A Design-Focused Wedding at The Cape in Los Cabos

Nina Baron and Michael Olmstead are high school sweethearts. “We met in 2006, but had two years of flirting and high school nonsense before we started dating in January of 2008,” says Nina. Well, all that nonsense stuck, and by 2017, the pair was engaged. “Michael convinced my boss to make me think I was going to Paris on a business trip,” says Nina. “As he and I were walking across the Pont Alexandre III in front of the Eiffel Tower, he got down on one knee! I looked up to see photographers capturing the moment – and my best friends (who he’d flown in to celebrate!) watching behind them.”

After such an incredible proposal, Nina and Michael wanted to duplicate that feeling of joy and excitement for their wedding. “Mexico is our favorite place to visit, making it an obvious choice for our wedding,” says the bride. “It was carefree and fun, and we got to spend a whole weekend with our 85 guests.” On November 4, 2017, the couple and their loved ones met at The Cape Hotel in Los Cabos, where Nina and Michael embraced the design-centric setting with a black and white palette and amber and copper accents. “The hotel matches our personal style so well, so we really wanted to play off of the elements that were already there,” Nina explains. She and Michael exchanged vows overlooking the ocean, the celebrated all night in the warm sea breeze—capping it off with an impromptu dip in the pool at 1am!

This gorgeous celebration, photographed by Don + Helen and planned by Erin Taylor of Bustle Events, is full of #weddinginspo—check it out!

Handmade paper added gorgeous texture to Nina and Michael’s black-and-gold save the dates. Instead of a traditional monogram, they topped the design with an El Corazon image, finished with the pair’s hashtag #losolmsteads.

The couple’s invitations were decorated with sugar skull designs (including one of their dog!). They paired them with sugar skull tequila bottles, salt, and fresh limes to give guests a taste of the celebration to come.

The bride spent the morning at The Cape, enjoying time and prepping with her girls. “I had the absolute best day getting ready with my bridesmaids—we danced and laughed until the moment we walked down the aisle!” says Nina.

The bride embraced two major bridesmaid trends: Mismatched dresses and having the bridal party wear white. “I wanted all of the most important women in my life to feel beautiful and unique, no matter whose wedding day it was—and white is so flattering and classic!” Nina says. “They each picked a dress that made them—and their wallets—feel good.”

The bride also wore white, choosing a fitted white crepe gown with a notched neckline from Vera Wang. “It was one of the first dresses I tried on, but I wasn’t sure yet,” Nina says. “I’m not much of a girly girl and am rarely in a dress, let alone a gown. I tried on many others over a few months, and then went back and finally had the confidence to say yes. But I still changed into a white jumpsuit as soon as I could!”

The ceremony took place on the hotel’s beachside patio, where natural wooden chairs and benches led to the palm-covered altar.

A mix of white flowers, succulents, cacti, and palms created an organic ceremony backdrop.

The couple met in front of the picturesque water. “Everyone was laughing at Michael because I didn’t make it two steps down the aisle before he started crying," recalls the bride. "But the joke was on us: He had everyone in tears as soon as he started his vows!”

“Writing and sharing our personal vows was the best decision we made," says the bride. "Of all the things you can do to try to influence the feeling of your wedding, nothing is more powerful than reflecting on the reasons you are entering this union and letting your guests share in that emotion. Everyone was love-drunk for the rest of the evening!”

The couple’s hashtag—surrounded by greenery and crisp white blooms—was displayed on a big wall installation at the reception. Nina and her ‘maids posed for photos here, while showing off their bouquets, which combined ranunculus, garden roses, anemones, succulents, and natural greenery.

Nina and Michael made a grand entrance into the reception as newlyweds!

Guests’ table assignments were inspired by lotería, a game of chance similar to bingo that uses cards instead of numbers on balls. The wooden escort board featured laser-printed images of some of the couple’s favorite cards.

The al fresco reception was a perfect fit for the setting. Tables were topped with gauzy white runners, low arrangements of white and amber flowers, and tall candles. Each place setting featured stack of black plates and matte flatware, paired with amber goblets and napkins tied with leather napkin rings. “Each napkin ring was engraved with a guest’s name to act as a place card,” Nina says.

Nina and Michael served two signature cocktails: A margarita spritz and a vodka lavender lemonade. Says the bride, “The Cape flew in fresh lavender just for our cocktails!” For dinner, guests ate chicken tinga taquitos, lobster and charizo sopes, grilled prawn “Al Pastor” salad, lobster enchiladas, and plantain risotto. “We also had a late night quesadilla station, which was a huge hit,” says Nina.

The couple sat at a hightop sweetheart table, which was placed in the perfect spot so they could enjoy everyone's toasts.

The couple took to the dance floor as “Is This Love?” by Corinne Bailey Rae played. “We really wanted a DJ so we could hear the original versions of all of our favorite songs,” Nina explains. Once the formalities were over, she switched into a white jumpsuit by Second Skill Overalls for a night of dancing.

“At the very end of the evening, we and about 30 of our guests jumped into the pool with all of our clothes on,” Nina remembers. “It was so hilarious to see everyone swimming around in formalwear—even the hotel staff got a kick out of it. Apparently 30 soaking-wet wedding guests dancing in the lobby is something they’ll never forget, and neither will we!”