I spend a lot of time “rebuilding the world”, as I like to call my long chats with my sister. Finding new sources of inspiration, making the best out of any situation, and looking at life possibilities. All of that entails my daily motto.

What does that have to do with your wedding? Everything. I don’t think you should spend 12 months of planning with a pit in your stomach, doubting your decisions, and stressing over things that are supposed to bring you major bliss, not make you suffer.

My advice to you is: know your core and your wants, define your goals and select the right team for your wedding carefully. Not exactly in the same way as you would select a friend, but close. You want to share the same values, your voice to be heard and your style to be reflected; you want to be properly represented and, luckily for me, you want to be wowed and impressed.

Thus, you’ll want a team that will guide you every single step of the way and that will not only turn your wishes into a reality but will also take you beyond the dream. For that, you’ll need a team that brings a touch of fantasy, value, and amazement to your wedding, making it truly unforgettable.

My wish to you is that you find that team and for the trust to be such that you’ll be able to enjoy every single moment. We don’t live in a bubble; trouble will come, and challenges will be part of the wedding, but that doesn’t have to be your main concern and take the joy out of you. Rely on your team and put yourself in the hands of professionals, and very importantly: savor the moment. That moment is your life.

San Miguel de Allende has become my primary residence for the last 4 years but I’m also deeply rooted in Baja California Sur. Thus, when the COVID-19 crisis began, it seemed natural to me to continue my life in San Miguel, where my business is. Like everyone in the wedding industry, I’m still dealing with events being rescheduled and preparing for plan B,C and so on. 

Little by little, businesses and other places in San Miguel started to shut down, and my “life”, like that of many people on the planet, consisted of staying home, walking my dog and going out for essential items. Most of my clients are in the USA, so it’s natural for me to work from a distance. Also, I managed to keep a healthy routine, increase my meditation time, and have meaningful conversations with close friends on the regular.  

Nevertheless, the global situation and the overall mood started to take a toll on me. I couldn’t explain why some days began to feel so heavy. I’m a naturally optimistic person and I live happily by myself, so this negative feeling was semi-new to me. As soon as I could take a flight to the house I grew up in, I took it. The moment I landed in La Paz felt like a breath of fresh air.  

My parents live outside the city, in the country. It was so nice to be outside and spend quality time with them. As many people do, I have to come to value my parents’ wisdom as I’ve grown older. They embody everything I care about and look for in my own life: a strong sense of community, a life of service and a deep spiritual practice.  

They lead a simple, beautiful life. Their days are filled with gardening, checking on their neighbors, caring for the elderly and family members, cooking delicious food, and sharing that food with someone in need. I couldn’t ask for a better example of what life is really about. And I can only aspire to imitate them and follow their steps.  

As I resume semi-isolation in my San Miguel home, I am grateful to have them in my life, as a reminder of celebration of life and people above all else.  

As a side note, my mom is the oldest of 16 siblings, and my dad is the youngest of 10. Any simple birthday or gathering turns out to be at least a party of 50 people. Thus, for their wedding anniversary, we were nervously anticipating 200 people or more, and this was only counting family and the closest of friends.  

Enter the Covid era. Up until early April, my mom was still hoping for their big celebration, despite all the events unfolding that were threatening their plans. Soon enough it was clear that things wouldn’t happen the way she wanted.  

My parents are devout Catholics. Having a priest celebrating their ceremony was a huge deal. Luckily, their community priest agreed to come to their home and celebrate the service in the garden. Only my brother, my sister, their spouses and their children were part of the service, apart from a couple of longtime neighbors, whom they’ve shared quarantine time anyway.  

If I could name one positive thing that Covid has brought us, it is the fact that this ceremony turned out the way it did: a small vs a big Mexican wedding. The atmosphere that surrounded the day, the kind gestures of love that my parents gave and received, and the ease of just celebrating with family while sharing food and enjoying each other’s company, was an unparalleled experience.  

Besides being grateful for my parents, my family, and the example of commitment and loyalty that I’ve received, this celebration made me remember what a wedding is all about. Of course, we know it is about love and the people at the altar. However, we quite often forget that and get trapped into all sorts of little lies, such as aligning to ideas or practices that don’t mean anything to you, or adopting trends and traditions that no longer apply to you.  

I believe that, as we move on with weddings, during and after the pandemic, we’ll be asked, both as wedding professionals and as clients, to seek and create meaning. To bring together all those people, traditions and things that actually add value to you and make you feel larger than life.  

Also, the word “celebration” will take a whole new meaning. Love and community are not small things, and even if the number of guests is small, the actual celebration will be bigger than ever. That is my wish for you.  

Luna Escondida is a 33–acre ranch that remained completely private up until 16 months ago when it became open to the public. When you walk through the gardens, the stables, the homes and all of the event areas, you feel how every little detail has been taken care of with attention and love. As a wedding designer, this place is the ultimate ideal canvas to work with.  

What makes this place so unique?  

The spaces  

From the main entrance, the organic farm and the conservation pounds, to the 30-year-old olive grove, the stables and the overall architecture, the ambiance at Luna is quite special. The vision of its owners is for you to feel at home, as if you were hosting your wedding in your own private yard. Now, I must admit that my own yard doesn’t look at all like Luna, but I totally get it! Couples who have celebrated their destination wedding have shared that they felt as if the ranch were an essential part of their love story.  

3 beautiful homes at your disposal  

When you choose the buyout option at Luna Escondida, you gain access to 3 newly renovated homes. Luna can accommodate up to 24 people in total. Each home has its own style and privacy. There, families can really enjoy the weekend and spend quality time while also having a private place to rest and restore.  

Amazing curated gardens 

One of Luna’s distinctive features is the Hummingbird area. The style and inspiration behind it were Monet’s gardens in France. A short walk through its tunnels and magical areas allows you to envision a beautiful ceremony.  

Vendors’ area 

Luna Escondida offers a designated vendors’ area with easy access to bathrooms, water, and showers. This is the ideal space for vendors to gather, florists to work prior to the events, waiters to go on short breaks, etc. When you see this from the vendors’ perspective, this space is awesome! Most places don’t offer this area, and if they do, it is rarely large enough, or even shaded.  

Beauty salon 

Villa Andrea, one of the homes at Luna, has a small and private beauty salon area. Beautiful natural light and a mini kitchenette for tea make it, in a few words, the perfect getting ready spot when you don’t want all your aunts and friends crowding your room.  

Exclusivity & Privacy   

Luna Escondida ensures your privacy. This means that no other event will be held during your wedding, even if the space allows for it. Thus, you can rest assured that nobody will randomly walk into your event.  

The Staff 

When you rent Luna, its services include: security staff, valet parking, housekeeping and a chef (as breakfast is included). Members of the staff at Luna work all year round, and they have been working for the owners for more than a decade. These are dedicated, committed and professional people who will be delighted to be part of your wedding.  

If you want to know more about this special wedding venue, let me know.  

• Listen to your clients. Now is the time to make your couples feel better, to support them, and to pay close attention to their (new) needs. This time is not easy. Think of the emotional rollercoaster they just went through. Be empathetic.  
• The other side of the coin is to take care of yourself. Be very clear about the new normal. What are the services moving forward? One thing is to support clients and vendors to honor fees for future dates, and quite another to create something else from scratch, only because now we have more time. If you have to design or produce something from zero, that should come with a price.  
• Get intentional with your business. Redefine your purpose and that unique gift that only you can offer. Who do you serve and why do you do it? There are two coaches who have been instrumental for me to get real about my intention and purpose, even if those occasionally change. Their names are Hiro Boga and Danielle Laporte. Both of them walk you through the spiritual side of business in a very practical and real way.  
• Get smart with your business. Now is the time to revisit your work process, your services, and the way you want to do things moving forward. You might be tempted to take any client as things start getting better, and that might not be the right way for your particular case. Sean Low (The business of being creative) and Liene Stevens (Think Splendid) are some of the smartest people in the wedding industry, or any creative industry for that matter. These talented consultants have years of experience behind them, and you’ll benefit greatly just by signing up for their free newsletters.  
• Learn something new, even if it’s not something related to your business. Actually, it would be better if it is not. Create new connections between your brain cells, challenge yourself, try something different. No one is looking, so do this one for yourself. 
• Move your body, in any way or form. The Class and their digital studio, has been a game changer for me, particularly during this isolation time. 

If you would like to share anything that has been helpful to you, please do contact me!  

We have been through hurricanes, and we have even had to move an entire wedding across the country. Thus, I’ve experienced enough challenges to know that, together, we can make it to the other side, both personally and professionally.  

It is hard to see the silver lining when we’re in the middle of the storm, because, literally, we don’t know what we don’t know. However, what we can already witness is the flowing creativity, the will to help and the goodness of humanity that this situation carries along. 

If you are planning a destination wedding and you had to postpone the date, I feel you. I know what it’s like to have your hopes and dreams vanish. My wish to you is that you can refocus your energy and your intention for the months to come. Your wedding WILL happen, and it will actually be way more meaningful, fun and unique to you if you let it.  

There might not be too many things on your to-do list, especially if your wedding was originally planned for March, April and May and you postponed it to the next 6 to 12 months. Chances are you already made all the decisions that needed to be made, and that all things were pretty much settled.  

However, you can take this time to savor what you’ve done so far, and to think on how you really want to experience the upcoming months and the wedding itself. I don’t mean you should go in opposite directions and start from zero, but I do think you have a beautiful opportunity to redefine the meaning of your wedding, and what you want your guests to experience.  

As a wedding professional, I already know that the relationships with my clients and colleagues are becoming stronger than ever. This is the time to listen to each other, to support each other in the best way possible, and to reinforce collaboration and loyalty.   

Assuming that you have already gone through the legal and practical options of postponing your destination wedding, here are some thoughts on what to do next.  

• Take care of yourself. I know this line is all over the internet. But truly, chill for now. You went to a very stressful series of events in order to finally make this decision. At the beginning, you thought you had an option, and soon enough it was evident that the only option was cancelling your wedding, and that is hard. Acknowledge that and then take the time, as a couple, to enjoy yourselves. 
• Check on your people. Ideally, write personal e–mails or make phone calls to your wedding guests, or at least to your wedding party and family. Show empathy towards them and their current situation. Some people might have lost their jobs or have family members who are ill, so traveling to another country, even at a future date, might not be their current priority.  
• Talk to your wedding planner, not as an urgent matter, but to establish a new normal. When will the next communication take place? Are many things pending, or not really? Is there any area you want to revisit? Do you have the option of changing some areas of the decor? Will that cost you extra?  
• I really don’t suggest to change your wedding plans completely, but do take time to intentionally define the most important aspects of your wedding, and realistically see how much room you have to perfect the wedding experience you want to create.  
• Try to find excitement again. Imagine that you might be dancing at your wedding to a song yet to be written!  
• Maybe… get a second dress! 

My wish to you and to all of us, is to find, together, the gift that lies within this situation. When things get tough, I often think: “show me the gift within this situation”. Unfortunately, I don’t know who to credit this line to, but it has helped me before in moments of darkness. 

No matter what the actual situation is, and no matter how hard or painful, I believe that we can find the gift that comes with it. Please know that I don’t mean to downplay or deny the gravity of the problem in matter, neither do I have an “everything will be alright” attitude. I believe that not everything will be alright, and that there already is and there will be more loss than we’re prepared for. But I also believe we can find the gift that the situation is trying to give us.

For me, it is showing up in this particular way. I already went through the denial of things, switching into distraction mode by watching Netflix and sitting on the couch all day. However, I soon realized that in order for me to really grow and show up for the people I serve, I need to stay present, suffer the pain and accept uncertainty. 

I know more than ever that my work is way beyond getting logistics right, beyond the beauty, and beyond achieving the perfect wedding picture. My job is to walk my clients through creating a wedding celebration that is, above all, meaningful, memorable and unique to them. 

My intention is to sort problems as they come, and they always do, with compassion, empathy and what sometimes feels like a swirl of a magic wand.

Today, more than ever before, I believe that couples and families will intentionally create a wedding for themselves, their loved ones and for the joy of their souls. 

I continue to be grateful for being part of an industry that celebrates love, connection and joy. I work with and for people that I respect, admire and love. This is the ultimate gift. I know that pain is a doorway to growth, and my invitation is to welcome it.

When traveling, I really enjoy going back memory lane, remembering all the clients that make my work possible; all the wonderful women, who certainly wowed me over and over again. Its no surprise that my favorite clients are genuinely special. They’re strong, fun and truly authentic. My clients are confident and never afraid to ask for help. They know their priorities, trust their judgment and trust the team they’ve hired.

Elegant in many different ways, my favorite bride appreciates and values high quality, innovation and creativity. She loves adventure and is open to new cultures and flavors. And ultimately, she wants her wedding to be a celebration of love. What else could I ask for?

Most wedding destinations in Mexico don´t grow flowers. San Miguel de Allende has an extended dry season and the option of local flowers is slim. Also, flowers like Bougainvillea that you see abundantly around the area are not an ideal flower to work with, unless you buy the whole plant. In other words, all of your wedding flowers will be either brought from Mexico City or from Holland, yes as in Europe.

My advice to clients is always the same, do tell me what your favorite flower is, do tell me what flower you don’t like and then let us work with the rest. Don’t´ get picky selecting flowers you know or you think will work well. Let the professional work their art, you would be surprised by the amazing results of blending different flowers and textures.