Looking for authentic touches for your Mexican destination wedding? Pueblo Bonito is catching on to the popular trends and requests of brides and incorporating in one-of-a-kind elements that celebrate the region and offer a unique touch to the big day. From cakes and cocktails to decor and music, Pueblo Bonito can turn your wedding into the Mexican fiesta of your dreams.
“We’re getting a huge number of requests from brides who want to incorporate local cultural touchstones in their ceremonies and receptions,” said Maira Gallegos, Group Sales Director for Pueblo Bonito Resorts. “Couples today want to do things differently from what their parents and grandparents did. They want to make the whole experience richer for themselves, their families and their friends.”
Pueblo Bonito Resorts collectively host more than 300 weddings each year. A big selling point, says Enrique Gandara, Pueblo Bonito’s Vice President of Sales & Marketing, is that Pueblo Bonito’s all-inclusive wedding packages provide one-stop planning for couples, from the wedding site and guest accommodations to the menus and entertainment.
Here Gandara and her team offer up five new ideas for couples to add that Mexican flair and Baja touch to their big celebration.
Cakes
Skip the traditional white cake and opt for something like a churro (fried-dough pastry) cake, a staple in Mexican sweets, or a unique cake made with whole cheeses and decorated with herbs and local wildflowers. The Chocolate Shop at The Market at Quivira, a gourmet food hall at Sunset Beach, offers couples the chance to order a cake decorated with the shop’s signature macaroons with flavors ranging from hot chocolate to 100% Mexican vanilla. The Market’s chocolate-covered strawberries “disguised as a bride and groom,” also add a subtle touch to the sweet table.
Mixology & Signature Drinks
Organize mezcal tastings of the smoky agave-based spirit at the rehearsal dinner or use tequila for the wedding toasts, instead of Champagne, something popular in Cabo. Couples can also gift guests with mini bottles of tequila or mezcal or small bottles of Corona beer. Local liqueurs like Damiana (a Baja plant reputed to be an aphrodisiac) or herbs from the chef’s garden at Pacifica are a popular addition to the signature drinks, along with water infused with local tropical fruit before the ceremony.
Food
Keep the dinner reception or the rehearsal dinner casual with a taco station complete with a live chef carving the meats and fish and whipping up authentic Baja-style and shrimp tacos among other varieties. Or serve up green ceviche in tequila cups or spicy tuna on tostados during the cocktail reception or as an appetizer at dinner.
Entertainment
Popular entertainment choices for U.S. and Canadian couples include Mariachi bands during the cocktail hour along with donning sombreros for photos with the bands. Bonfires have also increased in popularity, especially at Pacifica and Sunset Beach. With no formal seating and shoes optional, it provides the perfect informal setting for everyone to get to know each other. In fact, up to 50% of couples who stage their wedding at a Pueblo Bonito resort prefer bonfires to the classic rehearsal dinner. Folk music is also on the rise, with Mexican guitarists and harpists often alternating with a DJ at the beginning of the wedding party.
Decor & Style Trends
Popular colors for this year include white, violet and palettes of nude with burgundy touches, accented with gold and rose gold. String lights and chandeliers are also popular themes along with the use of foliage like eucalyptus, rosemary and lavender on the tables, entrances and altar. Foliage is also used in bouquets, in signature drinks and bow decorations, and as photo backdrops. Macramé table runners, rectangular wooden tables sans tablecloths and centerpieces made of wood and jacales (tiny thatched-roof huts) lend to the popular rustic-themed setups. Even place cards are getting attention with the use of onyx or marble as opposed to traditional holders. “We still have traditional brides who want traditional flower arrangements, but we’re seeing more demand for local greenery,” she said.
For more information, visit: pueblobonito.com or call 1.800.990.8250