Inside Alix Traeger & Zoya Biglary’s Vibrant Wedding in Oaxaca, Mexico

Set amongst the soulful desert landscape, the food and lifestyle influencers wed with a soulful celebration of Mexican and Persian fashion, culture & romance

Alix and Zoya’s wedding unfolded in the heart of Oaxaca, where traditions, bold design, and modern romance collided in the most cinematic way. As two style-forward brides and creators, they transformed their celebration into an immersive, multi-day experience that felt less like a wedding and more like stepping into the world they’ve built together – vibrant, intentional, and beautifully unexpected. Set against the raw, moody architecture of Casa Silencio and the colorful pulse of Oaxaca Centro, their weekend blended Persian and Mexican culture through groundbreaking event design, sculptural florals, and a food-driven itinerary that honored the region’s artistry. From a calenda parade through the streets to a Mexican-meets-Persian bazaar, every moment layered meaning with atmosphere. Their stylish choices were equally striking: Alix in architectural Maticevski and a dramatic vintage Valentino, Zoya in a custom Persian-textile suit that redefined bridal tailoring. With immersive music, deeply personal traditions, and a landscape lit by galaxies of lasers and firelight, their wedding became a sensory journey for their guests and a powerful reflection of their love story.

Our Love Story

^{The Day We Met}

We met on Hinge—modern romance! Zoya had a prompt about orange wine that I responded to, so she took me out for orange wine. We talked for hours and definitely drank a lot of it, since we ended up closing the place down!

^{The Proposal}

Zoya always said she wanted to get married in Mexico, and she’d been wanting to take me to one of her favorite places: Valle de Guadalupe—wine country! For our third anniversary, we planned a small trip with my sister, her boyfriend, and a couple of friends. Since it was two of their birthdays, I didn’t think twice about the timing.

Before dinner at one of Mexico’s best restaurants (Fauna at Bruma), we stepped out to take photos. While posing and smiling, she said, “I know we’ve talked about getting married here… but what about getting engaged?” She pulled out the ring. It was such a surprise that it took me hilariously long to register what was happening. Afterward, we sat down for an incredible meal. As food people, Zoya and I have collected menus throughout our entire relationship to hang on our wall. The Fauna menu from that night is one of the most meaningful pieces in the collection.

^{The Engagement Ring}

One of my best friends (and bridesmaids), Jonne Amaya, is a talented Mexican jewelry designer, and I always knew she would be the one to make my ring. Zoya wanted the proposal to be a complete surprise, so she worked with Jonne on the design without any input from me. By some miracle, it turned out to be exactly what I had imagined and even sketched in my own notes (but way better). When Zoya opened the box, I instantly knew it was my ring. The design is inspired by yin and yang, a symbol people have always used to describe us. It’s gold-prominent with two pear-shaped stones facing into each other—unique, meaningful, and completely us.

Our Wedding

^{The Vision}

Our vision was to create a weekend that felt like a true reflection of us—a blend of Persian and Mexican culture, a deep love of food, and a commitment to doing things our own way. We wanted it to feel intentional and immersive for all senses. We weren’t going to ask our guests to travel unless we could give them the time of their lives; we wanted them to experience all that Oaxaca has to offer. Rather than follow a traditional wedding format, we treated the entire weekend like a series of experiences—cultural, culinary, and personal. The goal wasn’t just to host a wedding, but to bring the people we love into the world we’ve built together. We wanted everyone to feel the magic of Oaxaca and the magic of our love—a weekend filled with surprises and moments of real wonder.

^{The Location}

We chose Oaxaca, Mexico—a magical place with rich culture, history, art, and food we deeply admire. Our wedding day took place at Casa Silencio, the award-winning mezcal distillery and boutique hotel in the mountains of Xaagá. One of Zoya’s best friends, Federico Lozano, worked with El Silencio Mezcal. While out for drinks with him, he suggested we look at Casa Silencio. When we realized it was built by the same architect as Bruma, it felt meant to be. We’re not able to get married in Iran, so finding a place that truly felt like home mattered. Mexico has always been that place for us. Oaxaca Centro is colorful and vibrant, while Casa Silencio is edgy and moody, which oddly felt like a reflection of us as a couple. Not to mention, Oaxaca’s culinary scene is extraordinary. Our date fell on the weekend before Día de los Muertos, the most vibrant and sacred time in Oaxaca and Mexico, so we wanted to honor the timing with our celebrations and give our guests a chance to experience the festivities.

^{The Ceremony}

We surprised our guests by officiating ourselves. We’d noticed that at weddings you rarely hear from the couple, and we wanted the chance to thank our guests for the role they’ve played in our lives and relationship. The first half of the ceremony was a love letter to our people. There was not a dry eye in sight; the ceremony was definitely a highlight of the weekend. The space and land are so stunning that we didn’t have to do much to it. October marks the end of rainy season, so skies were clear and flowers bloomed against miles of cacti and agaves.

We didn’t want anything to take away from the landscape, so we designed everything to complement—and even amplify—the surroundings. The ceremony space felt architectural yet soft: a backdrop of whimsical ivory draping framed the mountain towering behind us. San Jacinto created breathtaking florals—branches with pink blossoms bursting within.

^{The Cocktail Hour}

Music is incredibly important to us, and we didn’t want a single quiet moment throughout the weekend. I knew I wanted a few moments of live music, so I spent hours searching for the right sound—something Middle Eastern or Persian-influenced that still felt unexpected for a wedding. That’s how I found Fausto Palma. Based in Mexico City, Fausto plays multiple instruments, including the oud and the zarange. His band Petra, along with two dancers, creates a psychedelic Middle Eastern fusion unlike anything else I found. A highlight of our sunset cocktail hour was having Petra perform. The band’s sound was hypnotic and ethereal, accompanied by two dancers, and Fausto was so moved that he even wrote original pieces specifically for us and our wedding. It made the entire moment feel otherworldly. Custom cocktails and champagne flowed, and of course, we also served orange wine.

^{The Reception}

The sky turned a cinematic shade of orange as guests found their seats at the chocolate-brown velvet-draped tables. Our florist, San Jacinto, designed sculptural centerpieces using flowers and produce—strings of tomatoes and fruit woven throughout—bringing color, texture, and whimsy to each table. One of our favorite details of the night was the dinner menu itself: lasered onto real tortillas by Oaxaca-based Monogram Design Studio. It was playful, personal, and edible!

That’s when the party really took off: stilt walkers, fire dancers, a cigar roller, and a late-night food section with a Moroccan tea station, al pastor trompo tacos, tlayudas, and churros. DJ Aura, a Persian female DJ, played both nights, and our late-night set was taken over by DJ Juanpi, who kept the energy going long past midnight. We worked with lighting and creative experts Rottor and Sica to build a one-of-a-kind open-air nightclub at Casa Silencio. They designed a circular formation of towers with screens on the inside but mirrors on the outside, so they wouldn’t distract from the landscape but instead add to it. When it was time to dance, the screens inside came alive with projections of galaxies and stars. Lights and lasers shot up and across the sky, and the DJ booth glowed like a rising moon. We brought in Skin n Strings, a Persian drummer-and-violinist duo, to perform alongside our DJ Aura, creating a layered, electric sound. Neon light-up alebrijes ran out onto the dance floor, fireworks went off, and we ran back out in our final outfits of the night.

^{The Food}

Oaxaca is renowned for its cuisine, and we wanted our guests to experience as much of it as possible. From mezcal to mole, we worked with our incredible wedding planner, Yadira, and made sure every delicacy had a moment throughout the weekend. We served tacos, tlayudas, tamales, and nieves (a traditional Oaxacan sorbet-like treat). For late-night bites, we brought out a trompo of al pastor, and of course, there were fresh churros to close out the night. We truly had it all. There were high expectations for the food at our wedding, and Chef Rodo—the inaugural winner of Top Chef Mexico and chef of Origen—surpassed every one of them. He created an extraordinary Oaxacan menu that showcased the region’s flavors at their most refined, complete with a mole tasting that became an instant talking point. It was, without a doubt, the best food we’ve ever had at a wedding.

^{The Special Touches}

One of the most unique elements of the weekend was the bespoke hat station by Alberly, Oaxaca’s legendary hat maker, where guests received custom hats branded on the spot with their choice of bands, feathers, and florals—a keepsake everyone loved. We also partnered with mezcalera Isabel Santiago of ZOMOZ to create our own pomegranate- and saffron–infused mezcal, ZAMOR (Zoya, Alix, amor), which each guest took home in a mini bottle. For the seating chart, we designed a whimsical wishing well where guests picked up a Persian celebration coin next to their name and tossed it into a marigold-covered well to make a wish for our marriage.

Blending our cultures, we created a Mexican-meets-Persian bazaar at our Welcome Party at Criollo, filled with spices, teas, textiles, ceramics, and artisanal goods. One of the most full-circle moments was having JP Saxe—whose music scored our first 'I love you'—perform a medley of his songs live for our first dance. We added a playful twist to the cake cutting by having the men perform the traditional Persian knife dance, which our guests loved. Since a traditional band didn’t pair with my engagement ring, Jonne and Zoya designed a second diamond ring for me, while I gifted Zoya a Cartier watch with a black leather band.

^{Our Favorite Moment}

While it would be impossible to choose just one moment, we’re both so grateful we took the time to walk up to each guest at dinner and share a moment with them.

Our Style

^{The Bridal Looks}

I knew I didn’t want a traditional white gown. I wanted something modern, architectural, textured, and truly unique. I found my dress at LOHO Bride—a shimmery stone-colored limited-run Maticevski gown with two dramatic sculptural points and a high leg slit. It had a boldness and movement that felt perfectly in line with Casa Silencio’s raw concrete, shadows, and striking landscape. I knew it was mine the second I saw it hanging! Zoya struggled for months with what she wanted to wear. She knew she wanted something that felt meaningful and connected to her Persian identity—not just a traditional suit. Persian designer Sara Arab created a custom ivory suit for her, stitched with pieces of white-washed vintage Persian rug.

My shoes had their own unexpected story. I found a pair of vintage Ferragamos whose silhouette I loved—simple, elegant, and a pop of color. I randomly looked up the history and learned they were inspired by Queen Soraya of Iran. I knew they were meant for me. As a Persian, Zoya only wears black and had a black velvet suit by Ralph Lauren. While I love color, I wanted to surprise her with a matching black second look. I found an iconic vintage Valentino gown on Raffe Vintage from Fall/Winter 1993—dramatic, timeless, and fitting for Oaxaca. Starting the day in white and the night in black also felt like an extension of our yin-yang dynamic. When I walked out in the full black look, Zoya’s reaction was priceless (and so was everyone else’s!).

^{Our Bridal Party Looks}

A mix of brown gowns and suits to match the natural landscape of Casa Silencio.

Our Advice

^{For the Planning Process}

This is your one day to express your love and share it with your people. Forget the rules. Make it your own. The intention and care you put into planning will be felt by all on the day. Most of my planning revolved around anticipating what our guests would want. For example, I thought about our married friends; if I knew their wedding song, I added it to our playlist so they could have a special moment. I wanted the weekend to feel enchanted—where if someone wished for something, it appeared as if by magic. The goal was to create an experience where every guest felt considered, seen, and part of the story.

^{For On The Day}

People kept telling me, “Be present, it goes by so fast,” and while that’s true, the reality is that it’s such a whirlwind you can’t possibly be present enough to take it all in. So instead, trust in the magic of the day—not because everything will go perfectly, but because the meaning and energy of the day are bigger than whatever does or doesn’t go to plan.

We had thunderstorms in the forecast all week; we stayed calm, and just before, it cleared into a week of the dreamiest weather. What grounded us was letting go of the idea that we could control any of it. The more you release the pressure for the day to unfold a certain way, the more space you create to enjoy what’s actually happening around you. We truly enjoyed every second.