Mexico Weddings

If there is one type of wedding that I am always excited to attend…it’s one that is all about the fun. Of course, I love perfect details more than I can possibly say, so a wedding that has great touches and a general sense of laid back excitement is one that I will easily fall in love with.

Which is exactly why I wanted to share this absolutely awesome, unbelievably vibrant wedding that the oh-so-talented Margaret Singer sent me…

From the lovely photographer, Margaret Singer…

While in his senior year at Miami University in Oxford, Damon heard stories of a beautiful, independent, free spirit of a girl at the University of Missouri through his high school best friend. The beautiful girl was of course Adhar. After graduation in May of 2004 the couple met for the first time while back home in St. Louis. It was love at first sight.

Adhar grew up in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico and always imagined her wedding in the beautiful colonial town set in a valley in the Sierra Madre Mountains. On an impulse, Adhar invited Damon down to San Miguel only weeks after meeting. The trip remains one of their favorites. On that trip the couple romantically joked about where in San Miguel they would hold their wedding. Five years later the couple held a welcome reception for their guests at the very hotel that they spent their first night together in San Miguel.

We have so much more to come from this colorful affair!

In keeping with the destination wedding theme from yesterday … we have a very touching film for you today from Holley and Paul Jackson, Four Seasons Films.  They are two of our finest Little Black Book cinematographers, and after watching this vignette of Monisha & Calvin’s Los Cabos wedding, we’re sure you’ll see why …

from Holley and Paul …

Monisha and Calvin commissioned Four Seasons Films to film their March wedding at the Westin Resort & Spa in Los Cabos, Mexico. Located at the tip of Baja, this exotic location boasts over 300 days of sunshine each year! The wedding guests enjoyed scenic adventure with horseback rides along the white sands and crashing surf and four wheel adventures across the bronze desert sands. Four Seasons Films travels worldwide to document both small, intimate weddings and large, extravagant events. We are the owners and exclusive cinematographers for our company and welcome the opportunity to bring new stories to life in fabulous detail for clientele who appreciate a higher standard. Four Seasons Films was thrilled to produce a breathtaking vignette for Monisha and Calvin to bring back their Mexico wedding to share with all of their family and friends stateside!

Monisha & Calvin — you guys were just stunning! And your vows were so very heart-warming. Congratulations from all of us at SMP!

A HUGE thank-you to Paul & Holley Jackson for sending us Monisha & Calvin’s extraordinary wedding film! As always, your work defines the highest quality in the industry.

UPDATE (April 13)

We heard from Calvin and Monisha over the weekend and wanted to share a little more of their story with you!

from Calvin & Monisha …

Monisha and I are from the east coast in Washington, DC – so the Mexican city of Cabo San Lucas would not be the typical choice for a destination wedding. You see Cabo is on the southern tip of the Baja of California in Mexico, and most easterners would choose the Caribbean (or the eastern part of Mexico) for a wedding event. But, Cabo was special to us. It was the first place that we visited together as a couple in August 2007, and (despite the once-in-a-decade hurricane that just happened to visit Cabo while we were there in 2007) we immediately fell in love with the area.

One year later, when we were engaged and considering wedding locations, Cabo quickly found itself at the top of the list. And, if we were going to Cabo, we naturally had to choose our host hotel from 2007, the Westin Spa and Resort in Los Cabos. We settled on a March 28, 2009 wedding date (the first full week of Spring) and anxiously prepared for our day. With such a beautiful location, we wanted to have the best. We had the best wedding planner (Lerkia Lee-Tidball of Savvy Soirées Event Management), the best photographer-“cousin” (Michael Clark) and THE BEST videographers (Paul & Holley Jackson of Four Seasons Films)! Even before we were engaged, Monisha had seen some of Paul and Holley’s work for other weddings around the world. Four Seasons Films has done large weddings, small weddings and everything in between. They have filmed celebrities and even in a castle. What an amazing treat it would be if they could film our wedding!

So, when our time came, Monisha checked to see if they were available. Fortunately for us, they were – and they had never filmed in Cabo before (lucky us)! Four Seasons Films captured our special day better than we could have even imagined it. This was not just some average wedding video – they captured the entire experience. The film quality and soundtrack belonged on a big screen, and Monisha and I were the stars. Friends that were not able to attend the wedding keep saying “I feel like I was there” when they see the video from Four Seasons Films. Even those in Cabo with us become emotional when they see our video (and I carry the video around on my IPod touch for all to see). For us, the wedding just would not have been the same without Paul and Holley of Four Seasons Films – and because of them, we have memories to last the rest of our lives!

From all of us here at Style Me Pretty … Congratulations on an absolutely stunning wedding!

Well … now we’re moving on to the day after Kevin and Jennifer’s very romantic beach wedding at Playa Del Carmen, Mexico. Mind you, it’s January … gotta’ LOVE Mexican winters!

If you’re just joining us, and you haven’t seen their actual wedding day … you have to take a look … start {here}, then {here} and then {here}. The awesome location, naturally saturated colors, the elegance and intensity of Angela’s photos … well, you just need to see it all!

Jennifer and Kevin’s closest friends and family … along with the amazing Angela Talley … joined them for their destination wedding. And when the next day dawned, the newlyweds were ready to crank it up a notch!

The perfect time for a photo shoot! What’s a little sand on your dress …

You gotta’ admit … it does look SO fun!

Pretty darned sexy …

Congratulations Kevin & Jennifer! SUCH a beautiful wedding!

And Angela … oh my gosh! As always, your photos have blown us away. Thanks SO much for sharing today’s wedding with us.

Angela Talley is based out of Indianapolis, but spends much of her time in Nashville … and will travel pretty much anywhere your little heart desires! She specializes in Wedding and Lifestyle Photography, Music Industry Portraits, Family & Child Portraits, as well as Editorial Photography. Angela’s website is filled with gorgeous examples of her work. If you want to see another of her weddings that was a little closer to home, and filled with hundreds of twinkling votives, check out her blog for Megan & Ryan’s Indianapolis wedding! And for all you Indiana Pacer’s fans … scroll down a little further and take a look at some of Dionna and Danny Granger’s wedding photos on her blog!

PS… Those gorgeous little girls in Jen & Kevin’s wedding are Angela’s! And her husband, Chris was second-shooter for this wedding. Must have been a fun wedding for her to shoot.

No feature about Little Black Book photographer Angela Talley would be complete without a few of her especially luminous photographs of the little ones …

Jennifer and Kevin’s wedding at Playa Del Carmen in JANUARY was just an amazing day all-around.

But the fun had just begun …

Jennifer and Kevin were married at Playa Del Carmen in January. What a fabulous place for a winter wedding!

Angela has this instinctive sense of romance, spirit and finesse … all rolled up into one incredible photographer!

More of Jen and Kevin’s wedding to come …

Imagine you are standing next to the love of your life with your nearest and dearest just a stone’s throw away.  Imagine you are standing on a tropical beach, ready to burst with anticipation because you are about to marry him. The sky is threatening rain, but for some glorious reason, you could care less …

That’s where the story begins …

Angela Talley, one of Style Me Pretty’s sensational Little Black Book photographers captured Jennifer and Kevin’s wedding day with her distinctive style and unrivaled quality. We have tons of the most incredible images from the day coming right up … so stay tuned!

I just want to say a HUGE thank you to Mimmo + Naz for inspiring us to no end. Your work is flawless and the vignette that started it all still brings me to tears. If you are just now catching up, please, please, please watch this gorgeous clip that the talented team at Mimmo + Naz sent…

And last, but certainly not least, the details that made this event so lovely…

Perhaps the most beautiful of all of the images that Mimmo + Naz sent me, were the portraits along the beach. They are shockingly gorgeous and only emphasize what I have been saying about the photographers all day…genius!

Stay tuned to see more details from this gorgeous affair!

We’ve been featuring the most gorgeous Mimmo + Naz wedding today, filled to the brim with all things beautiful…from the gorgeous couple, to the stunning Mayan Riviera location, to the photographs themselves. This wedding is literally overflowing with loveliness.

If you haven’t already, you HAVE to watch the stunning vignette that they shot for this beautiful color. It’s one of the best I’ve seen and I can almost promise that you’ll be brought to tears! Oh and check out their blog too…tons of inspiration and eye candy.

Love, love, love today’s featured wedding. I am more in awe of Mimmo + Naz with every photograph that I look at. It seems that they approach both film and photography the same way, with a clean, blissfully lovely style that just makes you wish you could get married all over again…

So much more to come!

If you are just now joining us, you have to start from the beginning for today’s real wedding, with the shockingly gorgeous vignette that Mimmo + Naz sent us. It’s so touching, so completely beautiful. And now, we are taking a peak at some of the still photography, which the team does equally well…

There are very few companies that are equal parts talent in cinematography and photography. A lot of people claim to be, but usually one side doesn’t quite match up to the other. That is SO not the case with Mimmo + Naz. Just when I thought I had seen all of the gorgeousness I could imagine with their video reel, they sent us these photographs. Loving. Every. Bit.

We always drool over pictures of the brides style here on SMP…well, I thought it was about time we saw a few of the gorgeous groom’s style! Take a look at these absolutely incredible images shot by the oh-so-talented team at Mimmo + Naz…

LOVE. More than love, really. The ceremony is coming up next and it is soooo worth the wait.

We are devouring the most gorgeous real wedding that the team at Mimmo + Naz shot in the Mayan Riviera. If you haven’t already watched the video clip that we featured earlier, definitely start there. It’s a must.

Here are some ridiculously beautiful shots of the bride getting ready…

These photographs are my idea of perfection…they are clean and simple, with a focus on the details. Each image tells a story, from the delicate shot of the bride’s jewels to the absolute joy that is filling the bridesmaid’s face. So, so beautiful. Mimmo + Naz just might be my new obsession.

Okay, you saw the tear jerkingly beautiful Super 8 clip that Mimmo + Naz put together for us. Now, take a peek at the stunning photographs that they shot of the day. Before I show you all of the details, you have to see the location…

Sitting amidst the freezing cold snow in Boston, this literally makes me want to cry. And book an airline ticket right now. It’s the Mayan Riviera for those of you that are checking expedia right now:)

So much more to come from the oh-so-talented team at Mimmo + Naz.

When my husband saw this clip from the INSANELY talented Mimmo + Naz, he actually turned around and said, “this one is pretty amazing.” To get a glowing compliment from him is like gold, so I knew that I had to share it with you guys.

The video was shot on Super 8 film and as the team at Mimmo + Naz says, “it is the most gorgeous, magical medium that endures the test of time and truly connects directly to the human heart.” I couldn’t have said it better myself. The clip reminds me of a fabulous love story, with moments that make you cry they are so beautiful. A love story that I would watch over and over and over again.

But perhaps the most unique thing about this talented crew, is that the artists at Mimmo + Naz are as skilled at photography as they are at cinema. A real rarity. And, they’ve been sweet enough to provide the photos from today’s featured wedding. Brace yourself, they are shockingly beautiful. Stay tuned!

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… sand, sea, sky … friends, family and love … today’s destination wedding from A. Dominick Events …

The El Dorado Royale Resort and Spa provided the perfect backdrop for an oh-so-perfect wedding weekend.

Coordinating and planning a destination wedding might seem to be a huge ordeal … but that’s where wedding professionals like Aimee Dominick step in and smooth the way!

A huge thank you to Katherine & Aimee & Andrew for sending us Jaime and Carl’s beautiful, beautiful, beautiful wedding.

Today’s featured Little Black Book Member is Aime of A.Dominick Wedding And Event Planner based in the Washington DC area. But DC is just one of the many many places she showcases her talents! Today’s destination wedding took place in ….. Mexico, the El Dorado Royale, an all-inclusive, adult-only resort in Riviera Maya.  The striking photography is by Andrew Reilly.

Sand, sea, sky … you don’t need much of anything else for inspiration here!

Love, love, love these colors … stay tuned for a few more of the finishing touches from Aimee Dominick. Photography provided by Andrew Reilly.

A dreamy, warm and wonderful destination wedding … ahhhhh…

Jaime and Carl were married in June 08 at the exclusive beach resort, the El Dorado Royale in Riviera Maya, Mexico.  The El Dorado Royale is part of a collection of luxurious all-inclusive, adult-only resorts known for their exceptional hospitality, cuisine and amazing vacation experiences!

Aimee of A.Dominick Events, one of our fabulous Little Black Book wedding planners coordinated this lovely destination affair for Jaime and Carl. We’ll have lots more beautiful photos from Andrew Reilly Photography in just a bit…

Here are more gorgeous photos, shot by the wonderfully talented Mindy Meyer (whose site is filled to the brim with eye candy)…

From the bride, Sara…

When designing our wedding, I found that I wanted a Mexico in Iowa feel. I was really inspired by loteria cards, as they are quirky and strange and beautiful. Thus, we used them in our invitations, in our programs, and in the decorations. They were a starting off point for our entire wedding style.

We wanted to keep our wedding very personal, very intimate. Our food was all made by David’s mother and grandmother from old family recipes. The wedding was held in a museum at the University that we attend that was featuring a contemporary Mexican artist, a celebration of David’s heritage. And the reception was held at a Bed and Breakfast called Montebello – which is locally owned and filled with really great Mexican design and art.Paired with the gorgeous Iowa cornfields, it suited us to perfection.

These heart shaped flags are completely adorable. They would be so cute, hanging from trees at a fun backyard style wedding…

(Easy) DIY Tissue Paper Banners
Inspired from the papel picado (cut paper) banners from Mexico, these are a simpler DIY version of tissue paper banners.  They add inexpensive punches of color for any reception.

Materials

Tissue Paper
Craft Punches
Exacto Knife
Scissors
Glue Stick
String

Instructions

1. Collect all supplies.  Tissue paper, craft punches, exacto knife, scissors, glue stick, and string.

2. Cut a stack of tissue paper to the desired size (9 1/2″ x 11″ or 6″ x 7″ for mini banners) and use paper clips to keep stack together.  Account for an extra 1″ at the top of the banner.  This will be folded over the string for hanging.  A rotary cutter or an exacto knife works well.

3. Use a craft punches or scissors designed to different edge effects around the bottom and sides of banner.  Alternatively you can use a smaller punch to add detail as shown.  Artisans in Mexico use chisels of different shapes and “punch” out designs.  There are many interesting shapes available in the scrapbooking sections of craft stores that have similar effects and are easy to use.

4. To create a design in the center, fold stack in half and cut a small heart.  Alternatively templates can be used but this requires a steady hand with an exacto knife.

5. Using a glue stick, place a thin stripe of glue at the top of the banner and fold over a string.  Continue adding banners leaving a few inches between each one.  Allow for a few feet of string at the beginning and end so that the banner can be hung.

6. Hang the banners and enjoy!  The creases in the tissue can be removed by using an iron on a low setting.