This was one of the most adventurous elopements I’ve ever been a part of. Bonnie and Ken came to me with the dream of having a Mexico elopement. Their original plan was Mexico City, which would’ve been incredible, but we brought up another idea after some talking. Start at Casa Etérea, exchange vows at the Edward James Surrealist Garden in Xilitla, and finish at Cascada de Tamul. That’s when we knew we had the perfect plan, a 3-day itinerary through the Sierra Gorda in Central Mexico.
Our adventure started at Casa Eterea, where we met the couple at an incredible design hotel 30 minutes outside of town.
It wasn’t until after we returned from Mexico that we exchanged messages with the hotel owner on Instagram. My husband Marco noticed he looked familiar and realized we’d met him 2 and a half years earlier on a Valentine’s Day trip to Sayulita! Marco even recalled him mentioning he was building his dream Airbnb outside of San Miguel. To think we reconnected years later!
Our next stop was the small town Bernal in the state of Queretaro, where we ate overlooking Peña De Bernal, one of the tallest monoliths in the world. We shared an authentic Central Mexican breakfast before continuing on our way to Puente De Dios.
I picked out this spot to take our couple because I knew it’d be the perfect place to show them the natural beauty of Queretaro. We walked down the scenic Escanela River and made our way to the icy grottos and waterfalls. It’s not a strenuous hike, but it’ll build up enough sweat to appreciate the near-freezing mountain water.
From there, we moved on to Xilitla, a jungle town in San Luis Potosi overgrown with dense forest and tangled vegetation. After 6 hours of driving through the mountains, we finally made it to our accommodation in Xilitla, a jungle hotel just a few minutes away from the garden. The next morning, we woke up early to head to the park at its opening at 9 am, and we were prepared to be told that we wouldn’t be allowed to take photos there but hoped for the best. When we arrived, they immediately pulled us aside and told us that if we weren’t allowed to take any professional photos in the park for a session, and although we were disappointed, I knew we had to make the most of it!
As we explored the park, I looked for the perfect spot for them to exchange rings and share vows, despite not being in their wedding clothes. During our tour, we came to a river running through the jungle, and I knew it was the spot! They took off their shoes and stood barefoot in the river and exchanged their vows with the forest surrounding them, and it was perfect. It was at that moment that I realized that as much as I love to photograph my couples in their wedding clothes to get beautiful photos, the most beautiful part about what I do is not the material things but the memories I get to help my couples make as they commit their lives to one another.
After a magical morning in the gardens, we continued our journey a few hours to Cascada de Tamul, one of the largest waterfalls in Mexico and the most famous in San Luis Potosí. It was easily one of the most remote parts of Mexico I’d ever been to. Most people take a boat tour on the river to get to the base of the falls, but we didn’t have that much time, so, instead, we hiked to the top of the falls and had a birds-eye view!
We drove 40 minutes with our guides down an extremely bumpy rode, then hiked another half-hour along the river before arriving at the top of the falls. We were absolutely blown away by the view of the falls cascading hundreds of feet below us. We even got to swim in some pools right at the top (don’t worry, it was completely safe!), which was MUCH needed considering it was 95 degrees!
It means the world to me to help create these unforgettable experiences with my couples! To have the opportunity to show parts of Mexico few foreigners will ever have the chance to visit is a gift and a privilege. Thank you, Bonnie and Ken, for trusting me enough to take us into the Mexican jungle and help your elopement dream come true!
Find all the photos from this gallery and more on Pinterest.
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I would love to know the name of the hotel you stayed at near the statue park! It looks gorgeous.
honestly I don’t remember the name of it! if you search hilitla, mexico hotel you should find it!
Ugh honestly I don’t remember the name of it!! If you search Xilitla Mexico boutique hotel you should find it!