I’m going to just come out and say it – this wedding is perfect. It’s casual and so much fun, all the while being beyond gorgeous (I mean, how could it not be, when it’s set on a Mexican beach?). The best thing about sharing this wedding this morning are the images from Fer Juaristi – which are definitely letting me feel the ocean breeze and sand between my toes. So what do you say we grab a couple margaritas and take a little vacation to Mexico a la the gallery!
Click here to see the full image gallery!
Between our friends and family in Miami, Philly, New York and Michigan – and our own home base in Los Angeles – we realized wherever we held our wedding would be a destination for the majority of the guests. So we decided to make it a destination for everyone – and chose the beautiful Beloved Hotel in Playa Mujeres, Mexico (about 25 minutes north of Cancun). The hotel is a rare find – intimate (109 rooms), luxurious, and all-inclusive. Our 150+ guests all stayed at the resort with us, so it felt almost like our own private property!
Planning a destination wedding was actually much easier than I thought it would be. One of the very first decisions we made (and spent the most time researching) was choosing our photographer. As soon as I saw Fer Juaristi’s work, I was in love. He’s totally non-traditional, and a true artist. Once he was booked, we let our fantastic wedding planner Leanne Marie and her partner Maju take care of securing all of our other vendors, from the guitarists at the ceremony, to the mariachi band, to the DJ, dance floor, lighting, furniture rentals, etc.
As for the details – I went a little DIY crazy on the welcome bags – which included “Wedding Weekend Survival Kits”, personalized suntan lotion & aloe vera that I bottled myself (*do not recommend!), mini bottles of tequila, and a brochure detailing the weekend’s events. I also made little message-in-a-bottle escort cards, and all of the signs/table numbers. All in all – we brought about four extra suitcases stuffed to the brim with wedding goodies that we quite luckily managed to squeak through customs.
Overall, we just wanted the day to be fun, laid-back and modern. One of our close friends officiated the ceremony and did an incredible job making it both heartfelt and hilarious. After cocktail hour by the pool, everyone returned to the beach for the reception on the sand. The party was non-stop and so much fun, complete with fire dancers and dancing in the ocean. It may be a cliche, but it truly was the best day of our lives.
Photography: Fer Juaristi with additional photography by Emily Young / Flowers, lighting & rentals: Planner 1 Events / Event Planning: Leanne Marie Weddings / Ceremony Location: The Beloved Hotel / Invitations: Bella Figura / Dress: Lazaro via Panache Bridal / Hair & Makeup: The Styling Trio / Bridesmaid dresses: Nordstrom / Bridesmaid robes: Plum Pretty Sugar