While attending the birthday party of a family friend, Lexi Leyva didn’t expect to meet her future husband, Nathan Mathews. “She was a lifelong friend of my brother’s now wife, so we naturally gravitated towards each other,” remembers Nathan of the woman who caught his attention and changed his life forever. Years later when speaking to his grandfather, it became clear to Nathan that he couldn’t imagine life without Lexi. “After I proposed, we called my grandparents to tell them she said yes, and his response was, ‘It’s about damn time,’” laughs Nathan of the memory. 

Not wanting to wait any longer, the pair worked with their wedding-planning team to organize a luxurious celebration in just six short months. They selected a gorgeous resort just 10 minutes from their home to provide a beachy, coastal feel, that they not only love so much but also wanted their 150 guests to experience over the course of the wedding weekend. “Every time we were there, we would say it would be a dream to get married there… When we told International Event Company our dream venue and time to get married, they made it happen!” confirms Lexi. 

Desiring a sophisticated, neutral design scheme for their ocean-view ceremony, florals and foliage in fresh and dried varieties blended beautifully with the natural landscape of the coastal setting. “We didn’t want the typical all-white, filled-with-flowers wedding,” Lexi describes, adding that earthy tones and plentiful greenery created the warm, romantic feel they envisioned. 

As friends and family found their seats facing the grand rotunda, a string quartet performed a special soundtrack. “I picked songs that were subtly sentimental with my siblings – songs no one else would think twice about except us,” the groom notes. His bride walked down the aisle on the arm of her father to “Universe” by Kelsea Ballerini, wearing an ethereal off-the-shoulder gown. “She’s never looked so beautiful, and I was so overwhelmed with excitement that she said yes,” Nathan resminisces. 

A heartfelt ceremony was lovingly officiated by the groom’s uncle. “We knew right away we wanted it to be him,” shares Lexi. During the vow exchange, Nathan surprised his bride with a new ring, similar to her engagement ring, “but with a few more adornments I had added to symbolize the next step that marriage represented,” he says of the special touch. “Becoming man and wife is a feeling that cannot be replicated. It makes me proud even now thinking about it.” 

“We didn’t want the typical all-white, filled-with-flowers wedding.”

Transitioning from the alfresco ceremony and cocktail hour to the elegant indoor reception, the romantic vibes continued, with bolder design elements replacing woven coastal details. “Such simple details, like dreamy candles with black sand versus white sand cascading up the staircase to the reception really set the mood,” shares the bride. 

A large dreamcatcher showcasing the newlyweds’ initials welcomed guests before they entered the ballroom, which highlighted a jaw-dropping ceiling treatment of cascading drapery as well as residential-inspired details, such as black-and-gold paneling, vintage chandeliers, illuminated sconces, and velvet dining chairs surrounding swanky tablescapes highlighting earth tones and metallic accents. 

In addition to modern entertainment, the couple honored the groom’s Native American heritage with traditional bird singing. “The singers opened up with songs to symbolize the gathering of the families, then continued with several celebration bird songs, inviting both families to participate and dance as we became one big family,” describes Lexi. “Culture is very much a part of who Nathan is and making sure this was part of the reception was very important.” 

Surrounded by so much love, Lexi and Nathan affirm the celebration was everything they hoped for and more. “The day and weekend was truly something I could only dream of,” confirms the groom. “The only thing I would do differently was to have done it two years earlier.”

This real wedding was originally published in the Fall 2024 issue of Inside Weddings magazine. 

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