When Savannah and Marc set out to plan their destination wedding, one goal took precedence over the rest: introducing the essence of Mexican culture to their guests. What better way than to host a wedding among the agave and cacti of Rancho Cebú just outside the beautiful city of Oaxaca de Juárez, Mexico?

Savannah and Marc’s worlds first collided when they attended UC Riverside in 2008. Not only did they live in the same dorm residence halls, but they had mutual friends. Throughout the years, they saw each other at different occasions, but Marc never broke the ice. Almost 10 years later, they reconnected through a mutual friend, and Marc finally mustered up the courage to slide into Savannah’s DMs. They began dating in 2017, and their bond grew strong over a shared love of food, Savannah’s love of travel and Marc’s love of cinema.

Things kicked off when the couple found an exceptional Oaxaca-based planner in Roberto Santiago. Then came a trip for Savannah and Marc to glimpse what their wedding might feel like in the storied city.

“Our first day in Oaxaca was memorable,” Savannah explains. “We made a reservation at a well-known restaurant called Casa Oaxaca, known for its authentic food, rustic dishes and one-of-a-kind mole, continuously placed on the Michelin Guide for all travelers to experience. While dining, there was also a Calenda right outside the restaurant, a well-known parade in Oaxaca that goes around the city center intended for celebratory, monumental moments. From that moment, deep in our hearts, we knew we had chosen the right place to get married and exchange our vows.”

The next day, Marc and Savannah began scouting venues with Roberto. Rancho Cebú, a mezcal distillery owned by Grupo Amantes, immediately stood out. The bride says she felt the setting “encapsulated Oaxaca and its nature; fields of agave with a picturesque background of the Tlacolula mountains.”

With a beautiful venue, a delightful caterer, and a stellar wedding planner in place, Savannah and Marc felt well-positioned for the celebration of a lifetime. Then something terrible and unexpected happened: their dear wedding planner passed away.

“This was truly heartbreaking,” Savannah says, “and we experienced a whirlwind of emotions.”

With heavy hearts, Savannah and Marc began their search anew for a wedding planner they could trust as much as they had Roberto, to carry out their Oaxaca wedding dreams. Thankfully, they found Yadira Castañeda, a wonderful wedding planner who lifted them up during this time.

“We constantly communicated with her and had video calls as well,” the bride says. “She was the bridge to all our connections in Oaxaca and made certain that we were on board with everything.”

Keeping Mexican culture as the centerpiece of every detail and décor meant decisions could be made quickly, yet with clear intention. The menu featured traditional Oaxacan cuisine with elevated mezcal drinks. Décor included papel picado as a ceiling accent, table numbers and chargers customized with a pink stone called “cantera rosa,” and whimsical floral arrangements by a florist from Puebla. In fact, all of Savannah and Marc’s vendors were local.

“I told my wedding planner that I wanted all my vendors to be local,” Savannah says. “I not only wanted to give back to the community, but I wanted an aesthetic representation of the state itself.”

All that careful planning led to one incomparable day among the agave of Rancho Cebú and the sights of the Tlacolula Valley. On the morning of the wedding, Marc and his grandfather both dressed in custom charro attire, while Savannah donned her off-the-shoulder Maggie Sottero gown. Guests filed into seats on two sides of a custom-built runway, framed by cacti and leading the eye to a half-moon floral installation.

Marc’s entrance song was “Cancion del Mariachi,” a tribute to Mexican culture and getting married in Mexico. Savannah walked in with her uncle to Elton John’s “Your Song,” a song she had dedicated to Marc many years ago on their anniversary. The two met at their officiant, a dear friend from UC Riverside who has known Marc for over 15 years.

“Both Marc and our officiant included my grandmother’s name, Carmela, during our ceremony to honor who she was in my life,” Savannah recalls. “That meant so much to me. My bouquet also had a picture of my Nana and me when I was two years old, my angel who was with me on my very special day.”

After the ceremony, the couple walked out to “Tú Sí Sabes Quererme” by Natalia Lafourcade, leading them to a post-wedding photo session among the desert landscape. Guests then shuffled into the luxurious curtain-draped reception space, adorned with Oaxacan charm. Menus designed to look like fresh-made tortillas awaited them on stone dinnerware as they sipped hyper-local cocktails and wine. The night capped off perfectly with hours of dancing under the stars.

“Something I learned firsthand about a destination wedding is that you must go into the process with an open mind,” the bride says, reflecting on wedding planning. “You have to acknowledge that you are getting married in another country, and each country has its own tendencies, expectations and timing. Trust the process and enjoy it; it’s short-lived.”

Vendors: Photographer: Mario Tijerina; Wedding Planner: Yadira Castañeda; Venue: Rancho Cebú via Grupo Amantes; Florist: Mara’al Curaduría Floral; Cake: Amaranto Pastry; Hair: Brittney Blake; Makeup: Kyla Stuart; Wedding Dress: Maggie Sottero; Wedding Dress Shop: Panache Bridal of Pasadena; Bridal Shoes: Valentino; Grooms’ Sombrero: El Charrito Tailor Shop; Catering: Casa Oaxaca el Restaurante; Mezcal: Los Amantes; Live Band: Gil Sanchez; DJ & Illumination: Efectos Digitales; Tent, Dance Floor, Bar & Custom Runway: Sica Eventos; Rentals: Palancares Alquileres; Linens: Victorino Amador; Chargers: Merakia; Late Night Bites: El Lechoncito de Oro; Welcome Cocktails Restaurant: Restaurante Nois; Farewell Lunch Restaurant: Tierra Del Sol; Wedding Invitation Design & Letterpress: Allegory Press; Signage & Custom Numbers: Monogram Design; Veil: Anthropologie Weddings

@destinationidoWhen Savannah and Marc set out to plan their destination wedding, one goal took precedence over the rest: introducing the essence of Mexican culture to their guests. What better way than to host a wedding among the agave and cacti of Rancho Cebú just outside the beautiful city of Oaxaca de Juárez, Mexico? Vendors: Photographer: Mario Tijerina; Wedding Planner: Yadira Castañeda; Venue: Rancho Cebú via Grupo Amantes; Florist: Mara’al Curaduría Floral; Cake: Amaranto Pastry; Hair: Brittney Blake; Makeup: Kyla Stuart; Wedding Dress: Maggie Sottero; Wedding Dress Shop: Panache Bridal of Pasadena; Bridal Shoes: Valentino; Grooms’ Sombrero: El Charrito Tailor Shop; Catering: Casa Oaxaca el Restaurante; Mezcal: Los Amantes; Live Band: Gil Sanchez; DJ & Illumination: Efectos Digitales; Tent, Dance Floor, Bar & Custom Runway: Sica Eventos; Rentals: Palancares Alquileres; Linens: Victorino Amador; Chargers: Merakia; Late Night Bites: El Lechoncito de Oro; Welcome Cocktails Restaurant: Restaurante Nois; Farewell Lunch Restaurant: Tierra Del Sol; Wedding Invitation Design & Letterpress: Allegory Press; Signage & Custom Numbers: Monogram Design; Veil: Anthropologie Weddings♬ original sound – Destination I Do