• Real Weddings

Madison and Venessa met in mid-July back in 2013. After working the cheap double shift at the restaurant that day, Madison intended to stay home that night, but instead found himself out. As luck would have it, Vanessa was there! He fell in love with her right then and there. Madison remembers how confident and smart and fun Vanessa was. A decade later, in January of 2023, they married at Hacienda Tamchen in a drop-dead gorgeous wedding day you have to see to believe!

Keep scrolling to see photography of their incredibly day by Beeer Photography, featuring planning and design by Tailer Made Dreams, flowers by Craspedia Floreria, catering by Apoala, and rentals by Minimal 4.0. And make sure to click here to see even more in the full gallery of their photos.

Getting married a little farther away from home? Arrive the day before so you can fully relax

The bride and groom arrived at Hacienda Tamchen late at night. As Vanessa, Madison, and six of their closest friends stepped out of the shuttle, they were greeted by Edreí and his hospitable staff. They'd prepared a Yucatec meal that anyone from Mérida would be familiar with, and the group loved every bit of it. They walked the candle-lit paths to their rooms so they could get a good night's sleep before the big day.

The entire vibe of the venue sets the tone for your guests

The next day, the group stepped out onto the grounds to get ready only to see the towering, twenty-foot door that led to a pool with water and surrounded by a lily pond. Its lilies, which had been shut the night before, were now fully open with jewel pink, blue, and white tones. All around the pond and across the hacienda grounds, companies of people began showing up, one by one, to witness Vanessa and Madison's ceremony.

One must-do, in our opinion: Hiring vendors that can keep your day (and you!) as calm as possible

While everyone was hard at work preparing the day, Vanessa, her mother and sister, the groom's mother, and two of Vanessa's best friends spent the better part of the morning getting their hair and makeup done by Andrea Abimeri and Tere. Their style choice? Hollywood glam, of course! Andrea was professional and kind helping Vanessa stay calm throughout the day while Fernanda, Yoni, and Martina from Tailer Made Dreams - their amazing Wedding Planners - handled coordinating the other vendors with ease.

You can request a guest dress-code without being over-the-top

As the guests prepared for the ceremony, everyone honored the couple's only dress-code request: "Look your best in black." Vanessa's vision for the day was clear: the feeling and setting were to be romantic and elegant, contrasting the old stone and vibrant nature that defines Hacienda Tamchen. The dress-code helped create this romantic and elegant vibe. According to Madison, however, all of it paled in comparison to when Vanessa walked down the aisle to "Love Like This" (by Faith Evans) in a minimalist dress with detachable sleeves to say "I do."

Attention to detail can change the experience for you as a couple as much as it does for your guests

Following the ceremony, photographer Bernardo Bobadilla of Ber Photography, got all 39, elegantly-dressed guests together with the couple for a group photo on an aged stone staircase just near the grounds of the ceremony. From there, the group transitioned to the reception where Apoala and their exceptionally attentive staff provided a Oaxacan-Yucatec inspired dinner with guests seated at long tables. The tables were adorned with arrangements of local flowers by Craspedia Floreria and romantic candlelight. And of course, the night ended with dancing and late-night street tacos.

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Advice from the bride and groom

"This day is a very special one, but even more special is every day following it — let it all begin with a deep breath and a smile, knowing no matter how this day goes, for better or worse, you have been blessed with someone to be at your side for the rest of your life.

Aside from becoming Mr. & Mrs. Smith, what we had that day that made it so special was the people — the people of Mérida, the people who worked so hard to bring all of it together, and our guests who helped all of this come to life. The day would've been nothing without them."

• Event Planning & Design: Tailer Made Dreams
• Photographer & Videographer: Ber Photography
• Venue: Hacienda Tamchen
• Hair & Makeup Artist: Andrea Abimeri
• Catering: Apoala
• Furniture & Rentals: Minimal 4.0
• Flowers: Craspedia Floreria