With dreams of an intimate wedding weekend with close friends and family, Sherry and Eric found that Esperanza in Cabo San Lucas best represented their personalities and style. With sunny skies, clear beaches and a hint of elegance, the couple knew they wouldn’t have their destination wedding any other way.

With only six months to plan a wedding 16 years in the making, Sherry and Eric’s family and friends were thrilled that they were tying the knot and had no problem traveling to a location most of them hadn’t visited. Playing hosts to their guests, while also exploring a new destination, the couple made sure the location was easy to travel to and as hassle free as possible. Doing their homework and ruling out any factors that might have impacted the wedding such as weather, travel logistics and budget, the lovebirds ended up enjoying their perfect weekend wedding.

With a couple of DIY projects such as a piñata filled with Chinese/Taiwanese wedding treats, candies and red envelopes for good fortune, the couple incorporated their culture with local traditions. Also adding a little bit of their own personalized style to the celebration, mini head cut-outs as customized name cards were placed on the tables for each assigned seat.

“I’m not going to lie, it was stressful, but a lot of fun at the same time,” says Sherry. “We were planning with the people we love and for the people we love and we enjoyed every moment!”

The only thing that hadn’t gone as planned was their budget. “Most of our friends who have planned a destination wedding told us that we would most likely exceed, by a lot, whatever budget we had in mind,” says the couple. “It’s very true.” But, with a wedding planner that helped coordinate with vendors from afar, everything turned out great.

We asked the bride to share any advice she might have for other couples looking to plan their own destination weddings. “Wedding planning is a lot of work no matter local or afar,” Sherry says. “Don’t forget to enjoy and cherish every part of the process, even if it might seem stressful at the time. For us, it was those little moments and decisions we made together (or not together sometimes) leading up to the wedding day that made the whole experience memorable. On the actual wedding day, just enjoy, relax, breathe and absorb as much as you can. It will fly by before you know it.” 

Vendors: Photographer: 4 Eyes Photography, Wedding Planner: Elena Damy, Ceremony/Reception Site: Esperanza, Auberge Resorts Collection, Florist: Elena Damy, Stationery: The Printable Wedding, Cake: Dessert Bar by Esperanza, Hair & Makeup: Mimi Kuang, Gown Designer: Reem Acra, Groom’s Clothing Designer: Paul Smith, Bridesmaids/Groomsmen’s Clothing Designer: Amsale, Wedding Shoes: Manolo Blahnik, Brides’ Wedding Ring: Custom Design, Groom’s Wedding Ring: Harry Winston