Heather and John said I do on the beautiful beach of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. The pair enlisted the help of Beth Bernstein of SQN Events to plan their destination wedding and she gave us an insider’s look into their big day. “Heather & Johnny always knew they wanted a smaller destination wedding. Heather spent many vacations in Cabo with her family throughout her teens and hooked Johnny on the beautiful locale shortly after they began dating. They love the warm and sunny weather, and the relaxing Mexican way of life, but still enjoy a good party – Cabo offers all of that and more.
The couple attended a friend’s wedding in 2013 at the Pueblo Bonito Pacifica and knew it was the perfect spot for their nuptials as well. They wanted their guests who would be traveling from the Midwest in the middle of Winter to enjoy a thoroughly relaxing, pampering, luxurious, and fun vacation.”
“Though the wedding was on the beach, the couple did not want the event to be casual. We wanted to create an atmosphere of elegance while keeping things light and fun. The save-the-dates were linen & lace luggage tags, telling guests immediately that this was a destination wedding on the beach. The linen was then carried through on the wedding invitations, but here we introduced the gold element for a more elegant look.”
This bride changed up the color palette by putting her maids in white while she rocked a stunning blush pink Lazaro wedding dress.
“The groom’s sister-in-law wrote and officiated the ceremony, and the couple wrote their own vows.”
“Instead of traditional escort cards, we guided guests to their table with a glass of champagne which had their name and table number printed on a disc placed on the rim.”
“We achieved the “beach-meets-chic” look by using a palette of white and gold, with just a hint of blush pink in the décor. Dinner tables were draped in a textured linen from Nuage that resembled cascading flower petals, and adorned with clusters of vessels containing floating candles and orchids. To add sparkle, we rented gold Chivari chairs and purchased whimsical, glittery table numbers from BHLDN (their Mr. & Mrs. Signs were used on the bride & groom’s chairs as well).”
“The menu focused on Mexican cuisine and an authentic Mariachi band played during cocktails around the fire pit.”
We often ask what unique challenges the destination wedding planning experience brought on and here was Beth’s explanation. “Life runs at a much slower pace in Mexico. Response times are not as fast as they are in the U.S. which initially caused some stress. Getting someone on the phone is actually much for effective than communicating via email. This is very different than the way planning is done at home. Of course you need a paper trail (or an e-trail) to document big decisions and contracts, but if you need a quick answer, it’s best to pick up the phone than sending an email.
We found out about three weeks before the wedding that sales tax was increasing significantly as of January 1st. The wedding was scheduled for January 4th, so we made sure to pay our contractors by the end of the year in order to avoid the increase (which we had not budgeted for). Instead of shipping welcome bag items and sending them through customs, which can be costly and time-consuming, we visited a local Walmart and loaded our shopping carts with items.”
Then there are those little details on the day of that only a wedding planner can tend to (and the couple is happier not knowing about them of course)!
For more from this fun fete, check out the video by Poetic Productions!
Congratulations to the newlyweds!
Destination Wedding Photographer: Julia Franzosa Photography
Wedding Vendors: Event Planning & Design: SQN Events, Venue: Pueblo Bonito Pacifica Resort & Spa, Videography: Poetic Productions, Floral: Mazarte Floral, Chair Rentals: Linens, Things, and More, Linens: Nuage Designs, DJ: Roberto Contreras, Paper: Erickson Design, Hair & Makeup: Suzanne Morel, Bridal Gown: Lazaro, Men’s Suits: Formally Modern, Bridesmaids Dresses: Faviana Couture, Rings: Gary Simon of Simon Jewelers
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