Beautiful hacienda wedding of A&J in Cuernavaca, Mexico
Here is a photo story of how Andrea and Jonathan got married at the most beautiful Hacienda San Antonio in Cuernavaca (Morelos, Mexico), and we were happy and honored to be their wedding photographers.
We love weddings at haciendas here in Mexico for the vibe, the architecture and light, and many of them are big enough to fit all parts of any celebration. This wedding was not an exception: there were so many small events within that weekend, but each of them was organized at a different location within the hacienda. Although the couple live in the US, there was a special reason for getting married in Mexico and in Cuernavaca in particular:
“Mexico has always had a special place in my heart because my parents are both from Mexico City, and I grew up traveling there often. I knew I wanted to get married in Mexico after a trip I took with my now husband a few years ago. We spent two weeks exploring Mexico City, Cozumel, and San Miguel de Allende. We had the best time and knew that we would eventually get married there.
I fell in love with my wedding venue because I’ve always wanted to get married in a hacienda. It was also convenient for our guests because it wasn’t too far from Mexico City and the church, reception, and hotel were conveniently all in one place. We didn’t want our guests to have to travel too far. It ended up being perfect, especially during the pandemic, because we felt isolated and safe to celebrate our wedding. The venue went out of their way to make our weekend special. ”
Wedding day at the hacienda
It started with one of those best wedding getting ready mornings: beautiful weather, closest friends and family by the couple’s sides, best makeup artists and the most stunning outfits ever.
After taking photos of the groom and groomsmen, we proceeded to Andrea’s getting ready room where her mom and sister helped her put the beautiful dress on. Hacienda San Antonio has a huge garden with lots of corners for any type of session, and we used it 100%. After the bridal portraits session we did the “first look” with Andrea’s father and brother, and this opened the “emotional part” of the wedding :)
The ceremony had the best location ever, with the high ceilings and arches, and enough space to fit everyone. And it was probably the most emotional moment of the whole day!
“Everything goes by so quickly the day of! The most memorable moments are when I cried walking down the aisle, our vows and during the speeches. I felt so loved by my entire family and all my friends, and it overwhelmed me at times. I remember the moment we kissed after saying “I do,” and it felt so special because everyone we loved was there with us. We spent so much time and energy planning our wedding, and I was so excited to finally be there and marry my best friend. ”
Couples session and the awesome reception
The ceremony was followed by the couples love story session and then family session, after which everyone proceeded to the reception - which was once again, at a different location, equally gorgeous and still within the same Hacienda.
After the speeches and the first dance, the dance floor opened, and it became the highlight of the night!
“Our dance floor was incredible: I was most excited for it, and it met all my expectations. After two years in a pandemic, everyone was just so excited to see each other and party. You could really feel everyone’s energy the whole night. We danced and laughed the night away and I wish I could go back to that dance floor!”
5 Tips for planning your destination wedding in Cuernavaca and Mexico in general:
Work with a wedding planner (A&J worked with the awesome team of Karen Morlet).
“I live in the US, so it was hard to plan a wedding from afar. If possible, I recommend hiring an amazing wedding planner that you trust. My wedding planners were incredible to work with. They had a list of vendors to choose from and took care of all the minute details that I didn’t have time to look at. ”
Do some scouting before. Even inside Mexico, one wedding location differs from another. Before your wedding, visit the venue, meet your vendors, tour the space, and make sure you hear, see, and touch everything to ensure that it is exactly what you want.
Take it easy and let things flow:
“I definitely felt a range of emotions that day. The wedding day started with one of our wedding guests testing positive for COVID, and I wanted to scream at that moment. I was frustrated that I couldn’t control everything, but I soon realized that there are so many things out of your control that day as the bride and groom. I also cried multiple times (all happy tears!). ”
Trust your wedding photographer :)
“I am shy in front of the camera, so it was important to me that I connected with my photographer. Alex was incredible. He went out of his way to make me feel comfortable during our photoshoots, and he also matched the dance floor’s energy. He blended into the crowd and the pictures turned out amazing! ”
Enjoy it. After some 30 years, the couple remember less of the details of the wedding bouquet or the color of the dance floor. But they remember the tears, hugs, smiles and all the fun they had with their loved ones. This day is a celebration of your love - feel it, savor it and keep those memories forever.
Let’s capture your story!
Are you planning a destination wedding in Mexico and have questions, or would like to see more ideas and inspiration? Check out my portfolio or send me a note for more references and wedding packages:
