured a beautiful excerpt from Rob Ryan’s book “This Is For You” in tribute of Greg’s mother, who passed away in 2009, shortly before we met. (I wear her wedding ring on my right hand.)
One element that was very important for me to incorporate was my Greek heritage. Going against the grain and not having a “big fat Greek wedding” was a first in our family, but I was determined to bring a little bit of Greek to Los Cabos! A fun tradition that occurs at Greek weddings is the “breaking of the bread.” This custom entails that the bride and groom fight over a large loaf of bread (Which was lovingly baked by my best friend and brought over from Toronto!), to win the larger piece. The person who succeeds in obtaining the larger half will ultimately “wear the pants” in the relationship and be the dominant decision maker. Coming from a long line of very strong-willed women, I was absolutely sure I would win! The photos tell the hilarious story – needless to say, I am a very poor loser!
After an evening filled with dancing, cocktails, and a lot of humidity, we surprised our guests by leading them down to the beach, and asking them to send a wish into the sky for us by lighting a floating lantern. Our guests were so surprised, and we had so much fun with our toes in the sand, watching the lanterns drift off into the night sky!
We may be smack-dab in the middle of Fall, but that doesn’t mean we can’t escape to Mexico for a little sun, a little sand and a whole lot of gorgeous this lovely Tuesday morning. Yes, this Playa Mujeres wedding by Juan Navarro is just what the doctored ordered (and more) for those chilly weather blues, complete with a breathtaking location, a fabulous gown, pretty yellow hues and one very stunning bride and groom. Even better? We have an entire day to spend wrapped up in this lovely. Join me in the gallery for even more.
From the Bride… Our wedding in August 2011 at La Amada, Playa Mujeres, Mexico was all about sun, sand and sky. Luxurious beach chic…and so much fun. We chose La Amada for its clean lines and simple luxury — we love the white-washed look and the boutique feel of the property. From my flowing beachy gown to his laid-back white and gray, every moment of our wedding day was relaxed.
We married right at the shore line on a gorgeous blue sky day. We had no wedding party — just us two. My sisters were close by at all times, my ordained Aunt from Bermuda married us, and unconventionally, my two teenage nephews walked me down the aisle. Acting as ushers, my nephews wore white linen pants with pale yellow linen tops — very “Vicery Palm Springs” looking. All the flowers were white — mostly lisianthus, which are beautiful and easy. For our guests, we offered white parasols during the ceremony.
Straight from the beach-side ceremony, guests walked over to the main open-air restaurant for the reception. The ceremony program doubled as a seating chart with table numbers listed on the back for guests to easily find their place. Our signature yellow cocktail was the Sand Dune — named for the beautiful sandy beaches in Playa Mujeres. The reception was a continuation of our beach chic theme — with yellow and orange chair pillows and white lisianthus centerpieces. We chose to use the existing white wicker furniture in the restaurant and kept the place-settings minimal. Mini boxes of citrus jelly beans were set for each guest, along with a custom printed menu. And we can’t forget the dark chocolate cup cakes with lemon frosting — delicious. The reception setup also included the use of the pool sofas that we had brought into the restaurant to create a post-dinner lounge area over-looking the ocean. Our table numbers in white and yellow were part of our custom made printed collection. It was the most beautiful day and these pictures tell that story.
Oh, how I adore this stunning Los Cabos affair by Picsee Studio. The breathtaking location, the amazing florals, the pretty orange, pink and brown hues… I am head over heels (and then some) for each and every darling detail. And just when I thought it couldn’t get any better than all of this lovely, that beautiful gown literally knocked me off my feet with its very chic, very gorgeous self. Swoon. I can’t think of a better way to start the month of November than a day spent wrapped up in this fabulous soiree. Join me in the gallery for even more!
From Picsee Studio… There are so many awesome images that we love, it was so hard to choose only a few! Jennifer and I were there to capture the entire wedding event from start to finish! We began by eating dinner with the whole wedding party when we arrived on Thursday, next was the beach and rehearsal on Friday, the big day was on Saturday and we finished up with Matt & Tara’s ”afterglow” session on Monday.
The ceremony was cliff-side so you could see the beach on one side and the mountain on the other, and the clouds were perfectly placed in the sky for awesome evening light! The reception was so much fun – the wedding party was introduced and then danced to thriller – oh yeah! The food was GREAT and the dancing was hilarious! Matt and Tara, Gouges and Lorencens, we cannot thank you enough for allowing us to be a part of this special event and we are OH so excited for you to see everything from this beautiful weekend!
If the thought of the imminent winter has been giving you the blues then this Sayulita wedding by Jillian Mitchell Photography and Sea of Dreams might be just what the doctor ordered. I certainly have been holding myself back from getting too click happy on the travel websites. The colorful, laid-back vibe is so warm and inviting I just want to hop on the next southbound jet plane. Click here to see all the fabulous details!
From Jillian Mitchell Photography…Chelsea and Matt got married at the Brisa del Mar palapa in Sayulita, Mexico. Guests came from as far as Australia to be a a part of this intimate affair on a cliff top overlooking the long stretch of beach in town below. They got ready at Villa Amor a gorgeous hotel just below the ceremony and reception site and we took most of the wedding portraits there and at Playa de Los Muertos a small private beach down the road. Yazmin and Nierica from Sea of Dreams Weddings kept the design simple, but elegant with gorgeous flower arrangements and white and yellow accents. Of course no wedding in Mexico would be complete without some tacos al pastor and fireworks to top everything off.
I thought I was okay with the arrival of Fall, but this charming Los Cabos wedding by AMY DeYOUNG photographer has me missing summer in a big, big way. Yes, I think a vacation to Mexico might be in order now that I have laid my eyes upon each and every fabulous detail of this magical affair, including beautiful orchid-filled blooms by Mazarte Floral, a breathtaking gown and one insanely gorgeous location. Seriously, does it get any more stunning than this? I’ll most definitely be spending my day in the gallery, just dreaming away. Join me there for even more!
From AMY DeYOUNG photographer… This destination wedding took place at the One and Only Palmilla, Los Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Vanessa and Reid knew early on they wanted to marry one another. Their first Thanksgiving together was spent with Vanessa’s family in Cabo. The night of Thanksgiving dinner, Reid stayed around after everyone had left the table to talk with Vanessa’s father. He asked Vanessa’s father for her hand in marriage. He said yes and even though Reid had not yet asked Vanessa, in the Colombian culture, this is when the engagement begins and is considered official. So Vanessa’s family started celebrating!
When Vanessa and Reid returned from Cabo, Vanessa traveled with her mom and sister to New York City to go Christmas shopping. While in NY, her mom and sister convinced her to try on some wedding dresses at the Pronovias flagship store, which happened to be across the street from their hotel. Vanessa felt a little awkward since Reid had not yet officially asked her to marry him. She was convinced to go and the third dress she tried on was THE ONE. Vanessa admits to feeling embarrassed because they kept asking about wedding details and she didn’t even have a ring yet. Not to worry…
The day after Vanessa returned from NYC, Reid asked for her hand in marriage. They decided they wanted to be married in Cabo because that is where Reid asked Vanessa’s father and they absolutely love spending time there. The location of the One and Only was chosen simply because nothing else compares. It is stunning! They welcomed family and friends as they celebrated at the One and Only. The ceremony took place in the chapel on the grounds. Vanessa was escorted in on a horse drawn carriage, the same one that Reid and Vanessa would exit on as Mr. and Mrs. The party included live music, spectacular food, and lots of dancing. Such an amazing event!
This Cabo San Lucas wedding is fun, fun, fun in the sun! bow tie & bustle event design + styling went all out for this vibrant beach bash. The colors are just delightful and the details extraordinary from the ribbon decor found everywhere from the ceremony aisle to the chairs to the desserts. There is absolutely nothing bland or boring about this affair and you can see all the excitement in the full gallery!
From bow tie & bustle event design + styling…Vanessa and Tony are every wedding creatives dream couple. They are hilariously witty, beyond genuine, incredibly gorgeous, super intelligent and have a love for each other that just oozes from their fingertips. They were married this past April in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico at Cabo Surf Hotel. Cabo Surf offered the most glorious backdrop to their day, complete with a beach ceremony, palm trees, and tropical cocktails.
One thing that is unique to Tony and Vanessa is that they are both doctors, spending gobs of times as working professionals (we’re talking 100’s of hours each week at the hospital), with their love story actually beginning in medical school. Therefore, I felt it imperative to include medical details throughout their wedding day design to speak to their medical backgrounds. In addition, many of the details throughout the day were inspired by Vanessa’s love for wine and their time spent together vacationing in Napa.
Since Vanessa and Tony were interested in having an intimate beach affair we used one long banquet table to create a “family style” atmosphere at their reception. Antique medicine bottles, including ones with distressed and worn prescription labels were used to create vignettes across the reception table. The bottles were sporadically tied with twine and buttons and placed amongst various vintage pieces including little clocks, amber-colored glass, ceramic pots and wine bottles. Pops of color were added to the centerpieces with flag bunting, curly paper flags, succulents and romantic florals. A 27-foot burlap table runner gave the reception an organic feel and each place setting was accented with calligraphy place cards in cork stands, individual scalloped menus and succulents. Antique stethoscopes were hung from the sides of their chairs and strands of textured ribbon were tied to the back, with orange striped pillows to complete the look. Shredded pages of a vintage Grey’s Anatomy medical book were placed in their “message in a bottle” invitations, as well as in the base of the cake stand, and also sporadically in vases on their reception table. I added a variety of florals to the vases and bottles the morning of the wedding to create a romantic and whimsical vibe. Succulents were a necessity to Vanessa so they took center stage in the design and were used generously throughout the day, including at each place setting, amongst the centerpieces, on the dessert table and also in the bouquets.
The ceremony was held on the beach, with an ivory satin covered canopy tied with burlap ribbon standing as the focal point of the ceremony. The aisle was lined with various colored wine bottles inspired by sea glass and Vanessa’s love of wine. Curly paper flags were added to the bottles for a pop of color. Vanessa and Tony did not want a traditional wedding cake but instead opted for a dessert table…yippee! Whoopie pies, mini fruit tartlets, brownies, cheesecakes and key lime pies accented their miniature wedding cake. More curly flags were used to highlight each little dessert, and hand marbled paper was used to create name cards for each of the desserts. The marbled paper was also used to hold together their invitation scrolls and as the tags for their welcome bags. The cake was finished off with fabric flag bunting, a butterfly and a tiny silver mountain bike (Vanessa means “butterfly” and Tony is an avid mountain biker). Guests signed square pieces of fabric with well wishes, intended to be sewn together as a lasting memento for the couple. Paper flag bunting finished off the edges of the guest book and dessert tables.
Nothing screams ” hop on a plane NOW and indulge in a south of the border fiesta” like a gorgeous wedding weekend in Sayulita. And Villa Amor just might be the perfect place on the planet for such an event. (Really, the name says it all) This Modern Romance Photography captured all of the festivities and their images are not only artistic and downright gorgeous but chalk full of color and other festive details right down to those perfect shoes. Wait, I really think we need to have a moment for those shoes. Take a moment or thirty with all the gorgeous images you could dream of in the full wedding gallery. Still destination dreaming? You can catch more lovelies over on our Destination Weddings Blog.
From the Bride…We wanted our wedding to feel as personal as possible. Having a destination wedding in Sayulita was the perfect fit for our vision of an intimate and casual wedding. We approached the wedding as a vacation for our friends and family with a wedding thrown in.
We tried to include as many personal touches as possible. Our cake topper was custom-made for us by Etsy seller “Garden 4 Arts” and is our pug Todd and his favorite toy, a stuffed hedgehog we named Angelina. Rather than print paper programs for the ceremony we worked with Etsy seller “The Little Bells” to have our programs printed on vintage handkerchiefs. We had two signature cocktails to honor our moms, a Tequila Sheila margarita and a Mary Mojito. On each table we had a classic novel and a list of questions and asked our guests to write in the books in lieu of a traditional guest book. Our table numbers were paintings done by Nick’s mom and showcased different places that we have traveled to together.
We decided early on not to choose a “wedding color” but instead just chose to use light colors. We also wanted to include pieces of Mexico in our décor. We used pink, peach, and ivory flowers native to Mexico for the bouquets, boutonnieres, and centerpieces, and we had white papel picado hanging over the patio where we had our reception. For our escort cards we made miniature books with bookmarks. Hanging from the bookmarks were silver Milagros and the text of the book explained the meaning and use of Milagros in Mexican culture. For the escort card table the bride sewed a tablecloth of vintage handkerchiefs. The centerpiece flowers were held by mason jars that we brought from San Francisco and sat on lace doilies that the groom’s mom collected, some had been made by the groom’s great grandmother and were already in her collection and others were collected by the groom’s mom over the year of our engagement.
I’m finding it incredibly hard to believe that Fall is just around the corner when a breathtaking Day After Shoot like this one is gazing out from my computer screen. Filled with brilliant images galore by Krista Fox of Krista Fox Photography, a gorgeous bride and groom, sunny beaches and a wedding gown that I absolutely ADORE, I’ve just been transported right back to the middle of July, with flips flops on my feet and a strawberry lemonade in my hand. Yes, it’s a little bit of paradise on this lovely Friday morning and I am more than happy to spend my day wrapped up in all of this pretty, prolonging the summer by just a bit. Join me in the gallery for even more!
From the Bride… I’ve never been one of those girls who always dreamed of her wedding but soon after we got engaged strolling along Pebble Beach, California I quickly became obsessed with everything wedding! Being from cold, white, Northern Manitoba and absolutely loving to travel, we both felt right away that there was a warm sun and sandy beach somewhere just waiting for us to celebrate a wedding week with our closest family and friends. I had a vision of white sand beaches, turquoise water, soft romantic colors in shades of pinks, cream, gold and touches of nature and whimsy. The wedding day came together beautifully on the soft sands of the Dreams Tulum Resort and Spa. The most important aspect of my wedding from the get-go was the photographs, I spent hours pouring over pictures of weddings and gathering ideas for not only my wedding day but the day after shoot. I knew the day after would be so much fun and so much more relaxed than the actual wedding day. We were both so excited for the shoot only to check the weather the night before and realize that it was calling for rain, all day! I could hardly sleep the night before praying it would turn out nice, we both woke early and to our surprise the sun was shining!
We had beautiful weather and an absolutely perfect day! With our research of the area around Tulum , and Krista scouting locations, we had a jam-packed day planned. Our first stop was the village of Tulum, where we got a taste of celebrity as we walked through the narrow paths of the market and the locals began shouting and clapping for us. It was so cute. My hair even got attacked by a monkey who decided the plumeria flowers should be lunch and not decor! Once we reassembled what was left of my flowers we continued on for some shots on the beach, and then to an old road-side chapel that we stumbled upon. It was beautiful and quintessential “Mexico” with its exterior washed with turquoise and Bougainvillea climbing its walls. We instantly knew it was an opportunity we could not pass by! Quickly running through an overgrown field we used the day’s soft light to shoot some of my favourite pictures, we even had several locals peeking around the bushes nearby to sneak a few shots of their own.
The end of the day brought us 4x4ing down an old windy dirt road. After the bumpy drive, and a mile walk down a narrow path we came across a beautiful crystal clear turquoise green cenote with fish! It was too tempting not to get up on the raised wooden platform, hold hands and plunge into the cool water, dress and all! We ended our day in the perfect private spot, got some amazing above and under water shots. Our dreams for the day had really come together: stunning locations, gorgeous weather, and fish…lots of fish!
I think I just decided to have my wedding in Los Cabos. Yep, all it took was one look at this stunning affair by Gary & Courtney Photography and my decision was made… A Los Cabos wedding is most definitely in my future. And if it is even one tenth the fabulous that this soiree is, then I think we can call it a good day, because this fête is all kinds of awesome, complete with crazy gorgeous florals by Pina Hernandez, a beautiful color palette, a breathtaking wedding gown and my new favorite shoes. And don’t even get me started on the calligraphy by 2 Hearts B 1 Designs. Swoon. All designed and planned by the amazing Sarai Flores of SIGNATURE, Event Consulting and Design, I simply can not get enough of all of this pretty. Join me in the gallery for even more!
From the Bride… Soon after our engagement we took a vacation to Los Cabos, Mexico and instantly fell in love with the breathtaking beaches and vivid cultural. After that trip we came home envisioning a wedding that was intimate, romantic and an amazing experience for our guests. We were inspired by the bright sky, blue ocean and Mexican tiles, which lead to a blue mosaic tile theme throughout the wedding. I worked closely with Heidi Jimenez of Zenadia Design on our invitation suite and printed materials to feature patterns with different shades of blue, which conveyed the feeling of Mexico without being too beachy. Style Me Pretty also inspired many of our DIY projects and décor. I was truly smitten with all the stylish floral arrangements and gorgeous details featured on the blog. We incorporated luggage tag save-the-dates, ribbon wands, a Just Married banner, Novio and Novia signs and canvas welcome bags filled with beach towels, passport holders and local Mexican treats.
I often received advice that you have to really like your wedding planner and photographers, because they are going to be around you the whole day. We were lucky enough to actually love ours! Hiring Sarai Flores of SIGNATURE Event Consulting and Design, was one of our first and best decisions! I knew you lose a lot of control when planning a destination wedding and that we would need great partners. We immediately feel in love with Sarai’s calm nature and European style, and knew that we could completely trust her. Sarai really went above and beyond to ensure our vision was executed flawlessly and that we were able to relax and enjoy every second of the wedding. When my Aunt introduced us to husband and wife photography team, Gary and Courtney Christenson, we were blown away with their creativity and talent. They have such fun-loving personalities and an amazing passion for travel, which really proved that they were the ideal photographers for us. Not only did they document the entire weekend in Cabo, but Gary and Courtney genuinely listened and cared about our ideas, and we had a blast along the way!
It had always been a priority for us to be married in a church and be united as husband and wife with God. Throughout our engagement I even converted to Catholicism, so I could fully participate in the mass. We loved the romantic and historic features of the Mision de San Jose del Cabo, located in an artistic downtown area. Many of our family and friends had important roles in the traditional ceremony and we were so filled with emotion as we joined in the sacrament of marriage. We wanted the reception to resemble an intimate, alfresco dinner party complete with delicious cuisine and impeccable service. We subtly paired the intricate club house with our blue mosaic details and crisp white for a sophisticated look. From the “Ants Marching” introduction, to my uncle’s heartfelt blessing and humorous toasts, paired with all night dancing and cigar smoking, the night truly amazed us! Our wedding day was such an incredible celebration. Javier and I are so fortunate to have created many beautiful memories with our family and friends that we will treasure forever!
There’s just something so romantic about the Riviera Maya and I’m pretty sure it’s the best destination for a wedding in Mexico. The ocean is beyond gorgeous, (think Corona commercials), the locals are super friendly, and your guests will love you even more for choosing such a relaxed and naturally beautiful location for your nuptials. And this wedding, with pretty images from Samuel Luna Photography is the perfect example. I can practically feel the sun shining on my face which is perfect on this cold and rainy New England morning. Join me in the gallery for even more!
From the Bride…Jason & I had only a few requirements for our wedding day: a beach side wedding with laid back elegance, where our friends and family could kick back and enjoy the weekend. We had family traveling from as far as Australia, England, and across the United States so it was important to us that the destination and resort was luxurious and relaxed all at once. We chose Ceiba Del Mar Beach & Spa Resort in Puerto Morelos, an intimate boutique hotel in the Riviera Maya.
Holy moly. If you don’t see any posts from me in the next couple days – it’s because I packed my bags and headed to Mexico. And this wedding by J. Cogliandro Photography is 100% to blame. The couple celebrated with their friends and family with a weekend of fabulous festivities, and that wedding weekend has me in a trance that I don’t want to wake up from. Each image is a vacation in itself, so make yourself an fun cocktail (umbrella required), sit in the sunshine and take a little vaca – in the full gallery of images.
From the Bride…When George and I envisioned our wedding day, we had destination in mind from the beginning. Being from opposite ends of the world, his family flew from Beirut, Lebanon while my family arrived from Michigan. We chose Playa Mujeres, Mexico for its beautiful beaches and chic resorts. The resort we chose is set apart from the others in location and style. There’s a special feeling you get when you first step into the venue for the big day. The modern décor filled with beautiful white stucco, fresh accents, and gorgeous blue water made for such a great event.
Our guests arrived to a custom welcome bag filled with everything they would need for a weekend of fun. We began the wedding festivities with a private bonfire and fire show organized through the resort for the guests. The outdoor setting allowed us to be creative with the décor and setup. We chose Kelly green, brown, and white for the color palette. The green looked great on all the bridesmaids. The dress reminded me of a fun cocktail dress I would love to have for myself. The chocolate linens with a Kelly green runner accented the tall white centerpieces just right. Orchids and lilies filled the bouquets and centerpieces,which were simply my favorite flowers and felt “beachy”. We chose the outdoor terrace reception area surrounded by water and fountains. White and green linen lanterns hung from the dance floor and provided the casual yet stylish feel when arriving. Every guest took home a real starfish to remember the event forever. Caribbean food filled the plates of our guests, which included a roasted pig, which was George’s favorite part!
We will forever remember how special our day was as the sunset came while we said our vows. Our favorite part of the wedding day was dancing with all of the most special people in our lives at one time. There’s nothing better than vacationing with 55 of your favorite people while sharing the best day of our lives as well.
Altura Studio always, always, always sends us some really swoon-inducing events. Today is absolutely no exception. They were lucky enough to “work” from the beach on Cabo San Lucas for this affair, and I’m pretty sure the ocean-adjacent, piñata-toting, s’more roasting affair was less work and much more swoon worthy play. The laid back and beautiful couple seems so in love, so relaxed, and oh-so-happy. All things you would hope a fantastic locale like Cabo San Lucas would warrant. Click here for more of this beach party on Altura’s blog!
From Altura Studio … Scott and Zoe’s destination wedding was a celebration of connection, relationship, and relaxation for the couple and about 50 of their dearest friends and family. The Sheraton Hacienda del Mar in Cabo San Lucas was the setting for three days of celebration in the early Spring of this year.
A petite pinata motif appeared throughout this wedding. Guests received their invitations hidden inside a the tiny paper burro. Apparently, some of their friends took a while to realize that a wedding invitation was tucked inside. The same motif graced gift bags awaiting each guest in their hotel room.
I’m not sure which was more fun: the barefoot-in-the-sand rehearsal dinner, or the elegant, oceanfront reception. Beautiful details graced both events, including a romantic beach bonfire at the conclusion of the rehearsal dinner.
Beside being wildly charming, Zoe and Scott are both smart and thoughtful. Theirs was the first wedding where I had heard Homer’s epic poem, The Odyssey referenced in the couples vows. Their wedding weekend was a fitting tribute to the affection and connection they feel towards one another and to their dearest friends.
Mexico weddings have a special place in my heart, not because I got married there, although I did honeymoon in Tulum, but because they are super romantic and tons of fun too. And with the dream team of The Dazzling Details and Michelle Turner Photography, you just know that your wedding is going to be beyond gorgeous and the images will be works of art that you’ll want to stare at for years to come. See the whole south of the border affair here in the gallery!
From The Dazzling Details…From the very beginning, Maggie and Nico expressed their vision of a wedding that encompassed a feeling of elegance through natural beauty in an intimate and relaxed setting. Maggie and Nico both grew up in the Midwest, and being wedding coordinators with childhood roots in the Midwest as well, we knew right away that their love of the outdoors and nature is a defining part of who they are as individuals and as a couple and realized that those items needed to be represented in the wedding without it taking on too much of a rustic, woodsy feel in the tropical setting.
The ceremony took place on the private raised beach at the foot of the villa beneath a bamboo canopy that featured chiffon sheers and natural greenery cascading across the front. An antique candelabra hung from the canopy added a chic and elegant element to the natural beauty of the setting. Up on the cocktail terrace, tree trunks as a base for candles and florals provided a contrast against the crisp clean white linens and lounging area. Additional white sheers hung from the perimeter of the villa to add a softness and light feeling to the heavy villa architecture, and throw pillows on the couches featured hand-made fabric flowers, identical to the hand-cut flowers on the couple’s wedding invitations and ceremony programs. Burlap-wrapped centerpieces overflowed with fresh blossoms including peonies, roses, queen anne’s lace and eucalyptus seed as well as additional hand-made fabric flowers as a subtle touch. Tree branches with hanging candles emerged from the centerpieces, and table numbers painted on cross-section of tree trunks sat alongside the vases. Simple white linens and menu cards placed on skewers added a modern, clean touch to contrast the centerpiece and add a contemporary balance to the table.
Hand-painted maracas added a touch of Mexico to the wedding, and bags of traditional sweet nuts presented in Mexican pottery bowls were available as a late-night snack and guest favor at the end of the night! White twinkle lights throughout the dining area and dance floor added a romantic ambiance to the entire villa, and this amazing group of guests danced the night away despite the mid-June heat and humidity!
These lovely Playa del Carmen nuptials by Megan Thompson Photography have all of the right ingredients for a destination wedding done oh so right. Bright pops of color, a breathtaking beachside ceremony and, most importantly, a bride and groom having the time of their lives. Add to that equation some crazy awesome DIY projects, including a ceremony arch like no other, and you’ve got yourself a pretty incredible day. I only wish I could have gone, too. All planned by Erica Bressan of Weddings in Playa, it’s one gorgeous detail after another. See it all here!
From the Bride… Travis and I met on a hot spring day on the week we graduated from college. He walked into the restaurant that I had been working at and applied for a serving job. After sharing stories and discussing our histories, we realized that we had spent four years socializing in similar circles and going to the same parties. Our relationship moved fast but marriage came slowly. We never felt in a hurry to get married. We were together for more than seven years before getting engaged. We had carried each other through some tough times: Travis lost his grandma, I lost my father, and we lost our doggie. We also celebrated the good: we moved to a new city, bought a new house together, and started our careers.
When I started planning our wedding, I labored over coming up with an overall theme that represented our past, present, and future. Decisions are not my strong point and I couldn’t think of just one thing that would encompass our relationship. It took months of pouring over the pages of Style Me Pretty before I figured out that we didn’t have to create a theme based on our favorite objects or hobbies and our theme could simply be “us.” We created a “B & T” logo and Travis designed our own Mexican skulls (Calaveras). In order to accomplish a wedding that was about “us,” we knew we had to tie-the-knot on neutral ground. We had just traveled to Playa del Carmen, Mexico to see one of my best friends get married and we both fell in love with the city. My aunt was getting married there over the summer and I knew it would be the perfect trip to plan. Planning a wedding in Mexico was refreshing. My wedding planner Erica Bressan was quick to teach me the rules- drink, eat, and then, dance in the water. I met with Erica six months before the wedding. In one trip, we picked a venue and we discussed our vision for the wedding. I was on a budget but we didn’t want to sacrifice the food, drink, or location.
We did our best to finish all of the decorations before we traveled to Mexico. We planned the décor based on how the items would pack. We brought the paper flowers, table numbers, programs, banners, and LOTS of ribbons. We split up the items and enlisted our family members to pack a share of wedding décor so we wouldn’t have to pay a big luggage fee. We arrived to Playa five days before the wedding. On the first day, Erica took us to a Wal-Mart, Office Depot, and paint store. We were able to get everything we needed to make the alter. We bought vases at Wal-Mart and used loose-stemmed flowers for the tables. We purchased mini tequila bottles for the favors, which were a big hit. To save money, we skipped hiring a DJ (luckily the venue had wireless internet so my “DJ” friends were still able to play requests). We chose a somewhat isolated venue that allowed us to get married on the beach without charging us extra to close it down. Erica bartered to get deals on various items- like the wine and flowers.
Thanks to our friends and family, we had the perfect weekend- I wish I could do it all over again, again, and again!
I don’t know what it is about beach weddings… no wait I totally do. Each and every single one is full of lovely ocean views, loads of sun and carefree brides and grooms and they always leave me dying to take off on a little vacation to some far flung locale. Today’s wedding is no exception. We are headed to the shores of Las Caletas in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico where Chris and Claire held their uber fun and totally stylish wedding that fits right in at SMP. Nate Broshot of License to Still shot a whole lot of amazingness including, but not limited to, the set of breathtaking floating dock images. Just wait until you see those babies. All in all, it’s beautiful and it’s beachy and it’s yours to devour in the full wedding gallery!
From the Bride… My (now) husband and I both have large families that are consequently spread out all over the United States. When trying to pick a location for our wedding, we came to the conclusion that a destination wedding would be our best fit. We figured if everyone needed to get on a plane (and practically everyone did) we might as well make their destination worthy of the price of the ticket. We wanted our wedding to be a relaxing, casual event. Having our wedding on the beach seemed as natural a progression as our friendship towards marriage. Trying to find the right beach however, was not. After a long search and a bridesmaid’s help, we found Las Caletas, a beautiful location only reachable by boat, located off the coast of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. With the help of our wedding coordinator Kelley Kahrhoff, our truly magical, destination wedding became a reality.
My husband is from upstate NY and I have been bi-coastal most my life. I’ve had the luxury of living in the beautiful bay area of California along with spending many years of my life frolicking in the south. I wanted our wedding to reflect “us” and I’m happy to report that most described our wedding in just that way, 100% authentically “us.” Not too many frills, fuss or muss. Three parts sweet southern charm, west coast cool and a shot of yankee. While brides often have a million, creative ideas that they are trying to execute, having to travel to a wedding location makes things even trickier. I was also attempting to have a budget-friendly wedding and so a lot of our items were made ahead of time at the kitchen table with our families and/or purchased in Puerto Vallarta in bulk. Opting out of having tropical colors for a beach wedding, I wanted to simplify the color palette in an effort to save money and enhance the natural beauty of the island. I chose navy blue and lime green to highlight our surroundings in hopes that they would stand-out against the beige undertones of the sand as well as offer a hint of sophistication.
We chose to have a simple, crisp ceremony with white chair coverings and chupa, along with white petals for the aisle. A family member read the an excerpt from one of my favorite childhood books, the Velveteen Rabbit, and along with our programs we made DIY paper bags that held petals to be thrown at the end of the ceremony. For the reception, our centerpieces were large, glass cylinder vases filled with limes to add to the ambiance and using fruit instead of flowers saved us a bundle! Sliced limes also held escort cards and table indicators were made out of used tequila bottles. Our own personal corks saved throughout our relationship held place cards and starfish wine stoppers served as favors. We especially loved how our guests could sit down at their plate and read their cork. Each one had a hand-written memory with either “Chris’s graduation 08”or “Valentine’s Day 03.” It was as if our entire dating history was strewn across the reception tables.
With the atmosphere warranting bon-fires we thought a smore station would be perfect, and our guests really seemed to enjoy the campfire snack. To add to the Mexican culture we had a tequila tasting table for the guests to enjoy as well as cigars. A banner with the words “Te Queiro” was tied above our guest book table, which hosted dozens of Puerto Vallarta post-cards instead of a traditional book. Professional fire dancers helped to seriously end the festivities with a bang! Luckily we had the catamaran sail back to the city of Puerto Vallarta to continue spending time with the people we love under the stars. It was truly a once in a lifetime opportunity to have all of the people that mean the world to us celebrating in one exotic location.
Have you ever seen so much cuteness packed into one wedding before? This adorable Cabo affair from Constance Curtis Events definitely brought it in the completely and utterly darling department! There are so many sweet details from the yellow and white straws to the coordinating bouquets and milk glass centerpieces. The awesome, hand-painted maraca favors/escort cards might be the big winner in my eyes but they are followed closely by the ribbon-clad ceremony decor and reception chairs. Click here to see the full gallery!
From Constance Curtis Events…Duncan and Rebecca Lavery got married in Cabo San Lucas on June 4th, 2011 at the Sheraton Hacienda Del Mar Resort and Spa. Duncan is from New Zealand and Rebecca is from the States, so choosing Mexico as their destination wedding location, fit perfect, 3 countries uniting!
Unique ceremony elements included custom picados and flags with their names and wedding date. Hand painted maracas with guests names were used as escort cards. They also had a mariachi band at the ceremony and cocktail hour. Their colors were grey, white and yellow.
At the reception area, custom made coasters, made and flown in from New Zealand were given to each guest. Instead of a cake cutting, they did a churro and dessert bar! And instead of a champagne toast, they did a tequila toast! There was also a photo booth full of festive props including sombreros and tequila bottles.
Unique elements of the rehearsal dinner included a tortilla making station and a fortune teller bird. Guests would say their name, the bird would come out of its cage and grab a hand paper fortune for guests to read!
I have been dreaming of warm, sandy beaches and gorgeous sunsets that only Mexico can deliver with such beauty and charm and this Sayulita wedding has me ready to book my ticket pronto. Photographed by Joann Arruda with beach chic styling by Marweddings, it’s a little slice of destination heaven perfect for easing into the weekend festivities. See it all here!
From the Bride…Funny enough, we had never been to Sayulita before we decided to have our wedding there. But as we stood on the top of a beachside cliff with your best friends and families and the tropical ocean below, we realized that we could not have found a more perfect place in which to get married. Plenty of details await the attention of the bride and groom ( and their mothers) planning a destination wedding from afar – from scouting out musicians on YouTube to finding the right combination of local and imported wedding flowers for the bouquets. Fortunately, with the help of our fantastic wedding coordinator, everything came together perfectly on top of that cliff.
Our vision was beach chic, balancing modern elegance with organic elements from the beach. A pop of vibrant color in the centerpieces brought the warmth of Mexico into this otherwise restful scene. We chose coral as our primary color and used sand, green, and white to create a more natural feel. Our table settings were in keeping with our theme of clean lines rectangular tables, square plates and simple flower arrangements (two types of brightly colored flowers submerged in water). We used sand-colored table runners against white table cloths, and gauzy white panels to create a breezy style that would fit in with the stunning background. Candles and luminaries were employed to create a more intimate feel.
For DIY projects, we created welcome bags from Mexican market bags (that could double as beach bags) and filled them with treats from Mexico and beach necessities. A cute map of the town, with our event venues highlighted, was creatively displayed. But we have our guests to thank for our best DIY project, our guestbook, which showed off their festive spirits on Polaroids.
Some of the best destination weddings we come across are held on the sandy beaches of Mexico and this Puerto Vallarta number might just be the best yet. It’s a splendid mix of well thought out details, fabulous sparkly sombreros and a splash of fuchsia all designed and planned by The Dazzling Details. And let me just say hot pink looks mighty fine on the beach, especially through the lens of Tara Swain Photography. See the rest of the festivities here as well a multitude of amazing ring shots.
And this just in! A gorgeous film of the entire day from Eduardo Reyes!
From The Dazzling Details…Emily and Antonio’s wedding was a storybook fairytale – truly, one of the most lovely and intimate celebrations we’ve had the privilege of planning! From the very beginning with our back-and-forth interactions while designing their wedding invitations – invitations which went from bright and colorful to natural and subdued pretty much overnight – we quickly began to understand that the punch of color and vibrancy that these two incorporate into their everyday lives was knocking heads a bit with the vision they had of their wedding celebration – what they pictured to be a more rustic, soft, romantic and neutral affair.
Emily’s bridesmaids each carried a bouquet of eucalyptus seed stems and a single tone of lisianthus – one bridesmaid carried a lilac tone, another light pink and another white. The bride herself was crazy about a bright fuchsia bougainvillea bouquet she found online. As bougainvillea isn’t a durable bloom (nor is it really in season here), we cut the branches of six plants just 30 minutes before ceremony began, bundled them, added in a single peony blossom, wrapped it and off she went! Because the wedding consisted of an intimate group 24 adults, we really wanted the evening to be interactive. The entire concept of the ceremony décor centered around bridal party participation as well as Emily’s passion for words and books! After seeing the idea online of rotating letters at a church ceremony, we decided to create our own beach version of the ceremony backdrop! A white chiffon ceremony canopy was built in the center of four towering letters spelling out the word LOVE. We had secretly instructed the bridal party to rotate the letters at the end of the ceremony so that when the couple was pronounced husband and wife and smooched, the letters twisted around to say KISS!
Emily and Antonio’s wedding hand-made invitations centered around a papel picado theme, and we really wanted to incorporate subtle touches of that same design into the wedding. The cocktail hour (and dancing later on in the night) took place beneath a large palapa where lounging areas allowed guests to escape the intense sunshine, relax and mingle with a margarita! Customized pillows on the couches spelled out words in both English and Spanish, and hand-painted maracas featured a papel picado detail! Candles danced along the perimeter of the palapa. Touches of bright color were incorporated into the area in the form of chiffon sheers and beautiful design pillows and were used alongside more neutral and rustic elements including tin stars, wooden tables and organic fabrics.
I just love each and every wedding that comes out of Mexico and this next little beauty is no exception! Captured by the talented Jillian Mitchell, this Puerto Vallarta wedding is just the sweetest nuptial I ever did see. I love the simplicity of all the details of the day that allow the love between the bride and groom to really shine. And really, what’s more important than that? Click here to see the entire gallery of images!
From Jillian Mitchell Photography…Bailey and Chad were married at Dreams Vallarta with incredible design by the Dazzling Details. Succulents in Mexico? Yes please! Beyond the amazing accents and perfect weather Bailey and Chad’s love for each other was tested like no other wedding I have been a part of. They took “in sickness and in health” to a whole other extreme.
Right after the ceremony Bailey started to feel ill and had to sit down. From there it got worse and she retired to her room with Chad and her parents along with some of the wedding party. A doctor was called and meanwhile I was downstairs at the party for the two of them. Everyone was concerned and no one really knew what they should be doing while the couple whose love they were there to celebrate was not present. Finally Bailey’s father came down and told the guests to start dancing and celebrating and that the newlyweds would be down shortly. Even though she arrived in a wheel chair Bailey didn’t let that get her down. She “danced” the night away with her family and friends and even was able to make it out of the chair for a shortened first dance.
