After a year of international travel as an engaged couple, Julia and John had landed in their final (and favorite!) destination: Mexico City. Between the amazing colors, architecture, food, and people – it was hard not to instantly fall in love! While the couple’s original wedding date was March 28th of 2020 (sound familiar to anyone?) they were able to bring their dream wedding to life two years later!
The first thing the couples had to do was decide who would be tasked with planning their wedding. Enter, Lucia of Eventose3! The CDMX-based wedding planner had the expert local knowledge the couple needed to bring their vision to life. And that includes their stunning venue, Proyecto Publico Prim! While the space was gorgeous on its own, florals by Casa Delirio truly took things to the next level. We mean it – just wait until you see the ceremony space! Finally, the photographers behind Pinewood Weddings truly could not have done a dreamier job of capturing Julia and John’s wedding. We won’t make you wait for the details any longer – let’s get into it!
All in the Details
What better way to start the recap than by admiring Julia’s stunning gown? If you think it looks great on the hanger, just wait until you see it on the bride.
John and Julia shared an intimate (and extremely beautiful!) first look before saying their vows. Between the gorgeous tile, delicate railing, and thriving greenery, this has to be one of the most romantic first looks yet!
John’s attire was that out of any bride’s dream. He was impeccably dressed in a classic tuxedo, complete with bowtie and glistening black shoes.
A first touch helps drum up the excitement!
Julia and John were not going for a “vision” for their wedding day. Instead, they were going for a feeling. The distressed walls, an overflow of greenery, and warm tones were not only true to CDMX, but reminded the couple of New Orleans, where Julia lived when she and John had first met.
I felt a little goofy while creating it, but if I could, I would go back in time and kiss myself for the moment I made a wedding-specific email address. It helped me stay organized, and was a great way to compartmentalize wedding planning when necessary. I highly recommend! If the opportunity strikes, don't miss out on the chance to underpromise/overdeliver during your celebration. Ahead of our rehearsal day, which took place on the floating gardens of Xochimilco, we let our guests know we'd be taking a boat ride followed by lunch (which, we did!). I didn't realize how vague I had been on the invite, however — what most assumed would be a casual ride on the water followed by a quick lunch turned out to be a floating party, followed by a reception at a stunning garden venue complete with a DJ, dance floor, and amazing food and drink. All of our guests left that day saying that this had felt like the wedding already, especially after most thought we were headed to a casual picnic. The element of (accidental) surprise turned out to be a lot of fun!
You didn’t think we forgot the dress details, did you?! As amazing as this dress is, it wasn’t easy to come by! At the time she began shopping, Julia and John were still living in Mexico City. After a failed attempt at finding a dress locally while her mother came to visit, Julia decided to fly to Houston to try her luck in the states. Unfortunately – that didn’t work out either. The day she was supposed to fly back to Mexico, she decided to head north to New York instead! Her very last appointment was at Lee Petra Grebenau, where it seemed she still hadn’t found “the one”.
Nothing was quite right, but as my appointment slot was coming to a close (and as the hives started to form on my chest, probably), one of the sweet women in the store recommended I try one more, “just for the shape”. I walked out of the dressing room, and my Mom’s face said it all. We walked over to Washington Square Park, plopped on a bench, and both said “that’s the dress”. It was very dramatic and silly, but it made for a great memory with my Mom!
A Grand Ceremony
Processional: 'I Can’t Help Falling in Love With You' sung by musician/friend of the couple, Arielle LaGuette Recessional: Instrumental of 'Halo' by Beyoncé First Dance: 'La Vie en Rose' sung by musician/friend of the couple, Arielle LaGuette (in both English and French!)
Nothing says ‘Mexico City’ quite like elevated minimalism. The aged brick walls and elegant wooden chairs offered a true sense of tranquility and romance for guests to enjoy.
See these beautiful ceremony florals? As it turns out, much of this was a surprise to the bride herself! Her sweet husband-to-be had called the florist to let her know that he wanted to increase the budget of their flowers as a gift to his bride. We couldn’t think of a sweeter gesture if we tried!
When I turned the corner and saw the flowers on the altar (which were much bigger and even more beautiful than I was expecting), my Mom said “John did that”. We cried. It was the best.
Reception to Remember
Guests entered the reception space by making their way down this gorgeous staircase complete with floating candles.
Everything about the reception was memorable. We can’t imagine how wonderful it must have felt to look up at all of that lush greenery!
Each place setting was carefully and thoughtfully curated. Delicate linen napkins draped the plates, while golden flatware lay atop the bare wooden table.
Our ceremony was overwhelmingly special to us both. Our officiant, a family friend who happens to be one of the most thoughtful, poetic, and sincerely wonderful people roaming the planet at present, spent literal years meeting with us, formulating his words, and crafting our ceremony to ensure it was reflective of who we are as a couple. We had gotten legally married back in March of 2020 (days before the pandemic started), but this moment, after years of uncertainty, separation, and the inability to celebrate life's big moments, was finally the time that our community could surround us and show their support for our union. The ceremony included unique elements and historical artifacts curated by our officiant just for us — a Coupe de Mariage, an 18th-century hand-blown glass goblet from France traditionally used in a wedding ceremony and then to celebrate life's milestones within the family, and a brass Holy water pail whos contents we used to quietly bless the other over their heart. It was more than we could have dreamed up, and there was such a peace in the air in knowing our long-awaited celebration was finally taking place.
We’ll leave you with one last piece of advice from the happy couple:
People always say, “enjoy the moment”, but JUST DO THAT. Neither of us left our three events with a single photo on our phones, which we have no regrets over. We were present, engaged, and truly enjoyed every second. Let the professionals handle the documentation!
Congratulations to Julia and John!
photography: PineWood Weddings // venue name: Proyecto Publico Primm, Mexico City, Mexico, Mexico City // planning: Eventose3 // florals: Casa Delirio // wedding dress: Lee Petra Grebenau // hair stylist: Bride Lab // makeup artist: Bride Lab // catering: Dinara // tabletop rentals: Butterfly Linnens // furniture rentals: Local Trendy
Stunning wedding and photographs!