Oaxaca Destination Weddings

Experiencia fantástica: We were so blessed to find Friederike to help us plan our wedding in Oaxaca. Any idea that came across my consciousness, ranging from a scavenger hunt to having Chinese dragons in Oaxaca to having levels played on the harp were not only possible, but executed to perfection. When I hopped on my call with Friederike, we were deciding between getting married in Lake Como, Sicily, Spain, Los Cabos. After our initial call, I had an immediate sense of relief and excitement - and it was that conversation that solidified my decision to get married in Oaxaca. We even switched our initial venue (Lima Noble) to Rancho Cebu because of Friederike’s availability. Choosing your whole wedding around your planner may seem extreme, but in considering the next 12-18 months of our lives and the amount of money we were going to be spending on our wedding, arguably the only time you will have all of our friends and family together in this way ever again - the peace of mind along with the ability to execute my vision was priceless. And with Friederike, both are certain. The wedding itself was perfect. Friederike and Zara were on top of everything. People said it was the best wedding that they had ever gone to. We’re in our mid 30s, so our guests have been to their fair share of weddings. We had friends and family from Athens, Taipei, Ukraine, Warsaw, Switzerland, Seoul) and everyone loved the food and environment. We danced for 6 hours straight, everyone was crying and laughing, and it was such a special day thanks to ODW.

Experiencia fantástica: We planned our wedding from the US for a destination event in Oaxaca, which introduces logistical complexity. Freddy and Zara made that complexity largely invisible. Before the wedding, they organized a fun weekend trip where we sampled vendors, toured venues, and ran through the plan in person. Planning proceeded on a weekly cadence: organized, responsive, and straightforward. That last point deserves emphasis, because our requests were not straightforward. We had a few unusual asks e.g. sourcing Chinese dragons, coordinating a multi-location scavenger hunt that needed dedicated staff at each clue, and swapping certain vendors a week before the event. None of this fazed them. On the day itself, logistics were flawless. Both Freddy and Zara were attentive and engaged throughout, staying late into the night to see the celebration through to the end. In the following weeks we have had a number of friends tell us this was their favorite wedding. None of this could have been possible without Freddy and Zara. We don’t have extensive experience hiring wedding planners, but we’ve observed enough through friends’ weddings to calibrate. Freddy and Zara are top tier. We would recommend them to any friend or family member without reservation. After a year of weekly calls, we genuinely miss the routine of our chats.

Experiencia fantástica: We are a queer women couple who were absolutely bewildered and overwhelmed by wedding planning. Partnering with ODW was not only a breath of fresh air but an incredibly fulfilling experience that made us feel seen, validated, and unquestionably taken care of every step of the way. We were blown away by the bespoke, detail-oriented, and culturally respectful planning of the highest caliber; vendor management that makes you feel like a queen; and even help planning activities, travel, tastings, and many of those nitty-gritty details extending far beyond wedding planning. And, all that happened BEFORE the wedding itself. With ODW our wedding was attended to with rigorous attention to detail yet compassionate care. They are the first ones in and the last ones out. If you want to feel taken care of, a meaningful connection to the place you’re getting married in, and frankly relieved by how much you don’t have to worry about, ODW is the wedding planning team you’ve been dreaming of. We recommend them to anyone––not just anyone wanting to get married in Oaxaca, but any couple who wants to close their wedding celebrations feeling utterly blessed. Our guests described our wedding as the wedding of the century, and a huge part of that credit goes to ODW. Thank you so much Friede, Citlalli, and team! We are forever grateful.

Experiencia fantástica: Had the most amazing experience with Friederike and her team at Oaxaca Destination Weddings. From the first day we started planning with her, till the wedding day, we knew we were in the best hands, and that feeling is priceless. If they made the perfect wedding planner in a lab it would be Friederike! Could not recommend ODW enough!

Experiencia fantástica: Our experience working with Fredi was nothing short of magical and outstanding. Oaxaca Destination Weddings provided us such an incredible experience, that made our wedding everything we envisioned and more. We felt so supported and well taken care of by Fredi and her team, that it allowed us to enjoy the day and night of festivities easily. We would work with her for any event from now on in Oaxaca. And apart from her professionalism, she is also such a pleasure to know and be around. You enter as her client but you leave as a friend. We recommend her to everyone!

Experiencia fantástica: Friede and her team are the go to wedding planners in Oaxaca! After visiting Oaxaca and meeting her, we worked with her from San Francisco, CA during our planning process. She provided us the exact personalized experience we asked for our day. We are so thankful to ODW for a smooth and seamless experience. We felt supported throughout the entire process and communication was easy. We also appreciate her attention to detail and passion for supporting not just the bride and groom but also her vendors and the oaxacan community.

Experiencia fantástica: Friederike Schaefer-Wildenberg defines the word exceptional. In addition to being an absolute gem of a person, she combines a level of perfectionism in execution with an innate level of sophistication, class, and inherent great taste. We had the pleasure of working with Friederike and the Oaxaca Destination Weddings team of Angel, Ana, Citlalli, Zara, and Miriam in what was described by our guests as not only the “best wedding they have ever been to,” but by partygoers as “the greatest party of all time.” Our guests consisted of over 140 out-of-town individuals (plus many of our treasured oaxaqueño friends!) , many working in events, hospitality, spirits, fashion, and more – all of whom holding high-standards and barometer of a good time--and we could not have agreed more! Thanks to Friederike, Angel, and team, our wedding was something out of a dream. Having visited Oaxaca for nearly 9 years, it was important to us to bring to life the experiences we had accumulated across nearly a decade – Friederike, Angel, and team were able to condense this into 3 days, creating the ultimate experience and opportunity to share highlights of Oaxaca with our guests. Our wedding was scheduled around Day of the Dead, an incredibly busy time of the year when tourism is at it’s peak. We wanted to schedule at this time so guests could experience Oaxaca’s charm during this time, which of course was also a more difficult time to plan a wedding! This was not an issue for ODW, as they were able to secure everything and more. To top it off, we decided to schedule the wedding with a 4-month turnaround – virtually unheard of timing, and something most would have deemed impossible. The first day of our celebration started with a cemetery tour, where buses were arranged to take over 100 guests to an intimate dinner of tamales and pan de muerto, then we were invited to a private comparsa! The second day of our celebration was a flawless cocktail party on the rooftop of Pitiona for over 100 guests – the perfect way to kick-off before the wedding. Every detail was considered – amazing food, wonderful music. The big day was our wedding, nothing short of a huge undertaking the ODW team seamlessly executed. We started off with a large calenda from Templo de Santo Domingo, which featured the most beautiful and festive of dancers, musicians, and oversize puppets. It was truly the most fun time. Then, guests were quickly escorted to shuttle buses, driven to Rancho Cebu, where the big ceremony took place amongst agave plants. A large, clear tent was installed with the most beautiful decorations and flowers by the talented Ornato, catered by Casa Oaxaca. Friederike connected us with the most amazing DJ, Illich Musica, a world-famous DJ who is as nice as he is talented! Every detail of the evening was considered, with perfect timing and placement of everything – such as the large light-up alebrijes that stormed the dance-floor to delight. The most talented photographers and videographers were secured (Carlos Elizondo and Daniel Matus), who were present across the various events making sure everyone was at ease, resulting in great shots but also great energy! What is so incredible about Friederike, Angel, and the Oaxaca Destination Weddings team is that they just “get it” – you knew if there was something you wanted or dreamed of, Friederike and team would be able to not only do it, but it would be done in a way most would not know how. I think the reason Friederike and ODW are able to create such amazing experiences is because they bring a true level of care and concern to each project and couple – it’s clear they love what they do, and it shows in the final product. Not a detail is missed, and each detail covered is done to the finest degree. It is very rate to find such individuals, and I think anyone who has the chance to work with Friederike and team will find that they walk away with not only the wedding of one’s dreams but also a life-long friendship – the perfect synchronicity to a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Experiencia fantástica: I would give ODW 100 stars if I could. Where do I even start!? Freiderike and her team (we worked closely with Ana) were the most loving, efficient, and friendly wedding planning group we could ask for. My partner and I spent more than a year and a half (almost all virtual) working to plan our wedding in Oaxaca. ODW was with us every step of the way (most of the time, there were several steps ahead). They made everything so easy and effortless. Our wedding was a multi-day Indian affair and had so many moving parts. ODW went beyond our expectations. They made sure to respect our cultural elements and blend it seamlessly into our wedding. ODW helped us coordinate what seemed like a million details across several event spaces with various vendors with ease. I cannot recommend ODW enough. Do not hesitate to select this group! All of our guests applauded the events from start to finish, with many saying it was "the best wedding they have been to." That praise goes to the wedding planning team and no one else. ODW has become like family through this process. The best decision we made was to work with them.

Experiencia fantástica: We had the best experience with Friederike and Citlalli. Our wedding was so thoughtfully planned with so many details I never could have imagined without their support. Our vendors they helped us select were incredible. Our guests were blown away by the quality of their experience at all of our events. Their team is so responsive and organized. I always felt like a priority even when planning over a year out from our day. I would highly recommend using ODW! We had the most magical weekend ever and it is all thanks to their execution of our event. We already miss them so much - they're so kind and professional.

Experiencia fantástica: Working with Friederike and Oaxaca Destination Weddings was one of the first decisions we had to make for our wedding and it was one of the BEST decisions we made! Friederike and Citlalli made the whole process so smooth every step of the way. They answered all of our questions and followed through with all of our asks with so much care and patience. Friederike made herself available throughout the whole process, responding to messages, emails, and hopping on zoom calls right away to ensure that things moved along in a timely manner. On our wedding day and the events leading up to it, in Oaxaca, we felt so taken care of. Our guests’ feedback was that this was one of the most memorable experiences of their life and everyone felt so impressed by how organized and thought through everything was. On our wedding day we felt that we could completely let go and let Friederike and her team take care of things and this level of trust is one more reason why the ODW team was so amazing to work with. Friederike and Citlalli’s presence felt so comforting and grounding to have during times of stress. Friederike was on top of everything, taking care of things we didn’t even know we needed. The journey of wedding planning is such a unique experience and it can also be a lot. You will definitely want someone solid by your side and Friederike and Citlalli were that solid support the whole time for us.

Experiencia fantástica: I've been trying to write this review since last weekend, which was our wedding. It's so difficult to put into words how GRATEFUL my husband and I are for Friederike and her team at Oaxaca Destination Weddings, but I'll try. Her dedication and thoughtfulness at every step of the process was incredible and made us feel really confident and at ease throughout our journey. She and her team were able to take my unstructured thoughts and ideas and turn them into magic for our wedding. From our early conversations on Zoom, the wonderful weekend trying out vendors and exploring venues, the active Whatsapp chat, and ultimately to the smooth and exciting wedding weekend, Friederike and Angel ensured our time as the couple was structured, easy, and fun! I feel really lucky to have worked with them, and we are so thankful for their professionalism, their talent, and their friendship, which made our wedding weekend in Oaxaca the best three days of our lives. Thank you so much! <3

Experiencia fantástica: As the Father-of-the-Bridge, I commend Friederike, her team at ODW and all of her recommended suppliers for organizing and leading a wonderful wedding for my daughter and her (now) husband in June 2025. There was not a single detail that was overlooked, including listening to my daughter's wishes and making it happen, and keeping everything within budget. The places were fantastic (Quinta Real, Hotel Flavia Casa Oaxaca catering, La Fabrica party hall, the Calenda parade), all staff we encountered were friendly, hospitable and efficient, and Friederike's quiet confidence and attention to detail instilled a deep sense of calm despite all the activities in multiple venues. A special shout out to Angel who really was super responsive and helpful. As we all return home, we also leave Oaxaca being not only super impressed by the wedding but by the beautiful town, its people, and its offerings. It's remarkable that the city is so safe you can walk at ease even at mid-night. It was a very pleasant surprise for all of us and we hope to be back to enjoy the restaurants and sites.

Experiencia fantástica: Tuvimos la gran fortuna de contar con OAXACA DESTINATION WEDDINGS by Friederike para la organización de nuestra boda, y no podríamos estar más agradecidos. Desde el primer momento, su amor genuino por México se hizo evidente: cuidó cada detalle cultural con sensibilidad y respeto, creando una celebración auténtica, cálida y profundamente significativa para nosotros. Su estilo de organización impecable —claramente influenciado por su formación y experiencia alemana— fue justo lo que necesitábamos para llevar a cabo una boda sin contratiempos, incluso con todos los retos de una celebración binacional. Cada reunión, cronograma y proveedor fueron gestionados con una eficiencia admirable. Además, ser completamente bilingüe fue una bendición. Como pareja formada por un estadounidense y una mexicana, necesitábamos a alguien que pudiera no solo traducir idiomas, sino también entender nuestras expectativas, referencias culturales y formas de comunicarnos. Friederike supo conectar con ambos mundos y convertir nuestras ideas en una realidad aún más hermosa de lo que imaginamos. La recomendamos con todo el corazón a cualquier pareja que busque una boda que combine pasión, precisión y comprensión profunda. ¡Gracias por hacer de nuestro día algo inolvidable a Friederike, Ángel y a toda la familia de OAXACA DESTINATION WEDDINGS! Se convirtieron en nuestra familia, vamos a extrañar esas llamadas semanales. Esperamos volver a verlos en nuestro hermoso Oaxaca. Los Miller

Experiencia fantástica: ODW was an absolute pleasure to work with to plan our dream destination wedding. Their services are unmatched. Friederike and her team were by our side from Day 1. Always available whenever we needed them whether it was phone, zoom or email. They made our part of the planning process so much easier by managing all vendor communications behind the scenes leading up to our wedding weekend. Once the weekend happened, everything was absolutely perfect. Friederike and her team were with us every step of the way on the ground in Oaxaca. I highly recommend ODW. They will exceed your expectations and make your dream wedding come true! Thank you, Friederike and the entire ODW team! We miss you already!