Rancho Pescadero Wedding

Andrew and I had the best weekend in Mexico celebrating our good friends wedding! We stayed at the most amazing resort about an hour outside of Cabo called Rancho Pescadero. It's a smaller resort that can accommodate up to 64 guests and is known for their amazing food. They even bring coffee and a fresh baked pastry to your room every morning! Guys, this place was awesome!! 

After hurricane Olide, Nikki and Jason were concerned they might have to change their wedding plans due to the damage from the hurricane at the resort and airport. But Rancho Pescadero worked non-stop and the resort was impeccable when we arrived. 

I was a little late to book our room earlier this year, so we ended up with a deluxe room (since the other rooms were already reserved) I wouldn't have usually splurged on . So we made sure to soak it up and enjoy it while we were there! Plus, it was the closest room to the bar and pool area which was quite convenient! 

One of my favorite things about the weekend was that the entire resort was filled with friends and family there to celebrate with Nikki and Jason. Everywhere you turned was a familiar face, and after the first day it was like we had all been friends for years. Andrew couldn't have been more excited for all the people who wanted to do activities with him like surf, stand up paddle board, beach volleyball, body surfing, and more! So many activities.

Nikki and Jason (and their families) were SO generous. They had arranged everything, it felt like an all inclusive resort because almost every day they would set up a buffet for lunch or breakfast with beer or a signature cocktail. They even arranged shuttles to get us to and from the airport, as well as to Todos Santos for a party Friday night. Let me tell you, they know how to throw an amazing party! 

A little advanced warning, this post is going to be super long winded, but part of the reason I blog is to keep a journal of our life and this was an amazing weekend with friends that I want to remember! It was such an awesome weekend, I'll give you a little recap of all our activities.... 

We arrived Thursday afternoon and got settled in our room before heading to the pool and beach to get a lay of the land. That night, they hosted an amazing dinner right on the beach. After dinner we all headed back to the pool and fire pit area to continue the party. 

Friday morning Andrew and I were up early for a walk on the beach. We had heard baby sea turtles were hatching and making their way into the ocean so we had hoped to see some, but no luck. After our walk we went to ask about using the surf boards provided by the resort and realized Jason's cousin was about to leave for Cerritos Beach nearby for a surf session, so we hopped in the car with him! While the boys surfed I took a few pictures then relaxed with a magazine and got some sun. It was such a nice morning. After a few hours at Cerritos, we headed back to the resort for lunch with everyone. Then it was time for some pool fun and beach volleyball before heading up to Todos Santos for dinner. Nikki and Jason were having a family dinner that night, so the rest of us took a shuttle into town so we could explore a bit before having dinner at a local restaurant. After dinner we met up with the rest of the group at the Hotel California for a party outside in their courtyard area. We visited over cocktails and even played flip cup! 

Saturday was the BIG day! And the day of activities for Andrew, I think he wishes every day of his life was like this :) As soon as we woke up Andrew and Corrie went down to the beach for a little fishing with the poles provided by Rancho. I took a few pictures but then went back to the pool area with Erica and we ordered the best breakfast burritos ever! Next activity on deck, stand up paddle boarding! Erica and I went down to the beach to watch them fight their way past the shore break. It looked like a lot of work, but entertaining for us! Some of the other guys body surfed so Erica and I just relaxed on the beach for a while and relaxed. And we were lucky enough to see a bunch of whales! It looked liked they were playing and they even came totally out of the water a couple times! I am a total nerd and got so excited about this, I was so glad Andrew packed binoculars (told you we're nerds)! We took a quick intermission and went back up to the pool for a bit to grab some lunch, then headed back to the beach for volleyball! I'd been watching everyone play for the past two days and it looked so fun so I joined in for a game on Saturday. Man, playing in the sand is work! But it was so fun. I think it was even better sitting under the umbrella with a beer watching. These guys have all been friends with Jason since they were in high school, and they're hilariously competitive! 

In the early afternoon Erica and I headed up to the bridal suite to hang out with Nikki while she was getting ready. It was the most incredible room, they call it the "Mathew McConaughey Suite!" Our other good friend, Laura did Nikki's hair for the wedding. Since we're all so close, it was so fun visiting and sipping champagne while Nikki got ready. Nikki is the most classy and elegant person I know, and she looked incredible on her wedding day! Her dress was so beautiful, I'd say her look was old Hollywood glamour with a touch of bohemian. Once she was ready, we headed down to the beach for the ceremony. It was a beautiful sunset ceremony officiated by Jason's cousin with readings by both Nikki's twin brother and Jason's sister. 

After the ceremony they had a beautiful dinner. It was in an outdoor dining room by the garden with chandeliers and rustic tables and chairs. The dinner was served family style and we had the best time toasting Nikki and Jason and hearing about their childhood from family members and stories about how their relationship has grown. Once we finished dinner, we headed over to the pool area for dancing and cocktails tequila. We had the best time dancing, I never wanted it to end! At one point, we all serenaded Nikki and Jason with Journey as they were up on a balcony. Such a great memory. Once the music ended, everyone jumped in the pool (bride and groom included)! The night ended with a big bonfire and roasting marshmallows on the beach. The absolute perfect day celebrating two of our closet friends. 

It was such an amazing weekend, I wish we could re-live it all over again! My only regret is not taking enough pictures. I got some great photos walking around the resort in the morning, but rarely had my camera out and my phone stayed in our room the entire weekend. I can't wait to see the pictures from the photographer, the few he's already posted on Facebook are awesome! 

I'm so thankful we were able to celebrate with Nikki and Jason. They're two of the kindest people I've ever met, always fun to be around and the type of people you hope to be like. I know they have a long an happy marriage ahead. And hopefully there are more group trips for us in the future, Mexico is definitely best enjoyed with a group of friends! 

Oh, and we get to do it all over again this Saturday at their San Francisco reception!! 

brotherly love

This couple was so cute! They were at least 80 and holding hands and splashing in the waves together!

party pitted

WHALES!! - it was so fun watching them

View from the bridal suite

One more thing that I wanted to share with you. As you may know, Sunday was Day of the Dead, or Dia de los Muertos. Traditionally you create an altar piece to pray for and celebrate family and friends that have died. Nikki and Jason wanted to remember those that couldn't be with them on their wedding day, and invite them to be a part of the celebration. They created a beautiful altar in memory of Nikki's sister Carrie, as well as Jason's Aunt, and both of their grandparents. It was such a moving detail and gave a special and personal touch to the reception.

This was the 2nd time Andrew and I had visited Cabo, you can see the posts from our last trip here! 

There are a few more pictures on Instagram with hashtag #VivaElliotts