So Mark and I married each other, officially, formally, culturally, happily in front of everyone we know. It was not a traditional affair in many senses, but it hewed somewhat to what various ancestors may have done.
The wedding was a three day affair in Cancun, Mexico from October 23 – October 26th, 2025 at the JW Marriott.
Pre-wedding days
Okay, we arrived Monday, October 20th and we spent two days in blissful harmony enjoying each other’s company solo.
On Wednesday, our families flew in and learned more about each other. We hung out by the pool and ate and drank and giggled. We all had dinner together.
Thursday
On Thursday, the official wedding start date, most everyone else arrived and settled into the hotel. I saw people at the pool I hadn’t seen in years and some I had seen recently. We swam (because I can do that now), we ate, we hung out, we caught up. I met some of Mark’s old friends whose paths I had yet to cross.
Thursday night, Mark and I hosted a welcome party. Waiters served hor d’oeuvres and drinks. Water drummers enticed the audience forward to make music and splashes. We ate, we conversed, we reminisced. I had an absolute blast.
Friday
The second day, a Friday, the morning started out at the pool again, greeting new people that arrived. I went and got my hair and makeup done because you can do that when you’re getting married. My sisters, mom, sister-in-law and mother-in-law all got their pretty on during this time as well.
I slipped into my lehenga and put on my earrings, my rings, my necklace, my bracelets, my nose ring, my nose to earring chain, my ring to bracelet chain, and my belly ring and waited by the hotel entrance.
Mark rode a horse to the top of the hill toward me while the guests danced around him for the baraat.
We hugged. Our families exchanged gifts. We made everyone follow us inside to the mehndi.
At this event, guests could get henna tattoos, eat Indian food, and drink to their hearts’ content. We had a fashion show for everyone to flaunt their Indian outfits; the winner received a massage to the hotel. We also did some Bollywood dancing.
I had a blast.
After the mehndi, I met a lot of my friends at the bar in the hotel. We drank and bonded. I met some family at a different hotel bar. We hung out and made new memories.
Saturday
The third and final day, a Saturday, I got my hair and makeup done too early in the morning, slipped on a not-so-traditional white dress that I told you about and my mother’s favorite earrings I’ve always admired, posed for about 1000 pictures, and then walked down the aisle of all my friends and family toward Mark.
We sipped some wine and broke a glass and walked seven steps and exchanged rings we already had and my cousin declared us married.
Saturday afternoon, we went back to the pool and had another blast out there. The weather was near perfect the whole weekend with only the occasional splash of rain.
Saturday evening, we hosted a cocktail hour. During that time, watercolor artist would take our guests’ pictures. There were drinks and our signature tamarind margarita that I drank two of. We walked into the reception as our new shared last name and then everyone closest to Mark and I reminisced about earlier days in the form of toasts. The DJ played music and we danced the night away. The painters painted. We did the hora. We ate and drank and caught up.
The after party was across the street at a bar where we shisha’d and drank and recollected and gossiped until 1:30am. We were in the lobby by 2 and Mark and I were back in our bathing suits in the hottub at 3am, sharing a lovely soak by ourselves, taking in the weekend.
On Sunday, we said goodbye to everyone over breakfast. And we stayed one more day until Monday with a few stragglers. Just breathing.
Finally, we flew home Monday night.
Perfection
It was, in a word, perfection on a stick. Sublime. The cat’s pajamas. I have no notes. The wedding of our dreams. Best week plus of my life.
I grew up thinking multi-day weddings were normal, so I felt entitled to one. Of course we’re going to have a henna party. I grew up in the USA watching and existing in its culture, so of course I wanted to walk down the aisle toward the love of my life.
I understand why people want to have a big wedding. It’s joyous. Everywhere I looked, I saw people I wanted to talk to, people from different stages of life. I saw all of Mark’s stages of life at the wedding, too, and it made us that much more closer. I know all the people in his stories and he knows all mine.
When do you ever get all the people who know and love you together in one place having a great time, vacationing together, and sharing happy times from the past, enjoying the happy time in the present, and planning happy times for the future? Never. Not when you’re alive, at least.
I was so darn happy all week, having so much fun. That was a depth of happiness I hadn’t yet experienced.
My motto was always Guests First. I read that in a book about wedding planning. All I wanted was for everyone to be comfortable and happy and spend time with us. I think the operation succeeded. It felt like I won everything that weekend. I married my best friend.
This is why I have money. Or, at least, this is why I have money. Relationships, travel, adventure, memories! Your “why” of life might be different, but that’s definitely mine.
What an amazing week for you both. So happy that you met Mark and had a wonderful time. Yes weddings are that unique time when you can get everyone together at a happy event and make memories that you can share together forever. Very happy for you both. The dress looked beautiful too!
Thank you! I’m so in love with all my dresses, but that red one I wore down the aisle has my heart in a vice grip.
Congratulations!!! I’ve been following your blog for years and so brings me great joy to see you marry the love of your life 💖
Me too! LOL. Thanks so much for being a reader to my words. They appreciate it!
What an absolutely fun Festival your wedding was! I have seen Swiss weddings that lasted for days, so it was joyous and fun to watch the pictures of yours wedding in America are so short and quickly over… I love that you got to enjoy so many facets to your celebration! Well worth the money spent… Enjoy your life together… Cheers!💞
Worth every cent. And yes! American weddings feel so short! I want to celebrate and hang out for days.
It sounds like you and Mark hosted the most enjoyable wedding I can imagine. Glad everyone had a great time together. Congratulations.
Thanks! It was the best wedding I could imagine, too!
You guy look great! Anita you are so pretty especially in Indian outfits 💜
It’s so fun to dress up and feel pretty! Thanks for your kind comments.
Longtime follower of Power of Thrift here… Loved reading and seeing the pictures from your wedding! Thank you for sharing. The joy of the occasion stood out in all the photos. I wish you two lifelong happiness, love and peace! Congratulations!
I’m reading a book called Joyful right now and it’s about making sure you have joy in your life. I am just nodding along at it because I have joy bursting out the seams.
Thanks for reading! You’re the best.
So happy for you both! I’ve been following you for a while, through some of your ups and downs of life. I’m happy you have found a partner who fits you. Thanks for sharing all your events. What an amazing wedding experience. Congratulations!
Thank you! I love hearing from people who have known me for a long time. It means a lot!
I have followed you for years and can’t tell you how happy I am for you both! Send y heartfelt congratulations! Btw – I still use your spreadsheets even though I retired early 7 years ago – lol. ❤️💍 🍾 🎂
That’s so fun to hear! I still use my spreadsheets, too! But I tweak them every so life event. Thanks for telling me!
Awesome! So beautiful’ congratulations!!!!
Thank you! Still glowing from happiness a month later!
Oh wow, yes family and friends are the best part of life’s journey. Finding that person to share all that with, who gets you is even better. So happy for you and your husband!
Thank you!
Congrats!
Thanks!
Congratulations! This makes me very happy. I love that you were so happy at your wedding. It looked beautiful and perfect.
Thank you!
Congratulations!
Thanks!
Congratulations!! I love the pics of you both and the surroundings and all the beautiful guests. Wish you the all the best.
That’s one of my favorites, too!
Congratulations! I have followed your journey for so long and am so happy to see you find your special someone!
That’s so nice to hear! Yay!
Beautiful post! It looks like a fabulous wedding week and I can feel the love of family and friends🥰. Everyone and the happy couple look blissful and had fantastic fun. Good job.
Oh, and yay to the chosen dress #2 in the end. Also love all of your dresses wedding week. You look beautiful in all of them.
Thank you! I’m so in love with all of my dresses and am already looking how to repurpose them!
Congratulations to the both of you!! What a beautiful time for you and Mark and your families and thank you for sharing it with us!!
Thank you for wanting to see it! LOL 🙂
Congrats! Great pics, glad everything worked out after the hyatt mishap. I was almost certain there would be no horse, so color me surprised. I hope you also got some great videos and your officiant was top tier. Nice to see the front cabin flight return, though in the future fly on the widebody if available, they have better seats
cheers and best wishes to you both <3
Thanks, Erich! We almost didn’t have a horse. It was a lot of asking on our part. 🙂
Congratulations!! Looks like a truly awesome celebration! Love all your dresses – so pretty!
Thank you!
Congratulations 🎉 what a wonderful way to begin your new life as a married couple❤️
Agreed!
Late to the party but congratulations! You were an absolutely stunning bride! 💍 Wishing you all the happiness in the world! 💘 xo
Thank you! That’s sweet of you to say. 🙂
Congratulations 🎊 All of the photos look incredible but my fav is definitely the one of you being hoisted on the chair – your face looks like simultaneously joy and horror 😄
It was a lot scarier than I thought it would be!
Congrats!
Thank you!
Absolutely loved reading this post. Congratulations to you both.
Yay! Thank you!