Effortlessly elegant bridal, lush greenery and earthen styling amongst the vibrant backdrop of Mexico... what could be more breathtaking? Amber and Evan's wedding was on-point; an intimate affair steeped in poetic emotion and sophistication, radiating the love and authenticity of a couple celebrating the beginning of a new journey together. We get all the details from the bride and a first look at the beautiful gallery captured by our member, wedding photographer Vanessa Mathieu Pineda.
Tell us a little about yourselves. How did you meet? What do you do for a living? What are your hobbies?
We actually met “the old fashioned way" through a mutual friend! Brandon (who actually ended up officiating our wedding) worked as a creative at my advertising agency and also played baseball with Evan in a men’s league here in LA. Brandon and his, then girlfriend, now wife, Lauren thought we could be a good match, said we had “complimentary energies,” it sounds so LA! So they took it upon themselves to set us up on a “semi-blind date.” Our first date did not bring with it instant sparks. Amber describes it as having survived what felt like a game of 21 questions from Evan and was a bit hesitant about a second date. It took some encouragement from my girlfriends but I'm glad I gave him another shot because our second date was incredible. The rest is history. I’m a producer and make broadcast commercials and my husband is the COO of a technology startup. We both love to travel, discover new restaurants, listen to live music, spend time outdoors, and hang out with our fur baby Lu.
Can you share your engagement story?
Evan told me we had a reservation that we couldn’t be late for to celebrate our 4 year anniversary…but he wouldn’t tell me where. As we started to make our way towards the destination, I realized that we were going to Nobu in Malibu, and I absolutely love sushi so I couldn’t have been happier. While we were eating Evan wanted to move us through the meal more quickly than expected so when we wrapped up dinner, he said he wanted to make a stop before our final destination. Little did I know we were going to go back to the beach where he asked me to be his girlfriend 4 years earlier. The weather started to go from beautiful to cloudy as sunset approached and we made our way down the beach to the secluded Pirates Cove in Malibu. We had the beach all to ourselves and Evan started to reflect on the day he asked me to be his girlfriend in that very same spot. Then he told me to close my eyes to recall that moment and when I opened my eyes he was on one knee asking me to be his wife. Little did I know he had a photographer there hiding in the rocks taking photos of this special moment. I was speechless and in tears the whole night.
Where was your wedding? Why did you choose this venue?
We had an intimate ceremony at Casa Majani, a private villa located in Punta Mita, Mexico. We knew we wanted to keep our list of guests small and personal, the individuals we really wanted to hold us to our vows. I had been searching venues online for weeks, the saying goes “when you know you know” and that rang true for Casa Majani. It offered everything we needed. A place to stay with our family leading up to the wedding day, and a stunning venue right on the water for us to exchange our vows.
What was the concept behind your wedding and how did you find your inspiration?
I'd like to think the inspiration came to me. Pinterest became my mood board. I wanted the day to feel intimate, romantic, candle lit, elegant, and organic. Neutral tones and natural textures with bright florals, topical greenery, and palm. Our designer Cristhian really understood my vision which I appreciated because it was anything but traditional!
How long did it take to plan your wedding? Did you encounter any challenges during the planning process?
We probably spent 11 months planning our wedding. We got engaged on our 4 year anniversary and married on our 5 year anniversary. After the high of getting engaged came down, we got to work looking for a venue that could bring our vision to life of having an intimate ceremony with people we cared about most in our lives. We identified a wedding planner that was local to Puerto Vallarta, Carolina Almazan, and she made the process extremely stress free. She knew all of the best vendors in the area, planned for every contingency possible, and worked a miracle on the day of the wedding.
How many guests did you have? And what was the seating arrangement at the wedding like?
We had 45 guests situated under the outdoor Palapa at our villa. By the pool it has a slightly elevated alter for where we said our vows with a great view the ocean.
Tell us about your outfits. How many different styles have you tried?
You would have thought Evan was the bride the way I was kept in the dark regarding his wedding day suit. He knew our wedding color palette had earth tones so he leaned into that and found places for a pop of color. He wore a bespoke green suit from BALANI custom clothiers, a crisp tailored white shirt, and some fun loafers from Taft that were the statement piece of the look. I found my dress rather quickly at LOHO Bride here in West Hollywood. My dress was a Dana Harel, Daria Gown. It fit like butter and the silk material was stunning. With it being a beach front wedding I wanted to feel as if I could go barefoot and still look elegant. The structured asymmetrical neckline and geometrical design flattered all the right places. The gown featured a removable neckline which I removed to transform it into a sexy strapless gown for the reception. My earrings were custom mother of pearl stacked with gold to create length.
What was your first dance song? Did you choreograph or improvise?
Our first dance song was 'The Reason' by James Vickery. We recently discovered James Vickery and fell in love with his soulful love songs, and this song was a perfect way to start the night. We didn’t have any first dance choreography but my husband did improvise and serenaded me for a few bars of the song channeling his best 90s R&B impression.
Did you have any special performances or entertainment?
We had a Spanish duet perform sultry latin music with an acoustic guitar and amazing vocals during cocktail hour while we were taking photos.
What was the most memorable moment from your wedding day?
Our vows. Even though we took very different approaches we both wrote really amazing words about one another and to one another. 
Were there national/religious traditions at your wedding and how did you implement them?
We chose to have a lasso ceremony. Neither of us are religious, but we brought this traditional into our ceremony because the symbolism of tying our souls together resonated. As we said our vows we asked our guests to pass around the lasso and all take a turn setting an intention for our union. It made the symbol all the more meaningful. It was then draped around us by by our in-laws just before we said our I-dos. The lasso was also custom made by a dear friends mother who owns a store front filled with spiritual and Native American items. The lasso was made of gemstones that we hand picked and had significant meaning to us as a couple.
What advice would you give to couples who are currently planning their wedding?
If you commit to having a wedding this is the time to be selfish together, there are so many fabulous vendors out there do not settle or stop searching until you find exactly what you want. Also, be patient with one another and leverage your respective strengths to divvy out tasks. Lean into what each of you are good at and find help from professionals for things you aren’t.
Photographer: @vmpineda.photo
Venue: @casa.majani
Planner: @carolinaalmazan
Chef & Catering: @chef_carlosrojas
Hair & Makeup: @prepweddings
Florals: @cristhianevent
Groom Suit: @balanicustom
Bride Dress: @loho_bride
