For Kathryn and William, their wedding wishes were simple: spend tons of quality time with their loved ones in a fabulous destination.

Initially, the couple thought they would say “I do” where they got engaged, but after attending a friend’s destination wedding, they got cold feet. “We thought we had our hearts set on getting married in Vail, but when one of our best friends got married in San Miguel de Allende, we simply fell in love with it,” says Kathryn. In fact, the couple made it their mission to ensure their 80 guests fell head-over-heels in love with the historic Mexican city.

Once the couple discovered a charming church right across the street from their chosen reception venue, they knew the stars were aligned. The bride and her wedding designers took a unique approach to styling the event by having two distinct color palettes. “[For the ceremony] I wanted an all-white color palette to speak to the purity of the church, so Todd Events came up with a simple, but stunning arrangement that worked perfectly in the space.” For the reception, the couple pumped-up the volume with rich, romantic colors in their décor.

The newlyweds incorporated a local wedding tradition by traveling from the church to the reception with a mariachi-fueled parade through the streets. Guests were also immersed in the local culture with traditional Mexican food and drink, music and even a sweeping view of the San Miguel de Allende skyline from the rooftop reception location. As they had hoped, Kathryn and William made their destination the true star of their wedding weekend. “We arranged for a trolley tour of San Miguel for all our wedding guests so they could explore the city together. I think it is really important to let your wedding guests explore the city you’ve asked them to come to.”

VENDORS: Photographer: John Cain Photography, Wedding & Event Design: Todd Events, Ceremony Site: Saint Paul’s Church in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, Reception Site: Rosewood San Miguel de Allende, Florist: Todd Events produced by Arte Floral, Stationery: Papellerie, Linens: La Tavola Linen, Reception Décor Rental: Trinitate, Bouquet Rosary: Maria Elena Headpieces, Bride/Bridesmaids’ “Getting Ready” Dresses: Custom-made by Mi Golondrina, Bride’s Wedding Gown: Oscar de la Renta purchased at Joan Pillow Bridal Salon, Bride’s Veil: Oscar de la Renta, Bride’s Shoes: Tabitha Simmons, Jimmy Choo and Stubbs and Wootton, Bride’s Necklace and Earrings: H. Stern, Bride’s Bracelet: Van Cleef & Arpels, Hair: Laura Cerón, Makeup: Jimena Tamayo Cordova, Groom’s Tuxedo: Canali, Groom’s Shirt: Eton, Groom’s Shoes: Gucci, Groom’s Pocket Square: Brioni, Groom’s Sunglasses: Tod’s.

This article first appeared in Destination I Do’s Spring/Summer 2016 issue. You can order a copy here.