Elegant Destination wedding in Cabo San Lucas // ©2017 Sun & Sparrow Destination wedding photographer

FROM THE BRIDE & GROOM // We were on Cloud Nine after Rich’s flawlessly planned proposal in April, and we were pleasantly surprised to learn how aligned we were on what mattered to both of us for our wedding.  Neither of us cared to host an elaborate event for hundreds of guests – we wanted an intimate experience that we could share with those closest to us that would allow us to truly enjoy ourselves.  We also knew that we wanted a quick engagement – though the thought of planning a wedding within four months was a daunting one initially!  However, as has been the case throughout our relationship, the pieces just seemed to fall into place seamlessly – within three weeks of getting engaged, we had hopped on a last-minute flight to sunny Los Cabos in Mexico, fell in love with the Hilton Los Cabos, picked a wedding date, and agreed on our wedding guest list!  Three months of fast and furious planning later and with lots of help from the Hilton’s wedding coordinators extraordinaires, Nancy and Eren (they are truly amazing!), Rich and I arrived in Cabo ready to get the party started!

On our wedding day, Rich left me three envelopes to open throughout the day; one when I woke up, one while getting ready, and one right before walking down the aisle.  I still tear up thinking about those notes, they were incredibly sweet and put any wedding jitters I may have had to rest. I knew in my heart I was marrying an amazing man.  I was strangely calm that morning and throughout our getting ready process; I had a tremendous amount of confidence in my wedding team and focused on taking in each moment.  A hiccup with my wedding dress that was immediately addressed by the Hilton’s Dream Team was the only bump in the road on my way to the altar and as soon as I laid eyes on my husband-to-be, I knew our night would be perfect.

As all of the planning had been done remotely, we saw our vision unfold in real-time along with our guests – the first time they saw the ceremony and reception sites was our first time as well, and they took my breath away!  I had spent countless hours pouring through Pinterest boards, gathering ideas and examples for my vendors across the border.  We knew we wanted an elegant yet simple feel, with a touch of Mexican fun thrown in.  With the ocean and the stunning hotel as our backdrop, there was no need to overcomplicate the scenery.  The wedding coordinators and vendors absolutely stunned me with their execution on our vision – I had been nervous about things getting lost in translation but entirely unnecessarily so.  The final product was even better than we imagined, perfection every step along the way!  I teared up seeing it – everyone stepped up and did their part to make sure that our night was seamless, we couldn’t be more thankful to our team!  The night flew by but we honestly say that we had an amazing time – we laughed, we danced, we shared intimate moments with our guests, and celebrated being Mr. & Mrs.!

While it all went by so fast, one of my favorite moments was dancing the waltz with my Dad to Elvis’ Can’t Help Falling In Love.  He sprung it on me just a couple weeks prior that he would like to waltz for our Father-Daughter dance – I had never waltzed before in my life, so spent a couple of weeks dancing with my iPad in my living room.  We finally got to practice together live the day before the wedding and I had to remind my Dad that this was meant to be fun, not Dancing with the Stars!  It melts my heart to think back on how nervous he was when we stepped out on that dance floor the next night; for a brief moment, our roles reversed and I was the one calming and leading him through the storm.  When he finally twirled me for the last time, he breathed a sigh of relief…. Now he could finally go enjoy himself ☺.

Our advice to couples planning their wedding is to listen to your hearts – plan the wedding that YOU want as a couple, not what everyone else wants.  It’s so easy for us brides to get caught up in the details and the stress in planning such an important event that I’ve seen so many girlfriends not enjoy their experience at all.   The day goes by in a flash so take time out to enjoy each other, your guests, and take in the meaning of it all; if you’re enjoying yourselves, everyone else will too, regardless of what little details may not have worked out as perfectly as you planned!  You’re there to celebrate your love, which is the greatest gift of all!

Photographer : Sun & Sparrow photography // www.sunandsparrow.com 
Venue : Hilton Los Cabos  // www.hiltonloscabos.com 
Coordinator : Eren Carlo & Nancy Garcia // www.hiltonloscabos.com
Florals : Emporio Arte Floral  //  http://emporioartefloral.com/
Invitations : Bock Design  //  www.bockdesign.net
Rentals : Let It Be Events  //  www.letitbeevents.com
Guitarist : Daryl Curie  //  https://darylcurriemusic.com/bio/
DJ : DJ Ricardo  //  www.dgricardo.mx
Wedding Rings: Baida Jewelry  //  www.baidajewelry.com
Wedding Gown & Boutique : Aria Brides  // www.arialosangeles.com
Bridal Hair  : Patty at Hilton Los Cabos // www.hiltonloscabos.com