Our Oaxaca Wedding

Our dream wedding in one of our favorite cities in the world, Oaxaca. Featured in British Vogue.

Jan 18, 2024

Oaxaca is one of my favorite places in the entire world. When I first heard of this place, I knew I had to visit it before I knew much about it. From the moment we arrived via bus from San Cristobal de las Casas to Oaxaca City, I felt like I’d been here before.

To catch you up, in January of 2022, we made our way to Mexico after spending six months in Guatemala. Mexico has always been in the back of my mind; by that, I don’t mean the touristy resort side of Mexico. I mean the real Mexico. I once saw Oaxaca on TV. I didn’t know much about it or even how to pronounce it correctly, but I knew I needed to go after seeing the food, how the women dressed, and the bright, colorful streets. And for Chiko, it was a chance for him to reconnect to his Mexican roots. So, we planned to spend three months in Mexico to get a feel for what/if we might want to consider long-term. We chose a month in each city as we were only granted three months at the border: San Cristobal de las Casas, Oaxaca City, and Mexico City.

As much as I loved San Cristobal de las Casas, there has been no place, and I mean no place, that took my breath away the way Oaxaca did. From the vibrant colors, the food, the people, the culture, the scenery, and the weather, it was everything I’ve ever dreamt of. To me, it felt like I arrived “home.”

So we returned after our three-month-long Mexico journey in Oaxaca City for four months before making our way to the Oaxacan Coast of Puerto Escondido, where we immediately fell in love and allowed us to be close to one of our favorite cities but living our dream beach life while still getting some Oaxacan culture with a mix of other cultures being that it’s an “expat/foreigner” place.

In February of 2023, I received a message from a stranger (@letyaltamphotography) complimenting Chiko and me and asking if we would be models for a wedding photoshoot in Oaxaca City. I looked at her page and thought her work was beautiful and that it would be a cool opportunity for us. I hesitated to ask Chiko as I wasn’t sure he would be open to it, as we planned a whole route around that timeframe. I mentioned it, and his immediate response was, “Why not?” I was surprised.

So, with some back-and-forth communication and a few questions asked, she booked us a hotel in the city and reserved a day for us to receive a complimentary shoot and an entire day dedicated to the wedding shoot.

I honestly wasn’t sure what to expect. I’ve gotten messages from others and never really responded or followed through, but there was something about Lety that I felt like I could trust even without knowing her.

So, on April 25th, we met up for our photo shoot, and it felt like I’d known her my entire life. She made us feel at home and like she was family. We walked around Oaxaca City while shooting at some of our favorite spots. I wanted to capture our love for the city and a chill cafe vibe. We didn’t talk much about the next day, except she mentioned we would be in a Calenda.

If you’re unfamiliar, a Calenda is a famous parade in Oaxaca to celebrate different events such as major holidays, weddings, baptisms, and graduations. You can find them pretty much daily in Oaxaca City. I told Lety not to say it to Chiko until the next day. I didn’t want him to freak out or overthink it, and quite frankly, neither did I.

The next morning, we woke up just as it was any day. I had to meet them early as a hair and makeup artist unexpectedly awaited me. When I walked into Casa Antoinetta, I quickly realized this was the real deal. They had two other photographers, a wedding planner, a hair and makeup artist, and a stylist—they were lovely.

Once we were finished, we headed up to the suite in Casa Antoinetta for some bridal photos, and wow, this place is stunning. I first stumbled upon Casa Antoinetta because of the Cafe Muss attached at the front and was curious about the rooms that are frequently booked out and quite pricey. It was stunning, and they just added a rooftop terrace cafe (amaterraza,) which is breathtaking, and you don’t need to stay at the hotel to visit.

Once Chiko arrived and we finished getting ready, it was time for the “first look.” We aren’t technically married, but we’ve been together for 10+ years and have always talked about what marriage means and what this day would look like for us. It truly felt like what I’d imagine a real “first look.” He was so handsome, and I felt as beautiful as ever. When we finished, we headed to the venue, where they set up the most stunning table with gorgeous orange and purple flower arrangements in an old Oaxacan building. We grabbed a quick bite of appetizers and coffee provided by the venue and headed to our Calenda.

I was NOT expecting to be in a real Calenda on the most famous street in Oaxaca. I was quite nervous, but it was an experience of a lifetime. When we first arrived in March of 2021, we saw wedding calenda’s almost daily, and we even talked about having an Oaxaca wedding. We danced with everyone, took shots of Mezcal, and had a blast! It’s a memory I will never forget and holds such a special place in my heart. Everything felt so natural and real, and it was nice to celebrate and capture our love genuinely.

We finished the Calenda and returned to the venue, where we shot more photos, had our first dance (Chiko picked the song), and had a beautiful and delicious white cake that I still dream about.

This day was a dream, and I’m so grateful to the entire team for making us feel so at ease and having the opportunity to be a part of this project. Do we even have to have a “real” wedding now? I mean, they picked everything that felt so… us.