Our fabulous re-run today takes us down to the ancient ruins of Antigua, Guatemala for Ashley and Carlo’s lavish destination wedding. The glamourous design was only upstaged by the bride’s beauty and the breathtaking historic property on which they wed.
The 400 guest affair (that’s right, we said 400 destination wedding guests!) was full of family, history, and lovely tradition. The bride describes their big day and the location they landed on. “Carlo is originally from Guatemala City and we always spend time in Antigua when we travel to see his family and friends and it’s also where we got engaged in March 2009. We love the history, culture, people and raw beauty of the city. It’s a romantic little city filled with crumbling (and preserved) ancient architecture, cobblestone streets and quiet spots to enjoy the views of the volcanoes or the lush landscape crawling with brightly colored flowers and trees.” And in honor of her family, ” I wore my mother’s wedding veil from Priscilla of Boston circa 1976, which my Aunt Dorothy also wore at her wedding.” So sweet!
Captured by DMPJ by Glen Cooper, the scenes of the city, ceremony, and reception are simply stunning!
For their destination wedding invitations, Ashley called upon her talented friend, Nicola of Lettuce Paper, to custom design her save the dates and wedding invitations. Perfectly capturing the essences of what this event would be like, they decided to keep their vibrant reception color palette a surprise until the big day!
Now, when I said vibrant colors, I meant vibrant colors! As Ashley described, “The flowers were selected to reflect the colors of the local textiles and the landscape, deep jewels tone with pops of hot pink, fuchsia, and deep green. The theme was about romance and all things sacred, the setting gave us the foundation to build a beautiful event that exceeded our own expectations.” It exceeded our expectations too, and we just adore this over the top old-meets-new look of the couple’s dramatic ceremony.
Post-ceremony was when the party really got started! “We danced, drank and ate until the sun came up!” Ashley told us. And in a grand reception space like this, lit primarily with custom crafted chandeliers and candles, it’s no surprise no one wanted to leave! The Hotel Casa Santo Domingo was an exquisite backdrop perfect for a destination wedding.
Destination couples like Ashley and Carlo often forgo traditional weddings to celebrate what truly defines them. And if you’re concerned about the family tradition and travel hurtles you may have to face, as they were too, just listen to Ashley’s account of her dream destination wedding: “It reflected who we are as individuals and as a couple- adventurous, big thinkers, who love to entertain, who appreciate the spectacular, who can dance all night and cherish happy times with our friends and family. “ Now if that isn’t reason enough to jet away for your vows, I don’t know what is!
Congratulations Ashley and Carlo!
Destination Wedding Photographer: DMPJ by Glen Cooper
Wedding Vendors: Venue: Hotel Casa Santo Domingo, Invitation Designer: Lettuce Paper, Floral Designer: Patricia Bentacourt, Cake Designer: Cirro Bakery, Band: Karibbean Band, Wedding Dress Designer: Carolina Herrera, Jewelry: Beasley’s Baubles
Submitted via Two Bright Lights
