Sayulita Wedding by Sarah Yates + Sitting in a Tree
I have been waiting for soooo long to devour every inch of this gorgeous wedding and it has fully lived up to my south of the border dreams. Tori, the ravishing bride, is half of the fab duo behind Sitting in a Tree Events so we knew before we ever laid eyes on this Sayulita beauty that it was going to be good – like pinch us, we’re in destination wedding dreamland kind of good. Sarah Yates was on site to capture all of the amazing hand-crafted details and so many dreamy moments. All in a days work for this rock star photographer. There seriously were far too many swoon-worthy bits so you must, must check out the gallery for more Mexico goodness.
Click here to see the entire image gallery!
And that’s not all lovelies, the sweet little churro on top is this perfect film by Austin Hendrix Productions (the groom!). Talk about a wedding power couple…
From the Bride… Margaritas, fish tacos and a vision of vintage Mexico inspired our Sayulita Wedding. We were in search of a town where time slowed and fishing boats, surfers and dogs littered the sand. Nothing too perfect or pristine – a Mexico that is still full of authentic charm, dirt roads, women making churros in the town square, lush landscaping and not a tour bus in sight. An unconventional destination wedding in a place people wouldn’t normally go, yet would fall madly in love with once they arrived. A place of memories tied distinctly to our union. We fell in love with the idea of Mexico years ago on a trip for a friend’s wedding and knew we would someday be married there.
Our love of all things vintage inspired everything from our handkerchief invites to my bouquet and the boutonnieres. We spent a month designing and printing our wedding invitations on fabric with a home printer, an iron and some freezer paper. We wanted our invitations to arrive in the mail looking like small packages of love letters. I collected stamps on Ebay for envelopes, while at the same time scouring antique stores for vintage brooches for my bouquet. Once I had 60 on hand I spent 2 days hand-wiring the brooches like flowers to create the bouquet. I added photos of our two dogs to a locket since they couldn’t be with us in Mexico. The bout’s were created from stray brooches and fabric and then each female in our family was gifted with a brooch on the morning of the wedding to keep. My sister tied hers to her bouquet.
I found my dress hanging in a Nordstrom Rack (after purchasing a glamorous Karl Lagerfeld in the beginning stages) and had two of the same dresses combined and reconstructed adding torn chiffon to the train to create something whimsical and girly. I fell in love with the tea-dyed lace and antique color on the dress and that in turn inspired the rest of the wedding. From that point on I began to tea-dye absolutely everything (the lace on my veil, the paper goods and gift tags) to create an aged appearance. I really wanted it all to look like it had washed up on the shores of Sayulita years before.
Because Mexico is such a colorful place and Villa Amor was so beautiful, we wanted to avoid clichés (minus the sombreros purchased for our photo booth) and anything that would overpower where we were. Small vintage touches and personalized accents were most important. My parents carried two huge duffel bags down full of oatmeal burlap for the tables. My sister hauled 3 vintage cake stands and the cake toppers. Austin and I had bags full of vases, napkins and paper goods. We cut yards of ribbon ahead of time and wound them in another duffel bag. Every member of our family played a huge role in bringing down all the elements that would make up the design of our wedding. It looked like we were moving to Mexico, not just having a wedding there.
My mom spent a week sewing napkins from fabrics collected over time. Keeping with the look of the bride and groom on our invitations, my mom made sketches of each of our 60 guests, which we then printed on muslin and sewed with gold thread onto tea-dyed hangtags. Each one was unique. Itty bitty portraits for our friends. We printed and sewed for days straight; killing one sewing machine with the stiff, tea-dyed paper. After buying another, Austin actually stayed up into the wee hours to finish the project. I’ll never forget watching him sew all those escort cards at 2 AM! What a fiancé! We tried to keep cohesion throughout the wedding: in the use of fabric (handkerchief invites, handmade napkins and vintage handkerchiefs that were handed our to our guests during our ceremony), the brooches (the bouquet, the boutonnieres and given as gifts to all our family members), and the tea dying of all the paper goods. We were after a vintage love story—and hopefully that’s how it translated.
Having a destination wedding you really have no idea what to expect. Everything is based on photos and relies on the expertise of the people you stumble upon to steer you in the right direction. The thing about destination weddings is they have you as a captive audience and you really only have so many choices. Sourcing things from Mexico via the internet was nearly impossible and our way of gaining some sort of control was to carry on as much personalization as possible in a few suitcases. With that said, having a destination wedding is the best decision we ever made. What you give up in control you gain in time and memories with your family and friends. Amazing, unforgettable, pinch-yourself memories.
Despite some difficulties, Villa Amor was everything we wanted. It felt like a place lost in time; villas nestled in hillsides, hidden doors and winding staircases. Our ceremony was held under trees overlooking the ocean, followed by a cocktail hour with mariachis and margaritas. A 200-step climb up the crumbling and twisting brick staircases led to the reception – a breathtaking cobblestone plateau overlooking all of Sayulita and the ocean. There was something so dramatic about our guests grumbling and huffing and puffing up those stairs in heels and then arriving to this secret spot nestled in the hills where we would dance the night away. And that we did; DJ Michael Antonia is truly the best, and had all 60 guests on their feet, shaking and singing along at full volume. Our friends and family left proclaiming: Best. Wedding. Ever.
Our wedding felt so full of love, friendship and emotion. And that’s what we had hoped for in dragging everyone to Sayulita. Margaritas, mariachis, tacos, some good surf, and a place our guests won’t stop talking about. A dream destination wedding in a very magical place. And we’d do it all over again in a heartbeat.
Wedding Photography: Sarah Yates / Wedding Venue: Villa Amor / Event Design + Floral Design + Paper Goods: Sitting in a Tree (The Bride) / Event Coordination: Myka Haddad of Sitting in a Tree / DJ: Michael Antonia of The Flashdance / Wedding Cinematography: Austin Hendrix Productions / Wedding Dress: Nordstrom Rack (Bride’s Custom Design Using Two Dresses) / Wedding Veil: Mother of the Bride / Reception Dress: Haute Hippie / Floral Headpiece: Untamed Petals / Maid of Honor’s Dress: Vera Wang (With Handmade Flowers) / Groom’s Attire: Calvin Klein / Additional Images: Destination I Do Magazine
68 Comments about “Sayulita Wedding by Sarah Yates + Sitting in a Tree”
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So Beautiful. Love love love Sayulita
Congratulations!!
I too have been waiting to see these images for so long. So beautiful. And the video is amazing. The ladies of sitting in a tree have done it again. As has the wonderful Sarah Yates and Austin Hendrix Productions. And I think my legs are still sore from the night of dancing to the incredible Michael Antonia of The Flashdance. Love every part about this couple (and their show).
I love her bouquet! What a cute idea!
Its like a cotton candy colored dream! Love the laid back style!
oh this is just gorgeous! those welcome bags might be the coolest thing ever. and i love that they made an effort not to fall into cliches.
i spotted GH as the officiant!
So cute! And these shoes ... wow!
Gorgeous Tori! You made a stunning bride. : ) Loved all the details and the intimacy of the day.
Gorgeous!
holy smokes.. the train on her dress is absolutely amazing. the colors are so gorgeous, and the cake toppers - adorable. this is an incredible couple!
Well my oh my, if this isn't the prettiest wedding ever! I am officially green with wedding envy. Beautiful location, colours, photography and of course, bride too!
Wow, LOVE the shoes. Can you tell us who makes them? Amazing!
gorgeous t!! love everything!
That last photo is priceless! I ate up every photo with one fab detail after another but that last photo truly sums up a perfect, laid-back wedding in Mexico. Awesome.
So fresh and dreamy!
xo
how adorable!!! We love the colors and the table setting!!! what a beautiful wedding!
I love every last detail! So charming and intimate. Just beautiful!!!
Absolutely stunning each and every single detail is perfection. The Bride is a natural beauty and that dress is a dream! Oh to be married again....in Sayulita Mexico, just like this. Beautiful work on all counts.
Hands down one of my favorite weddings this year! You can tell that every last detail was thoroughly sought out and hand picked which makes this wedding so gorgeous! Beautiful!
ahhh we've been waiting to see these in all their glory for soooooo long. you guys are absolutely stunning and these images are perfection. yay :)
These are ridiculous!!!! I can't even handle it. I need to get remarried and Tori needs to style it. You two are too flippin' cute!
Look at these pictures.. it reminds me about the sentence " It is every bride's desire to walk down the aisle in that gorgeous wedding dress." Congratulation. Everything look perfect! :)
Several of my friends have also been married here! Such a stunning and romantic place.
Ruffles!! Stunning dress and i love the styling of the wedding. The style of the photography is great as well, some really cute pictures.
I'd been dying to see this wedding and it's even better than I was expecting. Love her style and love Mexico weddings!
Absolutely Darling! Do you have any info on her ring...is it a vintage find?
This is so stunning Tori!!! I remember sitting with you and Sarah over wine in Rancho Santa Fe a year ago with you telling us about your amazing Sayulita wedding. It is more gorgeous than ever imagined!!!
Great job girls!!!
xoxo,
Vanessa
Amazing details and color in this wedding! Love the location and the couples picks for dress and suit. Beautiful photography! Bravo!
thanks for sharing. what did you put in your hola welcome bags, they are adorable!
I'm hacving a mexico wedding too this year, great inspiraiton. beautiful yet simple table settings.
Ooh, this was so stinking cute! I loved the atmosphere of the wedding - so fun! Definitely a celebration! Loved all the little details, congrats!!
brilliant, a wedding with soul, kudos
so absolutely amazing tori+austin! we love Sayulita!!
Arriba Arriba, to the honeymoney, Andele!
gorgeous! i ADORE the bouquet idea!
I look through pictures of weddings every day.. and this is my absolute most favorite wedding I have ever seen! I really can't say enough about this wedding. I love a good theme and the Mexican theme is GORGEOUS! I love everything! Just amazing.
Amazing, amazing, amaaaaazing! I love every single thing about this wedding. So fun! Tori's dress is fantastic. I love the beribboned chairs too.
What a gorgeous wedding! I'm dying to know where more about her ring!! What kind of stone is that?
Holy smokes those shoes are awesome! Shared with my following on twitter and facebook! Thanks so much for posting this!!
Hi everyone. Thanks for all the amazing comments! My ring is rose gold & aquamarine- the stone was bought alone and then the setting was designed around it by a local SD jeweler.
My shoes are Report Signature found at Nordstrom Rack.
The little hola bags were filled with Mexican candy. We searched all of Puerto Vallarta looking for objects to fill them with and after a lot of stress went with candy!
the blue tartan tie worn by the officiant/possible groomsman....anyone have any idea where that is from?
Meg M. The tie is from Banana Republic.
wow everyone, thanks so much for all of the love for tori and austin and their amazing wedding! and thank you so much to SMP for the post. their wedding was stunning and such a great time. and i have never been to a more fun dance party in my life (thank you michael!) tori's creativity is such a huge inspiration- she has the incredible ability to make every setting and experience as pretty and magical as you could ever dream it to be.
Gorgeous! All of the details are absolutely stunning. Those bracelets the bride wore - WOW! And I love all the pops of yellow. So beautiful.
What is there not to love about this wedding?? One of my faves this year! Gorgeous couple too! Any information on where to get those SO cute "hola" bags?? Have been searching for something rustic like this for my Mexico wedding!
Thanks in advance!
C'est parfait! Sooo gorgeous and the love spilling out through all the bespoke details is awesome- ahhhh Mexico!
please please please, info on that ring! first one i've ever really loved!
soooo happy to see a bride that is bold and daring enough to take a chance on putting two dresses together. so many take the day so seriously, this wedding shows that they really put thought into their guests' experience and enjoyed completing the all tasks as a team. they will be off to a great start!!
gorgeous! very beautiful
what a beautiful BEAUTIFUL wedding!!! the colours are glorious, love every single thing about it.
SOOOOO AMAZING!
Gorgeous! Every piece of it and the photography is stunning!
Would you mind sharing the name of the SD jeweler? I looove your ring!
Anyone find out who the jeweler is on that ring?
omg who is the jeweler?? best ring I've seen in a looooooooooong time!!
Great images.
If you haven't been to Sayulita and you love Mexico, book that trip! This poem says it all:
http://www.blanchardphotographic.com/Blanchard_Photographic/Blog/Entries/2005/11/5_Surf%2C_cervezas%2C_and_stingrays.html
hi everyone! my ring was custom made- we purchased the aquamarine stone loose and then found a jeweler to make up the stone based on a ring I liked from this cover of martha stewart weddings only with rose gold: http://rubypr.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/msweddings-rings.jpg
we had lots of problems with our jeweler, so sorry, but i wouldn't feel safe sending anyone else to him!
wouah ! it's amazing, gorgeous !! I'm a big fan ♥
This is the most whimsically chic wedding I have ever seen! The dress is incredible but it is those shoes that I can't stop staring at!
Where did you find the embroidered sombreros? Love the colors?
its wonderful stuff you've got on this blog. Have been searching for details on this all around. Nice blog
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This looks like the wedding of my dreams! Beautiful and whimsical-great combo! Where oh where is the fabric from (napkins, photo booth backdrop, etc.)? I'd love to know! Thanks and felicidades!
Hi I've been looking for those 'Hola' bags! Anyone know where I can find them? Thank you!