Just as Alex began reading her vows, the rain arrived.

Within moments, the pages in her vow book were soaked, the ink had blurred into watercolor, and guests were opening umbrellas across the rooftop. Instead of moving the ceremony indoors, she and Josh stayed exactly where they were, finishing their vows in the rain before the skies cleared in time for cocktail hour.

It was the perfect ending to a wedding built around doing things their own way. Hosted at Hotel Moxche, their Mexican destination celebration combined a palette inspired by sunrise, bold florals, multiple outfit changes, and plenty of personal traditions, proving that sometimes the best moments are the ones you never planned for.

What We Love About This Hotel Moxche Wedding

• A color palette inspired by years of sunrise photos during their long-distance relationship
• A fake first look starring one of the groom’s childhood best friends
• A ceremony officiated by a professional magician who performed a magic trick
• Rain-soaked vows that became one of the couple’s favorite memories
• A glass-smashing tradition that took two attempts to get right

Featured Vendor:
Lucy Gallagher Events

A Long-Distance Love Story Inspired the Entire Wedding

Technically, Josh made the first move by sliding into Alex’s DMs, but they didn’t meet until a gathering hosted by their bodybuilding coach in Austin. During a group photo, someone joked that “Josh has small calves.” Curious, Alex asked who Josh was, prompting a shy hand raise from across the crowd.”I thought he was super cute, so in a panic to keep his attention, I struck up a conversation about how white his shoes were.” Josh enthusiastically explained his shoe-cleaning routine before admitting they were actually brand new.

After spending more time together that evening, they stayed in touch despite living in different states. Before long, Alex packed up her two dogs and drove 16 hours to Colorado. “Realistically speaking, we just wanted to keep spending time with one another.” Those years of long-distance shaped far more than their relationship. They also inspired the look and feel of their wedding.

Turning a Destination Wedding Into a Vacation With Friends

Alex and Josh didn’t rush into planning. After enjoying their engagement for a while, they returned to Mexico for Christmas and happened to watch another couple get married at the resort. Meeting the wedding party made them realize they wanted the same thing: a wedding that gave everyone an excuse to slow down, spend time together, and enjoy a vacation..

That vision led them to Hotel Moxche, where the combination of modern architecture, lush landscaping, and intimate event spaces gave guests plenty of opportunities to relax between wedding events.

Finding the right planner was just as important. After interviewing planners across Mexico, they chose Junebug vendor Lucy Gallagher, whose collaborative approach helped Alex bring the colorful celebration she’d been imagining to life. “I saw what I wanted in my head, shared it with her, and we collaborated to make it come to life.”

Rain Turned the Ceremony Into One of Their Favorite Memories

By the morning of the wedding, weather reports suggested a storm was heading straight for the ceremony. As vendors discussed backup plans, Alex called Josh. “We didn’t travel all the way to Mexico to get married in a ballroom.” So they stayed with the original plan.

Their best friend Caleb officiated the ceremony. Since he’s also a professionally trained magician, Alex had one unusual request: perform a magic trick during the ceremony. He happily obliged.

Then, just as Alex began reading her vows, the rain started. “My pages were drenched, and the cursive loops ended up becoming a hard-to-read watercolor painting.” Guests opened umbrellas while the couple continued exchanging vows without rushing or changing course. “It couldn’t have been more of a romantic movie.”

The ceremony ended with another tradition that reflected both of them. Inspired by Josh’s Jewish heritage, they decided to include the ceremonial glass smashing. Alex, however, wasn’t about to let Josh have all the fun. “I told Josh we’d do it if I also got to smash a glass.” Her first attempt sent the glass sliding across the rooftop instead of breaking. Thankfully, it landed upright, giving her one more chance. “I nailed it on the second try.” 

How A Sunrise Became the Key Color Inspiration

During competition prep, Alex started every morning before sunrise. On the drive home from fasted cardio, she’d watch the sky shift through shades of pink, orange, yellow, and purple before sending Josh a photo. “I’d send it to him and tell him that I saw him this morning.” The tradition continued long after they were living in the same place.

Years later, those sunrise photos found their way into the wedding. Bright florals were one of the biggest priorities, inspired by both the changing sky and the wildflower fields Alex walks through near her home. “When Josh and I first met, he had an affinity for all black. I’ve grown to fall so in love with colors since knowing him.”

The ceremony at Hotel Moxche reflected that shift with abundant blooms and vibrant color woven throughout the day. 

Fashion Was One Thing They Never Compromised On

Fashion was one area where Alex and Josh knew exactly what they wanted to prioritize. Alex wasn’t expecting to choose an all-white gown, but the moment she slipped into her Rue De Seine dress, the search was over. The flowing silhouette, lace trim, and shoulder ties paired perfectly with a gold halo crown and fringe cowboy boots. “The look felt like a little muscle garden fairy, which is just my vibe.”

Josh brought his own personality to the day in a sage green suit embroidered with white florals, finished with an amber bolo tie. After some last-minute tailoring, it fit exactly as he’d imagined.

Rather than asking their wedding party to wear identical outfits, they encouraged everyone to make the look their own. Each bridesmaid wore a different color and silhouette, while the groomsmen wore warm caramel suits that complemented the rest of the palette without competing with it.

Outfit Changes, Dancing, and One Very Full Dance Floor

For the reception, both of them changed into something completely different. Josh swapped his jacket for a lace shirt, while Alex changed into a custom gown she designed with a local Austin designer known for traditional Indian wedding attire. The nude dress, embellished with green jewels, was made to be comfortable enough to wear long after the wedding. “I knew I didn’t want to wear white all night. I’m way too big of a mess and way too untraditional.”

They opened the evening with a choreographed first dance, giving Alex a chance to revisit her dance background while Josh confidently kept pace beside her. The celebration continued with the hora, where both sets of parents joined the traditional chair lifts, and a DJ who kept the dance floor busy from beginning to end. “We lucked out with one of the best DJs I’ve ever had the pleasure of listening to. There wasn’t a second of music playing that I didn’t like.”

The weather didn’t go according to plan, but almost everything else did. By trusting their instincts from the very beginning, Alex and Josh created a celebration that looked and felt exactly the way they had imagined—rain included.