| | |  | | Dear Alicia,
Thank you so much for making our wedding even more magical and beautifual than we even imagined it could be! From the gorgeous tables to the stunningly vibrant flowers, to the hand-embroidered linens and the thoughtfully unique touches that made every table sparkle- it was the Mexican fairytale that we dreamed of. And our guests can't stop raving about the food!
So thanks again for executing the event with such personal attention and grace- it was much appreciated!
Hope to see you again in San Miguel soon....
Cheers,
Jess & Scott
New York, NY
2009 Wedding
jessicapaul@yahoo.com
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Dear Alicia,
How can I ever thank you enough for making our wedding weekend one of the most memorable moments of our lives? Rarely do events that I anticipate as much as I did our wedding meet my expectations. This was a first...not only were they met, they were exceeded beyond my wildest dreams.
Jon and I still cannot believe how beautiful, tasteful, joyous and personal our wedding was. We had the time of our lives, as did the 65 friends and family who made the journey to see us get married. Truly, we are still (five weeks later) hearing raves about the food, the decor, the drinks:), and the whole gestalt of the wedding.
We will sing your praises far and wide, and hope anyone deciding on your services will e-mail us for a personal testimonial. There are no words to describe how smooth, efficient and organized the event was, and truly, truly spectacular.
Thank you, Alicia, with all our hearts, for giving us and our guests such beautiful memories.
Your greatest fans,
Lisa Borneman & Jon Streeter
New York City
2008 Wedding
lisaborneman1@yahoo.com
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Alicia,
You are truly a magician! A brilliant, brilliant magician! Ben and I can't possibly thank you enough for creating our absolute dream wedding! You have been such a pleasure to work with, as kind, gracious and thoughtful as you are detail-oriented and talented. It is truly amazing to me that even though you never met Ben and I prior to the wedding week, you were able to put together not only the wedding, but also a gorgeous cocktail party. Both events were perfect reflections of us and our style.
Your suggestions and recommendations were always right on, from the tequila bearing donkey to the incredibly gorgeous casas where the events took place. Every detail was carefully considered and the special touches that you added created a wedding that our friends and family refer to as ''the wedding of the century''! Everything was truly perfect--the dancers, the vendors, the mariachi band, DJ and the food was the greatest food I've ever tasted in all my life!
You are forever in my heart; I absolutely adore you and so appreciate all of the extra time you took showing me around, getting me to my hair appointment and helping us get our cell phones back in working order. Not to mention when my sister lost her passport...! Now that our guests have fallen completely in love with San Miguel and Mexico, Ben and I can't wait to have a 10-year anniversary party!
Thank you again so very Much!
Courtenay Goff and Benjamin Bucci
Old Orchard Beach, Maine
2008 Wedding
courtenaygoff13@mac.com
benbucci@yahoo.com
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Hi Alicia
Many, many thanks to you for a perfect, fantasy San Miguel wedding. Everyone raved about it and how much fun it was. The setting was beautifully decorated, the music amazing, food excellent and everything went completely smoothly and according to plan. You more than exceeded our expectations.
For anyone contemplating a wedding in San Miguel I cannot recommend Alicia and her staff more highly. She is worth every penny, planning everything meticulously from start to finish, from picking up guests at the airport to organizing hair and makeup done at home. And Alicia handles everything with a calmness and a can-do attitude that soothes frayed last minute nerves. She takes the initiative and makes things happen exactly as you want them to. Alicia is Mexican with perfect English, an ideal combination for planning an event for out of towners in San Miguel. We had an absolutely amazing wedding, better than I even imagined and all the guests both gringo and Mexican, thoroughly enjoyed themselves. We ended the night out in the jardin in centro, dancing to the Estudiantina with the tequila burro at hand. A perfect event and pretty much stress free thanks to Alicia. I suspect she even had a hand in organizing the perfect weather after a week of torrential rain!
Thank, you, thank you.
Margaret Nash
2008 Wedding
margaretnash2003@yahoo.com
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Alicia!
Primero que nada, quería decirles a ti y a Gaby gracias por TODO.
It's amazing to me how well everything went, considering that we had never met and Oscar had NEVER been to San Miguel de Allende before! Everything went wonderfully. I think everyone had a wonderful time and were all very impressed by your professionalism and the quality of all of the services. We also enjoyed our officiant very much-thank you for recommending him to us! I hope we can return to San Miguel de Allende soon; I already miss the vivid colors, the food, and the people. It is a great city--many things to do, but still has the charm of a small mexican pueblito.
Thank you again for everything. It was wonderful to meet you and it is still amazing to me how smoothly everything went!
Hope to talk to you soon,
Heidi Benson
2008 Wedding
hbenson@osbornnet.org
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Alicia,
We have received the photos and video from the wedding, and we are overwhelmed with how fabulous everything turned out. You are the most talented planner I have ever worked with! Your attention to detail, and all of your recommendations for venues, food, decor, music and photographers were outstanding. We simply could not be more pleased!
The entire wedding event, and the fun activities leading up to the wedding - including the ''bull fighting'' and the ''dancing'', were delightful and our guests all raved about what a wonderful time they had! The venue was the most amazing for all of our activities - incredible grounds and food and service. It was absolutely the right choice for us. And the ''extra'' was having the charming and intimate church right across the street!
Our photos are unbelievable - she is a true artist. Then, when the video arrived, we sat and cried through the whole thing - so well done, and such a reminder of the wonder of the wedding!
So, thank you again, Alicia! You made this the most amazing - yet stress-free - wedding we could ever have imagined!
Sincerely,
Alison Nordholm
Mother of the bride
Kansas City, KS
2008 Wedding
alison@nordholm.us
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Dear Alicia,
... the comments are still coming in from far and wide about Kyle and Josh's San Miguel de Allende wedding weekend on April 28th!
Amazing, spectacular, ''oh my god'', the best ever, when can we come back, the food was ''awesome'', the help were accommodating and always friendly, beautiful, classy, no stone left unturned .... and on and on ...
All the weekend activities certainly exceeded everyone's expectations... since I have been doing event planning for all major sporting and entertainment events with ABC Television for over 35 years we were delighted in experiencing this ''over the top'' feeling. ..
Your attention to each of our wishes was met with understanding followed by outperforming all of our individual circumstances. ..
It remains a wedding filled with love and smiles .. . thank you so much for all your efforts and beyond ...
ed wollock
senior vice president and general manager
abc television network - central division
representing espn/abc sports customer marketing and sales
ed.j.wollock@abc.com
(Father of the groom)
Chicago, Illinois
2007
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Hello Alicia:
We just returned to the States after attending my son's wedding. He and his wife will be writing you in the near future regarding the wonderful time they had. The work of art you performed was so exquisite that I felt an urgency to write you while I could still visualize it all. I am grateful that you were the one who handled such a special occasion for our families. I can't imagine any set of circumstances or persons who could have made this situation any happier and stress-free than you did. Here are just a few of the things I want to compliment you on and I am sure there are others that I will think of later.
1. Your manner of working with people is superb. You are direct and to the point and, at the same time, showed sensitivity and flexibility when it was needed.
2. You have built a staff that knows what to do and how to do it. I will never forget how your workers arrived early in the morning the day of the wedding, after delivering many items the day before, and began diligently weaving a beautiful archway of flowers, placing immaculate tablecloths, chair covers, etc. around the house, and artistically placing flowers and other items throughout the house - all at your direction. At no point were we worried whether they would get the job done.
3. Your servers, bartenders, etc. were as professional as you will find at any of the finest restaurants in the U.S.
4. Your Chef was outstanding. Not only did he cater to our special orders, but he presented the food in such a way that it was almost breathtaking when it arrived at the table...and it was scrumptious.
5. Your dinnerware, glasses and all other items were spotless.
6. The manner in which you choreographed the entire occasion was more professionally done, with more precision, artistry, and beauty than I have ever seen at any wedding I have been to in Latin America or the U.S.
7. This was one occasion that, not for one instant, did anyone believe we were not getting what we paid for. The price you charged was fair. Perhaps most importantly, when it was all over, there were no hidden charges, no tacking on of small items, no $100/$500/$1000 surprises at the end, and we are deeply appreciative of that.
8. The classical musicians were perfect. The mariachis were excellent and loosened the crowd up.
9. Finally, I would like to say that the way you took care of everything throughout the afternoon and evening in such a discreet way showed what a true professional you are.
Please do not hesitate to give prospective customers our phone number. We would be honored to share one of the most beautiful days of our lives and our guests' lives with those who would be interested in hearing it.
Sincerely,
Jack and Cathy Gilbert
Dallas ,TX
2007
JGilbertLPC@aol.com
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Dear Alicia,
Frederick and I just got back from our honeymoon last evening. It has been almost three weeks since our wedding and we are still getting notes and photographs from family and friends letting us know how much they enjoyed our celebration and all of the activities surrounding it.
We both want to thank you for putting together a magical event that completely exceeded our expectations. We were anticipating a wedding that was beautiful and fun, but what we got was absolutely unforgettable.
As you know, I had very little time in the months before the wedding. Since my family and I are from Mexico, Frederick and I both knew that we wanted an event that was fun, colorful and Mexican in “ambiente” but that was also elegant and romantic. We also knew that we would have to coordinate activities and arrangements for the130 guests arriving from all around the world. With only one brief trip to San Miguel 5 months before the wedding, and not a lot of time or patience to devote to details, we relied on you to help us pull together a whole series of events for the week of our celebration.
We were both expecting to be a little surprised by the event given that neither of us had spent a great deal of time agonizing over details. But walking into the cocktail reception at the Instituto Allende after the church ceremony was incredible – the beautiful flower arrangements in the fountain and the courtyard, the many candles, the mariachis, the beautifully set up cocktail tables…all this despite torrential rain only a few hours before. To then walk into the main reception hall to find that it had been transformed into something even more magical took our breath away. It was a perfect combination of romantic, elegant and festive. The Mexican food got rave reviews from even the most discerning of “foodies”, the table settings with the modern/bright orange rose centerpieces were stunning and the chocolate bar was the perfect way to end the meal and get the guests to the dance floor. Even the wedding cake was a great surprise since neither of us had any idea of the flavor we had ordered until wetasted it that night!
So, thank you Alicia for an event that Frederick and I, and our family and friends, thoroughly loved and enjoyed! We could not have been happier with how it turned out.
Best Regards,
Brigitta and Frederick Medanich
2007
Chicago, ILL
Brigitta Medanich
Vice President, Environmental Affairs
Global Hyatt Corporation
Brigitta_witt@yahoo.com
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Alicia,
Firstly, Alex and I would like to thank you so much for the beautiful wedding you planned for us. It was everything we had hoped and more. The vendors were spectacular, the food was incredible, and the guests loved all the little touches. The ceremony was just perfect. We absolutely loved the floral arrangements, and the way in which the guests were seated.
The cake was absolutely delicious...we really were not expecting it to be so phenomenal! The DJs were exceptional and really had everyone dancing (much to our surprise!) The candy buffet was a huge success, and the guests are still talking about it! The salsa teachers were really worth it too ... they are such incredible dancers! The fireworks were just INCREDIBLE. We couldn't believe the quality of the show...wow....the ooos and ahhhs were so worth it!! It was really a spectacular ending to the night. (Just as an aside, did you know that the day after the wedding the large pillar candle by the pool was still lit?! People were joking that it was our eternal love flame!)
The whole day was such a huge success despite the little hitches, and I have heard so many comments now that it was the most beautiful/ special/ wonderful wedding that the guests had ever attended.
As for you as a person ... you are just so sweet! We really appreciated your humour, sweetness, and dedication to making us happy. You are truly a wonderful person.
Liz de Bakker
Montreal, Canada
2007
liz_z25@hotmail.com
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Our wedding was in March 2006 in San Miguel and NEVER would have happened without Alicia! We visited San Miguel nearly a year before the wedding and Alicia helped us to put into place all of the details for the wedding-we secured a site, made menu decisions and selected a photographer and florist in just a few days while having a wonderful time with Alicia. Over the months before the wedding, we were in constant contact with Alicia to iron out all the details of the wedding and to make all of the remaining decisions.
When we chose to host a wedding in San Miguel de Allende we were faced with the task of coordinating travel for 80 guests from the United States and Europe. Alicia expertly booked lodging for all of our guests and all of our guests commented on how happy they were to have had her assistance and how enamored they were with San Miguel and the beauty of the surroundings.
In the days before the wedding we, with much help from Alicia, hosted two events (a cocktail party and rehearsal dinner) and these events were just wonderful from the live music to the beautiful and vibrant floral arrangements and delectable food. Our wedding was also incredibly well orchestrated and beautiful-- the live salsa band kept us dancing all night, the cake was delicious and the fireworks awed us all!
Kevin and I can honestly say that we would never have been able to orchestrate our big day without Alicia’s sense for organization and ceaseless time spent ensuring that all the details fell into place. Our guests truly fell in love with San Miguel and had the time of their lives, what more could we ask for? Since the wedding our guests have even been requesting a reunion…..So, Alicia, watch out, we may be back!
Emma & Kevin
Philadelphia, PA
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Dear Alicia:
We’re sorry it’s taken so long to write you, but it took us a while to come down from the tremendous high we achieved during our Wedding week. We can’t thank you enough for all the planning, consulting, and advice you gave us, not to mention the incredible catering. Our friends and family enjoyed every minute of it, from the salsa class to the Mexican fiesta/rehearsal dinner, to the fabulous ceremony, reception and fireworks to top it off.
We especially appreciate all the professionalism you demonstrated through every facet of the planning and execution. Your good taste and attention to detail always made us feel secure and of course the ultimate proof was in how everything looked and tasted. We were also happy that you were able to accommodate our obscure requests such as Hoppin’ John for our New Year’s Brunch, and also for arranging special services for our guests who had health related issues.
We are still getting raves from our family and friends about houw great everything was, not only in terms of the events, but also for all the transportation and hotel arrangements. Your coordination of these key elements made us feel comfortable that 100 people would be traveling safely from many U.S. destinations to attend our wedding.
To say we couldn’t have done it without you would be a gross understatement. We also want to acknowledge the tremendous contributions of Alma with catering and Emma with design and production. The staff you’ve assembled is also a wonderful reflection of you, and collectively you’ve made us look very good to our loved ones.
With great appreciation,
Michele and Kent
Los Angeles, CA
kenterman@aol.com
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To whom it may concern:
On behalf of my husband and myself, I offer my highest recommendation for the wedding planning and catering services offered by Ms. Alicia Vilar.
In just over four months, my then-fiancée and I visited San Miguel de Allende for the first time, met Alicia, planned the wedding and got married. Ninety-five percent of Alicia’s planning was done via email and telephone since Paul and I live in Washington, D.C. and were not able to make a second visit to San Miguel de Allende before the wedding week.
Alicia’s wedding planning services- From the beginning, Alicia took great care in trying to understand our vision for the various wedding events. She asked us many questions and offered us many ideas. Once we, ourselves, were clearer on what we wanted, Alicia was tireless in seeking and presenting options. Whether it was selecting the venues for the wedding events, comparing haciendas that would serve as our immediate family’s accommodation or arranging an elegant pathway of cut greens, rose petals and candles at the wedding reception site, Alicia tended to every detail with the utmost of care. We were very pleased with her selection of vendors which included musical groups, transportation service providers and a florist, among others. She maintained and reported the financials with precision and integrity.
Alicia’s catering services- Alicia offered us extensive menu options --frankly, far more than we would have expected from a caterer. The dishes she prepares are complex, unique and, most important, very tasty. Our family and friends loved her food! She did a fine job of catering the wedding reception despite the fact that it was held at a venue that did not have a proper kitchen. If we had to offer any constructive criticism, we might have suggested a higher ratio of servers:guests for the wedding dinner –a detail that can be easily revised for future events. All in all, Alicia’s catering services were a distinct success.
As a final note, in addition to being a consummate professional, Alicia is simply a very nice lady. It was a pleasure to work with her and we look forward to keeping in touch with her.
Regards,
Christine M. Churchill
Washington, D.C.
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Destination Weddings
When Joe and Elaine dreamed of tying the know in some enchanted, romantic paradise they chose San Miguel de Allende. For their dreams to come true they turned to San Miguel’s premier Wedding and Event Planner, Alicia Vilar.
Planning a wedding even in your own hometown can be a stressful and complex experience—and even more so if you decide to venture abroad! Careful planning and attention down to the very last little detail are essential and this is where Ms. Vilar’s professionalism can work marvels!
Vilar studied Hotel and Restaurant Management in Mexico City. She eventually joined the Fiesta Americana chain, where she gained experience as Banquet Manager and Concierge.
With a bag full of credits and experience in event planning, Vilar decided to come home to San Miguel where her family lives and start her own business.
So why did Joe and Elaine choose to get married in San Miguel? Besides being incurable romantics they also had some practical concerns:
It’s usually cheaper to get married here than back in the United States
It’s a holiday for all the family and guests—besides attending your wedding they can see the sights and do some shopping!
It’s control—avoid intra-family fights and leave all the planning to the capable Ms.Vilar!
It’s fun—drive from the church in a horse-drawn carriage, have mariachis playing, a reception in an hacienda or a bullring, and your honeymoon can start right here!
Recently Vilar invited me to a sample reception at one of the most spectacular homes in San Miguel –a modern colonial mansion where the entrance led to an impressive patio with a central artist-designed fountain, surrounded by arches overlooking a large valley. Little tables had been set with delicate hand-embroidered cloths accompanied by the sought-after Tiffany chairs, original centerpieces, fine tableware and the local hand-blown glassware. A waiter brought out a succession of hors d’oeuvres created by Vilar herself (Martha Stewart, look out!), followed by an elegant first course and a chocolate mousse that was to die for.
This is only a small part of the services offered by Vilar. She said: “weddings can be very large or really intimate—one couple chose to be here on their very own and I even had to provide witnesses!”
You can reach Vilar by email: avilar@prodigy.net.mx
(N.B. Vilar is also available for organizing private parties, business meetings, et.al.)
Ines Roberts
The San Miguel Chronicles
inesroberts@thesanmiguelchronicles.com
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A Destination Wedding
First you fall in love…then you get engaged…and then you start looking for the most romantic place in the world to get married—where else but in San Miguel?
San Miguel de Allende, with its wonderful climate, its charming colonial architecture, its pastoral scenery and its many traditions combine in a storybook setting for one of life’s most important events: a wedding.
Meredith and Robert met in Austin, TX through a mutual friend at work. When time came to choose a place to get married, Meredith chose San Miguel although she had never visited here. A friend of hers had married in San Miguel and after seeing pictures and hearing wonderful reports from her, she decided this was the perfect place for a romantic wedding. And indeed it was!
Meredith, a Catering Manager herself at a prestigious hotel in Texas, knew exactly what she wanted. With the help of local wedding and events planner, Alicia Vilar, a baronial mansion overlooking the town was chosen as the residence for family guests and the wedding ceremony.
For the rehearsal dinner, Meredith chose a colonial hacienda in the outskirts of San Miguel with a breathtaking view of the surrounding countryside. Guests traveled there in San Miguel’s own tourist streetcar and were greeted at the entrance by a group of mariachis serenading them with popular Mexican tunes. As they toasted the bride and groom, lighted paper balloons were floated off into the sunset bearing good wishes for the happy couple, followed by a shower of firecrackers.
On this occasion an unexpected storm drove everyone indoors!
But the festivities continued—guests were regaled with favors of Mexican memorabilia and each received a small rebozo and dined on traditional Mexican dishes.
The day of the wedding dawned bright and sunny. Amy, the friend who had introduced the couple and a specialist in creating wedding cakes, insisted on making their wedding cake even though she lives in Austin, TX. She managed by baking it in Austin and finally assembling it in San Miguel. Based on a Martha Stewart design in pink and white and decorated with fresh roses, it was a tour de force—having passed inspection to the amazement and perplexity of customs inspectors north and south of the border.
The wedding ceremony was held in a chapel-like casita overlooking the large swimming pool and gardens, and a guitar duo played during the ceremony. An elegant Mexican-inspired candlelight dinner was served in the capacious atrium where tables had been set with brocaded cloths in fall colors.
When it came time to cut the wedding cake and as everyone gathered around the happy couple, a shower of fireworks lit up the evening sky. Later, a salsa group played and guests danced on the wide terrace overlooking the town of San Miguel that was all lit up like a picture postcard.
We are certain that they will always remember their wedding day. Muchas Felicidades! For more information on weddings and special events in San Miguel you can contact Ms. Vilar at avilar@prodigy.net.mx
The San Miguel Chronicles
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Alicia,
Thank you for all the wonderful food and fun at Niall and Darlene's wedding. My husband and I enjoyed San Miguel so very much, and we hope to return. You were an amazing hostess and your hospitality was greatly appreciated.
Could you please share with me the wonderful recipe for the zucchini squash and corn that you served at Melissa's party on Sunday? It was fabulous and I would really enjoy adding this dish to my recipe collection.
Thank you for your part in a fabulous week in San Miguel.
Sincerely,
Ann Bryan
Gene and Ann Bryan
Huntington Beach, CA
(Wedding guests)
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|  | San Miguel Weddings | Creative Catering, Wedding and Event Planning | Codo 5A, Centro, San Miguel de Allende, Gto. México 37700
Tel: +52 (415) 154-8121 | Cel: +52 (415) 101-0240 | Email: alicia@sanmiguelweddings.com |
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