Olga and Jim’s ‘Ukraine meets Mexico’ Cosy and Welcoming Outdoor Wedding in San Miguel

Today I am taking you to gorgeous Mexico for the beautiful wedding of Olga and Jim. This delightful couple met during COVID and were married on 15th March 2025 at Casa Cien in San Miguel de Allende, México and what a wonderful day it was. The couple wanted to bring in both of their cultures so mixed elements of Ukraine with touches of Mexico and the result is this warm, inviting and cozy outdoor wedding, bursting with colour, love and style. EFEGE was there to capture the day, while Penzi Wedding & Events worked their magic with the planning.

‘Originally, we dreamed of hosting the wedding in Ukraine. But when the war made that impossible, we searched for a place that had that same soul. San Miguel de Allende had everything: cobblestone charm, bold color, a strong sense of community – and personal ties, too. Jim’s grandfather’s family is from Guanajuato and Jalisco, so it felt like we were connecting both of our lineages.
To honor Mexico, we brought in traditional mojigangas during the reception. Watching them dance and twirl around our guests was so much fun. But my favorite moment might have been seeing everyone dance on our pale blue and yellow dance floor which was meant to be a subtle tribute to Ukraine, right in the heart of Mexico.’

The proposal
Jim and I met during peak COVID, so most of our early relationship was spent outside hiking, walking, basically just finding excuses to be anywhere but indoors. We clicked quickly and knew pretty early on that we wanted to get married.
We designed the ring together with Altana, a local female owned jeweler in Oakland that’s focused on ethically sourced materials. So yes, I knew a proposal was coming, but I had no idea when. I figured it would happen on a big date like our anniversary or during an upcoming trip to Europe.

Instead, Jim decided to lean all the way into misdirection. Every now and then, he’d pretend to propose in the most ridiculous places like next to a bongo player by the lake or in the middle of a grocery store aisle fully knowing that public proposals are my nightmare. The real proposal happened on a trip to Minnesota to see my parents. We had planned a boat ride on Lake Minnetonka,

The day of, I was in a mood and the whole start of the day was a bit of a mess too. We got lost, ended up getting on the boat over an hour later than planned, and everyone was grumpy. We ended up turning the day around and on the way back, Jim took the wheel and pulled up near a tunnel of trees. He asked if I wanted to take a photo, then got down on one knee. I thought he was messing with me again and kept saying “stop it” until he pulled the ring out of his pocket. I was shocked and happily said yes. My parents were there, which made it feel even more special, especially since I’m an only child. Afterward, Jim had planned a small celebration with friends at a bar in Minneapolis near where I went to college. It was low-key and sweet. The whole thing just felt like us.

The dress 
I wore the Bastienne gown by Tara Lauren which is a modern take on romantic tailoring. The silhouette was strapless with a basque waist, a boned bodice, and a soft, draped skirt that moved beautifully with every step. It felt structured but not stiff and classic or overly bridal.
To balance the softness of the dress, I went with silver slingback heels from Dries Van Noten which are sculptural, sleek, and just the right amount of unexpected. My necklace was a chunky freshwater pearl choker from Cult Gaia, which gave the whole look a bit of edge. The veil and gloves were thrifted second hand.

Bridesmaids Dresses
We decided to skip a formal wedding party to take stress off the day and make it feel like a big party. Instead, we invited all our guests to wear bright, celebratory colors and bold prints. The dress code was “creative formal,” which meant people could interpret it however they wanted, and they did. The result was a kaleidoscope of style that felt joyful, relaxed, and very us.

Groomsmen / Groom Attire
Jim wore a custom made midnight-blue velvet tuxedo from Indochino, finished with sleek black lapels giving it a subtle nod to classic menswear with a twist. The velvet added just the right amount of drama without feeling overdone. No groomsmen meant no matching looks so it was just Jim, looking great and feeling comfortable in something that felt uniquely his.

Theme or colour scheme
We didn’t choose a traditional color palette, instead we went for a feeling. We wanted it to be cozy, layered, and lived-in. We wanted the day to feel like stepping into someone’s warm, welcoming home for a fun party. That said, we did weave in intentional colors: blues and yellows in honor of the Ukrainian flag, as well as rich reds, inspired by the embroidery in traditional vyshyvankas and ceremonial rushnyks.
Design Vision: In Ukraine, weddings are multi-day celebrations. Like joyful marathons that bring the whole neighborhood together. That sense of togetherness guided every design decision. For the tables, I pictured the kinds of arrangements you’d find in a neighbor’s kitchen: mismatched flowers in jam jars, cozy candles, and an effortlessly festive vibe. Our plates reminded me of my grandmother’s blue and white tea set which made everything feel a little nostalgic.

Florals & Decor
From the beginning, we wanted our florals and decor to feel joyful, deeply personal, and full of life. Ukraine’s national flower, the sunflower, made an appearance via Benito the donkey, who greeted guests with baskets of them strapped to his sides.
My bouquet was intentionally eclectic with a riot of colors and textures pulled from across the floral spectrum creating a bouquet that felt like it could’ve been gathered from gardens across continents. It was a visual nod to our “creative formal” dress code – bright, expressive, and anything but traditional.
We also layered in subtler Ukrainian details throughout the decor: smaller rushnyks (traditional ceremonial cloths) were used as cocktail table runners, and delicately decorated pysanka Ukrainian Easter eggs, historically considered powerful symbols of protection and new beginnings, were scattered throughout the space. These heirloom-inspired touches quietly anchored the wedding in cultural symbolism, even as the overall aesthetic leaned playful and modern.

Food & Drink
Root vegetables are a cornerstone of Ukrainian cuisine, so while we kept the dinner menu accessible for a variety of palettes, I wanted my signature cocktail to reflect something more personal. We worked with the mixologist to create a beet and hibiscus vodka cocktail. The beet as a nod to my heritage, and the hibiscus as a subtle tribute to Jim’s Mexican roots. It was floral, earthy, and vibrant and topped with a beet slice garnish. It just the right amount of unexpected and a huge hit with our guests.

Supplier Shout Outs

Wedding Planning & Design: Penzi Wedding & Events
Wedding PR: Published + Pretty
Wedding Venue: Casa Cien
Photography: EFEGE
Videographer: Santiago Balderas 
Florist: Bego Floristeria
DJ: Omar Colunga