With wedding season in full swing, brides and grooms are tasked with planning every detail of their wedding in hopes of creating a celebration that is perfectly them. To assist the happy couples, the luxurious Capella Pedregal Cabo San Lucas has teamed up with celebrity wedding planner Yifat Oren to offer expert consultation and personalized nuptials. We recently caught up with Oren to discuss the new partnership, her thoughts on today’s latest trends and what couples can expect from wedding planners.
Oren has worked with such names as Drew Barrymore and Will Kopelman, Anne Hathaway and Adam Shulman, Natalie Portman and Benjamin Millepied, Molly Sims and Scott Stuber, and Reese Witherspoon and Jim Toth. She’s also been featured in People, InStyle, Vogue, Town & Country, W, Angeleno, C Magazine, Modern Bride, Brides, Martha Stewart, Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and Los Angeles Times.
Prior to planning and styling weddings, Oren found herself working in the publishing industry selling advertising space for wedding magazines. Surrounded by event producers and creative types, she began to realize she could be the one on the other side doing the same thing. Over 12 years later, she has continued to provide a full range of event services to her clients with her natural sense of style, beauty and design.
JustLuxe: Can you tell me a about the new partnership with Capella Pedregal in Cabo San Lucas? How did it come about?
Yifat Oren: I have been approached for years by hotel groups about potential partnerships, but never felt as though the hotel fit my brand. My team and I greatly connected with Capella — their mission, the enchanted location, the ambiance, the impeccable staff — it’s a great fit.
JL: What services and amenities are available at Capella Pedregal that would make couples want to have their nuptials there?
YO: Capella Pedregal is beyond breathtaking from the moment you step foot onto the grounds. The hotel poshly sits in a pristine cove that is ideal for a wedding ceremony. The venue gives inspiration to many creative opportunities idealistic for a spectacular event.
Just like any other part of the process, choosing the right planner can also be a difficult decision. Knowing what to ask or what characteristics to look for can be challenging.
JL: Are there specific questions a couple should make sure to ask prospective wedding planners to ensure they find the right fit?
YO: Look at their body of work, do you see diversity in their designs? How do they charge? Do you feel like you could spend time with this person? It’s comparable to dating really, if something annoys you in the beginning, eventually it is going to drive you crazy!
When asked which wedding trends were popping up for 2014, Oren shared her thoughts on what’s in and what’s out (or at least should be). In the yes category, she listed: neutrals with a pop of color; a dress change; a mono-flower arrangement – one type, one color; shorter wedding gowns and lace capes. Upcoming nuptials should look to get rid of “rustic weddings that seem to resemble tag sales, pastel colored bridesmaid dresses and faux crystals…yuck!”
JL: Do you think sites like Pinterest or The Knot are helpful to the process or a hindrance?
YO: I have nothing against the DIY craze that has flourished because of sites like Pinterest and Etsy. However, I am blatantly not a fan of weddings looking like one cliché after the next. Your wedding should seek to represent you and your partner, not the design boards currently trending on Pinterest. Your wedding should look like just that…YOUR wedding.
JL: Do you have a signature aesthetic or personal style that you put into the weddings you’ve planned?
YO: I strongly believe that at the best parties you don’t capture all the beauty at once. The longer you stay, the more you discover. I stress careful carelessness when designing my events. There is a fantastic Japanese philosophy called Wabi-Sabi that I greatly respect. I also practice restraint, after all, when there are too many trees, you can’t see the forest.
During her time as a wedding planner and through her business, Oren has learned when to be tough and when to be soft. With the same attitude, she has also learned how to almost always get what she wants for her clients. Which is no wonder many celebrity couples look to her to take care of their most intimate and special day.
With so much on her plate, we wondered how Oren spent her free time (if any) to get a glimpse into her everyday life. “Free time is rare between my work, my work travels and my two small children. It leaves little to no time for anything else,” said Oren. “When I find a moment I greatly enjoy art, photography, cooking, eating fantastic food, and gardening. We recently created a vegetable garden at our office for all to forage.”
As far as her own personal achievements and what she's most proud of, Oren's answer is simple: "By far, being a mom."
Because of Capella’s majestic views and 24 acres on the southernmost tip of Mexico’s Baja California Peninsula, the resort is a pristine destination to host a wedding. The hotel is located just minutes away from downtown and yet still offers a secluded location for its guests to enjoy. For the wedding party, the property features Beachfront Suites directly on the beach. The one-, two- and three-bedroom suites include an infinity edge wraparound plunge pool. Oren and her team of experts paired with Capella Pedregal’s distinctive style, hope to create one-of-a-kind dream weddings as unique as the bride and groom themselves.
