Save this story Save Story Save this story There were hundreds of ways Ela Villarreal and Andy McCune could have met in real life. They both work in design and have many mutual friends. “By any measure, the universe was working overtime to introduce us the old-fashioned way,” Ela tells Vogue . “Instead, we met on Raya.” Andy sent Ela a message noting that he was visiting Montreal for the weekend. She was about to ignore it when she noticed his company name, Cosmos . “The day before, I'd posted a story gushing about the app,” Ela says. “He’d seen the story…he just hadn’t put together that the girl on Raya and the girl from Slack were the same person.” Andy replied, saying perhaps it was fate. “Boy, was he right,” shares Ela. “We met that night at midnight on November 11, 2023, at a bar called Baby. Two weeks later, he flew back to make it official. Two years after that, he proposed.”
The proposal took place on October 16, 2025 in New York City, where the two had settled down together. Andy’s parents were in town, and he suggested they walk together from their apartment to meet them at a restaurant. En route, Andy stopped in front of St. John’s Church —which features a beautiful garden—and suggested going in. “I said absolutely not—it was late, it was clearly closed, and we were not about to trespass on church property,” says Ela. “He didn’t listen. He pushed the door open and slipped inside before I could stop him, and, terrified a priest was about to come yelling, I followed him anyway.” When she entered, Andy was down on one knee. “It was this quiet, private, completely magical moment in a little garden in the middle of NYC,” Ela says. “He later told me he’d made a donation to the church to have the space to ourselves, which is why no priest ever came running.”
The surprises weren’t done yet. “Before I could process anything, he said: ‘There’s a car waiting outside. We’re going to Paris,’” shares Ela. They whisked off to their apartment to pack, say goodbye to their dogs and Andy’s parents, and flew out that night. “He’d planned an entire weekend around everything we love most—our favorite omakase, a boat ride on the Seine, a massage at the Bulgari Spa, museum visits, vintage shopping, and a stay at Maison Delano,” reminisces Ela.
The to-be-weds decided to exchange vows a year later in Mexico City on August 1, 2026 at Casa Seminario 12 , followed by a reception and after-party at General Prim . The weekend would kick off with a welcome party at the lush Botánico restaurant in Condesa. “Because we both come from design backgrounds, we approached the wedding as a collaborative creative project,” describes the bride. “We thought less about decorating an event and more about designing an experience from beginning to end—every transition, piece of music, floral installation, graphic detail, and surprise was considered as part of one unfolding story.”
The couple worked with wedding planner Rodrigo Mora to bring their vision to life, but also put their own spin on the weekend’s design. Ela took charge of creating their wedding monogram and paper goods, while Andy built a wedding website complete with an interactive guide to Mexico City. “We wanted the weekend to extend beyond the wedding itself and give everyone a reason to fall in love with the city, too,” the bride shares.
Ela also considered her wedding wardrobe an important part of the weekend’s story. Her welcome party outfit was an archival find that harkened to the architecture of Mexico City. “When Nikki from Raffe sent me photos of a vintage Valentino from spring 2008 , I gasped,” she remembers. “The structured beading immediately reminded me of the Art Deco motifs I’ve always been drawn to, while the delicate fringe at the hem felt so glamorous. It was an immediate yes.” Meanwhile, the groom wore a sage-green linen suit from Bode with brown Dries Van Noten loafers. The color is what drew him in. “The muted green felt at home at Botánico, surrounded by all of the flora,” Andy says.
For her ceremony dress, Ela always dreamed of wearing a true ballgown. “So, my first appointment was naturally at Elie Saab ,” she shares. “It was one of the first dresses I tried on, and the moment I put it on, I knew it was my dress.” While she tried on styles at other salons, she ultimately came back to the Elie Saab. “What ultimately sealed it for me was the veil—the contrast of the lace detailing against the simplicity of the dress,” she says. For jewelry, the bride wore the same pair of Sophie Bille Brahe freshwater pearl earrings with a tiered chandelier design throughout the night. As for her beauty, the bride did it all herself with help from her sister. “It felt really personal to get ready that way, and I wanted to be able to still feel like myself,” Ela shares.
The groom stepped up to the formality of the ceremony with a double-breasted wool suit from The Row , a Zegna tuxedo shirt and bow tie, and Givenchy derby shoes with a square toe. “I loved the proportions of the jacket—the strong shoulders, long line, and sculpted waist made it feel classic, but still a little unexpected,” he says.
Once her ceremony gown was decided, Ela worked with stylist Lauren Burke to finalize the rest of her wardrobe. At their first appointment together at Alexandra Grecco , the bride fell in love with a voluminous coat with a bubble hem over a slip dress for the reception. “I was heartbroken when I realized it wouldn’t work for the first dance—the length would have made it nearly impossible to move without stepping on it,” she shares. “That’s when Samantha Grecco, Alexandra’s sister, brought out a shorter version of the coat. I loved that it could be worn off the shoulder, revealing the backless slip dress underneath.” To complete the look, the design team created a custom ribbon for Ela’s hair that would coordinate with bows on the coat. She also donned lace Jimmy Choo heels with the dress. “I had originally imagined wearing a much shorter heel, but I couldn’t resist them,” she adds.
The groom also changed his look by swapping his tuxedo jacket for an ivory style by Bode. “It matched the shift from the formality of the ceremony into something lighter and more celebratory,” he says.
Ela’s final fit of the night brought sparkle and shine to their dance party. “With my first two looks being almost entirely textureless—pure silk—I knew I wanted to go in the complete opposite direction for my after-party dress,” the bride shares. “It was only a few weeks before the wedding, at Annie’s Ibiza , that I finally found what I was looking for. The embroidered florals—soft pastel roses in blush, pale blue, and buttery yellow—set against the bejeweled trim felt so unique, and the dress really came alive on the dance floor.” Andy also swapped his jacket for a silk Dries Van Noten shirt. “The silk had this beautiful sheen that shifted between gray and green depending on the light, and picot detailing along the seams gave it this delicate quality,” he says. “It felt subtle and unexpected, and really came alive under the lighting in the nightclub.”
The wedding weekend kicked off full of energy at Botánica, which felt like a hidden oasis in the middle of the city. “Throughout the evening, guests were served different mezcalitas, tuna tostadas, and other Mexican bites while the guitar group Páramo played live,” shares Ela. “One of our favorite moments was when a mariachi band arrived to serenade everyone. Our families and friends ended up holding one another, dancing, and singing together—and even Truck and Alicia, our dogs, joined in.”
One of the couple’s favorite moments of the weekend was getting ready for the wedding at Casa Seminario 12, where they would later say “I do.” “Standing by the window for some fresh air, I looked across the courtyard and saw Andy getting ready on the opposite balcony,” recalls Ela. “I stepped outside and called his name. He turned around with a huge smile, and almost instantly all of the nerves turned into excitement.”
They also had gifts delivered to each other that morning. Andy sent a handwritten letter with an antique Mexican wooden box containing a white pearl rosary, and Ela gave a hand-sewn wedding shrine made with childhood photographs of the couple and the words: “two kids hand in hand.” Another gift given at the ceremony was Andy’s wedding band, which Ela designed herself. “I shaped it into an organic, sculptural form inspired by Japanese design and left my fingerprints preserved in the metal,” she shares. “I loved that it was something that could only ever have been made by me, for him.”
The couple both describe the ceremony as powerful, noting the importance of the space in Aztec history. As Ela’s father walked her down the aisle, Andy’s father was by his side, ready to officiate the ceremony. “I grew up watching my dad preach every Sunday and officiate weddings throughout my childhood,” says the groom. “There was something surreal about finally being the one standing across from him.” The proceedings included a Mexican wedding lasso tradition and a live poetry creation by Alexcia Panay . After asking guests for words of love and blessings for the couple, she wrote a three-page poem that she read aloud. The bride reflects, “It was somehow even more beautiful than I had ever prayed it would be—to be standing there together, held by everyone we love and guided into marriage by his dad.”
A storm arrived just as the guests began leaving for the reception. “Guests kicked off their shoes and ran barefoot through the streets to reach the shuttles, while we made our way to the reception in oversized blue rain ponchos pulled over our wedding clothes,” remembers the couple. “Everyone was soaked, laughing, and fully surrendered to it.” Ela adds, “It felt completely cinematic. There was this incredibly intense, romantic atmosphere during our portraits.”
Indoors at the reception, natural details, hanging vines, and long curved tables created a dreamy ambiance at dinner. “We wanted guests to feel as though they had wandered into a living fairy tale rather than a traditional ballroom,” the couple says. Dinner included speeches by their two best friends and a special menu item inspired by their favorite salad at Cecci’s in New York. After taking lessons for weeks, they wanted to create a dramatic moment for their first dance to “Without Your Love” by The Paper Kites. A cylindrical curtain surrounded the couple on a platform as a projection played over the fabric. “I wanted the first dance to feel intimate, almost as if we were the only two people in the room, while still allowing everyone we loved to witness it,” Ela says.
As the curtain rose back to the ceiling, drapery covering the back wall of the reception opened to reveal a hidden bar and a completely separate nightclub. “Bad Bunny’s ‘NUEVAYoL’ came on, we grabbed each other’s hands, and ran toward the newly revealed dance floor,” share the newlyweds. “Every guest immediately stood up and followed us. In a matter of seconds, the intimate dinner had transformed into a euphoric party.” With Erick Estrada on lighting and Nick Morgan on the decks, the dance floor was in full gear until sunrise.
The bride and groom remember, “On the way back to the hotel at six in the morning, we just kept laughing about how perfectly everything had unfolded and how wildly lucky we felt to have such a special community to celebrate our love with.”
Expand Photo: Camila Urrea 1/65 We hosted our welcome party at Botánico , one of our favorite restaurants in Mexico City! It feels like a little fairy garden in the middle of the city, with enormous plants and a pond full of koi and axolotls.
Expand Photo: Camila Urrea 2/65 Sneaking away to the bar for a minute together before the weekend really began.
Expand Photo: Camila Urrea 3/65 Nikki Reynen at Raffe Vintage found this spring 2008 Valentino dress for me. The geometric beadwork reminded me of the Art Deco architecture I love in Mexico City, and I couldn’t resist the fringe. — Ela
Expand Photo: Camila Urrea 4/65 A hug with our big boy, Truck! Having both Truck and Alicia with us for the entire weekend was a must. — Ela
Expand Photo: Camila Urrea 5/65 We served tuna tostadas and other Mexican bites throughout the welcome party, alongside mezcalitas and live guitar music by Páramo.
Expand Photo: Camila Urrea 6/65 My best friend Christina in a deep burgundy gown—my favorite color. — Ela
Expand Photo: Camila Urrea 7/65 Matisse, one of my brother’s closest friends, and Marijose. — Ela
Expand Photo: Camila Urrea 8/65 Fiona and Paolo, looking perfect as always! I met them at Parsons, and we were so excited to be in Mexico City together. — Ela
Expand Photo: Camila Urrea 9/65 The mariachi band arrived to serenade everyone, and Truck joined us right in the middle of the dance floor. Before long, our families and friends were holding one another, dancing, and singing together.
Expand Photo: Camila Urrea 10/65 A little lost in it all.
Expand Photo: Camila Urrea 11/65 Wedding day! A photo with Truck before getting dressed for the ceremony. He later walked down the aisle with my dad, while Alicia, our pom, was carried by Ela’s sister. — Andy
Expand Photo: Camila Urrea 12/65 Getting ready at Seminario 12 with my friend Zach. Ela and I were in separate rooms with balconies facing each other across the courtyard. — Andy
Expand Photo: Camila Urrea 13/65 While I was getting ready, I stepped onto the balcony and saw Andy across the courtyard. I called his name, and he turned around with a huge smile. Instantly, my nerves turned to butterflies. — Ela
Expand Photo: Camila Urrea 14/65 A moment for my Sophie Bille Brahe pearl earrings and wedding rings, photographed against a painting at Seminario 12. — Ela
Expand Photo: Camila Urrea 15/65 Dancing while I did my hair and makeup with help from my sister. She was my rock all day. — Ela
Expand Photo: Camila Urrea 16/65 I got ready in a beautiful vintage nightgown from Farmer’s Daughter. The anticipation was really starting to hit here! — Ela
Expand Photo: Camila Urrea 17/65 The only one more nervous than me: Alicia. — Ela
Expand Photo: Camila Urrea 18/65 Steps from the Templo Mayor, Seminario 12 is a 17th-century house built over a temple to Tezcatlipoca, the Aztec god of fate and the night sky. Four centuries of Mexico City live in its stone walls, and now a little bit of us does, too.
Expand Photo: Camila Urrea 19/65 My dad taking in the ceremony courtyard just before he walked me down the aisle. I love this photo. — Ela
Expand Photo: Camila Urrea 20/65 Our beautiful friends Vikka and Richard.
Expand Photo: Camila Urrea 21/65 A portrait of Will, Steph, Jacquelyn, and Zach that made us gasp.
Expand Photo: Camila Urrea 22/65 We framed the ceremony in bugambilias , the flower that has grown in this courtyard for generations. It felt like letting the house choose.
Expand Photo: Camila Urrea 23/65 Heading down the staircase toward Andy, heart racing. — Ela
Expand Photo: Camila Urrea 24/65 Walking down those old stone stairs in a big gown and heels was no small feat. I was very grateful to have my dad's arm to hold onto. — Ela
Expand Photo: Camila Urrea 25/65 Everything looked soft and a little blurry with the veil over my face—like walking through a dream—until Andy lifted it. — Ela
Expand Photo: Camila Urrea 26/65 My dad was a Christian minister, and I grew up watching him officiate weddings. Now, he was officiating mine. When Ela began walking toward us, I looked over and saw that he was tearing up. We were both trying to hold back tears. — Andy
Expand Photo: Camila Urrea 27/65 My whole world standing in front of me. — Andy
Expand Photo: Camila Urrea 28/65 A room filled with laughter.
Expand Photo: Camila Urrea 29/65 Taking it all in. We held hands from the first word to the last.
Expand Photo: Camila Urrea 30/65 Butterflies while we exchanged our vows. — Ela
Expand Photo: Camila Urrea 31/65 Poet Alexcia Panay turned our guests’ thoughts and blessings into a three-page poem on her typewriter, then read it aloud during the ceremony. It was one of the most touching moments of the day.
Expand Photo: Camila Urrea 32/65 One-hundred people around us, and somehow it felt like it was just the two of us.
Expand Photo: Camila Urrea 33/65 Husband and wife.
Expand Photo: Camila Urrea 34/65 A kiss I’ll never forget. — Ela
Expand Photo: Camila Urrea 35/65 We did it!
Expand Photo: Camila Urrea 36/65 We made our way back up the staircase as our friends cheered from below.
Expand Photo: Camila Urrea 37/65 As soon as the guests left for the reception, it started pouring rain and the whole house became even more romantic in the dark. — Andy
Expand Photo: Camila Urrea 38/65 Mr. and Mrs. McCune.
Expand Photo: Camila Urrea 39/65 We stood by a huge window listening to a summer storm pour down outside. In Mexico they say boda mojada, boda afortunada : rainy wedding, lucky wedding. — Ela
Expand Photo: Camila Urrea 40/65 A quick outfit change for the reception at General Prim . Andy in an ivory Bode dinner jacket, and Ela in an Alexandra Grecco slip dress with the brand's Sugar Coat.
Expand Photo: Camila Urrea 41/65 We entered to “Happy Together” by The Turtles, and I pulled Andy in for a kiss! — Ela
Expand Photo: Camila Urrea 42/65 A sheer textile installation floated down from the glass roof above our table.
Expand Photo: Camila Urrea 43/65 We wanted the reception to feel as though nature was slowly reclaiming the space. Moss crept across the tables and staircases, and long vines spilled down from the balconies.
Expand Photo: Camila Urrea 44/65 Guests made their way down the staircase into the reception. Rodrigo Mora helped bring the entire weekend together, with botanical installations by Humorum Studios .
Expand Photo: Camila Urrea 45/65 During dinner, a 14-piece orchestra surrounded our table to serenade us.
Expand Photo: Camila Urrea 46/65 By dinner, the room had disappeared into light, haze, and hanging vines.
Expand Photo: Camila Urrea 47/65 Stealing a kiss between courses.
Expand Photo: Camila Urrea 48/65 Toasts from our closest friends, which left us laughing and crying in equal measure.
Expand Photo: Camila Urrea 49/65 After the speeches, we couldn't get out of our seats fast enough to hug Zach and Jacquelyn.
Expand Photo: Camila Urrea 50/65 Blowing out the candles on our wedding cake, then meeting in the middle for a kiss.
Expand Photo: Camila Urrea 51/65 Our first dance was to “Without Your Love” by The Paper Kites. As the curtain came down around us, the light inside made the rest of the room disappear. Our guests could see our silhouettes through the fabric, but inside, we were in our own world.
Expand Photo: Camila Urrea 52/65 That smile. My wife. — Andy
Expand Photo: Camila Urrea 53/65 When our first dance ended, the curtain rose and the drapery at the back of the reception fell away. Behind, it was a hidden bar and a full nightclub we'd built just for the night.
Expand Photo: Camila Urrea 54/65 Cocktails waiting on the other side of the curtain.
Expand Photo: Camila Urrea 55/65 Our secret nightclub, officially no longer a secret.
Expand Photo: Camila Urrea 56/65 Believe it or not, this was our first and only martini of the night. I wanted a photo of the napkin, which featured the monogram I designed for our wedding. — Ela
Expand Photo: Camila Urrea 57/65 A quick pit stop at the photo booth.
Expand Photo: Camila Urrea 58/65 Jacquelyn, exactly where we expected to find her.
Expand Photo: Camila Urrea 59/65 Erick Estrada designed the lighting for our nightclub. We met him in Ibiza just weeks before the wedding and knew immediately that we wanted to work together.
Expand Photo: Camila Urrea 60/65 Tossing my bouquet, ribbons flying everywhere! — Ela
Expand Photo: Camila Urrea 61/65 My beautiful friend Julia. We met on a high school exchange in New Zealand, and it meant so much to have her there with us. — Ela
Expand Photo: Camila Urrea 62/65 For my last look, I changed into a beaded Annie’s Ibiza mini to dance out the night. — Ela
Expand Photo: Camila Urrea 63/65 Truck checking in on his taco order.
Expand Photo: Camila Urrea 64/65 Madre Mezcal kept the party going.
Expand Photo: Camila Urrea 65/65 We danced until the sun came up. Somehow, we still weren’t ready for it to end.
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Source: Lifestyle
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