This Couple Completely Redefined What It Means to Throw a Destination Wedding in Mexico

From Tulum with Love

"We chose Tulum for its powdered-sugar-like sand, turquoise waters, rich Mayan history and 'barefoot luxury' meets bohemian-magic vibes," explains Sophie. But the couple also picked the locale because it was where they took their first international vacation together.

"We came home so inspired and said we'd bring our families back one day to experience the best fish tacos and everything else Tulum had to offer," Sophie says.

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Subtle Invitations

The couple found their invitations through a designer on Etsy. "We liked the coloring, typography, asymmetry, and illustrations of the green tropical foliage," Sophie says.

To those simple, tropical designs, they also added blue liners, palm-leaf gate folds, and a pink wax seal.

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Cambodian Ceremony

Sophie and Jordan enjoyed two weddings on their big day—a traditional Western service, held with all their guests, and a morning Cambodian ceremony with just family.

The couple dressed in luxurious white-and-gold silk gowns for the latter.

Traditional Accessories

The bride wore bangles on her ankles as part of her traditional garb.

A Family Matter

This service honored Sophie's parents, who are from Cambodia. "I'm so glad we decided to do the Cambodian ceremony," Sophie reflects. "I could tell it meant a lot to my parents; my mom cried during it. My parents rarely cry so this was a big moment. It was also really great being able to share this part of my family's culture with Jordan's family and have them partake in the traditions, like the lucky red string tying."

Lovely Lace

Sophie chose a thick, modern lace wedding dress by Made With Love. She admits she never had a moment where she felt she found "the one" dress for her. But when she slipped on the dress she ultimately chose, "I liked how the front and back V-neck fit on me and that it didn't accentuate my broad shoulders," she says. "I didn't expect myself to fall in love with a non-all-white dress, but once I put it on, I loved the contrast of the white lace against the tan fabric. It really popped nicely."

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First Look Surprise

The couple shared a first look on one of the jungle paths at Nomade Hotel Tulum, where they stayed and held their Cambodian ceremony.

"I was so curious what Jordan had pictured my dress to be like," Sophie recalls. "He said it wasn't what he was imagining, but he loved it."

Organic Bouquet

When it came to her bouquet, "I definitely did not want perfectly round," Sophie says. Instead, florist Moni Junco created an organic arrangement that included trailing greens and white-and-cream garden roses, tulips, orchids, and ranunculus.

A Tropical Welcome

A glass box welcome sign, filled with native foliage and laceleaf blooms, greeted guests upon their arrival to the ceremony site.

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Ceremony with a View

For their ceremony on the beach, the couple insisted on a half circle, low-to-the-ground arch that would not obstruct the view of Tulum's turquoise waters; it also "felt very organic and suiting for our overall vision," Sophie says. Attendees sat on gray tufted French linen benches, which were also low in profile.

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Sand Ceremony

During their service, the couple held a sand ceremony, mixing together sand from Oregon, where they met, California, where they live, and Tulum, where they married.

Yellow Brick Road

To find their seats, guests were encouraged to "follow the yellow brick road," a set of golden tiles with their seating assignments on them. The Wizard of Oz is the first movie that Sophie and Jordan watched together.

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Curated Tabletops

"I hand-selected each and every thing that went on our reception tables," says Sophie. She even mocked up the décor on PowerPoint decks, she says. But on the big day, "it was more beautiful in person and made me so happy to see my vision come to life," she says.

VIP Chairs

Sophie and Jordan hung macramé on the back of their chairs, along with laser-cut "bride" and "groom" signs.

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Place Settings

Low, lush centerpieces were placed on top of white gauze table runners; place settings, that Sophie curated herself, included madras fiber chargers from World Market. Blue goblets added a pop of color to the otherwise cream-centric tables.

The couple topped each guest's plate with their favors—miniature blue-and-white hand-painted Moroccan tagines that they filled with spices, then tied with a tag that read, "You spice up our lives." Sophie explains. "We first saw the mini tagines at a restaurant in the Nomade Hotel during our first trip to Tulum after college, so even though they are Moroccan, they remind us of Tulum. We also really enjoy cooking meals together at home, so thought they'd be great favors for our guests to take back and use in their kitchens."

The Cake

The couple's tiny wedding cake was white and topped with fresh roses and an "M," to signify the couple's new married last name. Flavors included coconut cake layered with key lime buttercream and fresh raspberries.

The small confection was placed atop a three-tiered cookie tray and presented on a vintage server.

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Led Me Straight to You

Sophie and Jordan shared their first dance as husband and wife to Rascal Flatts' "Bless the Broken Road." "We love country music, and this song will always remind us of when we reconnected and started dating after five years of being on our separate paths," Sophie says.

Sources

Photography, Kurt Boomer

Location and Catering, NEST Tulum; Nomade Hotel Tulum

Event planning, Diana Romo Weddings

Flowers, Moni Junco

Videography, Beatatum Photography

Stationery, Summit and Sage; Smiling Tag; Alpha Graphics San Francisco; Quiet Like Horses; Fireclay Tile; Rebecca Green Design

Calligraphy, Romey Hooper

Cake, Zaida Marcos Sweet Boutique

Music, Plugin Audio and Visual

Rentals, Archive Rentals; Linen Lark; Casa de Perrin

Bride's gown, Made With Love

Bride's accessories, Bridals by Teri; Davie and Chiyo; Bella Via Designs; Jimmy Choo

Hair, Sandy Mendez

Makeup, Zoe Elizabeth Makeup

Groom's suit, Banana Republic

Transportation, Your Cancun DMC