Olivia shares the details of her sunny, sandy Mexican beach wedding. Trust us, you’ll swoon!
The Proposal: Jared proposed to me in June of 2012. We were on a scavenger hunt in West Seattle, and Jared had the organizer add special clues just for me. He proposed in front of all our competitors!
I knew I would marry this man, so I had already purchased shoes that I’d been looking at for some time. They are beautiful electric-blue Badgley Mischka pumps, from Nordstrom, of course! Then the rest of the wedding planning began…


My Wedding Stylist: Heather Rose, Downtown Seattle Wedding Suite
The following Monday I went to the Wedding Suite to look at a dress I had seen online. The dress was beautiful, but I had to try on a few others while I was there. Heather found me a Theia couture gown to try just for fun, but I didn’t think it would be ‘the one’ as it was completely different from what I had in mind. My exact blue shoes were there in the Wedding Suite, so we got to see the entire look as I envisioned, with a long cathedral veil. To my surprise, I fell in love with the dress right away! I could see it in my mom’s and sister’s eyes too: it just fit. I bought the dress then and there.

Working with Heather was always an enjoyable experience when I went back for my fittings. She also helped find dresses for my bridesmaids and my mother. My mother wore an Adrianna Papell dress, while my bridesmaids wore Donna Morgan ‘Donna’ belted chiffon dresses.
All but one of us in my wedding party has at one time or another worked in Nordstrom cosmetics, so we did our own hair and makeup! I wore NARS bronzer in Laguna and highlighter in Albatross, Double Wear foundation from Estée Lauder, YSL mascara and YSL Touche Éclat Radiant Touch (a take-anywhere pen-brush for adding a touch of light). Laura Mercier was used for the rest of the look: blush, eyeshadow, concealer and brow filler. Nordstrom made it all very easy for us to prepare for our special day!

The Scene: October 29, 2012, at Casa Salinas II in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, at sunset
We wanted a beautiful beach wedding with us barefoot in the sand with our family and closest friends. Not seeing the venue beforehand meant no specific expectations and limited décor. All we needed was the ocean in the background, the sand at our feet and blue sky. Our theme was all white/light attire, guests included. My sister, Lacey Silbaugh, is a very talented florist. She knew we wanted bright, colorful flowers and she took care of them. They turned out beautifully.


That day ended up being the hottest of all the days we were there, and it was gorgeous! Most of our friends and family were staying at the villa, so we started out with a wonderful traditional Mexican breakfast, after which I ran off to get ready with my girls. This getting-ready time with my bridesmaids was one of my favorite moments. After the wedding I would be off to Vancouver, BC, to live with my handsome Canadian husband, so the girl time was essential!
Our photographer, Cozbi Hultz, was with us the entire day, giving helpful tips and making us laugh. The villa was the most beautiful place I have ever stayed, so we had many naturally pretty settings for our photos.

The guests started to arrive around 6pm to find cocktails waiting for them, then headed down the steps to the setting on the beach. The ceremony started with my twin three-year-old nieces handing out flowers and dropping petals in the sand, followed by my two nephew ring bearers. The music began to play as the bridesmaids followed the candlelit stairway to the beach, where their groomsmen waited to greet them.

I followed shortly after, meeting my father at the bottom of the steps. The aisle was distinguished by pebbles from the ocean, the setting was lined with tiki torches and the sun was beginning to set. My father walked me down the aisle, handed me over to Jared and walked up to the front to give a very memorable wedding talk. Jared’s father finished with a beautiful prayer.
The reception followed immediately after the ceremony. We had a delicious dinner with a salsa band playing in the background.

Our Special Moments: Our first dance was memorable of course, but the second was my favorite. Spontaneously we decided to dance in the shallow area of our pool to a song titled “Something Like Olivia.” It was so romantic!
There was plenty of dancing and, yes, many ended up in the pool by the end of the night. This was not on the agenda, but Jared and I were happy to have a fun event for us and our guests to enjoy and remember forever. We wouldn’t change a thing about our special day and we hope to revisit the wonderful Casa Salinas.


Photography by Cozbi Jean Photography. See more of Olivia and Jared’s wedding photos here!
Did you find your wedding gown at Nordstrom? We love a good wedding story! E-mail Nordstrom Wedding Stories for details about getting your wedding featured on our blog. And for more inspiration, make a complimentary appointment with a wedding stylist or browse our Wedding Suite.









































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