Cass and Adam first thought about eloping because planning a big wedding was too stressful with many cultures and people involved. Adam is half Bengali and half Mexican, while Cass is half French and half Swiss. They met in Kenya when they were five and have since lived in many different countries. One side of their family wanted a big wedding with over 300 guests, while the other side preferred a small gathering of fewer than 50. Ultimately, they realized they wanted a big party where all their friends and family could come together. And they did just that! Their intimate Hacienda Sac Chich wedding weekend beautifully blended all cultures and became the joyous celebration they dreamed of.

Tucked away in the lush jungle of the Yucatán, with equal parts old-world charm and modern design, they couldn’t have chosen a more spectacular setting for their celebration. The 17th-century renovated henequen factory provided a magical backdrop for their ceremony, featuring a mix of cultural traditions. They had a traditional Bengali mirror ceremony and sealed a wine bottle with letters to open on their 5th anniversary, a French tradition. The garden reception that followed was equally enchanting, with lots of candles and long tables for conversation, all under glowing string lights.

We could go on and on, but we’ll let these images captured by Junebug member Alex Krotkov tell the complete story. If you’re looking for inspiration on how to create a unique celebration that honors your heritage, look no further.

The Couple:

Cass and Adam

The Wedding:

Hacienda Sac Chich, Yucatan, Mexico

A Intimate Hacienda Sac Chich Wedding Weekend of Cultural Harmony and Blending Traditions

We had a friends-only party on Thursday night so everyone could meet with friends from New Zealand, South Africa, Switzerland, France, and Denmark. On Friday, we hosted welcome drinks at a wine bar, wearing traditional Bengali outfits with Mariachi music, blending our cultures perfectly. Saturday was our wedding day, featuring a mix of cultural traditions. We had a conventional Bengali mirror ceremony where we looked at each other in a mirror and stated what we saw. We also sealed a wine bottle with letters to open on our 5th anniversary, a French tradition. Everything felt intimate. Adam and I took pictures with each guest, using them as the seating chart, and wrote personal notes for everyone. With 125 guests, the wedding felt incredibly intimate. The atmosphere featured lots of candles and long tables for conversation. During dinner, we played a French game where guests stood up if a statement applied to them, and we guessed what they had in common.

Embracing the Opportunity to Unite Loved Ones

You can do both, but if you’re ever in doubt about having a wedding—do it. You won’t regret it. We legally got married on our 10th anniversary in NYC on February 16th, 2023, with just the two of us. It felt like we had the elopement piece and didn’t need to plan a bigger wedding. But thank goodness we did! It’s the only time in your life when everyone unique to you will be in one place. As two people who have lived all over and have family worldwide, this was our one moment for all our loved ones to meet.

How They Made Each Guest Feel Valued at Their Intimate Hacienda Sac Chich Wedding

Our ability to make a 125-person wedding feel intimate was worth all the time and effort. Using pictures with each guest as the seating chart and writing a personal note to each guest made everyone feel special. We wanted to show appreciation to everyone who tried to celebrate with us. It was important to us that our guests felt our love for them. We wanted our wedding to be a close, heartfelt party with our friends and family, ensuring everyone felt welcome and valued.

The Story Behind Their Unique Intimate Hacienda Sac Chich Wedding Favors

We are very proud of our wedding favors, and many people don’t know the effort that went into them. Each guest received a little pouch and a travel tag. The pouches symbolized Bangladesh, and we filled them with French dragees (chocolate-covered almonds), a typical wedding treat in France. We initially ordered the pouches from Amazon but wanted a different quality, so Adam’s mom had them custom-made in Indonesia, choosing the fabric for each one. Cass’s mom brought the dragees and lavender from their garden in France. Both moms assembled the pouches with the dragees, lavender, and a little note when they arrived in Mexico, symbolizing the union of cultures. The travel tags, featuring our initials and the wedding date, were a keepsake to reflect our love for travel and to honor the journey everyone made to be with us on our special day.

How Adam’s Childhood Find Became a Sweet and Meaningful Wedding Surprise

Adam gave me a very significant ring that brought me to tears while I was getting ready (there are a few pictures from that moment). When he was eight years old, he found an engagement ring in the street in Vietnam. He kept it all these years, and I knew about it. I often asked him when I could have it, but he always said no. He had it appraised to ensure it was real diamonds, and on our wedding day, he gave it to my bridesmaids to present to me with a note: “I always knew I was going to give this ring to the woman I marry. I love you.”

Congratulations to Cass and Adam on their intimate Hacienda Sac Chich wedding, which was a celebration of cultures. A heartfelt thank you to Junebug vendor One Cameraman for expertly capturing every moment of their unforgettable celebration. For more beautiful celebrations like this, explore his profile in our directory of the best wedding videographers from around the world. We also have to thank Junebug vendors YucatanLove and Alex Krotkov for helping bring their vision to life. It’s proof that magic happens when Junebug vendors work together!

Their wedding shows how adding personal and creative touches can make your day unforgettable. If their special day has inspired you, but you’re unsure where to start, don’t worry! Our guide to planning a multicultural celebration is here to help, with plenty of ideas to get you started on your own extraordinary journey.