Ellie and Matt work tirelessly for social justice. They both have jobs in progressive non-profits, champion the works of women of color, and surround themselves with people who are just as diverse and caring as they are. For their wedding, they ventured into the magical wine region of Valle de Guadalupe, Mexico and the architectural wonder that is Encuentro Guadalupe.

This hotel is nestled into the hills, and you have to take a shuttle from room to room. Each room is built around the natural landscape, so some rooms have boulders right in the middle of them, or shelves built into rock. I was truly marveling at this place throughout the whole day — how can a place like this even be real?

Ellie had two fantastic wedding dresses (Tom Ford and Gucci), fabulous jewelry, and a jazzy pair of wedding shoes. Matt wore a tux. Everyone was dressed to the nines. But underneath the fancy duds there were two warm-hearted genuine people and their down-to-earth friends and family. It was an eclectic bunch, and the colors and sparkles made a fantastic contrast to the dusty desert landscape around us.

The slit in that Tom Ford wedding dress was so audacious! It knocked us all out!

Ellie and Matt’s ceremony was poetic, with language centered around social justice, community, and becoming one with the universe. A friend played soft mystical synth, nestled with his equipment and wires in the nearby vineyards.

Besos!