It was a “classic 20-something fairy tale,” says Camillia Bailey of how she met and fell in love with Dave Bailey. “We were both living in New York City in 2018 and swiped right on three different dating apps over a year before Dave finally suggested a date at the urging of his roommate. We had a marathon first date, beginning with drinks in Park Slope, followed by an MGMT concert at Kings Theatre, followed by a house party and a slew of bars in the West Village.” A year later, they moved in together, and three years after that, they were engaged.
“We knew we wanted to get married in Mexico,” Camillia, who founded Crooked Owl Hard Tepache with Dave in 2020 says. “Most of our friends and family had never traveled to San Miguel de Allende, so we wanted to introduce them to one of our favorite cities. When we came across Casa Adela in our venue research, we knew it was the perfect place for our intimate, laid-back plans.” The vibe? “Simple and unfussy.”
To help bring their vision to life, the couple hired planner Monserrat Guerrero, who made the whole process seamless and easy. Photographer Anna Sauza lensed the wedding weekend with an impressive five different cameras.
Camillia worked with bridal stylist Caitlin Meehan to curate looks for all the events. “I wanted something playful and vibrant for the welcome party,” she says. “I chose a two-piece set from the Zimmermann Resort 2023 collection and pulled my hair into a Pam Anderson-inspired updo.”
Where the welcome party look was all fun, the wedding dress had to be refined. “I wanted a dress I could show photos of to grandchildren in 50 years and it would still look classic,” the bride says. “The only real choice in my mind was something from Danielle Frankel; I knew the moment I put on the Simone dress that it was the one.”
Camillia added a mantilla lace veil by Homa Bridal—customized with four extra feet of length—and two long strands of pearls draped down the open back. She did her own hair and makeup, with a bit of pre-wedding help—a cut and color by Whitney Warfield two weeks prior and a makeup tutorial with Ashlee Glazer for tips on amplifying her everyday makeup routine for extended wear in front of the cameras.
After the ceremony, Camillia changed into a ruched strapless dress by Rosetta Getty (accessorized with an ivory bag from Korean label gu_de) and, for her final look, donned a hot pink ruffled mini dress by Aknvas. The groom wore a custom tuxedo jacket and shirt from Suitsupply and green linen tuxedo pants by Ralph Lauren Purple Label.
On May 12, 2023, they said, “I do,” on an altar covered in vibrant bougainvillea that took the couple’s breath away at first glance. “Our florist, Valeria Tamayo Cordova of Vasija Floral, accentuated the bougainvillea with more wildflowers, lush greenery, and drapey linens,” Camillia says. “It was all such a rush,” she remembers. “Dave and I had taken a brief moment to read each other our vows after our first look—before the ceremony began—which calmed our nerves and informed our decision to have the entire bridal party, including ourselves, wear sunglasses throughout the ceremony in case of spontaneous tears!”
“We wanted the day to feel more like a lively dinner party than a formal ceremony and reception, so we tried to flow each music, food, and beverage-driven experience seamlessly from one into the next,” Camillia explains. A sunset rooftop happy hour featured small bites and a mezcal bar; a courtyard dinner offered five courses of homestyle Mexican fare served family-style by Maye Córdova Eventos. As for decor, “We knew we didn’t want traditional florals,” Camillia says. “We opted for lavish spreads of wildflowers, fresh fruit, and candles on the tables and hung twinkle lights in the courtyard.”
Their first dance was an homage to that marathon first date. Live band The Creamsons performed “Electric Feel” by MGMT. The newlyweds poured Champagne down a tower of coupes, then the party moved to the pool area. “We wanted a disco pool party for our after-party,” Camillia describes. “We danced, drank, and enjoyed music by a DJ from BGolden Productions, accompanied by a live saxophonist. We had handmade tacos and quesadillas stamped with a ceremonial tortilla press and a cigar roller making cigars and cigarillos upon request.”
The once-in-a-lifetime night ended with a bang. “Dave and I jumped into the pool fully clothed, followed by 25 of our closest friends and family,” Camilia says. “It was such a fun and silly time, and we were literally swimming in love.”
