As a child, Michelle Montes often accompanied her father on business trips to Monterrey, Mexico. Each time they would visit the city, she fell in love with its natural beauty. From its mountains and nearby rivers to its colorful churches and small local cafes, Monterrey held a special place in her heart. So when Michelle began planning a destination wedding with her fiance, Salvador Celaya, there was only one place for them to hold it: Monterrey. “I would describe our wedding as romantic, vintage glamour,” says the bride. The couple worked with Claudia Abarca of Inspira Weddings to create their vision of rustic elegance. For their engagement session, they chose photographer Ana Carballosa because they loved her natural style of shooting photographs. “I love that she captured every detail,” says Michelle. To put their stamp on their relationship, the couple added personal touches like their musical theme and vintage details such as lace and pearls found throughout the wedding events. Rather than focusing on the particulars that might go wrong at a destination wedding (like logistics), Michelle took a step back and focused on enjoying being together with Salvador for their festivities.”
Michelle Montes, the bride-to-be, was born in Monterrey. The city is located in northern Mexico and is home to a metropolitan population of over three million people. It’s also known as the “Industrial capital of Mexico” because of its history as an industrial center with many companies setting up operations there due to its strategic location near the border with Texas and American factories.
Montes has fond memories of visiting her father while he was traveling for business. A frequent visitor to this beautiful city, she knew that when she got married, she wanted it to take place here too.
Each time they would visit the city, she fell in love with its natural beauty. If, Monterrey is a perfect choice you’re looking for a place to hold a wedding or honeymoon that is rich in history and full of unique sights. The city’s history dates back to 1596 when it was founded by a group of Spanish settlers who drew inspiration from Rome. There are still many old buildings from this period throughout Monterrey today this makes it easy for visitors to feel like they’ve stepped back in time while walking through its streets.
From its mountains and nearby rivers to its colorful churches and small local cafes, Monterrey held a special place in her heart.
It’s no secret that Monterrey has many things to offer: from its history of German immigrants bringing their expertise in beer production, to the culture that still lives on today with its vibrant food scene. The city is known for being rich in natural beauty, too you can go hiking or biking at any one of the parks around town. You could even take your pick between water sports or skiing depending on your mood!
Salvador Celaya
As you may have gathered from the above, Monterrey is an extremely desirable destination for a wedding. While the city is known for its industrial heritage and nightlife, it also has some of Mexico’s most breathtaking natural beauty something that cannot be said about other cities in their vicinity. This makes Monterrey perfect for couples looking to get married and have an unforgettable experience at the same time.
A few years ago, Michelle Myles began planning a destination wedding with her fiance Salvador Celaya. The couple knew they wanted their big day to take place somewhere special; so when Michelle began planning a destination wedding with her fiance, Salvador Celaya, there was only one place for them to hold it: Monterrey.
“I would describe our wedding as romantic, vintage glamour,” says the bride. “We wanted to make it a celebration of love.”
To achieve this look, they turned to Monterrey-based wedding planner Tere Garcia, who is known for her gorgeous floral arrangements and attention to detail. The couple chose a traditional church ceremony followed by cocktails at Hotel Santa Fe (the first hotel built in Monterrey). After that, guests were treated to dinner and dancing at the stunningly beautiful Palacio de San Bernardo with its exquisite crystal chandeliers and ornate gilded ceilings.
Claudia Abarca of Inspira Weddings
The couple worked with Claudia Abarca of Inspira Weddings to create their vision of rustic elegance. “We wanted everything to have a natural feel, but still elegant,” says the bride. They chose a venue that was surrounded by trees and flowers so that they could incorporate those elements into their decor. “Claudia helped us choose colors and flowers for each table setting and personalized our invitations with my favorite quote from Frida Kahlo’s diary: ‘I am an artist who paints her realities.’ She also helped us coordinate our wedding day timeline from start to finish so that everything ran smoothly on the day of our wedding! It was perfect!
Ana Carballosa
For their engagement session, they chose photographer Ana Carballosa because they loved her natural style of shooting photographs. “We have been working together for a long time,” says Ana. “I love her work and she loves mine! It was a perfect match.”
Ana is a photographer based in Monterrey, Mexico, and specializes in fashion and portrait photography. She graduated from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) with a degree in Communication Sciences, specializing in Photography and Digital Art. She has also gone on to earn a master’s degree from UNAM as well; this gives her an edge over other photographers because she can offer clients something more than just taking pictures: she knows how to edit them too!
Ana started her career at age 14 by creating photo albums for family friends who were having babies or celebrating milestones like birthday parties or weddings. Eventually, she found herself working as an assistant stylist for fashion magazines like Esquire Mexico before moving into wedding photography full-time after receiving many requests from couples who liked her style but didn’t want their engagement session images done by someone else they wanted them done by Ana instead!
“I love that she captured every detail,” says Michelle. “A wedding is so much more than the ceremony.”
The photos are beautiful, but they’re also a great reminder that your wedding day isn’t just about you and your partner it’s something you’re committing to as a family. “When people see our photos, they will understand how important my husband and I are to each other,” Michelle adds. “We want everyone to know how much we love each other.”
Musical Theme and Vintage
“The wedding looked amazing,” says the bride, who was dressed in a custom-made lace gown. “We did so many things to put our stamp on our relationship. We even added personal touches like our musical theme and vintage details such as lace and pearls found throughout the wedding events.”
Both couples say they plan on using their experiences to help other newlyweds have successful weddings of their own.
Michelle Took a Step Back
Rather than focusing on the particulars that might go wrong at a destination wedding (like logistics), Michelle took a step back and focused on enjoying being together with Salvador for their festivities.
- She made sure to have fun with her bridal party, too, by making some goofy photos in the hotel room before getting ready.
- If you’re dreaming of having a glamorous wedding experience in Mexico, read on for some of our favorite tips from Michelle’s planning process!
A Destination Wedding
When it comes to weddings, it’s all about the people. As a destination wedding photographer, I love capturing the energy of your special day and making sure that every detail is captured. A destination wedding can be a beautiful way to showcase your love because you get to celebrate with family and friends from far away. Remember when we talked about prioritizing what matters most? Well, this is one area where that plays out beautifully!
Just imagine how much fun it will be for everyone traveling together; getting dressed up in their best outfits; having a grand time at the rehearsal dinner; enjoying each other’s company at events throughout the weekend; taking pictures around town (and maybe even posing for some selfies). This kind of adventure is not something to miss!
Conclusion
This couple’s vision of a “glamorous” destination wedding came to life, thanks in part to their careful planning and attention to detail. Michelle and Salvador were able to enjoy their wedding without worrying about the logistics or small things that might go wrong. Their destination wedding in Monterrey, Mexico was beautiful, but it was also intentional: they wanted a location that held special meaning for them as individuals. As you consider your relationship, think about how you can use this story as inspiration; consider your values, the locations that hold meaning for you individually and as a couple, and what types of aesthetics speak most clearly to your goals for your marriage.
