WEDDING BLOG

Jacqui and Phillip’s relationship started in London at the end of 2019, just weeks before the world shut down. After only three weeks of dating, Phillip moved back to New York, and the early days of their relationship unfolded long-distance during COVID lockdowns. Flights were uncertain, timelines constantly shifted, and much of their relationship existed through phone calls and future plans. But somewhere between navigating distance and reuniting for a road trip through Italy, they realized this was something much bigger than timing or logistics.

Years later, they brought everyone they loved together for a wedding weekend in San Miguel de Allende inspired by Old Hollywood glamour and the city’s vibrant energy. Between the black-tie fashion, candlelit dinners, tequila shots, and packed dance floor, the entire celebration captured the polished look they envisioned while still keeping the focus on time spent with the people they love most.

What We Love About This San Miguel de Allende Wedding:

• The “Old Hollywood meets San Miguel de Allende” vision woven throughout the entire weekend
• Black-tie fashion that still gave everyone room to show their own personality
• Taking a tequila shot with all their guests before reading their vows
• Handwritten letters tucked inside each guest’s custom place card envelope
• Hand-painted dance floor details inspired by traditional Mexican tilework

Featured Vendor:
Fer De Jesus

Why They Didn’t Want the Weekend to Feel Rushed

The festivities started with a rooftop welcome dinner at Tené Kitchen & Bar overlooking San Miguel de Allende at sunset. Mariachis, hibiscus margaritas, and family-style dishes immediately introduced guests to the spirit of the city while giving everyone a chance to properly connect before the wedding day itself.

One detail guests especially loved came as a surprise from Phillip’s sister and sister-in-law: a custom wedding magazine filled with stories and photos from friends and family. It became an instant conversation starter and set a warm tone for the rest of the weekend.

The couple highly recommends building in extra time with guests if possible, especially for destination weddings. With guests making the trip from all over, they wanted the celebration to unfold over a few days instead of rushing everything into one evening.

Figuring Out What Was Worth the Investment

Like many couples planning a destination wedding, Jacqui and Phillip had to constantly decide where their budget would have the biggest impact. Their answer became surprisingly simple: if guests wouldn’t genuinely remember or experience it, it probably wasn’t worth prioritizing. “We always thought of the guests first, then embellishments second,” they shared.

Because guests traveled so far for the black-tie celebration, they focused heavily on food, drinks, music, and overall hospitality. Once those larger experience-driven elements were secured, they invested in photography with Junebug vendor Fer de Jesús Photography and videography to make sure the memories were captured the way they envisioned.

Smaller details only made the cut if they contributed something meaningful to the experience itself. Personalized cocktail napkins, handwritten notes, and custom shot glasses all became memorable because guests actively interacted with them throughout the night.

Letting Everyone Interpret the Black-Tie Dress Code Their Own Way

Even with a formal dress code, Jacqui and Phillip wanted people to look like themselves instead of matching perfectly. 

Jacqui wore the iconic Camille gown by Vivienne Westwood paired with oversized vintage Oscar de la Renta earrings and a lace veil that carried deep family history. The veil originally belonged to Phillip’s aunt and has since been worn by multiple women in his family across generations. She also carried her late grandmother Shirley’s vintage handkerchief during the ceremony.

For the reception, she changed into a sleek satin open-back dress by DATT and swapped softer makeup for a bold red lip once the party officially started.

Her bridesmaids were simply told “black-tie” and “glamorous,” then given total creative freedom from there. The result was eclectic, elevated, and perfectly suited to the vibrant atmosphere of San Miguel de Allende.

Phillip also incorporated deeply personal details into his tuxedo. Alongside his Reiss tuxedo, he wore polished Tecovas cowboy boots as a nod to his Texas upbringing, gold and onyx cufflinks passed down from his father, and a vintage 1979 Rolex Presidential that once belonged to his grandfather. His custom shirt studs were made from Mexican gold peso coins from the 1940s, subtly tying family history to the location itself.

Letting the Anticipation Build Until the Ceremony

Jacqui and Phillip intentionally chose not to do a first look because they wanted to fully experience seeing each other for the first time during the ceremony itself. That decision unexpectedly created two very different but equally meaningful mornings.

Phillip spent the lead-up to the ceremony walking through the streets of San Miguel de Allende with around 30 of his closest friends and family members, while Jacqui spent a slower morning getting ready with her mother, sisters, nephew, and bridesmaids. By the time they finally saw each other at the altar, the anticipation felt real in the best possible way.

Turning the Ceremony Into Something Guests Could Actually Participate In

The ceremony took place at Casa de la Luz, Phillip’s parents’ Spanish Colonial home in central San Miguel de Allende. The property’s courtyard, fountain, terracotta tones, and overflowing florals already carried so much character that the couple intentionally avoided over-decorating the space.

Live music played a huge role in creating the atmosphere. A grand piano was rolled from the living room into the courtyard where pianist Alberto Macedo and jazz singer Pablo Buniak performed throughout the ceremony.

One of the couple’s closest friends officiated, which immediately made the ceremony more relaxed and personal. Instead of keeping guests quiet and formal, they specifically encouraged cheering, clapping, and celebrating throughout the ceremony.

Before reading their vows, Jacqui and Phillip even paused for a tequila shot with all their guests using custom shot glasses that had been gifted upon arrival earlier in the weekend. It became one of those moments people will probably talk about long after the wedding.

Not Wanting to Miss Their Own Cocktail Hour

After the ceremony, guests moved into a poolside cocktail hour filled with jazz music, handcrafted margaritas, Old Fashioneds, and local dishes like ceviche, mini tostadas, flautas, and colorful mini gorditas. One unexpected highlight was Phillip’s decision to hire an artisan cigar roller on the rooftop balcony, which quickly became a crowd favorite.

But one of the couple’s biggest decisions during cocktail hour was actually what they didn’t do. Rather than disappearing for long stretches, they intentionally kept formal photography minimal so they could spend more time with guests. That choice allowed them to actually experience the cocktail hour they spent so much time planning, instead of hearing about it afterward from everyone else.

Putting Personal Meaning Into the Smallest Details

Some of the most memorable details from the wedding weren’t necessarily the largest ones. Jacqui scanned a letter Phillip wrote to her during the early days of their long-distance relationship and had his handwriting printed onto cocktail napkins. The note read: “At the very least, it would be fun. At the most it could change everything. How’s that for an adventure! All my love, Phillip.” She later referenced the same line again during her vows.

Phillip also created custom lapel pins for the men in his family and closest friends, each one symbolizing where they met him through icons tied to Texas, New York, London, and other meaningful places.

But the detail guests seemed most emotional about was the seating arrangement itself. Each place setting included a custom envelope that functioned as a name card, menu, and handwritten letter all in one. Jacqui and Phillip personally wrote notes to every single guest attending the wedding. It took an enormous amount of time, but it became one of the most talked-about parts of the entire weekend.

Ending the Night With Churros, Champagne, and a Packed Dance Floor

The reception fully embraced the “rowdy after dark” side of the couple’s original vision. Jacqui and Phillip entered to Barry White’s “You’re the First, the Last, My Everything” with a double champagne spray before guests sat down for a Mexican buffet dinner catered by Los de Chivis. Handmade tortillas were prepared live throughout the evening alongside dishes like cochinita pibil, fajitas, rajas, and tinga de pollo.

The long imperial tables created a communal atmosphere filled with candles, roses, hydrangeas, and cascading amaranthus in greens, whites, pinks, and wine tones. One especially meaningful floral choice was the inclusion of green and white hydrangeas, which reminded Jacqui of her grandmother.

Later in the evening, Fox DJs kept the dance floor packed while fresh churros and late-night snacks were passed around directly to dancing guests. A black-and-white photo booth captured high-contrast portraits that felt perfectly in step with the wedding’s vintage glamour aesthetic.

And somehow, despite spending months waiting for something to go wrong across three full days of events, Jacqui and Phillip say everything turned out exactly the way they hoped it would. “If we could, we would experience this day a million times over and not change a single thing about it.”