Casa Hyder, a legendary historic villa in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, opened its doors for Ellie and Nick’s big day. The surrounding lush gardens and spectacular views were as mesmerizing as the interior, covered with countless paintings and antiques from all over Mexico and beyond. This untamed eclectic style inspired the wedding, resulting in a striking, memorable, and heartfelt event.
Location: San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, Mexico
Style: Vibrant, romantic, fun
Time of planning: 18 months
Number of guests: 105
Setting: Villa
Season: Spring
Ellie and Nick are university sweethearts. They met at the University of Florida and dated for ten years. The couple developed lots of mutual trust, affection, and gratitude throughout the years, forming a solid bond.
Together, they created a lovely tradition of summer vacationing by the ocean in St. Augustine, Florida, with their loved labrador dog, Arlo. During one of those heartfelt trips, Nick got on one knee and surprised Ellie on her birthday.
Pre-Wedding Shoot
Ellie and Nick chose Mariana from Pierce Weddings as their wedding photographer. The couple trusted Mariana‘s professionalism and artistic vision. The main idea was to document their love naturally and effortlessly while featuring the charming local flora and architecture as a stunning backdrop. The colorful and saturated imagery translated the charm and atmosphere of Mexico. A day before the event, they met for a brief pre-wedding session.
Wedding Fashion
Ellie was getting ready with her bridesmaids in a villa’s grand bedroom. Hand-painted walls, embroidered bedsheets, open wooden ceiling slabs, vintage furniture, and rich decor created an unforgettable setting for the bridal morning.
The bride wore a flared sleeveless dress by Mira Zwillinger. The floral-patterned details on the loose sheer fabric and the long flare of the dress brought Ellie’s fashion romance to the next level.
Her blond hair was styled in a tight bun, and the two playful strands framed the bride’s face. Flawless natural makeup highlighted the bride’s natural beauty, and the musky and powdery scent of Chance by Chanel finished Emily’s wedding look. The wedding bouquet consisted of big textured flowers in pastel pink, green, and white tones.
Nick and his groomsmen opted for a classic black tuxedo with a white shirt by Suit Supply. Black buttons on the shirt and bowtie elevated his look, adding elegance. Keeping the accessories minimal, Nick wore a statement watch.
Before the ceremony, Ellie, Nick, and their close ones spent time together laughing, chatting, and taking wonderful photographs. The room’s walls were covered with paintings and decor, creating a vibrant and authentic space for their photo session.
Ceremony
The ceremony unfolded outside in the fresh spring air. Red walls, tall palms, and bushy greenery surrounded the scene. A 17th-century door framed with lush flowers served as an arch for the ceremony.
The same flowers framed the path down the aisle, and cone petals were placed on each seat for Ellie and Nick’s exit. Live music by Media Luna set a romantic mood for the event.
The couple’s officiant was Drew, a relative, and including family in the ceremony made the event more personal and heartfelt.
Ellie and Nick’s ceremony was a deeply touching affair. The villa’s yard was filled with laughter, joy, and gratitude. As the newlyweds exited, everyone cheered and celebrated them with petals. The groom twirled the bride, striking a cinematic pose while kissing Ellie.
Cocktail Hour
After the ceremony, the newlyweds and their guests came to the pool deck area to enjoy various drinks and appetizers. A live Mariachi band played under lit tin stars hung above the pool. In addition to Mexican foods, signature cocktails from Mixology Bar were a nod to the couple’s history. Friends and family also enjoyed the traditional festive donkey, which was a great photo attraction and received a lot of love from everyone.
Moment Alone
During the cocktail hour, Nick and Ellie took time alone to wander around the villa with their photographer Mariana from Pierce Weddings. They walked through the gardens and reached the rooftop, seeing a beautiful sight unfold before them.
"Escaping to the rooftop for golden hour photos with our fantastic photographer, Mariana, and having a moment to ourselves up there while seeing our family and friends celebrating from above felt cinematic and emotional."
Her colorful, candid, and lively artistic style was perfect for capturing Ellie and Nick’s big day. Like in the pre-wedding shoot, Mariana focused on bringing the best out of the rich Mexican surroundings while capturing the couple with sincere emotions.
Reception Decor
The design theme for the reception decor was “A Floating Garden.” Hundreds of flowers and greenery were hanging and dripping from the reception tent ceiling to achieve this surreal and beautiful feel, and the disco balls added festive notes to the atmosphere.
Floral table runners along the length of the tables combined with long taper candles in blush tones matched the lush greenery above. Bushy florals and fairy lights, hidden among the greenery, looked stunning and fairytale-like.
Dinner & Party
After the bride and groom made their entrance, a four-course Contemporary Mexican dinner was served. The evening was filled with heartfelt toasts, lighthearted jokes, and plenty of laughter, creating an atmosphere of love and gratitude.
The traditional cake-cutting ceremony followed the dinner. Ellie and Nick chose a chiffon cake with almond filling and cream cheese frosting, with natural flowers decorating the top.
The newlyweds performed their first dance to “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” by Frankie Valli. After they finished, the fireworks lit, inviting everyone to join the couple. Mexico City’s famous and acclaimed 2DJs were in charge of bringing the dance floor to life, and they accomplished this with an epic party that ended long past midnight.
Ellie, Nick, and their guests danced the night away on a hand-painted dance floor decorated with dark gold stars. Party spotlights flickered in different colors as everyone moved to the beat of the music, making the people forget about everything else.
Advice from the couple:
• Hire a professional and experienced vendor team, one you can communicate and connect with. Check their published work, name in the industry, and professional traits, and then fully trust them. They will give you their highest self and all their passion for what they do. Weddings are teamwork, and a great team will always surpass your expectations!
• Late-night meals make everyone happy; we had tacos, al pastor, quesadillas, and our favorite churros with hot chocolate!
PHOTOGRAPHER Pierce Weddings | PLANNING, CATERING & FLORALS Alicia Vilar from San Miguel Weddings | VENUE Casa Hyder | VIDEOGRAPHER Ricordo Media | CONTENT CREATOR Los Romantics | MUAH Daniela Palacios | DRESS Mira Zwillinger | WEDDING BANDS Gables Gems | SHOES Manolo Blahnik, Loeffler Randall | PERFUME Chanel | SUIT Suit Supply | BAND Media Luna | DJ 2DJs | MOJIGANGAS Hermes Arroyo | MIXOLOGY BAR Mixology Style | ICE SCULPTURE Pablo Iceman | HAND-PAINTED DANCE FLOOR Pistas Lude Ale | INVITATIONS Michael Musser at Anticipated Invitations
