A Chic + Minimalistic Destination Wedding in Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca

Next time you get the urge to set your single friends up with each other, you can use this breathtaking, modern beach wedding in Mexico as proof that it juuust might work out.

Rachel + Aaron were put in touch by mutual friends in New York, and their love story started on what was “not technically a blind date since we met in the age of Instagram,” as they put it “but old school nonetheless.”

We can’t stop scrolling the gorgeous photographs that Diego Padilla snapped of Rachel + Aaron’s destination wedding weekend in Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca. The scenery. The style. The joyful, celebratory vibe. It’s all so stunning. 

The couple teamed up with planners from Azul Bonito Events who managed all the local elements in Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca throughout the long distance planning process. Together they brought to life a light + airy beach wedding at Hotel Escondido full of billowing ivory textiles, vibrant orange florals, and twinkly string lights.

The whole thing beautifully balanced chic, minimalist design with Rachel + Aaron’s playful personalities, and there is so much to see. So! ¡Vamanos!

The Night Before

“Weddings can be so serious and formal, and frankly, that’s just not us,” says Rachel. “Aaron and I love to laugh. It’s one of the pillars of our relationship together. We wanted to set the tone for the weekend in a way that felt more authentic to who we are as a couple.”

“To do this, we set up an open mic “roast & toast” for our rehearsal dinner. We invited all our friends and family to give speeches, toasting us of course, but more importantly, roasting us Comedy Central style. I’ve genuinely never laughed harder in my life. It was so much fun and put us all in the best mood for the entire weekend.”

How dreamy was Rachel’s draped fringe low back rehearsal dinner dress!

Check out the Cult Gaia Renata Gown for a similar look!

These chic + sculptural Jeffrey Campbell round heel sandals totally completed the look.

The Big Day

“The hunt for my wedding dress was special,” Rachel says. “I perused a variety of different bridal shops in New York City with my mom, my mother-in-law, and my best friend. We ended the shopping spree at a local boutique in my Brooklyn neighborhood, Loulette Bride. Although I didn’t fall in love with any of the styles I tried there, I did fall in love with the energy of the shop. Of all the stores I visited, Loulette was the only space where the designer herself was the one physically fitting me into the dresses. Shoutout Marteal! She had the warmest, kindest energy and I felt so incredibly cared for, even though I didn’t walk away with a dress in hand.”

“Later that summer, Aaron and I were attending the wedding of the couple who introduced us in the first place. I was talking to another guest who was telling me about her wedding dress journey, and she explained that instead of buying something off the rack, she ended up creating a custom dress with “a local Brooklyn designer.” I quickly put two and two together and realized this local Brooklyn designer was, in fact, Loulette Bride. I knew this was my sign.”

“The reason I hadn’t yet found my dream dress was because I needed to bring my vision to life myself. I reached back out to Loulette and the rest is history. Marteal and I collaborated on a beautiful two-piece set that featured the lace and bow detail from my mom’s 1992 wedding dress. It was such a fun process, collaborating on the design and getting creative with ways to incorporate materials from my mom’s special day. I am so thankful to Marteal for embracing my idea wholeheartedly and bringing it to fruition in such a meaningful way. “

Love the way those dangly pearl wedding earrings added even more organic sophistication to the look.

Rachel’s skirt and top situation has reminded us how much we adore a two-piece set! Check out our collection of the best two-piece wedding dresses and bridal separates to find your own.

Not only is Rachel’s bow super meaningful, it’s also very of-the-moment! Bows are absolutely one of the wedding trends we’re currently obsessed with.

Melina Reyes created Rachel’s warm + effortless wedding makeup look.

The First Look

On top of creating a meaningful moment and streamlining your wedding day scheduled, incredible photos like these are some of the reasons we love a first look.

Explore our collection of the most unique wedding dresses to start brainstorming a one-of-a-kind bridal silhouette like Rachel’s.

Floral creations from Tulipanes Arte en Flor added earthy greenery and vibrant pops of orange to the day.

The Ceremony

We are so into Aaron’s chic-yet-effortless wedding day style. Especially those beachy, woven huarache sandals!

Our Musical Choices
Processional
"Beach Baby" by Bon Iver + "Godspeed" by Frank Ocean. 
Recessional
"Interlude (That's Love)" by Chance the Rapper 
First Dance
"6s to 9s" by Big Wild

That green-gray square print blazer was the perfect, structured addition to Aaron’s breezy all-white look.

Dive into our list of the best beach wedding dresses to find a fab + flowy gown that’s as seaside-stroll-worthy as Rachel’s.

The Reception

The crashing waves. The warm wood chairs + tables. The vibrant orange florals. The string lights!! 😍

Our Advice
If you’re planning an international destination wedding, try to carve out some room in your budget for a local planner. We couldn’t have done what we did without on-the-ground support from someone who spoke the language and had close relationships with local vendors.  

“Weddings can feel so formulaic,” reflect Rachel + Aaron. “You’ve been to one you’ve been to a million. Don’t feel like you need to go through the motions just because that’s what you think you should do. This is your wedding. You should do what you want to do!”

“We ended up cutting out plenty of elements that you’d expect in a traditional wedding because we didn’t feel like they were representative of who we are as a couple. Cutting a cake? Don’t need it. Throwing a bouquet? Don’t need it. Bridesmaids and groomsmen? Love our people, but again, don’t need it. Take the time to examine the wedding playbook and ask yourself if these moments are actually important to you for the purpose of celebrating your unique love story.”

Our Favorite Memory
The whole day was a dream, but if we had to pick one moment, we would say our beach bonfire afterparty. Laughing with our loved ones under the stars, the glow from the fire on all of our faces. Roasting marshmallows, swapping stories. Pure magic.

Congratulations, Rachel + Aaron! We are so in love with the stunning simplicity of your seaside destination celebration. So happy for you both!