Okay… now we get to the main event: the wedding
First of all, I need to say thank you to my incredible wedding coordinator, Laura Steck. She was the key piece that made everything run smoothly. Truly, this wedding would not have been the same without her.
We got married at a place called Baraka. It used to be a beach club, and it’s always been the place where I imagined getting married. Why? The view. There are many beautiful venues in Mazatlán, but this one is wider than it is long, which means you get a full, open view of the coastline and the islands. It’s just stunning.
Let’s start with the setup.
The concept came from Laura, and the idea was to feel like you were at a beach wedding in Mexico, but without going into full “meximalism.” I wanted color, I wanted tropical vibes, and I wanted my guests to show up in bright, happy tones. At the same time, the dress code was formal because… it’s Mazatlán. We dress up. We show up. We shine.
We served ice cream from Helartesano because they are my absolute favorite in Mazatlán.
The flowers were by Magnolia Flowers, and just look at those arrangements. I gave them complete creative freedom. My only request was color and beauty, and they delivered exactly that.
Now, the food.
Chef Luna truly outdid himself. I wanted to serve something Mexican, but not the usual wedding menu. No enchiladas. He suggested serving chamorro, and it ended up being one of the best decisions we made. When those huge plates of chamorro in green sauce started arriving at the tables, you could hear people saying “wow.” It’s not something you expect at a wedding, and it was incredible. So tender it was falling off the bone. The food was one of the most complimented parts of the entire night. We finished dinner with a tres leches cake from Panamá, which everyone loved.
Speaking of cake… I had a moment.
As a pastry chef, I really felt like I should make my own wedding cake. It almost felt like a responsibility. But several of my friends who did DIY elements for their weddings told me the same thing: don’t do it. Enjoy your day. Be present. So I listened. I chose one of my favorite cakes from Panamá, it fit perfectly with the vibe, and I have zero regrets.
The DJ was amazing. I gave him a list of songs I loved and a list of songs that were absolutely not allowed, and he nailed it. People were dancing all the way to the floor by the end of the night.
Now, the ceremony.
Our mass was led by a priest who made it incredibly emotional and real. He did it bilingually so everyone could follow along, which meant a lot to us. I was so nervous walking down the aisle, my knees were shaking… and then I saw him. The way he smiled at me, the way he looked at me during the ceremony… I’ll never forget that. The choir was by Sara Holcombe, and the religious coordination was beautifully handled by Marissa Gurza.
Photography was by Absorver, and not only is her work beautiful, but she has such a lovely energy. She was so easy to work with. Laura recommended her because I wanted natural photos, minimal retouching, something that really captured the real vibe of the day. I think she absolutely did that.
We’re still waiting on the video from Imotion, and I’ll share it here as soon as it’s ready.
And honestly… this was the wedding of my dreams.
Thank you to everyone who helped create it, and to everyone who came to celebrate with us.
A special note to Casa Cortazar, where we stayed. Such a beautiful place, and the service was incredible. They made us breakfast every morning, even accommodating special requests, and truly made our stay so comfortable.
And finally… the masks.
We asked our guests to bring masks. At one point, we almost committed to a full costume wedding, but we held back… just a little. This moment was everything. Dancing, music, masks, a little chaos in the best way. It brought such a fun, unexpected energy to the night.
Thank you to our friends and family for always being up for our ideas and for being part of such a special day. ✨
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