A Romantic Destination Wedding in Los Cabos

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bride and groom walking together on modern structure at beach — Julieta Amezcua

Shayla remembers the exact moment when she met her future husband, down to his attire. The beauty influencer and entrepreneur was wrapping up an appointment in downtown Los Angeles, California, when she spotted Lester, an industrial engineer, in a red Polo shirt and the "freshest haircut" as he chatted with a colleague. Lester recalls looking up and immediately doing a double-take when he first saw her. They exchanged numbers that day after naturally crossing paths, but it took nearly two years to turn that lasting first impression into love. After visiting Los Angeles again for work, Lester reconnected with Shayla in person over a date, and the rest is history.

Lester had a thought-out plan when he prepared to ask for Shayla's hand in marriage at her uncle's house in December of 2019. He coordinated with her family, including the bride's father and sister, to ensure there would be several close family members in attendance when he gave a speech (to Shayla's surprise). He began by sharing his appreciation for her loved ones and then shifted his attention to Shayla as he expressed his devotion to her. Shayla says that "Les creased his sneakers without hesitation" as he got down on one knee, and she offered a happy and tearful yes to his proposal.

Tying the knot at Solaz in Los Cabos, Mexico, was a no brainer for the couple, as the destination venue was already one of their favorite vacation spots because of the great service, spacious layout, and stunning views of the ocean. At the end of the day, though, Shayla and Lester also wanted their celebration to look and feel romantic and personal to create an unforgettable experience for their 115 guests. They worked with Lauren Lemke of Amy Abbott Events to feature everything from salsa dancing and live saxophone performances to décor brimming with lush florals and soft candlelight for their big day. On April 16, 2021, exactly four years after they first met, Shayla and Lester's wedding vision came to life perfectly as they began their new chapter together as husband and wife.

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Cheers!

custom tequila flask for wedding guests — Julieta Amezcua

Lauren Lemke of Amy Abbott Events helped Shayla and Lester host a full week of events in addition to their big day, which included personalized favors, bachelor and bachelorette parties on a yacht, and a welcome party. "They were so professional and experts at wedding planning," the bride says. "I was so pleased at how smooth the entire week was."

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Pure Bliss

bride drinking champagne in flowing white robe — Julieta Amezcua

The couple designed their nuptials with their vision in mind, which included a few "nontraditional" touches—like opting not to have bridesmaids or groomsmen. The bride's advice for couple's planning their weddings? "Do what you want to do, and not what your friends and family want," she explains. "Not having a bridal party was the best decision I could have made, and I'm glad I followed my gut. This is your day, it's okay to not be traditional."

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Bridal Beauty

bride in elegant white dress holding flowers — Julieta Amezcua

Shayla created her custom Leah Da Gloria wedding dress alongside the designer on Zoom. Leah's sketch came to life in the form of a handmade mermaid-style gown with beading, an overskirt, and detachable shoulder straps.

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Dressed to the Nines

groom in black and white tuxedo sitting on wooden bench — Julieta Amezcua

Lester wore a white Hugo Boss tuxedo with Louis Vuitton sunglasses for the big day.

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Breathtaking First Look

groom smiling at bride during first look — Julieta Amezcua

"We both felt excited to have that moment before we walked down the aisle," Shayla says of their first look, which took place between two walls that framed the "Sea of Cortez" at Solaz. "A little emotional, but mainly excited."

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Set the Scene

elegant curved white wedding ceremony setting on beach — Julieta Amezcua

While the bride and groom hosted their ceremony right on the beach, they added a white platform on top of the sand to make their guests as comfortable as possible.

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Welcome for the Guests

elegant white wedding sign for unplugged ceremony on beach — Julieta Amezcua

The couple's loved ones faced the white flower- and greenery-filled altar (the largest ever built in Los Cabos) by Bella Flora Los Cabos during the "unplugged ceremony," free of phones and cameras.

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Tears of Joy

bride and father walking down the aisle at beach wedding — Julieta Amezcua

Shayla held onto her cascading bouquet filled with white roses, orchids, and green leaves in one hand and her father's arm in the other as he walked her down the aisle (and cried most of the way, the bride shares).

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Two Become One

couple during wedding ceremony with white floral arches — Julieta Amezcua

The couple exchanged personal vows in their ceremony officiated by the bride's cousin. The moment Shayla and Lester said "I do" was surreal for the pair, as they explained that it gave them the space to share "a truly honest answer and commitment in just two words."

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Husband and Wife

couple kissing at wedding ceremony with guests cheering — Julieta Amezcua

Los Mosquitos, a musical trio, sang "All of Me" by John Legend live as the couple tied the knot.

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Lounging Around

white curved couches reception lounge with beach view — Julieta Amezcua

One of the couple's favorite parts of their venue? The large event deck, which was partially tented for more privacy.

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Take Your Seats

mirror wedding reception sign — Julieta Amezcua

Guests dressed in light yellow, olive green, blue, pink, nude, tan, and blush tones—to match the couple's pastel color palette—found their way to their seats with the help of a mirrored seating chart surrounded by flowers and candles.

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Simple and Sophisticated

silver and white wedding reception tables — Julieta Amezcua

The couple decked out their space with crisp, white details, including curtains that were washed in pink during the sunset.

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Time to Eat

elegant white and silver wedding reception tables with mirror top — Julieta Amezcua

In addition to personalized menus, a shot of tequila with lime awaited each of their loved ones at their place settings.

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The Little Things

candles and white flowers on wedding reception table — Julieta Amezcua

White flowers and mini candles completed the tabletops.

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Flowing Florals

elegant sweetheart table with floral garland and mirror top — Julieta Amezcua

A large white flower and greenery garland accented the newlyweds' table.

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Love Is in the Air

couple embracing and laughing at wedding reception — Julieta Amezcua

Shayla took off the overskirt and straps on her wedding dress during the party. She and Lester changed into sleek sneakers, too: The bride wore custom, crystal Jordan Ones and the groom sported Off-White Jordans. They showed off their footwear while being introduced as a married couple at the reception to T.I.'s "Bring Em Out."

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Let's Dance

salsa dancers at reception with string lights above — Julieta Amezcua

Guests, along with the bride and groom, got a 15-minute salsa lesson from Cabo Inside professional dancers during the reception, which Shayla describes as "fun, and also a workout."

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The Newlyweds

couple during first dance with blue sky and string lights behind — Julieta Amezcua

Saxophone player David Cantoni performed "Back at One" by Brian McKnight as the pair shared their first dance. "Before the dance was over, the floor was covered with fog and fireworks went off," Shayla adds.

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Cake Perfection

elegant white wedding cake with garland florals — Julieta Amezcua

The couple topped their three-tier floral cake (two tiers of red velvet and one tier of vanilla) with vanilla ice cream.

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Forever Together

couple kissing during wedding fireworks — Julieta Amezcua

Lester and Shayla capped off the night with a light show as DJ Alex Events played "Love on Top" by Beyoncé in the background. "One of my favorite moments was watching the fireworks go off as my now-wife jumped in joy, and all I could do was smile," Lester recalls.

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Sources

couple portrait in black and white wearing sunglasses — Julieta Amezcua

Photography, Julieta Amezcua
Venue, Solaz
Wedding Planning and Event Design, Lauren Lemke of Amy Abbott Events
Videography, Elysium Productions
Florist, Lucy of Bella Flora Los Cabos
Invitations, Minted
Paper Products, Bells & Whistles
Bride's Gown and Veil, Leah Da Gloria
Jewelry, Etsy
Shoes, Amina Muaddi
Hair, Keeva Clark
Makeup, Steven Tabimba
Groom's Attire, Hugo Boss; Louis Vuitton
Ceremony Music, Los Mosquitos
Reception Music, DJ Alex Events; David Cantoni
Salsa Dancers, Cabo Inside
Catering and Cake, Solaz
Rentals, Del Cabo Weddings
Lighting, VVRpro