Guests paraded to this summery wedding under the stars in Oaxaca
Stefanie and Shane's wedding day in Oaxaca was full of authentic energy, colors, and flavors. Bride Stefanie enjoyed each part of the planning process thanks to the help of planner Marcela Gonzalez. It was an absolute blast to choose the decor, food, photographer, and other details, and the photos by Chucho Potts show just how much all of that hard work paid off! Keep scrolling to see how this incredible day came together in such a charming and timeless venue.
Welcome with a 15-piece mariachi band
Stefanie and Shane's wedding day followed two nights of events (complete with 15-piece mariachi band) leading up to the actual day that helped ease any nerves that may have come their way. It was basically one giant party!
3-dimensional wedding dress details
The bride's wedding gown was a strapless dress by All Who Wander that remained fitted until it flowed out into the train. It had 3-dimensional florals along the top portion of the dress that fit perfectly with all the florals at the reception.
Classic black and white groom style
The groom wore a classic black tux with a bow tie from Suit Supply.
A bouquet of Oaxacan bougainvillea
The bride carried two bouquets by Carlos Guzman Decorador - one for the first look featuring pinks, greens, and peachy hues, and a second made up of beautiful purple bougainvillea. Bougainvillea are all over Oaxaca and come in beautiful, bright colors! It was the perfect flower choice to add fun color, but also represent Oaxaca well.
Honoring the bride's father
The wedding ceremony - officiated by the groom's sister - was held in the beautiful courtyard at a hotel featuring stone walls against a vibrant green lawn. The hotel was an old convent, so there was a lot of history. The large structure Stefanie and Shane got married in front of was actually the old wash area (a lavadero) from the 1500's! Because the bride's father passed away in 2016, her mother and brother walked her down the aisle before “Dancing Queen” by ABBA played in remembrance of her father.
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A celebratory calenda (parade)
Shane and Stefani did a calenda from their ceremony to the reception. They (with all of their guests) danced through the streets while sipping mezcal with live music, Oaxacan dancers, and big bride and groom dolls.
Multi-color florals and muted greens
The wedding reception was one giant celebration featuring stunning multi-color floral arrangements. Plates and candles were all in a muted green to let the florals really stand out, while watercolor place cards were hand made by a friend. Carlos Guzman Decorador created the most incredible flower overhang over the dance floor, which made for incredible pictures. During dinner, a saxophone and violin player (Benedictus Mx) serenaded guests before Carlos Hernandez from Frequence DJ's took over to start the dance floor portion of the evening. Dinner focused on local Oaxacan food from one of the best restaurants there - Casa Oaxaca.
Reception crowd-surfing is always a yes
The party went until 3 a.m., and at one point both Shane and Stefanie climbed onto the bar and jumped into the crowd to crowd-surf! They stood on chairs while guests conga-lined between the two and they poured tamarind flavored vodka for anyone who wanted some. These were moments the couple will never forget!
After-the-fact advice
"Find a planner that can really make the whole process easy and low-stress. Make sure they are a good communicator! This makes all the difference in the time leading up to your big day."
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- Wedding Photographers: Chucho Potts
- Flowers & Rentals: Carlos Guzman Decorador
- Event Planning & Design: Marcela Gonzalez
- Sax & Violin: Benedictus Mx
- Wedding DJ: Carlos Hernandez from Frequence DJ's
- Catering: Casa Oaxaca
- Wedding PR: My Planner Journal
- Guitar Trio: Gil Sanchez
- Lighting: Efectos Digitales