So, we had the opportunity to do a wedding in Mexico just right after Christmas. We've done plenty of destination weddings with the glamour of the beachside wedding, but nothing compares to a large wedding in a small town.
We traveled to Tepexco, Puebla in Mexico, a quaint little town just southeast of Mexico City, nestled in the mountains.
The quaint town square
City Hall of Tepexco
The public library
This is the house we stayed in.
Typical streets of TepexcoTo give a little history about the wedding customs in Tepexco, weddings are a two day event. The evening to the wedding eve, a huge party is held for the civil union. The bride and groom begin in front of the church for the signing of the civil union. From there, a parade, consisting of family and friends begins, towards the location of the reception (in this case, the bride's parents' home). During the parade, a ritual takes place, where sponsors are carrying gifts and a live turkey. Yes, a live turkey! After the parade and much dancing, the turkey and gifts are handed over to the parents of the bride as a sign of happiness and prosperity.
Dinner is then served, consisting of traditional entrees of "mole poblano" and "mixiote", served with rice, beans and fresh hand-made corn tortillas. The simplicity of the food should never be mistaken for it's rich flavor. This is food that takes most of the day to make. We were certainly witness to the long hours of labor these wonderful people endured to create such a fine and delicious cuisine.
Keep in mind, about 85% of the country of Mexico is very strong in it's Catholic beliefs, especially in small towns. It is always interesting and refreshing to be witness to such different customs and beliefs.
The following day, the church wedding takes place. A traditional Catholic mass takes place, only instead of the bride walking down the aisle, the bride is given away at the door of the church. The bride and groom then proceed to walk down the aisle, led by the priest, and followed by the parents.
After the ceremony, the couple is led by mariachis in a parade towards the reception venue (in this case, the home of the groom's parents). Festivities begin with a late lunch to your heart's content. After lots of eating, drinking and mingling, many of the similar traditions take place, with first dance, cake cutting ceremony and then live entertainment.
Enjoy the pictures!
The church decor. While the church was very old (built in 1892), it was still very beautiful.
The altar arrangements consisted of Vendela Roses, Casablanca Lilies, Hydrangeas, Tuberose and stock flowers.
The aisle arrangements, accented with white chiffon. 
The flowers used for the aisle arrangements consisted of Vendela Roses, Hydrangeas and White Majolika Mini Spray Roses.
The bride with her flower girls. The bride carried a bouquet consisting of Vendela Roses, Casablanca Lilies, White Majolika Mini Spray Roses and Lisianthus.
The entrance archway to the reception was made with Laurel Leaves and accented with white chiffon.
The Head Table
The vases filled with oranges, were topped with Hydrangeas, Vendela Roses and stock flowers.
The canopy was ornated with white chiffon drapes, lined with lights. The edges were garnished with pomander balls made of button mums and mini roses.
The bride and groom, just before the first dance.
A final note: The wedding was certainly a challenge in the sense that not all supplies were available. Customs was a PITA, so some flowers were not allowed into Mexico. Working with local suppliers proved to be difficult, as many of the original flower choices were not available.
Working in a small town is much different, so it makes it more difficult and interesting to have certain supplies we are normally accustomed to available. I will say, the town all pulls together and with the help of many family and friends, the event was a success! Many thanks to everyone that help us create such a beautiful wedding!
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