Planning a destination wedding can be a daunting task, but for Sean and Curtis, it was the perfect way to celebrate their special day. After meeting at a bar trivia night in November of 2017, they started talking the next day and their relationship quickly blossomed.

“Sean grew up in Seattle and he is also in real estate,” Curtis says. “Combine that with his outgoing personality and you have an initial local wedding guest list of 700 plus. Yikes, Sean isn’t Princess Diana!”

After visiting Cabo for the first time for Curtis’ 30th birthday in November 2020, the couple fell in love with the destination. They visited several more times within that year and discovered The Cape, A Thompson Hotel, and met wedding planner, Emmanuel Vega, through a mutual friend.

“After meeting with him, we knew a destination wedding could be a reality,” the couple explains. “It allowed us to trim down the guest list and enjoy the sunny, warm beaches with our closest friends and family.”

However, it wasn’t an easy decision for some of their family and friends. There was pushback from some people, due to the cost and COVID. But, Sean and Curtis managed to get 85 guests onboard with few issues. Planning a destination wedding can be challenging, but they managed to pull it off with Emmanuel’s expertise and hard work. Curtis also organized the family welcome dinner at Flora Farms, as well as transportation to/from the airport. He created a shared Google sheet for guests to enter their flight and contact information, which made it easier for them to share taxi services. Sean, on the other hand, designed their suits, chose the table settings and flowers, and found their jewelry and shoes. The suiting and Sean’s cape were Bespoke by KEP, with the cape hand-jeweled by a family friend in Seattle who is known for creating custom outfits for Olympic Figure Skaters. His cape represented their location as well as paid homage to his Scottish heritage.

“We had it as close to the water as possible, perched on the terrace overlooking the arches of Cabo San Lucas (we avoided the sand because of our shoes),” Sean says. “It was visible to the entire hotel, and it was obvious that many other hotel guests decided to attend from their balconies.”

The couple remembers it being a quick but very windy ceremony. But, that wind allowed Sean’s cape to fly and really be shown off in photos and video. Their good friend and Pastor, Paul, officiated.

The reception was held at The Glimpse, a rooftop bar on-property that overlooks both the ocean as well as the desert landscape inland. The sunset gave way to the twinkling city lights of Cabo San Lucas as the music began. 

“We’ve seen plenty of beautiful weddings at The Cape,” the couple says, “but we wanted ours to feel different. We didn’t want it to feel like we brought an American country club down with us. Instead, we wanted it to be more authentic to Mexico, which is why we chose the bright colors, décor, style, food and local flowers that we did.”

Other personalizations Sean and Curtis employed were not only to help tell their story as a couple but to add unique elements for an unforgettable occasion.

“First, ahead of the weekend, and in lieu of gifts, we asked for donations toward planning for parenthood,” the couple explains. “The guests all thought this was cute and went right along with it. Second, once in Cabo, we hinted that there would be a surprise following our first dance. We meant the two minutes of fireworks, but we never confessed what it was because we wanted the experience to be stellar. Third, our first dance was Simply the Best by Noah Reid (from the TV show, Schitt’s Creek).”

Once all was said and done, Sean and Curtis’ destination wedding turned out to be the perfect way to celebrate their love with their closest friends and family. It wasn’t an easy decision, but it allowed them to trim down the guest list and enjoy the sunny, warm beaches of Cabo.

Vendors: Photography: Anna Gomes Photo; Wedding Planner: Emmanuel Vega Events; Venue: The Cape, A Thompson Hotel; Videography: Hart Cinema; Hair & Makeup: Piel Canela Makeup Studio; Florals: BlushNroses; Rentals: Del Cabo Events; DJ: Alex DJ Cabo Events; Ceremony Music: Gramusik; Stationery: Zola; Groom Suits & Cape: Klein Epstein Parker; Grooms’ Shoes: Louboutin; Grooms’ Accessories: David Yurman; Wedding Party’s Clothing Designers: Indochino & David’s Bridal; Family Dinner: Flora Farms