I met Carrie Ward a little over a year ago at The Bar Method when I began taking classes at her studio. I had no idea, though, that in crossing paths with Carrie, I would have the good fortune to write about one of the loveliest weddings ever. #ilovemyjob. It’s possible, in recollecting my own near-fiasco nuptials during the ice storm of ’94 (i.e., no electricity, bride hysteria, utter drama!), that I’ve projected my desire for a do-over onto her recent, glorious wedding weekend in San Miguel de Allende–were I to go back in time and relive my own, Carrie and John’s is exactly what it would be like!
(Note: photos courtesy of Jorge Tinajero, Mexico-based photographer and Amy Steinfeld, US-based photographer and one of the bride’s best friends.)When Carrie moved here from California in 2011 to open the Nashville Bar Method studio, she knew only a few people. Shortly after she arrived, during a night out on the town, she ran into John, a Nashville native and commercial real estate broker. There was an immediate connection. And the rest, as they say, is history…
With family and friends on both coasts and in between, planning a wedding would require significant travel for many. Carrie and John wanted their wedding to be an experience for the loved ones who would gather to help them celebrate. Having spent time in Mexico where her mother lives for part of each year, Carrie knew the quaintness of San Miguel de Allende, with its dramatic landscape, 17th century buildings and cobbled streets, would provide the perfect backdrop for their wedding. Because they wanted to ensure that everyone had lots of time to enjoy being together, they rented three adjacent haciendas for all the festivities. There was plenty of room to enjoy meals together, lounge pool-side and relax between parties and the big event. I asked Carrie if it was difficult to have a wedding so far away, and she said, interestingly, that the hardest part was planning transportation from the airport in Leon to the houses. Once everyone had arrived, everything else flowed as easily as the champagne.
Sources:
- Wedding Planner: Penzi Weddings & Events
- Accommodations: Casa Cece, Casa Heyne and Casa Cariño (haciendas) and Hotel Matilda
- Photography: Amy Steinfeld/AMS Photography and Jorge Tinajero/Jorge Tinajero Photography:
- Caterer: Louis Muñoz Villaneuva
- Flowers: Penzi Weddings & Events
- Dress: Monique Lhuillier, The Bride Room