Jewel Tones Filled This Luxurious Beach Wedding in Mayakoba, Mexico
Mili Shah (31 and a VP of corporate strategy) and Jaidav (Jai) Reddy (32 and an investment banker) wanted a destination wedding so they could gather loved ones in a unique location where attendees could make memories of their own. Thanks to five events and ample entertainment, they were able to do just that. A mentalist kicked off the weekend by reading guests’ minds at the mehndi, which doubled as the welcome party. At the sangeet, attendees enjoyed a guided tequila tasting before being wowed by a surprise fireworks display. The next day, Jai’s arrival by horse preceded the couple’s Hindu ceremony, which was performed in Sanskrit. To top it all off, Mili and Jai made an epic entrance to their reception by boat and danced with loved ones until 3 am.
“It was helpful to be introspective about what we wanted our wedding to be at the beginning of the process, so we could be more efficient in making decisions as we got into the planning,” says Mili. Mili and Jai settled on Mayakoba because the gated community is near Cancún, which is accessible by direct flights from the East Coast. Plus, guests could use golf carts to get around upon arrival. The couple wanted the wedding events “to be filled with color to complement the lush tropical venue.” The weekend started with bright oranges and pinks on display at the mehndi party, while the reception leaned into darker shades of teal and red.
Mili and Jai kept the guest experience top of mind, providing fans and parasols for friends and family to protect against the heat. They also gifted loved ones welcome bags with mezcal, survival kits and a weekend itinerary.
"We wanted all of our events to have an elegant vibe with increasing formality for each party as the weekend progressed. For our third activity, the sangeet, we ended the night with a fireworks display," says Mili. The dance performance at the sangeet, which preceded the fireworks display, was one of Mili’s favorite parts of the entire weekend. “Our family members all performed high-energy dances, and then we took part in a huge group number with our wedding party that included a fireworks show as the finale,” she says. “It was amazing to see everyone put in the effort to perform such amazing acts.”
For decor, in addition to sourcing carnations, anthurium and protea for the arrangements, the couple’s floral designer included unconventional elements, such as coconuts, in some of the weekend’s designs. The couple displayed seating arrangements on a hand-painted blue board, naming each table for a place they’d traveled. Guests who shared in those fun times sat at the corresponding tables. “For example, we recently had a great trip to Miami with a group of our friends, so we sat them at the Miami table,” says Mili.
The couple shared a first dance to “This Will Be Our Year,” by the Zombies, because it’s a tune they listened to frequently in the early days of their relationship. “After having to postpone our wedding by a full year due to the pandemic, this tune felt even more appropriate as our first dance song. Finally, our year had come to celebrate our marriage after waiting longer than expected,” shares Mili.
The reception’s sweets menu included tres leches cake with passion fruit, carrot cake and cheesecake. Mili is a fan of spicy margaritas and Jai loves Hendrick’s martinis, so they offered an array of both cocktails to guests. The couple had fresh tortillas and churros made on-site for the sangeet so guests could enjoy the local cuisine.