In addition to being charming and attractive in a very old Hollywood glamor kind of way, Lisa + Oscar are also super conscientious of their wedding guests! With friends and family scattered all over North America and Lisa’s younger brother getting engaged a month before Lisa and Oscar, the two couples teamed up to plan destination weddings in the same week in the same town. What a great idea! Mexico in November…with friends and loved ones…AND attend two weddings?? Yes, please!!!
Lisa + Oscar | November 18th, 2011 | Cabo Azul Resort, San Jose del Cabo, Mexico
The Ceremony
I’m from a small farm town outside of Toronto and Oscar is from Los Angeles. We met when we were both living and working in NYC. My younger brother Nick got engaged a month before we did. He and his fiancée decided they wanted a destination wedding. Oscar and I had always planned on a destination wedding as well, as our friends were scattered all over North America. Rather than having friends and family choose between which wedding to attend, we decided to hold them in the same town, during the same week. We chose the Cabo and Nick & Jess chose the dates! It was amazing for all of us to share the wedding experience together, and all of our Canadian guests who flew into Cabo were able to attend two weddings in one week!
Oscar and I had visited the Cabo Azul Resort on vacation while we were dating and from the moment we stepped foot on the resort – I knew that it would be the place we’d marry if we ever decided to take our relationship to the next level. Two years later, that’s exactly what we did! The five-story open-air chapel, complete with flaming torches, and candle lit waterfalls flowing down the walls was so romantic. We decided that sunset would be the perfect time to say our “I do’s”. We wanted the ceremony to be personal – so we wrote the entire thing (including the vows) ourselves and asked our friend Ryan to marry us. I surprised Oscar & his family by reciting a part of my vows in Spanish. As we walked up the aisle as husband and wife, we were serenaded by a 5-piece mariachi band – and the party began!
The Reception
The reception was held at Javier’s – the main restaurant at the Cabo Azul Resort. Our 80 guests were seated outside, surrounded by candles and the sound of waves crashing along the coast of the Sea of Cortez. Our color scheme was red and shades of grey/silver/charcoal, although candlelight was probably the most important element in setting the elegant-romantic mood we were going for. During cocktail hour we had a musician playing Spanish guitar covers of rock classics, and then we switched over to a DJ during the dinner hour. Guests enjoyed a dinner of steak and shrimp or sea bass, and we had the chef create a custom chocolate “bomb” dish to satisfy Lisa’s chocoholic tendencies. We decided to forego a traditional wedding cake, and instead treated guests to a delicious taco bar at midnight. After inviting guests to come up and say a few words (a few friends even wrote and performed an original song), everyone hit the dance floor. When the resort told us it was time to wrap things up, everyone jumped on a bus and headed into Cabo San Lucas for a few more hours of dancing at Pink Kitty, a local nightclub. The celebrations lasted well into the wee hours of the morning.
Lisa’s Dress Search
Because our wedding was taking place in Mexico, I originally was looking for something very light and beachy. I was thinking a lace sheath would be my best bet. However, after trying on a dozen or so dresses, nothing seemed quite right. My mom flew out to visit me in LA and she pulled this Ines Di Santo off the rack. I instantly fell in love with the old Hollywood glamor and classic styling. Because it was being offered as a sample, it made it possible for me to afford a dress by a designer that I had thought was out of my league. The minute I put it on, it felt right – the peu de soie was so luxurious – I felt like a million bucks!
How Lisa Felt in Her Wedding Dress
Elegant, special and sexy!
Why Lisa Decided to Sell Her Wedding Dress
My dress is very special to me, but the idea of it sitting all cooped up in a dry-cleaning bag for the next 50 years does nothing for me – I’d love someone else to wear it and enjoy it as much as I did!
