The very best, most captivating destination weddings are those that are completely organic. Where the decor, the ambiance, the moments are inspired by the land and the culture and the beauty of the region. And this wedding is the very definition of inspired. It’s rich and layered and full soul. And it is bursting at the seams with pure, unabashed romance. Just as a destination wedding should be. With decor and planning by The Dazzling Details and photographs by Jillian Mitchell, this wedding is destination gold. Click here to see so much more.
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From the lovely bride…A love for travel, adventure, and the great outdoors were a few of the things that attracted us to one another when we met, over six years ago. Therefore, it was a no brainer that travel and the outdoors would definitely be components in our wedding. A strong love of family and friends would be the other.
When we began planning our wedding, it was essential it be held at a destination by an ocean, but it was also equally important to have all family members and friends available to celebrate. There wasn’t a way to have both, as some would not be able to travel. So, we divided our celebration in order to have the best of both worlds… we would do a very intimate destination wedding with immediate family and a grand reception in downtown Portland, Oregon, for the rest of our family and friends upon our return home. This arrangement encompassed both sides of our personality as a couple; outdoor travel fanatics and downtown sheik (plus, I would get to wear my dress twice; what bride wouldn’t want to do that!).
With that decision made, we began concentrating on the destination part. Considering many options of places to go, we wondered, “Should it be somewhere we’ve never been, and how far could we travel and still convince our immediate family members to join us?” We found ourselves continuously thinking of Puerto Vallarta, our first major vacation as a couple, and in our minds… the place where we knew we were in this relationship for good, even years before we were engaged. PV held a very sentimental place in our hearts, and we really wanted our families to experience that during an occasion as important as our wedding…. where we would be joining not only our lives together for a lifetime, but our families as well.
As I began collecting wedding ideas, I found The Dazzling Details online. I immediately fell in love with Kristin, Michelle and the team’s work and so did Chris. I have to do event planning in my profession and Chris is a contractor/designer by trade, so aesthetics and truly capturing the essence of our personalities was extremely important to us! There was no doubt that The Dazzling Details would deliver on all of our hopes for our intimate gathering, a total of ten individuals. Every expectation was exceeded!
From start to finish, Chris and I never worried about a thing, because the team was truly exceptional!! Thru the guidance of Kristin and Michelle, we opted to have our wedding and ‘family’ reception at a lovely villa outside the city. What a fabulous family vacation, with our wedding being the big final event! The ceremony, conducted on a sandy beach with the ocean as a backdrop, was enhanced with elegant simplicity and unexpected personal touches along the way. Despite an unexpected day of rain, the drizzle cleared immediately before the group was seated for ceremony, and just a peak of sunlight illuminated the ceremony through dreary skies while the couple said their vows. It beautifully highlighted the natural splendor of the setting, allowing our wedding vows to be the focus.
Every detail was amazing, but the reception/dinner area was probably our favorite “scene” created by our planners. I was moved to tears by the perfection of every intricately designed component. They captured everything we could have ever imagined we would want – they draped multiple chandeliers high above the dining area, accented the table with dozens of candles, had a variety of bouquet holders and different wood elements, natural linen fabrics, and even a small suitcase that served as part of a centerpiece! One of my favorite touches was our cake holder, especially designed out of tree branches. All color choices for the event palette were colors found in nature: browns, grays, linens, and whites to highlight our love of the outdoors. Collectively, it made for a magical and memorable event that to this day everyone is still talking about… and for all that weren’t there, they wish they could have been!! Our wedding celebration was truly exquisite!!
Wedding Coordination, Design + Florals: The Dazzling Details / Wedding Photography: Jillian Mitchell Photography / Wedding Venue: Casita Camino al Mar / Catering: Plush Catering / Live Latin guitarist (ceremony and cocktail reception) – Lenny Lopez / Ceremony Officiate: Tamara Bradley with Puerto Vallarta Wedding Officiants / Wedding Dress: Vera Wang / Groom’s Attire: Calvin Klein / Wedding Cake: Charme Reposteria