For more than 70 years, thousands of brides have traveled to Kleinfeld Bridal in New York City to find their wedding day looks. From the moment you walk through the doors, you’ll feel the magic of Kleinfeld. Not only does Kleinfeld have 30,000 square feet filled with the largest selection of wedding dresses in the world, it also has the greatest professional staff of over 200 employees who are dedicated to finding and perfecting your bridal look.
This past May, we traveled down to the Hacienda Temozon located on the Yucatán Peninsula for an editorial photoshoot! The 17th-century plantation sits just outside of the city of Mérida, which is considered one of the upcoming destination wedding hotspots and one of the safest cities in Mexico. The Hacienda Temozon was the perfect spot for our photo shoot with its rich history, bright coral walls and contrasting white moldings. Although it’s located only a few hours outside of Cancun, the location feels like a hidden gem in the middle of the jungle—far away from civilization! We partnered with top worldwide planner & designer Emily Clarke Events & destination wedding photographer Brian Leahy to create a stunning editorial that would inspire couples everywhere to push the envelope with their fashion choices & wedding design. The result of our two days in the sun? A timeless set of images that highlight the property’s ancient Mayan architecture & rich history.
Look #1: The Traditionalist
Our first look features style IVORY from Tony Ward Couture. This dress is the perfect choice for a traditional bride! This long-sleeved lace mermaid wedding dress features 3D embroidered florals and a cathedral train that’s covered in hand-placed floral appliqués. We created a sense of drama by utilizing the hacienda’s iconic staircase and highlighting the dress’ illusion back. The dress’ illusion back photographed on the hacienda’s entrance staircase creates a sense of drama and the bold earring was the perfect accessory.
Look #2: The Effortless Bohemian
The next look features the effortlessly glamorous & boho JEMIMA dress by Temperley London. The soft tulle dress features embroidery in a design of bold appliqué florals and soft waterfall silk organza sleeves. This light & airy dress is perfect for a hot destination and when paired with a bright floral crown you have a modern day “Frida” moment!
Look #3: The Bold-Meets-Traditional Bride
This is a modern take on a traditional bridal look, that still has a sense of drama. This strapless Edgardo Bonilla Style: CALI ball gown features lace appliqués and a full tulle skirt that will forever be a timeless dress choice. We accessorized this look with a cathedral length mantilla veil and bold, modern earrings that bring in a piece of everyday style to any bridal look. The staircase outside this small on site chapel is the perfect spot for family portraits and dramatic moments (see below).
Look #4: The Fun and Flirty Bride
When in a warm destination like Mexico, every bride needs a little cold shoulder—look no further than the PENALARA wedding dress by Yolan Cris. This dress features a high neckline and long, airy sleeves. For a reception look, stylist Annie Cavallo of I Do Style removed the veil and added teal earrings & a pink carnation to the updo—the perfect look to dance the night away.
Look #5: The Modern Bride
We’re agave dreaming! This look features style #A18OCB402 from one of Kleinfeld’s newest designers, Officina di Cucitura! If you’re having a wedding that has more succulents than florals, you may want to consider this bridal look with hand cut fringed edges. For a bride looking to take the natural theme a step further—think mini 100% agave tequila bottles for guests or couples can include agave in their signature cocktail!
Look #6 : The Fashionista
When someone thinks of Mexico as a destination, they think bright and colorful florals! The Meteor dress from Suzanne Harward features Regalia Lace with a double plunge neckline, soft tulle under-skirt and sheer train! This dress is not only light & airy (perfect for a destination wedding) but it’s also easy to pack. Because remember, transporting your wedding dress should always be considered. Designer Emily Clarke was inspired by the colors of old world Mexico and Catholicism and wanted to create an installation that would be fun (and different) for photos. Can you imagine this as a photo booth for guests? We guarantee that you won’t see it anywhere else!
Details, details, details!
Emily Clarke designed two incredible tabletops. The first tabletop was inspired by the bright colors of the Hacienda Temozon. She wanted the table to have a tailored, textured look. The bright flowers had the movement and the striped blanket was the perfect contrast! Each place setting had a hand-painted vinyl and cloth napkin (that was sourced from Mérida!)
For the next tabletop, Emily Clarke wanted something different. She wanted to create a sculptural design for the centerpieces. The result? These hand crafted & painted clay flowers that were clustered together for a totally unique look. Another fun fact? These flowers took over two weeks and 100 hours to make!
