One Couple Planned a Beachfront Ceremony and a Jungle-Inspired Reception for Their Destination Wedding in Mexico

Yahoo

3 hours ago

"We chose somewhere that our friends and family could make into a vacation,' one bride says.
Fate has a funny way of putting the person we're meant to be with in front of us as the perfect moment. Hilary Hamm and María Siller, who goes by Maru, are proof of that. The two, who both attended graduate school at Columbia University, first met in May of 2019 when Maru was just weeks away from graduating and returning home to México. Mutual friends set them up just in time, and the two enjoyed a first date that last over eight hours.
Four years later, the couple knew they were ready for their next step. "Gay engagements are the best because there are no rules. We decided we both wanted to propose, and I told Maru I wanted to go first," Hilary recalls. In October of 2023, she popped the question at their favorite restaurant in Brooklyn, surprising Maru with a heartfelt proposal surrounded by flowers and candles; later, both their families joined them to celebrate. Six months later, in April of 2024, Maru orchestrated a proposal of her own, creating a city-wide scavenger hunt that ended in their new apartment in Dumbo. Hilary walked inside to find hundreds of candles and Maru down on one knee.
Knowing that a number of their guests would have to travel to attend wedding no matter where it took place, the brides-to-be decided to make their nuptials a weekend-long celebration. Their chosen locale? Imanta Resorts in Punta Mita, Mexico, a 12-bedroom resort tucked into the jungle with private access to a hidden beach. 'We chose somewhere that our friends and family could make into a vacation,' Hilary says.
The privacy of their venue allowed them to host a deeply personal celebration that honored Maru's Mexican culture, Hilary's Jewish background, and the significance of their nuptials being the first gay wedding many of their 270 guests would attend. 'With guests traveling from conservative communities in México and Oklahoma, we saw the weekend as an opportunity to lead with pride, warmth, and authenticity and to show what a beautiful, inclusive love story can look like,' Hilary explains.
To bring their vision to life, Hilary and Maru worked with Peter de Anda, who designed and planned their weekend, including a rehearsal dinner, welcome party, and wedding on the beach. Read on to see how photographer EFEGE captured every detail of the couple's wedding weekend in Punta Mita—from the mirrored glass aisle and greenery-draped arches to the intimate cultural touches—on January 19, 2025.
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Although rehearsal dinners are not traditionally part of a Mexican wedding, it was important to Hilary to have one so that loved ones could give speeches. The brides invited their closest guests to Zicaleta on January 17, 2025. 'My mom, dad, sister, and best friend Megan had all planned to give speeches, while no one from Maru's family had fully committed to speaking,' Hilary says. 'But then, in a moment that completely surprised us, Maru's mom, sister, twin brother, and older brother each stood up to speak. There wasn't a dry eye in the room!'
The pre-nuptial party had a cocktail attire dress code, so Hilary wore a midi skirt and strapless top with a sweetheart neckline and Maru wore a crochet dress with a sweetheart neckline and side cut-outs, both from PatBo. They hung rattan pendant lamps and string lights from the ceiling and went with a tropical tablescape featuring lush greenery runners and red floral centerpieces.
The next day, Hilary and Maru invited guests to Conrad Hotel for a welcome party. 'We decided to flip the traditional color scheme for the day and asked our guests to wear white while we wore vibrant, colorful looks,' Hilary says. She wore a multicolored beaded dress from Staud while Maru wore a fringe maxi skirt with a matching crop top from PatBo.
The couple chose bold and colorful décor for their welcome party, including a pink checkerboard painted bar, vibrant florals, and colorful banners of 'papel picado,' a traditional Mexican decorative craft.
Guests enjoyed traditional Mexican games and a surprise choreographed dance by Hilary's friends to 'Despacito' and 'Hips Don't Lie.' 'Their goal was to get the dance floor going, and it worked,' Hilary laughs. 'The energy shifted from laid-back sunset vibes to a full-on party that went late into the night.' Once the dancing started, a saxophonist joined the party and guests decorated each other with neon body paint to keep the evening's energy up.
On the morning of their wedding, Hilary and Maru shared an intimate and emotional first look. 'It felt like a powerful reflection of everything it took for us to get to that moment,' Maru says. When they first met, Hilary didn't envision getting married. Over recent years, she says she came across more visible examples of gay weddings that shifted her mindset entirely. 'Ultimately, we hope our wedding does the same for other queer people,' Maru says.
When she first went wedding dress shopping, Hilary fell in love with an off-the-shoulder Monique Lhuillier gown with an English rose print. 'This floral dress, with its structured bodice and unique draping, felt completely me," she says. 'I hadn't seen anything like it, and I loved how romantic it felt.' She accessorized with her grandmother's wedding ring, diamond and sapphire earrings and a diamond tennis bracelet that were gifts from her mom, and another diamond tennis bracelet she borrowed from her sister.
Maru wanted to wear a pre-loved wedding dress, and she fell in love with a lace gown from Marchesa at a local store in Monetrray, Mexico, that came recommended by a friend. 'They say you experience that 'this is the one' feeling when wedding dress shopping. I definitely felt that with this dress,' Maru says. 'I FaceTimed my mom in the dress, and we all started crying together. It was a beautiful feeling.'
As a nod to her parents, Maru wore the ring her mom received from her dad in honor their 25th wedding anniversary, which he gave her the year before he passed away. Given the couple's beach wedding location, she knew she wanted her hair up, so her stylist gave her a low bun with face-framing bangs. 'Then he added two real white orchids to my hair,' she says, 'I loved it!'
Hilary's bouquet was inspired by the English rose design on her wedding dress, while Maru carried a more colorful arrangement of blooms.
The couple's ceremony took place on the beach, where a custom platform draped in white fabric was built; from their seats, guests were able to see and hear the crashing waves of the ocean. The mirrored aisle was lined with white and green flowers and sculptural arches were covered in succulents and white blooms to create a chuppah over top the brides.
Hilary and Maru also opted to add tasseled umbrellas over guests' seats to keep everyone cool beneath the Mexican sun.
When the ceremony began, Maru's mom walked her down the aisle; then, Hilary's parents accompanied her down the aisle. 'We had a live band, Soul by Carranza, sing 'The Only Exception' by Paramore as we walked down the aisle,' Maru says. 'This was the song playing in the background while Hilary proposed to me.'
They incorporated Jewish traditions into their ceremony as a way to honor Hilary's background, including having the rabbi wrap them in a tallit (or prayer shawl) and asking Maru's cousin to sign their ketubah. The couple's siblings and parents were also asked to each read one of the seven blessings.
When Maru read her personal vows, Hilary says she couldn't help but chuckle throughout. 'As soon as I began my vows, it all made sense: Without comparing notes, we had both structured them the same way, starting with our many nicknames for each other, revisiting the same special memories from our relationship, and even naming the exact same moment when we each knew we wanted to get married,' she recalls. 'It was unintentionally perfect, and made the vows feel even more connected and true to us.'
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After the ceremony concluded, the newlyweds celebrated back up the aisle to the band's live rendition of 'Kiss Me' by Sixpence None the Richer.
The couple offered not one, not a few, but eight different signature cocktails, which included unique options like a pineapple jalapeño martini, a St. Germain spritz, and an espresso martini. 'We also featured a tequila and mezcal tasting bar showcasing rare and artisanal varieties,' Maru says. 'In true Mexican tradition, these were paired with a selection of edible insects, creating a memorable experience for our guests.'
To create their beachfront reception, the couple's planning team had a multi-elevation platform draped in white fabric created to fit the space. "We wanted to create something as dramatic as the coastal backdrop. We envisioned a ceremony overlooking the ocean, and a reception where the waves came crashing against the platform as the tide came in through the evening," Hilary says. "We also wanted to extend the jungle onto the beach and bring guests' eyes upward." To that end, their florist created oversized arches covered in ferns, mosses, vines, and other greenery, mimicking the look of the nearby jungle and creating a natural boundary around the space.
A green and white checkerboard dance floor anchored the reception space and coordinated well with a hand-painted green bar and DJ booth.
A mix of long and round dinner tables were arranged throughout the space, all surrounded by white woven chairs. The brides chose ivory linens for their tables and had each decorated with plenty of candles and lush, loose garden-style centerpieces.
Hilary and Maru came up with a creative way to prioritize fun throughout the night: "At each table, one guest received a custom letter along with a bottle of tequila or tamarind vodka, naming them the 'Capitán de Mesa,' or table captain,' Maru says. 'Their job was to lead the table in celebratory shots throughout the night.'
A coastal Mexican-inspired dinner menu was on offer; guests started with local fruits and cheeses and ended with molten chocolate lava cake and dulce de leche cheesecake.
Guests (and the couple!) were also treated to a spectacular surprise. 'The sunset during dinner was unreal,' Hilary remembers. 'The sky was soft pinks and oranges for the entire dinner while our band, Soul by Carranza, played an emotional set with songs like 'Holocene'.'
After dinner, DJ Santi got everyone on the dance floor with a mix of reggaeton, electronic, and pop music. Hilary shared a special father-daughter dance to 'My Girl' by The Temptations and Maru danced with her mom to 'I'm Alive' by Celine Dion. 'Maru and her mom chose this song as a celebration of life, love, and the memory of her father who passed away a decade ago,' Hilary shares. 'Midway through the song, she brought her three siblings onto the dance, turning it into a deeply emotional family moment that left us all in tears.'
Hilary and Maru had their first dance to 'Your Bones' by Chelsea Cutler. 'In classic Jewish tradition, we also did the Hora right after our first dances,' Hilary says. 'There's nothing more exhilarating than being lifted in a chair. Our moms also got to experience it before the song ended."
Since Hilary and Maru knew their wedding reception would stretch late into the night, they wanted their guests to be well cared for. They offered everyone slippers and personalized water bottles at the start of the reception. Late-night snacks were also offered throughout the party: At 10 PM, everyone was treated to tamales; then, at 1 AM, guests dug into chilaquiles.
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The couple's two-tiered cookies and cream wedding cake was decorated with fresh flowers that matched their centerpieces.
The brides used their cake cutting as an opportunity to change into their second looks of the day: Hilary chose a tulle A-Line gown from Galia Lahav. 'I wanted something fun, easy to dance in, and perfect for the party portion of the night,' she says. Maru changed into a Fleur du Mal silk corset with matching tuxedo pants paired with a Krismil Bridal cape, which she fell in love with when she saw it on another bride on Instagram. 'I ordered it right away, and as soon as it arrived, I tried it on. I loved it instantly,' she said, 'It made me feel comfortable, confident, sexy, and strong.'
When the DJ played Beyonce's 'Texas Hold 'Em,' Hilary and Maru's friends surrounded them in Dallas Cowboys jerseys and hats. 'They surprised us by placing custom 'Brides' Cowboys jerseys and hats on us, creating an unforgettable moment that honored my love for the Cowboys and Hilary's roots in rural Oklahoma,' Maru says.
When the wedding started to wind down around three in the morning, Maru asked their DJ to play their first dance song again. 'We danced in the middle of the floor, while our friends and family formed a circle around us, everyone crying and holding each other,' Hilary says, 'It felt like time stood still. That spontaneous moment perfectly captured the whole weekend.'
Hilary and Maru spent their honeymoon exploring Australia, New Zealand, and Bora Bora. For couples planning a destination wedding, Hilary and Maru recommend taking off work early to acclimate and be fully present. 'Hire a concierge team to communicate with guests regarding the wedding (invitations, flights, hotels, time and location of events) so that you're free to focus on the bigger pieces,' Hilary suggests.
Real Weddings Credits
Wedding Photographer and Videographer EFEGE
Wedding Planning, Design, Rentals, and Favors Peter de Anda
Wedding Venue Imanta Resorts
Rehearsal Dinner Venue Zicaleta
Hair and Makeup Ti Modella
Officiant Rabbi Melissa Buyer-Witman
Flowers Amato Studio Art and Floral House
Invitations and Guest Communications She Said Web
Music Soul by Carranza, DJ Santi
Catering iLatina
Cake Sweet Atelier
Content Creator Maria Andonie
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