I often hear of couples expressing interest in destination weddings in Mexico. And how could they not? It’s one of the most beautiful countries with a rich, energetic culture! 

When I ask where they are thinking of, they often mention Cabo San Lucas or Tulum, which are idyllic beach wedding locations. 

But it’s not very often I hear couples mention one of the most stunning and magical Mexico cities – San Miguel de Allende.

So I partnered with a wedding planner there, and we came up with the most captivating editorial session to inspire more weddings in San Miguel de Allende!

Here’s how we put it together:

The San Miguel de Allende Destination Wedding Location: 

In the highlands of Mexico, far away from the coastlines, sits one of the most incredible small towns I’ve ever had the opportunity to visit. It’s a city that’s just as vibrant and energetic as any beach town in the country. 

And it is packed with rich history and culture that you can feel pulsing through the town’s cobblestone streets and colorful architecture. 

As soon as I caught a glimpse of this wonderful place, I knew it had to be the location for an editorial session. And in doing so, I’m hoping to inspire more couples to consider planning their weddings in San Miguel de Allende! 

Embracing the Local Culture 

One of the best parts of planning a destination wedding is experiencing and embracing the culture of the country you’re in. It makes for the most magnetic photographs in any wedding day gallery. 

For this editorial session, I worked with local San Miguel de Allende florist, Maria Limon, to add traditional, cultural touches. It’s the perfect way to showcase how one-of-a-kind a couple’s wedding can be in this place. 

With Maria’s help, I partnered with a local artist, Hermes Arroyo, to create mojigangas of the bride and groom for my session. These are magnificent 8-foot tall puppets that dance through the streets to the sounds of a mariachi band during a traditional callejoneada. 

Through the viewfinder of my camera, these mojigangas took my breath away. I could only imagine what those would look like combined with a couple’s personal style and chemistry!

Touring the Local Architecture

Considering San Miguel de Allende is a UNESCO historic site, there is so much historic architecture to take in. I wanted to create an editorial session that captured as much of it as I could. 

So I planned two sites for this editorial session: one for the ceremony and one for the reception. 

The San Miguel de Allende Wedding Venues: Terraza Trinitate and Hotel Nena

The ceremony site at Terraza Trinitate could not have been the more perfect San Miguel de Allende wedding venue. With its historic stone siding, it truly encapsulated just how rooted in time this city is. And, of course, that showcased how couples can embrace the beauty of the location around them instead of trying to create a wedding aesthetic from scratch.

Hotel Nena was perfect for the reception location, as it gave the session a look at the colorful architecture of the city. It was stunning with purple walls, stone courtyards, and water features at every turn.

Planning the Details to Inspire Weddings in San Miguel de Allende

Even though I acted as the San Miguel de Allende photographer for this editorial, I loved getting to spread my creativity into other parts of the wedding world. 

I styled all of the details on the day of to create the most inspiring session showcasing how gorgeous this destination wedding location is! 

The Color Story

I wanted to make sure the colors didn’t overpower the mood and aesthetic of the city. After all, San Miguel de Allende was my main focus! So I created a color story to complement the richness instead of trying to transform it. 

For the invitation suite, I chose a muted, dusty blush color paired with cream-colored letters. Then, I added texture and hints of the city’s vibrance through red accented wax seals and silver charms.

At the reception site, I continued the same color theme with a dusty pink colored table linen from Allegoria Textiles.  I used brown charger plates to add pops of the rustic aesthetic that is central to the town. Finally, I added touches of coral pink to create more visual interest.

The Costarellos Wedding Gown

To make sure I embraced the spirit of the town, I wanted to find a wedding gown inspired by Mexico’s traditional dresses. 

I found a stunning long-sleeved lace Costarellos gown that matched the aesthetic of the session perfectly. I paired it with a gorgeous hat reminiscent of the traditional hats of the mariachi band performers!

Highlighting the Vibrant Essence of Weddings in San Miguel de Allende

I wanted to use our time for the editorial session to capture all that the city has to offer. So, before the day was over, we took to the streets of San Miguel de Allende for couple’s portraits.

From cobblestone streets to large churches and historic architecture, we embodied the essence of weddings that embrace the traditions and culture in San Miguel de Allende! 

Find our other editorial sessions on our blog!  

Editorial Session Vendors: 

Photography & Editorial Session Styling: Lilly Red
Floral Design: Maria Limon
Event Coordination: Paula Balderas
Ceremony Venue: Terraza Trinitate
Reception Venue: Hotel Nena
Hair and Makeup Artist: Maquillista Erika Almanza
Wedding Dress: Costarellos via The Dress Theory San Diego
Bridal Jewelry: Elisheva and Constance
Hat: KÜERNO
Mojigangas (Puppets): Hermes Arroyo