This perfectly pastel wedding went from the courthouse to Los Cabos
After meeting in May of 2021 and spending two years together, Michael proposed to Gaelan without a ring on the beach in Los Cabos. Two weeks later, they were married in a courthouse in Santa Barbara! Because Michael wanted Gaelan to have an incredible engagement ring, he bought one for her in secret, and two weeks before their Los Cabos wedding celebration, he surprised her with it late one Saturday afternoon with the help of their dog, Murray. Murray had a little box tied to his collar, but when Gaelan opened it, she quickly realized it was empty. Michael was beside her on one knee with the ring in his hand. With the help of Gaby from Amy Abbott Events, the couple ultimately celebrated with 125 of their friends and family back in Los Cabos at Chileno Bay Resort. The only way to describe the final wedding theme was uncomplicated elegance, and pastels provided this sweet yet flattering vibe with florals and decor featuring soft pinks, blues, and yellows.
Ideal vibe: Easy elegance
Auberge's Chileno Bay Resort - a fun, younger sister to Esperanza Resort - was the perfect option for the couple's larger-than-expected guest list. Everything was in the same vicinity which meant less time spent on transportation and an all-around easy experience for their guests. The week kicked off with an early-arrivals taco and cocktail beach party which lasted hours after it supposed end-time. On Friday, the groom's mother hosted a spectacular white welcome party with endless cocktails, hilarious speeches, exceptional farm-to-table food, and desserts that were served hanging from trees! Taryn Baxter was there to capture the important moments on camera every step of the way.
Vacation wedding planning
The vibe that they wanted for the wedding was a big, vacation-like party that showcased their love for each other. Gaby Curiel of Amy Abbott Events helped make this happen! Gaelan and Michael wanted to be involved in planning each and every detail, and Gaby was ready with plenty of guidance and inspiration. What was the hardest part? The music! Because they wanted a great mix of live music and a DJ, they ultimately ended up with a string quartet, a local band, a DJ, and an electric saxophone to really get the party started.
Bridal style: Liquid satin
Gaelan wore a white liquid satin dress from The New White Bridal that was constructed with hand draping. The sleeves were custom tailored to sit up on her shoulders, and the dress was so comfortable that she forgot about her after-party dress and instead wore this one the entire night! For the ceremony, she paired the dress with a modern, flirty veil and custom baroque pearl drop earrings by Anne Carson Design to complete her look. Anne Carson Design had designed these earrings for the couple's courthouse wedding, so it was a special addition to this family-and-friends celebration.
Hand-tied, organic bouquet
Gaelan's bouquet by Cristina Gonzalez was a hand-tied, organic bouquet featuring tweedia, ranunculus, garden roses, hellebores, and seasonal blooms.
The perfect summery suit
Michael wore a light beige Hugo Boss 3-piece suit with a white dress shirt, no tie, and two buttons undone. His look was completed with brown Ferragamo shoes and a matching belt.
Even the dogs were dressed to the nines
The couple's dog Murray was of course dressed in his best tuxedo!
Custom built stage meant no sand
For the ceremony, Gaelan and Michael had a white custom-built stage so that no one had to walk through the sand in their heels. Gaelan had the chuppah of her dreams by Cristina Gonzalez that featured a large, color-blocked floral installation on the front with accented greenery on the back. Florals included delphiniums, roses, garden roses, lisianthus, and other seasonal blooms. Male guests wore custom kippot in light blue and gold imprinting with the couple's wedding date. The ceremony cards with light blue chiffon ribbon welcomed everyone to the event and explained Jewish wedding traditions for those who were not of that faith.
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Custom-designed seating c(heart)
To create harmony in the wedding day details, a custom-designed Mexican heart monogram was present throughout all of the printed items from invitations to welcome signs. To help guide guests to their seats, each person had their own metal Mexican heart ornament that included their table assignment.
Printed items: A natural DIY
Gaelan and Michael handled most of the printed items themselves which included: table details, menus, ceremony cards, kippot signs, bar signs, and welcome bag booklets. Because they are big foodies, Gaelan used a Mexican cookbook for the guestbook.
Proof that patterns elevate style
For the reception, candles were everywhere! Romantic, billowy bouquets were placed on every table and complemented by fabric runners, patterned light blue napkins, and custom menus. The custom Mexican heart was tied once again into the rich blue table numbers.
Late-night surprises
Fun wedding surprises included a champagne girl, a raw bar, an after-party cigar bar, and a butterfly stilt-walker. Late-night espresso martini shooters were delivered to the dance floor where an electric saxophonist kept the party going.
After-the-fact advice from the couple
"Get a lot of facetime with your guests in the days leading up to the wedding if you can. Michael and I made sure that everyone we made travel to Mexico felt seen and was a special part of our day. Also, all of the stress of planning a wedding is totally worth it. We swear!"
- Event Planning & Design: Gaby of Amy Abbott Events
- Venue & Catering: Chileno Bay Resort
- Photography: Taryn Baxter
- Hair and Makeup: Los Cabos Makeup
- Flowers: Cristina Gonzalez
- Gown: The New White
- Invitation: Soolip
- Jewelry: Anne Carson Design