Sam and Will’s destination wedding in Mexico was a dream come true! The entire day was built around a warm color palette rich in copper and crimson tones that perfectly fit the setting. The bride was heavily inspired by Mexico/Mayakoba/El Pueblito for the design aspect and Weddings by Clellie helped bring this inspo to life! S + W chose Andaz Mayakoba Riviera Maya in Playa del Carmen, Mexico because it suited the two of them and their desire to have their wedding feel natural in the space they chose.
One of our favorite elements of this couple’s day was how they incorporated fresh fruit into their event design! Just wait until you see the magnificent floral arch that IMpact Events crafted especially for the day!
All in all, not only was it important for Sam and Will to enjoy their big day, but they knew hosting a destination wedding meant a lot of sacrifice being made on their guest’s end. They aspired to make everyone feel loved, taken care of, and appreciated at every turn and that drove a lot of the planning and details for the day (which turned out absolutely amazingly!!!) We know you guys are absolutely going to fall in love with what the couple and their vendors came up with so let’s check it all out with these gorgeous photos by Take It Photo!
A Wedding in Mexico Awaits!
The Swag Store created the most adorable invitation suite with all the important details the couple’s guests would need in preparation for their big day!
Sam wore a boho bride’s dream gown with romantic sleeve elements for a touch of femininity… Can we all agree she is absolutely stunning?!
Sam shares that she had a pretty strong image of what she was looking for in a dress. “We went to quite a few Atlanta bridal shops searching and my dress was a part of a Zavana Bridal traveling trunk show at The White Magnolia Bridal! As soon as I put it on, we all knew it was the one. From the bodice to the tulle skirt, it was everything I was looking for!”
Sam’s bridesmaids chose their own gowns within the color palette to keep a bit of whimsy within their styling.
The Zesty Ceremony Decor
Groom Will is a singer/songwriter and so many of the couple’s friends are too (and naturally super talented). The couple wanted to honor their talent & show them off during their wedding!
The couple’s ceremony took place underneath an epic overflowing arch made of florals, tropical palm fronds, and fresh citrus for a (literal!) zesty vibe.
Processional: I Guess I'm In Love by Clinton Kane sung by Ni/Co
Recessional: Ain’t No Mountain High Enough by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell
First Dance: Biblical by Calum Scott
The couple chose not to do a first look so coming down that aisle was an incredible moment for both the bride and groom!
The bride shares with us what she loved most about their ceremony: “Having our best friends sing during our ceremony was totally representative of us as a couple through our love for our friends, their talent, and our love for music. Will’s cousin, Will (same name!) who is someone we love and really look up to, married us. He did such a fantastic job presiding over his first wedding ceremony and made us feel comfortable and made the whole ceremony feel really natural and perfect for us.”
From the bride, I don’t know how I could ever pick just one. Because of the way the day was set up, as far as where the venue was and where we got ready, I didn’t see any of it till just a bit before the ceremony got started so it was a complete surprise to me and my mom. I’ll never forget walking in after having been there the day before for rehearsal and seeing the complete transformation - it was so emotional. We were so overwhelmed by the work our vendors had put in and it had turned out better than we could have ever imagined. Our wedding planner, Clellie (Weddings by Clellie) was the magic maestro managing it all - I don’t know what we would’ve done without her.
Another moment, though probably obvious, was seeing Will for the first time, and I know that’s what one of his answers would be too.
A Reception That’s Fresh and Spicy!
When it came to inspiration towards the day, the bride notes that she always has gravitated towards more natural elements: flower arrangements that aren’t too perfect, natural materials for the tables, chairs, runners, decor, etc.
“The cut fruit was a massive undertaking by our floral team (IMpact Events) as they had to figure out a way to make it look fresh all night but also make sure it wouldn’t attract any bugs.”
The bride is Tabasco obsessed so naturally, the couple used Tabasco bottles as their seating chart! How fun and creative!! Not to mention, a great takeaway gift!
After grabbing their hot sauce favors, guests headed into a reception space consisting of vibrant centerpieces with citrus accents, lush dried palm ceiling installations, and eclectic candles to add an artsy touch to the tablescapes.
Their guest book was a massive Los Angeles coffee table book, which is where the couple met and will always be a super special place for them!
From Day to Night
“I always want things to be just slightly out there, slightly unconventional and that drove the inspiration for the tangerines in our ceremony arch and the sculptural candles on our reception tables. Again, IMpact Events showed up and made them both happen! The tangerines were a perfect pop of color for the ceremony. However, she couldn’t find the candles I was hoping for anywhere so, she handmade all of them!”
Basket lanterns and string lighting cast an amber glow over the entire space and we can’t help but get caught up in how dreamy this reception looks!
Find vendors you LOVE! At the end of the day, no amount of planning on your end will surpass the importance of what your vendors do. They’re the ones who will actually make the whole thing come together and we were so blessed to have such talented, amazing vendors who cared so much to make our day magical. It wouldn’t have been half of what it was without them! Also, you can never be too organized lol!
Dessert is served! A delicious sweet spread consisting of cake, truffles, and churros was the ultimate sweet ending!
The couple had amazing weather all day but right after the late-night snack had arrived (Dominos pizza & lava cakes) the skies completely opened up. The DJ had to stop playing and everyone huddled under the tent. Will and Sam were prepared for everyone to head home because of the rain but instead, their guests climbed on chairs and everyone started singing songs together and dancing!
The bride shares that it was truly one of those magical wedding moments that she wishes she could relive all the time. The rain eventually let up and the DJ was able to start up again. Sounds like the best ending to the most incredible day!!
If their impromptu downpour taught them anything, they urge any couples deciding between doing a tent or not for an outside wedding – do the tent! “We didn’t decide to do it until 24 hours before the wedding, and it ended up raining so we needed it for that but, even if it hadn’t rained, it did such an incredible job of organizing the space and making it make sense to guests. It also provided us with more canvas to create the atmosphere we wanted for the reception. We got SO many compliments on the tent (TotalTents) and we laugh at the fact that we almost didn’t do it!”
Wow! What a way to end the day! Congratulations Sam and Will! May you guys live happily ever after!
Thank you for sharing your magnificent (and zesty!) day with Green Wedding Shoes. 🥂
photography: Take It Photo // venue name: Andaz Mayakoba Riviera Maya, Playa del Carmen, Mexico // planning: Weddings by Clellie // florals: IMpact Events // wedding dress: Zavana Bridal // wedding dress boutique: The White Magnolia // hair stylist: Mario Grajeda // makeup artist: Leydi Cano // groom attire: Pockets // videography: Dave and a Camera // catering: Andaz Mayakoba Riviera Maya // desserts: Pastelería la Migaja // specialty rentals: Total Tents // music: Grant Moore // officiant: Will Davis (Groom's Cousin) // groomsmen attire: Generation Tux // alterations/sleeves/veil: Altered for the Altar // mariachi: Visuddha Entertainment // ceremony musicians: Mitchell Rose // ceremony musicians: ni/co // ceremony musicians: Kevin Hutchens // DJ: Dulce Rullán // DJ: Big Bang Productions
