We're Getting Married
AMANDA & OSCAR
Photo by C&C Photography
Saturday, 4 March 2023
Oaxaca, Mexico
Celebrating Our Love
With Those We Love
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Friday, March 3
PRE WEDDING
"Global Village" Welcome Drinks
5.30 - 9.00 pm
Drink, mingle, nibble and meet your awesome tribe
for the weekend, and beyond!
Dress code: We are expecting guests from multiple countries, as well as different Mexican states. So come dressed in your traditional/national outfit, or just wear a little something that represents your culture!
Creativity is encouraged ;)
Saturday, March 4
WEDDING DAY
Dress code: FORMAL (Suit and tie for men and evening dress for women. Please wear comfortable shoes)
Ceremony will promptly start at 3.00 pm, behind closed doors. Please be seated at Templo de Santo Domingo de Guzmán by 2.50pm.
Wedding Ceremony
TEMPLO DE SANTO DOMINGO DE GUZMAN
Our wedding ceremony will be held at the beautiful
16th century Baroque Church of Santo Domingo de Guzman.
Calenda Oaxaquena
DOWNTOWN OAXACA
Held after the wedding ceremony. Traditional wedding parade through the streets of Oaxaca. Thereafter, hop onto the wedding buses that will take you to the reception.
Wedding Reception
Our celebration of love continues with yummy food, tasty drinks, great music and definitely, plenty of dancing!
After-Party
SALON BLANCO @ EX HACIENDA SANTA ROSA
Get ready for some good house and techno beats!
We'll dance until sunrise, in typical A&O fashion.
“ From the moment I arrived, I knew Oaxaca was a special place. The city’s energy and mine just synched. We were a pair. I could recognize the signs: a sense of unconditional joy emerged in my heart. My eyes constantly shifted to every shade of color, every movement, as if I had an insatiable hunger to take in everything.
I was in love. ”
Nomad Travel
The Gastronomical Capital of Mexico
Named by Travel + Leisure, in 2022 and 2020, as the #1 city in the world to visit. Oaxaca is a city of colorful buildings, scenic rooftop restaurants and bars, street art, historic Spanish colonial churches, cobblestone streets, and picturesque parks.
Oaxaca is also the Mezcal capital and the Gastronomical capital of Mexico; with the country’s cuisine deeply rooted here. The old school cooks of Oaxaca make some of the more difficult and nuanced sauces in the gastronomy.
Some of the new generation chefs - many of whom have trained in kitchens of USA and Europe - have returned home to take Mexican food to new thrilling heights, while still maintaining the local cuisine’s dominant Indigenous Zapotec culture influence.
Be prepared to eat great food! Enjoy the amazing local cuisine and venture yourself on trying new things.
In Oaxaca, the weather is always agreeable. The unique blend of indigenous and colonial history, amazing food, enticing cocktail scene, and lively craft markets, along with the kindness of its residents, will make you feel welcomed!
Want to get inspired? Watch these amazing shows on Netflix:
1) "Street Food in Latin America" Episode 3 of Season 1: Oaxaca, Mexico
2) "Somebody Feed Phil" Episode 1 of Season 5: Oaxaca
To Travel Is To Live
To get to Oaxaca, fly into Xoxocotlán International Airport (OAX). There are international direct flights from USA to Oaxaca, from Dallas, Houston and Los Angeles. Most flight options will have a layover in Mexico City. Please allow extra time for customs and passport control in Mexico City.
Direct flights from:
o Houston (United)
o Dallas (American Airlines)
o Los Angeles (Volaris)
o Mexico City (Aeromexico, Viva Aerobus)
o Monterrey (Viva Aerobus)
o Cancun (Volaris)
o Guadalajara (Volaris)
o Guatemala (TAG)
Mi Casa, Tu Casa
Oaxaca offers a wide range of accommodations, from fancy boutique hotels, to big hotel chains or smaller nice local establishments.
Most of the wedding events will take place in downtown (Centro Histórico). This is the best district in Oaxaca, where the main landmarks are located.
Below is a list of 10 hotel recommendations. All are within walking distance to our meeting points on Friday and Saturday.
1. Grand Fiesta Americana
+52 443 310108019
Rates from USD 275/night
Booking code: G1MAVS (Mention "Boda Oscar Salinas y Amanda"
2. Casa Hidalgo Hotel Boutique
+52 951 493 3313
Rates from USD 215/night + tax
Booking code (via email or phone only): AMANDAOSCAR
3. Hotel Parador San Miguel
reservaciones@paradorsanmiguel.com
+52 951 514 9331
Rates from USD 135/night + tax
Booking code (email or phone booking only): BodaOscarSanchez
4. Hotel City Centro
5. Holiday Inn Express Oaxaca Centro Historico
+52 951 512 9200
Rates from USD 110/night
Booking code:
BODA AMANDA Y OSCAR
6. Hotel Siglo XVII
+52 951 501 1444
reservaciones@hotelsigloxvii.com
Rates from USD 145/night
Booking code (via email or phone only): AMANDA&OSCAR
9. Hotel Pug Seal
10. Nana Vida Hotel Boutique
+52 951 688 7575
Rates from USD 150/night + tax
Booking code (Online booking): DIRECTONANAO
There's something magical about Oaxaca
We’re excited to share a few of our favorite places in the area with you below.
In Oaxaca City
Explore the Zócalo
One of the top things to do in Oaxaca is to explore the central part of the city. Known as the Zócalo, this area is the best place to get a feel for the city of Oaxaca.
Start out in the main square and bounce around the many famous landmarks nearby. You can easily fill an entire day or two with sightseeing in the Zocalo. There are plenty of places to grab some food or a drink as well whenever you need a break.
A visit to the Zocalo is always one of the top things to do in Mexico as a whole — this is the best spot for people-watching, relaxing with a drink, or grabbing a snack.
Get Lost in the Markets
Getting lost wandering around the city’s many markets is part of the Oaxacan experience. You will find delicious local food at a low price as well as plenty of interesting souvenirs. Markets are an integral part of Mexican life, give yourself a few hours and enjoy the atmosphere.
The most well-known market is Mercado Benito Juarez, where you can try Oaxacan classics like mole, pick up some local cheese and mezcal, or get adventurous and snack on crickets. Mercado 20 de Noviembre, another popular market is right beside and both of the markets are in the center of town.
For a real cultural experience, travel about a half hour east of Oaxaca on a Sunday to get to the weekly Tlacolula de Matamoros market. It’s one of the oldest markets in Mesoamerica and one of the largest markets not just in Oaxaca, but this entire region of Mexico.
Visit the Botanical Gardens
Oaxaca’s wealth of flora has been curated and concentrated into the fabulous Jardín Etnobotánico de Oaxaca. You can stroll through a collection of almost a thousand plant species in this beautifully laid-out botanical garden, each native to the state from its cold mountains to humid tropics. It is set in the serene grounds of an old convent and also dotted with pieces of contemporary sculpture. Guided tours take around an hour and are available in English.
If you love seeing and learning about the local flora and fauna when you travel, you will want to be sure to hit the botanical gardens.
A visit to the botanical gardens is easily combined with the cathedral and the culture museum, as they’re all located on the same grounds.
Do a Mezcal Tasting
Cooking Classes
Take a Tour with Fundacion enVia
Fun Fact: Mezcal is the national spirit of Mexico. Although you can drink it throughout Mexico, Oaxaca is the home of mezcal — and where more than 90% of all Mexico mezcal is produced.
This spirit is made from any type of agave plant, unlike tequila which can only be made from blue agave. Mezcal has a unique, smoky taste thanks to the underground roasting of the plant.
Oaxaca is known to produce some of the best mezcal in the country, so pop into one of the countless mezcalerías (bars specializing in mezcal) where you can opt for either a casual drink or more formal tasting session. Either way, you’re likely to encounter bartenders who know the spirit inside-out, so don’t be shy in asking questions. If straight liquor is not your thing, a mezcal margarita is a deliciously smoky take on the original.
Join one of the mezcals tour to visit the palenques in the Central Valley of Oaxaca to learn about the origins and processe and sample a range of premium artisanal mezcal straight from "farm to glass".
We have visited the palenques from "Los Danzantes" and "Gracias a Dios", it was a great experience!
Mexico’s gastronomy is on the UNESCO list of the cultural heritage of humanity and Oaxaca contributes in great proportion to that inscription, so, it is only logical that while in Oaxaca one become chef and take a cooking class.
There are numerous cooking classes available in the city, but this one is a great option! We tried this during one of hour holidays in Oaxaca, and loved it! The cooking class is set in the local home, about 20 minutes from the center of Oaxaca (transportation is included). Sonia is the expert chef and her son Baldo is the bartender.
The cooking experience includes all food (including snacks), unlimited drinks (beer, mezcal, sodas, water, etc.), and lots of fun conversations throughout the day.
We advise you to book in advance. We wanted to try this experience during our first trip to Oaxaca, and it was all fully booked. It was only during our next trip, that we had a chance to cook with Sonia and Baldo.
Here is also a list of our Oaxaca City recommendations on Google Map.
Definitely a highlight from when we visited Oaxaca in 2021.
If you want to support a great cause while you travel, sign up for a tour with Fundacion enVia.
This non-profit organization uses funds from tours to empower women in the Tlacolula Valley by giving them interest-free loans and funding educational programs.
The tours offer a unique glimpse into life in Oaxacan communities through the perspective of individual business women. On the tours, you will visit small communities just outside of the city to meet artisans and businesswomen.
You’ll learn a lot about their micro-finance program and the local culture as well.
Day Trips from Oaxaca
Explore the archaeological site of Monte Albàn
Far and away one of the most popular things to do in Oaxaca is taking a day trip out to the ruins at Monte Alban (White Mountain). It is a UNESCO World Heritage List site. Built by the Zapotecs, this is one of the most impressive archaeological sites in all of Latin America.
It is less than 10km (30 minutes car ride) away from Oaxaca city. The site is located on a low mountainous range rising above the plain in the central section of the Oaxaca valley. This is a great day trip for history and culture lovers but also nature lovers as the views from the highest points are simply breathtaking.
Visit the town and ancient ruins of Mitla
Mitla is also said to be the most important site for the Zapotec culture. While Monte Alban was the political centre for the Zapotecs, Mitla was the religious centre. It is located 40 km (50 minutes car ride) from the city center.
An interpretation of the past says that Mitla was a “place for rest” or, a place for the dead. Mitla comes from the word “Mictlan” and one of its meanings is “the underworld”.
Mitla is a pre-Columbian archeological site that expresses the Mesoamerican belief that death was the most consequential part of life after birth. It was built as a gateway between the world of the living and the world of the dead.
Hike and Swim at Hierve el Agua
This is the popular petrified waterfall of Oaxaca and one of the most amazing natural wonders in Mexico that you must visit. Hierve El Agua is located 60km (1 hour and 40 minutes car ride) away from the Oaxaca city center. Here you’ll see amazing rock formations that resemble cascading waterfalls.
It is one of the best day trips in the area because it’s a perfect place to connect with nature, do a hike and enjoy breathtaking views.
There are also natural mineral springs that you can soak in. While the name means “boiling water” in Spanish, the water can actually be a bit cold here. It’s still nice and refreshing to take a dip, especially after hiking around the area for a while.
Hierve el Agua can be combined with a trip to Mitla. Tip: Check out Mexico’s most famous tree, the ginormous Tule Tree (Arbol del Tule) on the way out of Oaxaca City on this day trip.
At the Oaxaca Coast
Puerto Escondido
Huatulco
Mazunte & Zipolite
Surfers flock to Puerto Escondido for sun, sand and some of the best waves in Mexico. The town has a reputation for being laid-back and you won’t find mega-resorts like those in Cancún or Puerto Vallarta here. Even if you’re not there to surf, you’ll still want to get in the water.
Head to the Manialtepec Lagoon, just 20 minutes outside of town, which is one of the few places where you can swim with glow-in-the-dark, bioluminescent plankton that light up the lake.
The first stop for most travelers exploring the coast of Oaxaca will be the Bahias de Huatulco. A small beach destination and cruise port by typical Mexico resort destination standards, this is the only coastal destination with a mainstream international airport. Bahias de Huatulco is composed of nine bays, each one with its own distinct vibe, energy, and beaches.
Down the Pacific Coast, sleepy surf towns dot the shore. One of these is Mazunte, a pueblo mágico (meaning it has special status from the tourism board) known for its black-sand, volcanic beach, Playa Mermejita. Yoga teachers offer classes year-round on the beach and, depending on the season, you may be able to spot dolphins, whales or tortoises breaking the water from a tour starting at Playa Mazunte.
Right down the coast from Mazunte, Zipolite is another hidden-away, laid-back village. Long a hideaway for dreadlocked hippies, Zipolite is said to be a natural vortex of positive energy, drawing peace-seekers and Zen-chasers since the 1970s. Today it still retains that charm. The beach itself is lined with palapa-covered restaurants, beach shacks, and rustic boutique hotels. The unofficial motto of Zipolite is "do nothing," and people are pretty okay with that. The jungle-covered hills that protect the bay, the crashing waves, and the explosive sunsets are enough to keep everyone satisfied.
Note: Playa Zipolite is "clothing optional," which many do take advantage of, so keep that in mind if that's not exactly your vibe.
How to get from Oaxaca to Mazunte and Zipolite
It all started in the desert...
Our Very First Couple Photo
Burning Man, USA, August 2018
And it was thanks to Burning Man that our love story happened!
Yeap, that's right. Even though we were both living in Singapore at the time we met in August 2018, we have never chanced upon each other before.
Our mutual love for adventure and exploration led us to travel separately to the desert of Nevada in the USA, to attend an event called Burning Man. It was there, in the middle of the desert, thousands of kilometers away from our homes in Singapore, where we connected and our love story began.
One thing led to the other. The initial mutual attraction uncovered our chemistry, and as we spent more and more time together, we also realized how compatible we were.
Since then, we have been adventure partners, travelling the world and pursuing our passions. In 2019, we moved in together to our first home.
As the pandemic hit the year after, and we were confined to strict lockdowns in Singapore, we confirmed how lucky we were to be with each other and our love continued to grow.
It was in late 2021 when we got engaged in the beautiful city of Oaxaca. We decided that we would be more than just adventure partners, commiting to be life companions, as husband and wife.
