This Couple Built an Oceanfront Venue From Scratch for Their "Beach Glam" Wedding in Mexico

Yvonne Najor and Nicholas Barber met on the dance floor at a nightclub in New York City, where a mutual friend introduced them during a night out in May 2018. The couple spent the next three years traveling and building their careers—Yvonne as the vice president, NY Hotel Marketing at Tao Group Hospitality (previously an event planner, she's executed over 1,000 celebrations in her lifetime) and Nick as the founder of Williamsburg-based modern furniture and lighting retailer Patina NYC. After taking their “first real trip as a couple” to Mexico’s Isla Mujeres and spending their summers in Wellfleet, Nick knew an island destination was the perfect spot for his proposal. During a 2021 trip to the Amalfi Coast that ended with time in Ischia, says Nick, “We immediately fell in love with the beauty and pace of life on the island. The following summer, in August 2022, we returned and I proposed to her on the second day of our trip.”

Yvonne and Nick had a clear vision for their wedding: “From the start of planning, we were both adamant about getting married on the ocean and hosting an epic dance party that would last until the early hours of the morning,” they say. “The music, drinks, and design were all crucial to us—we wanted to have a blast and throw a party that we would love to attend. We met at Acme under a disco ball, and we both still love to go out dancing. Creating an epic dance party that we would enjoy was a top priority for us.”

Despite her experience as an event planner, Yvonne says she found it difficult to begin planning her own wedding. “I got engaged within weeks of my three best friends, and yet somehow they were all so efficient at securing everything for their weddings before I could even figure out a location,” she says. “The hardest part for me was choosing a planner who matched my vision, personality, and vibe. I was really deliberate with my interview process. It was important for me to find someone who not only got my vision, but also had an amazing portfolio that resonated with me.” The couple found their perfect partner in Nelson Pardo , founder of an event venue on Mare Dentro, an island in Punta Mita, Mexico, where Yvonne and Nick held their April 6, 2024, wedding. “We fell in love with the island upon seeing it but the venue he was planning to build wouldn't be complete until November 2024,” says the couple. “Pardo did not let this deter our dreams and worked tirelessly to create a stunning temporary venue built just for us on the site.”

Pardo and his team spent three months outfitting a beachfront venue for the couple and their 175 guests (including Yvonne’s close friend Lindsay Hubbard of Summer House, who attended with castmates Kyle Cook and Amanda Batula, and Ann Najjar, better known as "The Mitt Queen," a boxing trainer and coach who works with Michael B. Jordan). “The opportunity to build something from scratch and feel like it was uniquely ours was incredibly exciting,” says Yvonne. The design focused on an aesthetic the couple describes as “beach glam,” which included glittering disco balls, gleaming chandeliers, and floral installations suspended across the ceiling of an intricately draped tent; bespoke walkways and structures designed specifically for the day; and a palette of vibrant, bold colors. 

Throughout the planning process, Yvonne and Nick took every opportunity to share the work. “Being able to collaborate with Nick, who also works in design, added to the fun,” says Yvonne. “We don’t get a chance to work on many projects together and it was nice to have him involved in the creative process.” The groom organized the playlist, which included both traditional Hora and Chaldean dances, blending the bride’s and groom’s backgrounds. “Throughout the celebration, these dance moments and musical selections resonated deeply with our families, blending our diverse heritages into a fun and culturally rich wedding experience,” says Yvonne. 

On the morning of the wedding, Yvonne and Nick kept the focus on their relationship by spending a few hours together—without their guests—at the spa. “It was so nice just to relax, reflect on everything, and share our excitement for what was to come. With everything moving so fast, that quiet morning was really special for both of us, grounding us and reminding us of why we were there—to celebrate our love and how lucky we were to be surrounded by so many amazing friends and family who were all there to share in our joy,” says the couple. But it wasn’t without its memorable moments: “Just as we were unwinding in the steam room, we were suddenly greeted with a screeching fire alarm!” says Yvonne. “We went outside, had a drink, and laughed that nothing could be more ‘us’ on the day of our wedding. Life will throw you calm and chaos, but no matter what the situation is, we always find a way to laugh and have fun together.” See every well-appointed, upbeat detail, as captured by Andrea Camarena.

In lieu of a lineup of attendants who joined her at the altar, Yvonne chose to celebrate with 26 of her closest friends and female family members on the morning of the wedding. “I didn't want to have traditional bridesmaids where everyone wore the same dress and walked down the aisle; that's not really my style. I love fashion, and I wanted my friends to wear what they felt the most beautiful in,” she says. “But I still wanted bridesmaids and I wanted to honor them and have a special moment with them before the wedding. I hosted a ‘something blue’ with gifts, hair, makeup, and Champagne, and gifted them with robes from a company called LeRose. They were my something blue!”

Yvonne threw herself into wedding dress shopping with enthusiasm: “I think I visited every bridal store in New York City!” she says. “One of my favorite parts about the wedding planning process was dress shopping.” She chose a high-neck, open-back, satin gown from Jenny Yoo at Anthropologie. “When I found this dress, it just felt timeless. It was incredibly comfortable, and most importantly, I felt like myself in it,” she says. “I fell in love with it the moment I put it on.” She added a full-length veil from Kleinfeld—a must-visit store for any Big Apple-based bride. “It was important to me to have something from Kleinfeld on my big day to represent New York, of course,” she says.

Pearl heels on her Badgley Mischka pointed-toe pumps matched the buttons on her gown and pearl earrings from Nicole Rose Jewelry; Yvonne also wore a diamond tennis bracelet and cocktail ring from the same designer. “I chose pieces that felt timeless, pieces I hope to pass on to my future daughter or daughter-in-law when they get married someday,”  she says.  

Yvonne’s friend, celebrity makeup artist Caroline Blanchard, created a hair and beauty look that Yvonne calls “eternal chic—an epitome of the bride you see in your dreams.” “When it came to my makeup look, I tried out other makeup artists, and their styles felt too heavy for my taste,” says Yvonne. “It seemed like everyone advised me to wear heavier makeup for photos, but I didn't want that. I wanted to look like myself, not just in pictures but in person, too. Caroline understood this right away.”

In keeping with the formal dress code, Nick chose a midnight blue J. Crew tuxedo, a hand-tied Eton bow tie, and a Brooks Brothers cummerbund. He kept his footwear formal, too, donning black patent leather oxfords and black socks ("Not a big fan of the no-sock tuxedo look,” he says). He wore a pair of snowman cufflinks that Yvonne bought him in Italy the night he proposed, and kept his grooming routine simple: “Most of the grooming prep was not staying out too late the night before!” he says. “While I’m never the first person to retire from a party, I made an exception on the night before the wedding.”

Though the couple had spent the morning together, they also carved out time for a private first look after getting dressed. “We wanted to cherish some quiet, quality time together before the festivities began,” they say. “Finding each other in this crazy life and knowing we were getting married in just a few hours—it was surreal. The overwhelming love we felt was palpable—we couldn't stop kissing and just being together. We both felt proud of ourselves and each other for choosing to spend our lives together. It was a beautiful affirmation of our love and commitment, a moment we'll always treasure.”

The couple’s planning team spent three months building the custom installs for the wedding, including wooden walkways and a mirrored structure under which the couple exchanged vows. Pardo’s wife, florist Cynthia Magaña, stepped in to create hanging arrangements of lisianthus, ranunculus, anthurium, roses, tulips, and hydrangeas. 

“It might seem untraditional, but Nick and I decided we wanted to arrive to the ceremony location together,” says Yvonne. “We arrived in our own vehicle, and as we pulled up, we were in awe seeing all of our friends and family waiting there for us. Seeing everyone surrounding the walkway, and the structure for the ceremony, it was such a surreal moment that all of our hard work came to life. I will never forget that feeling of arriving to our big moment.”

Yvonne asked her best friend of two decades, Carli Roth, to fill the role of flower girl in a rose-colored strapless dress. “She absolutely nailed it!” says Yvonne. “She radiates sunshine and stole the show when she walked down the aisle. Everyone had smiles on their faces, and she was loving every moment of it.”

After Nick and his parents walked to the altar together, Yvonne’s mother and father escorted her down the aisle to Al Green’s “Let’s Stay Together,” which had been their wedding song. “We both recognize how hard our parents worked to raise us, and we wanted to honor them all,” says Yvonne. “We wouldn't be here without their love and support. Having them by our side made us incredibly proud.”

The couple’s mutual friend Kyle Heller officiated the wedding, creating a personalized script for Yvonne and Nick. “He invested so much time in getting to know both of our families and delving into the intricacies of our love story. Having someone who truly understands us as a couple made the ceremony incredibly meaningful,” says Yvonne. The couple shared their own vows, referencing memorable moments from throughout their relationship and plans for the future, while friends and family shared readings from religious traditions, Bob Dylan songs, and a poem by Nick’s grandmother. 

“At one point, Kyle asked us to turn around and look at everyone assembled around us to celebrate our union, and I'm so happy he did that because it's another moment in time that I will never forget,” says Yvonne. “It was the most overwhelming feeling of love and joy we’ve ever experienced in our lives."

Nick also worked with their officiant to surprise Yvonne during the ceremony by removing his tuxedo jacket to reveal a favorite photo of the couple’s dog, Jackson, on the back of his shirt—which earned “an uproarious ovation from the entire wedding crowd,” says Yvonne. “Our pitbull Jackson means everything to both of us. We adopted him during our second year of dating and always imagined him running down the aisle on our wedding day. Since he couldn't physically be there, we wanted to honor him in a special way.”

For the end of their ceremony, the couple chose an unexpected—but personally meaningful—song: Loud Luxury’s “Body,” which was on constant radio and club rotation during the couple’s first few months of dating. “The first night we met, it was playing, and somehow, it became the anthem of our love story from that first summer,” says Yvonne. “The lyrics may not directly relate to weddings, but the song holds a special place in our hearts, symbolizing the moment we fell in love. When our wedding ceremony concluded, it felt like a perfect full circle. We went from meeting at a nightclub where this song played, to walking down the aisle together as husband and wife, with 'Body' playing once again. It was a deeply poignant moment, reminding us of how far we've come since that first dance at Acme, where our journey together began.”

Mirrored chairs, climbing florals, and a spectacular draped ceiling created the couple’s “beach glam” reception space. “The property is surrounded by water, palm trees, and we wanted the décor to play into the surrounding colors and not take away from the water and views,” says Yvonne.

A trio of hanging escort signs directed guests to their seats. The couple’s custom logo—an N and Y separated by a palm tree—was a nod to the city where they met, their tropical wedding destination, and their initials. “We wanted to incorporate this theme throughout our wedding weekend,” says Yvonne. “Nick’s brother Ben surprised us with custom monogrammed bags and bottles of his tequila on every table, each one bearing the message ‘I LOVE NY.’ It was a wonderful way to celebrate our love story and our connection to New York.”

Inside the tent, long wooden tables and upholstered dining chairs were placed under dramatic overhead floral installations and 20 dazzling chandeliers. Glass vessels filled with flawless ivory flowers ran down the length of each table, interspersed with towering taper candles, while neon signage, glittering disco balls, and a custom printed dance floor set the stage for the couple’s after-dinner dance party. “We also asked our planner to turn the DJ booth into something we could dance on, which was really fun—highly recommended,” says Yvonne.

After the ceremony, guests made their way to the cocktail hour and dinner. “My husband and I were very secretive about the wedding and shared very minimal details with our guests because we wanted to surprise them,” says Yvonne. “The only thing we told them was that we were having a beach wedding and asked them to wear beach formal attire. We assured them that although the venue was on the beach, they could wear formal attire because their feet would never touch the sand.”

Specialty drinks included tequila espresso martinis and the “Jackson’s Relaxin” margarita, named for the couple’s dog. The dinner menu from Vincent highlighted the region’s cuisine. “The menu consisted of local and typical Mexican flavors, vegetables (corn esquites and huitlacoche), steaks, seafood dishes (ceviches and lobster), and desserts (tres leches bites),” says Yvonne. “Nick is vegetarian and the seitan al pastor taco bites were a big hit among vegetarians and carnivores alike. We also served traditional Mexican food at 3 a.m.!”

Monogrammed labels at the couple’s cigar station read “Jackson’s Cigar Bar,” another reference to Yvonne and Nick’s beloved pup. The cigar bar was just one of the unexpected elements the couple incorporated into their reception. “Throughout the evening, we surprised our guests with a choreographed first dance with special sparkler moments, H02 sprays, confetti showers, dancers, outfit changes, fireworks—special touches that kept the party going until 4 a.m. and made the celebration unforgettable,” says the couple.

The groom assisted DJ Hanson by curating a complete collection of music for the reception. “We knew full well that music can make or break a wedding, so he personally constructed a playlist of hundreds of songs, which our DJ masterfully weaved together,” says Yvonne (who changed into a beaded Staud minidress for dancing).  “Whether they were wedding classics that everyone knew, or obscure songs from our college days, the music told our story and kept our guests on the dance floor all night. Our DJ remarked that he had never seen so much energy at a wedding. That is a badge Nick wears proudly.”

The couple and their guests enjoyed the party so much that they accidentally bypassed one classic wedding tradition. “While we had a most elegant and photogenic (and delicious!) white buttercream cake with hundreds of painstakingly hand-placed pearls, we were glued to the dance floor all night and actually forgot to cut the cake at the wedding!” says the couple. “We ended up taking our first bite when we got back to our hotel room around 5 a.m. The next morning before many of our guests left, they all stopped by our suite for a bite and a hug on the way to the airport.”