Mexico Weddings

Mexico dreaming. That is never a bad way to spend the afternoon. We are dipping our proverbial toes in the sand, feeling that imaginary sun on our shoulders and reveling in all things Puerto Vallarta; the perfect destination to tie the knot if you ask us. Especially when it’s a perfectly executed beach affair by the Dazzling Details mixed with enough snapshots by Brandi Smyth Photography to have us booking the next flight out. Literally. See more of this beach bash right here.

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From the Bride… Kenny and I met almost five years ago in New Orleans, Louisiana. We instantly hit it off and became inseparable! The challenge, of course, was that we lived five hours away from each other and needed to figure out how to make a long distance relationship work. After dating a year long distance, we knew that it was time for us to make the next step so Kenny decided to move to North Louisiana to live closer to me and my son, Camden. Kenny has always been my rock. I knew from day one that he was the person that I was going to marry, and he was the one to complete our family. He has been an amazing father to Camden and has been the perfect person to fit into our lives. Kenny proposed to me in November of 2011 with my son, hours before we were scheduled to take our family Christmas pictures. Of course, I said yes and the rest is history!

From the start of our engagement, Kenny and I knew that we wanted to have a destination wedding. The problem was just deciding on the destination. We came across Puerto Vallerta, Mexico, with the help of our wonderful travel agent. It was love at first sight. We fell in love with the charm that Puerto Vallerta offered and the beautiful panoramic views. The deciding factor was when I came across The Dazzling Details on a blog that I was reading. They seemed perfect in every way. I emailed them immediately, and within the first few emails I knew that we found our destination, and that is when the fun began!

I had a distinct vision of what I wanted for our special day. First, and foremost was that I wanted my 8-year-old son to feel very much a part of our wedding day. The second thing was to be an experience that not only we would remember but also our whole wedding group. The Dazzling Details took every email from us and translated into a masterpiece. It was unique, modern and everything that we ever could have hoped for. They included so many personal touches that were little surprises for us along the way. March 29th will always be a day that we will always cherish — it was the day that we officially became an “us.” Arriving home from Puerto Vallerta, we also found out that we brought back a very special souvenir from Mexico — we have a baby due in December of 2012. This year has been an incredible journey for us, and it’s only going to get better!

Wedding Photography: Brandi Smyth Photography / Wedding Venue: Dreams Puerto Vallarta Resort and Spa in Puerto Vallerta, Mexico / Wedding + Floral Design: The Dazzling Details / Wedding Invitations: Chez Rivage / Wedding Dress: Tadashi Shoji via Nordstrom / Bride’s Cuff + Headpiece: Custom by Doloris Petunia / Hair + Makeup: Trisha Hughes + Britnee Pippin / Bridesmaid’s Dress: Monique Lhuillier via Nordstrom / Flowergirl’s Dress: Custom by Doloris Petunia / Men’s Attire: Squires Formalwear

There are a million reasons you are just going to die over this wedding. With The Dazzling Details at the designing helm, it’s no surprise that this Puerto Vallarta pretty is a stunner. But beyond all the perfectly curated details and the breathtaking coastal backdrop captured by License To Still, the thing that made me melt like never before was the Groom’s reaction to this gorgeous Bride walking down the aisle. It’s what ever girl hopes for, and this lovely lady got it and then some. See it all here!

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From the Bride… Ashaunte and I knew pretty early that we wanted to have a destination wedding. The week after we were engaged, we headed to Puerto Vallarta for a weekend getaway. Right away, we fell in love with the city. This wasn’t the Mexico I pictured. It was lush with views of the jungle, mountains and the ocean. Ashaunte said, “Why don’t we get married here?” Never in a million years had I pictured Mexico for my wedding, but the idea sounded rather perfect as we laid on the beach and watched the beautiful sunset over the ocean. Once the process started it was a breeze. Working with all of our vendors – particularly our wedding planners at The Dazzling Details and our wedding photographer, Nate Broshot — being hands off was pretty easy. Honestly, I have no idea how working brides can function any other way. There are just SO many details! I am so grateful that all I had to do was paint the picture, and everything came together after that.

Friday was the big day: 11-11-11. I felt so relaxed and ready after such a great week hanging out with our closest family and friends.  When I walked into the wedding venue, I was completely blown away! Vintage, romantic, chic — they nailed it! I was brought to tears when I saw that our altar would be two bookcases that held our guests’ and ancestors’ wedding pictures. How cool was it going to be to get married surrounded by not only our closest family and friends, but the images of them on their wedding day!? My love for designer shoes showed up in several places, including the dinner tables, which were marked by names of my favorite brands. While we took pictures, our guests enjoyed margaritas made with fresh fruit and appetizers that included south of the border sushi and chicken satay. Dinner was held on the beach under a fabulous tent and the tables were set family style so it felt so incredibly comfortable and intimate. There was even a cute table with activities to entertain the kids. As we danced the night away, the pool was filled with floating lanterns. We nibbled on a fabulous dessert assortment, which included authentic churros, cheesecake and chocolate-covered strawberries. I strongly feel that wedding desserts should be about variety and not just the wedding cake, so the fabulous assortment made me happy. The biggest OMG moment was a surprise fireworks show our wedding planners arranged after I mentioned the day before that not having fireworks was my only regret. When the fireworks exploded when we cut our cake, I was brought to tears.

I truly hope all brides feel the way I did on my wedding day. I got to marry the man who surpasses all of my dreams in a setting that was more perfect than I could have ever imagined. To top it off, 60 of the most important people in our lives were there to see it all. I cannot thank enough the many wonderful people who helped make what our guests described over and over as “the best wedding ever” possible.  I would recommend it for anyone who is looking to have a truly unique experience.

Wedding Photography: Nate Broshot of License To Still / Wedding Venue: Villa Garza Blanca in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico / Wedding Coordination, Floral + Event Design: The Dazzling Details / Officiant: Pastor Phillip Tarver (Minister at the Bride & Groom’s Church) / Wedding Cake + Desserts: Charme Reposteria / DJ: Extassis / Guestbook: Lillian Rose / Wedding Invitations: By Invitation Only / Wedding Dress: Tara Keely / Bride’s Shoes: Giuseppe Zanotti / Bride’s Jewelry: Nadri / Bride’s Hair Piece: Susy Madrigal of Ideal Outfit / Bride’s Garter Belt: Her Grandmother’s from 1949 / Rings: Tacori / Hair: Karonda Cook (A Friend of Bride) / Makeup: Sebastian Salon / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Simple Silhouettes / Bridesmaids’ Shoes: Charles David / Bridesmaids’ Jewelry: Forever 21 / Groom’s Suit: Calvin Klein / Groom’s Shoes: Bruno Magli / Groom’s Watch: Movado / Groomsmen’s Attire: Calvin Klein / Groomsmen’s Accessories: The Tie Bar

Adam Nyholt is whisking us away to the loveliest Puerto Vallarta party this morning through each of his gorgeous images, and I couldn’t be more thrilled. My toes might as well be sinking in the sand, because I have definitely booked a one way ticket to day-dream paradise thanks to this beach beauty – it’s destination wedding perfection, and there is even more in the full gallery of images!

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From the Bride… Because our family and friends are spread across the country, we weren’t under any pressure to have the wedding in one particular location, so we decided to pick a place with great weather and easy access from the U.S. We decided on Puerto Vallarta after seeing the fantastic work by the Dazzling Details wedding planners and talking about our vision with them. Our families hadn’t had many opportunities to meet, so it was important to us that the whole weekend be low-key, relaxed and fun for them. We envisioned a great, long weekend escape where everyone could really feel like they had stepped away from their lives for a few days. To enhance the “magical escape” theme, we opted to have the wedding and reception at a private villa just outside the city. When guests descended to the beach where the ceremony was held, they were handed a glass of peach sangria and treated to a lovely string quartet. Our planners, Kristen and Michelle, had the ceremony area decked out with giant bunches of baby’s breath and a beautiful elevated, lace-covered chuppah, which really set the tone for the simple, beachy beautiful event – Adam got some amazing shots showing the gorgeous ceremony décor with the ocean waves in the background.

For the cocktail hour and reception, we moved back upstairs to garden/pool area of the villa. The guests were surprised with a (very enthusiastic and very good) mariachi band for the cocktail hour, as well as plenty of margaritas and a relaxed seating area to enjoy the view of the sun setting over the ocean! Every detail was amazing, but the dinner area was probably my favorite “scene” our planners put together. Having a variety of light sources and a warm glow was very important to me, and the Dazzling Details did not disappoint — they draped string lights high above the dinner area and covered the tables in dozens of candles and huge bouquets of baby’s breath. It made for a magical and memorable meal with our closest friends and family. After dinner, we cut the cake and did our first dance to the Buddy Guy/Eric Clapton version of “Come Rain or Come Shine,” a great blues-y song that gave us a really special quiet few moments together. And of course, after that, there was plenty of aggressive dancing! I bought my bridesmaids each a pair of TOMS (and even swapped out my fabulous Valentinos for a pair), so we had no problem making full use of the dance floor. We risked our lives (or so it felt) for the hora and generally had an amazing time! The Dazzling Details took my vision of a magical, relaxed, glamorous dinner party and translated it into the most beautiful event I could have imagined, and Adam was able to capture everything so we can keep reliving the fun (which is good, because we can’t WAIT to go back soon)!

Wedding Photography: Adam Nyholt, Photographer / Wedding Venue: Casa Garza Blanca near Puerto Vallarta, Mexico / Event Planning, Floral + Event Design: The Dazzling Details / Wedding Invitations: Lucky Luxe Couture Correspondence / Catering: ByB Banquetes / Ceremony String Quartet: Ensemble Maestoso / Cocktail Hour Music: Mariachi Nuevo Continental / DJ: Extassis / Wedding Dress: Carol Hannah / Shoes: Valentino / Hair + Makeup: Sebastian Hair Salon

When a wedding has a shoe check at the door, it is pretty much a guarantee it’s going to be a really good time. And this good time comes in the form of a seaside fête captured by Amanda Wilcher Photographers with enough alfresco-meets-beach-infused details by The Dazzling Details to make us wish every wedding was a toes in the sand kind of affair. See it all right here.

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From the Bride… Jeff and I like to believe that fate played a little role in bringing us together. After meeting on an EL platform on the way home from a teacher training, we kept bumping into each other. Soon I learned I had accepted a job at the same school he taught at, and Jeff, very cleverly, suggested we carpool to work to save gas money. After driving for a few weeks I learned Jeff didn’t even own a car! Despite my initial annoyance, Jeff found a way into my heart and I never looked back. After dating for four years, Jeff proposed, and we immediately knew we would be wed with our toes in the sand. We had attended a destination wedding in the Bahamas and loved that the celebration extended beyond just one night. The process was long, as we took almost a year to decide on beautiful Puerto Vallarta as our destination. We traveled down to Dreams Resort per a recommendation by our travel agent and immediately knew it was the spot to host our wedding, as the beach was private and picture-perfect.

 We were a bit hesitant with the lack of control or input we were able to contribute to our overall vision in planning a destination wedding. However, fate stepped in again. After scrolling through the pages of Style Me Pretty we came across The Dazzling Details, a design/wedding planning team that is based in Puerto Vallarta. We met with the owner, Kristin Crawford, on our trip to visit Dreams and all our concerns quickly disappeared.  Kristin listened to our every word and began making our vision a reality. Jeff and I did not want anything overdone for our big day. We wanted the scenery to speak for itself and to just accent it with beautiful touches of white. Seeing as though we are both very laid-back people, we wanted simple design elements that added an element of romance and a bit of a vintage feel. This included mismatched vases, loads of candlelight, mason jars, different-shaped tables and twinkling lights everywhere. We wanted to create an atmosphere where everyone could just get lost in the moment.

The day of our wedding was perfect. Many people had prepared me for something to go wrong, but we had luck on our side. The day began with a rainbow streaked across the sky and ended with laughter drowning into the sounds of the ocean. We exchanged vows we wrote for one another in front of 70 of our closest family and friends with our toes in the sand and the waves crashing in front of us. We chose some of our favorite songs to accent our ceremony and made sure to include a reading from a children’s book, The Velveteen Rabbit (because we are both teachers). The ceremony was truly reflective of us as a couple. After the ceremony, guests relaxed on loungers, enjoyed cocktails, listened to the Latin trio and visited the photo booth Dazzling Details created: a car symbolizing the good ole’ days of carpooling to work! The night continued with dancing and other special surprises, including a fireworks show that left everyone in awe. We wouldn’t do it all over again because it truly couldn’t get any better, and our hearts could not have felt any fuller! Not a single element was overlooked, and The Dazzling Details was there every step of the way!

Wedding Photography: Amanda Wilcher Photographers / Wedding Venue: Dreams Puerto Vallarta Resort and Spa in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico / Event + Floral Design, Planning + Decor: The Dazzling Details / Wedding Cake: Charme Reposteria / Latin Trio: Trio Montecarlo / DJ: Sonido Extassis / Officiant: Lucie Aubert / Travel Agent: Donna Wade of Heritage Travel (773-774-3400) / Cut-Out Car Photo Booth: The Dazzling Details / Wedding Dress: Blue by Enzoani via Weddings 826 / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Priscilla of Boston via Bella Bridesmaid / Robes: Plum Pretty Sugar / Groom’s Suit: Hugo Boss / Groomsmen’s Pants: Jos. A Bank

I’m sure at some point during the planning process most Brides day dream of grabbing their love and their wedding plans and heading for warmer climates to celebrate their love on a breathtaking beach somewhere. It does have a lovely ring to it after all. And some couples? They actually take the plunge into tropical wedding bliss. Michelle Turner Photography was on hand to capture just such an affair on the beaches of Mexico where sun and lovely views run a plenty. It’s gorgeous and it’s sitting pretty in the full gallery for you to devour.

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From Michelle of Michelle Turner Photography… Sarah and Stefan were married at the Playa Fiesta Hotel and Beach Club outside of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.  Sarah described her wedding as a mix of “J.Crew and Etsy,” since she wanted a simple look with a lot of customized details that she had hand made by Etsy vendors and carried down to Mexico in many suitcases.  

Wedding Photography: Michelle Turner Photography / Wedding Venue, Event Design + Flowers: Hotel Playa Fiesta in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico / Event Planning: Lindsay Burgess / Wedding Dress: J.Crew / Bride’s Necklace: Will Oaks Studio / Bride’s Earrings: lime green modern / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: The Jersey Maid / Groomsmen’s Ties: Handmade by Emmy / Wedding Invitations: Minted / Programs: DIY by the Groom’s Mother / Other Printed Materials: DIY by The Bride and a Co-Worker / Rings: Fabuluster

Now this is how you do a Destination wedding. Warm weather, sandy beaches, palm trees and I’m sure a few fruity cocktails. More importantly, there’s not a lick of snow insight. Yep, Puerto Vallarta is indeed heaven and this wedding of one really adorable couple is basking in all this locale has to offer. But enough about musings of the tropical climate kind, (forgive me it’s COLD in Boston). When Michelle Turner is manning the photography helm, we just know there’s a pretty parade about to commence. See the full dreamy affair right here and don’t forget to hit that play button on the wedding video by Eduardo Reyes. It will have you hopping on a plane for warmer climates stat.

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From Edurdo of Eduardo Reyes… April and Glenn are from Georgia and over the holidays they traveled to Puerto Vallarta to get married at the beautiful Playa Fiesta Hotel. This adorable couple’s wedding was small and intimate.

Glenn and April’s brother, Adam, were college roommates and best friends during their freshman year of college. April was visiting her brother during her junior year of college and instantly fell in love with Glenn! Glenn asked April’s brother if he could talk to his sister and Adam said yes, but later said that Glenn could only “talk” to his sister and not “date” her! They are still best friends, and Adam was Glenn’s best man.

April and Glenn’s flowers, created by FlorArt Vallarta, consisted primarily of succulents mixed with white, peach, and pink ranunculus. The green of the succulents accented the bridal bouquet, the groom’s boutonniere, the cake topper, the centerpieces, and even the favors! In addition to the fact that succulents make April think of Mexico in general, she was inspired to include succulents in her wedding design when she saw them featured on a style blog.

Wedding Photography: Michelle Turner / Wedding Cinematography: Eduardo Reyes / Flowers: FlorArt Vallarta / Wedding Venue + Event Planning: Playa Fiesta / Wedding Invitations: Stephens Exclusives / Wedding Dress: David Fielden via Kelly’s Closet / Shoes: Badgley Mischka / Brooch Bouquet: Handmade by the Maid of Honor / Hangover Remedy Gift Bag: Stephens Exclusives

This Puerto Vallarta wedding is sure to go down in destination wedding history.  It has certainly made its way into my wedding loving heart at lighting speed.  It is a little bohemian, a little rock n’ roll and super chic which is no surprise considering The Dazzling Details was behind the perfect beach design and the crazy talented Jeff Newsom behind the lens.  The gallery is chock full of even more seriously amazing details so head over there now!

Click here for the FULL wedding!

Cana Video Productions is one of my favorite videographers and after watching this sweet film you’ll see why!

From Kristin of The Dazzling Details… Devon’s one request was to be able to surf the morning of his wedding. Kara has a love of all lanterns, and at the top of the list are star lanterns. Relaxed, romantic and intimate was important. On the beach was equally important. They are a little bit Bohemian, a little bit rock and roll, a lot about family and friends. The color palette of green, gray and purple blended perfectly with natural wood to create one of the most beautiful wedding atmospheres I have ever experienced. We wanted the ceremony to be all about the natural beauty of the beach, so a canopy was created with natural bamboo and a simple white linen draped off-center and surrounded with upside-down hanging greenery. Lanterns filled with florals lined the aisle, and a shoe check area was created to encourage bare-footed-ness! The bridesmaids carried beautiful mini-bouquets, and the flower girl held the most adorable pillow (hanging on a branch) created from the same fabrics used in lounge pillows and embroidered with K + D.

While the bride and groom took a few photos following the ceremony, some guests enjoyed cocktails at the nearby palapa bar to avoid the hot sun while others braved the heat and relaxed in lounge area beneath hotel umbrellas! Beautiful beach cabanas were built with oversized pillows and low tables for those who wanted to relax right on the beach floor with a striking view of the ocean just yards away. And with a groom who absolutely had to surf the morning of his wedding, well, it’s just clear that surfing somehow had to be incorporated into the decor as well. We searched and searched and found old surf boards in Sayulita that we drilled holes into, hammered oxidized nails into and hung escort cards on twine right on the boards. The escort cards, which were each marked with a vintage surfing image, led guests to their dinner tables where the same image popped out of the florals. The tables were topped with burlap centers and decorated with an eclectic grouping of pieces including lanterns, simple jar arrangements, limes, tin stars and twigs. The result was so natural, stunning and fun!

During dinner, guests toasted, chatted and watched the sun drop in to the evening sky. And, of course, prepared themselves for the hours of dancing ahead. The dance floor was created especially for Kara; in the middle of the floor, we constructed a small canopy with upside-down greenery around the perimeter and dozens of star lanterns suspended from underneath to add a twinkling bit of romance to illuminate the dance floor once darkness had set in. Later on in the evening, cake was cut and served while guests mingled in lounge areas and on the beach.

Wedding Photography: Jeff Newsom / Wedding Coordination, Design + Flowers: The Dazzling Details / Wedding Cinematography: Drew Barefoot + Ben Potter of Cana Video Productions / Wedding Venue + Catering: Dreams Resort Puerto Vallarta / Wedding Cake: Charme Reposteria / DJ: Sonido Extasis / Trio: Trio Montecarlo / Bride’s Hair + Makeup: The Salon at Dreams Resort Puerto Vallarta / Wedding Gown: Watters “Sonora” / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: BCBG

Sweet details can be found in every corner of this beautiful Puerto Vallarta wedding by Elizabeth Lloyd Photographer.  And most of them created by the two stunning brides from the invitations to the napkin rings.  Each element is easy enough to transport to a magical destination like Mexico but add so much charm and personality to this rustic, DIY affair.  See all the lovely creations in the full gallery!

Click here to se the entire gallery of images!

From Elizabeth Lloyd Photographer…As soon as I met with Lorena and Dustyn in Manhattan to discuss their wedding in Puerto Vallarta, I knew it was going to be a special, creative, personalized wedding and a blast to photograph. I could not have imagined the amount of work that they were to embark on to transform their oceanfront villa into a charming, rustic affair filled with beautiful touches.

From Dustyn…We live in New York City but Lorena is from Argentina, so after some research we chose to have our wedding celebration half way between these locations in beautiful Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.  For several months leading up to our special day we spent weekends making everything we could reasonably make for a destination wedding, from our own invitations to the napkin rings.  We even bought a sewing machine and Lorena funneled her creative energy and newly discovered DIY spirit to make things including customized pillow covers for the cocktail area and sashes for the chairs.

Then after a few days in Puerto Vallarta with our family, more friends and family joined us for a wedding celebration that I’m sure no one will forget.  It started with a ceremony on the beach, where we followed the cutest ring bearer and flower boys you’ll ever see down the aisle to a custom made wooden canopy.  We failed in holding back tears while we recited our vows and watched our wedding rings as they were passed around and blessed by family and friends before making their way to our fingers.

After a magical first kiss as a married couple, we returned across the street to our gorgeous classic Mexican hacienda and were welcomed with a 10 man mariachi band, freely flowing cocktails, and amazing aappetizers.  A DJ took over as we were seated for dinner, and my brother gave a heartfelt toast as the sun set behind him out over the water.  As darkness came, the fire-dancers we hired surprised even us with their drumming, dancing, and fire-wielding skills.  Later we danced to Eva Cassidy’s Songbird, then had friends and family join us when Smashmouth’s cover of “I’m a Believer” came on the speakers.  From our first steps down the aisle, to jumping into the pool late that night under the stars with our guests, the smiles never left our faces.  Thousands more words are captured in the pictures from our amazing photographer who was able to distill these magical moments into works of art we get to keep forever.  I could not have imagined a more amazing way to celebrate our marriage and lifelong commitment to each other!

Dustyn’s Dress: J.Crew / Lorena’s Dress: Nicole Miller / Engagement Rings + Wedding Rings: Brilliant Earth / Dustyn’s Shoes: Seychelles / Lorena’s Shoes: TOMS (ceremony) + Badgley Mischka (reception) / Location: Villa Celeste, Conchas Chinas / Hair Pieces: Lorena Plaza (Bride) / Design: Lorena Plaza (Bride) / Planning + Coordination: Chic Concepts / Catering: Elite Services / Wedding Photography: Elizabeth Lloyd Photographer

I don’t know what it is about beach weddings… no wait I totally do. Each and every single one is full of lovely ocean views, loads of sun and carefree brides and grooms and they always leave me dying to take off on a little vacation to some far flung locale. Today’s wedding is no exception. We are headed to the shores of Las Caletas in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico where Chris and Claire held their uber fun and totally stylish wedding that fits right in at SMP. Nate Broshot of License to Still shot a whole lot of amazingness including, but not limited to, the set of breathtaking floating dock images. Just wait until you see those babies. All in all, it’s beautiful and it’s beachy and it’s yours to devour in the full wedding gallery!

see the FULL wedding gallery here!

From the Bride… My (now) husband and I both have large families that are consequently spread out all over the United States. When trying to pick a location for our wedding, we came to the conclusion that a destination wedding would be our best fit. We figured if everyone needed to get on a plane (and practically everyone did) we might as well make their destination worthy of the price of the ticket. We wanted our wedding to be a relaxing, casual event. Having our wedding on the beach seemed as natural a progression as our friendship towards marriage. Trying to find the right beach however, was not. After a long search and a bridesmaid’s help, we found Las Caletas, a beautiful location only reachable by boat, located off the coast of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. With the help of our wedding coordinator Kelley Kahrhoff, our truly magical, destination wedding became a reality.

My husband is from upstate NY and I have been bi-coastal most my life. I’ve had the luxury of living in the beautiful bay area of California along with spending many years of my life frolicking in the south. I wanted our wedding to reflect “us” and I’m happy to report that most described our wedding in just that way, 100% authentically “us.” Not too many frills, fuss or muss. Three parts sweet southern charm, west coast cool and a shot of yankee. While brides often have a million, creative ideas that they are trying to execute, having to travel to a wedding location makes things even trickier. I was also attempting to have a budget-friendly wedding and so a lot of our items were made ahead of time at the kitchen table with our families and/or purchased in Puerto Vallarta in bulk. Opting out of having tropical colors for a beach wedding, I wanted to simplify the color palette in an effort to save money and enhance the natural beauty of the island. I chose navy blue and lime green to highlight our surroundings in hopes that they would stand-out against the beige undertones of the sand as well as offer a hint of sophistication.

We chose to have a simple, crisp ceremony with white chair coverings and chupa, along with white petals for the aisle. A family member read the an excerpt from one of my favorite childhood books, the Velveteen Rabbit, and along with our programs we made DIY paper bags that held petals to be thrown at the end of the ceremony. For the reception, our centerpieces were large, glass cylinder vases filled with limes to add to the ambiance and using fruit instead of flowers saved us a bundle! Sliced limes also held escort cards and table indicators were made out of used tequila bottles. Our own personal corks saved throughout our relationship held place cards and starfish wine stoppers served as favors. We especially loved how our guests could sit down at their plate and read their cork. Each one had a hand-written memory with either “Chris’s graduation 08”or “Valentine’s Day 03.” It was as if our entire dating history was strewn across the reception tables.

With the atmosphere warranting bon-fires we thought a smore station would be perfect, and our guests really seemed to enjoy the campfire snack. To add to the Mexican culture we had a tequila tasting table for the guests to enjoy as well as cigars. A banner with the words “Te Queiro” was tied above our guest book table, which hosted dozens of Puerto Vallarta post-cards instead of a traditional book. Professional fire dancers helped to seriously end the festivities with a bang! Luckily we had the catamaran sail back to the city of Puerto Vallarta to continue spending time with the people we love under the stars. It was truly a once in a lifetime opportunity to have all of the people that mean the world to us celebrating in one exotic location.

Photography: Nate Broshot of License to Still / Wedding Coordination: Kelly Karhoff of Vallarta Adventures / Location: Las Caletas through Vallarta Adventures, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico /  Dress: Casablanca 1955 purchased at Darlynn’s Bridal & Formal Wear / Shoes: Aldo

Some of the best destination weddings we come across are held on the sandy beaches of Mexico and this Puerto Vallarta number might just be the best yet. It’s a splendid mix of well thought out details, fabulous sparkly sombreros and a splash of fuchsia all designed and planned by The Dazzling Details. And let me just say hot pink looks mighty fine on the beach, especially through the lens of Tara Swain Photography. See the rest of the festivities here as well a multitude of amazing ring shots.

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

And this just in!  A gorgeous film of the entire day from Eduardo Reyes!

From The Dazzling Details…Emily and Antonio’s wedding was a storybook fairytale – truly, one of the most lovely and intimate celebrations we’ve had the privilege of planning!  From the very beginning with our back-and-forth interactions while designing their wedding invitations – invitations which went from bright and colorful to natural and subdued pretty much overnight – we quickly began to understand that the punch of color and vibrancy that these two incorporate into their everyday lives was knocking heads a bit with the vision they had of their wedding celebration – what they pictured to be a more rustic, soft, romantic and neutral affair.

Emily’s bridesmaids each carried a bouquet of eucalyptus seed stems and a single tone of lisianthus – one bridesmaid carried a lilac tone, another light pink and another white.  The bride herself was crazy about a bright fuchsia bougainvillea bouquet she found online.  As bougainvillea isn’t a durable bloom (nor is it really in season here), we cut the branches of six plants just 30 minutes before ceremony began, bundled them, added in a single peony blossom, wrapped it and off she went!  Because the wedding consisted of an intimate group 24 adults, we really wanted the evening to be interactive.  The entire concept of the ceremony décor centered around bridal party participation as well as Emily’s passion for words and books!  After seeing the idea online of rotating letters at a church ceremony, we decided to create our own beach version of the ceremony backdrop!  A white chiffon ceremony canopy was built in the center of four towering letters spelling out the word LOVE.  We had secretly instructed the bridal party to rotate the letters at the end of the ceremony so that when the couple was pronounced husband and wife and smooched, the letters twisted around to say KISS!

Emily and Antonio’s wedding hand-made invitations centered around a papel picado theme, and we really wanted to incorporate subtle touches of that same design into the wedding.   The cocktail hour (and dancing later on in the night) took place beneath a large palapa where lounging areas allowed guests to escape the intense sunshine, relax and mingle with a margarita!  Customized pillows on the couches spelled out words in both English and Spanish, and hand-painted maracas featured a papel picado detail!  Candles danced along the perimeter of the palapa.  Touches of bright color were incorporated into the area in the form of chiffon sheers and beautiful design pillows and were used alongside more neutral and rustic elements including tin stars, wooden tables and organic fabrics.

Wedding Photography: Tara Swain Photography / Wedding Cinematography: Eduardo Reyes / Floral Design, Event Design + Planning: The Dazzling Details / Wedding Cake: Charme Reposteria / Catering + Location: Dreams Resort Puerto Vallarta / Invitations: Sealed with Spice / Bride’s Shoe Accessories: Treasure Nest / Wedding Dress: Maggie Sottero / Veil: Custom Made Melanie Fredrickson + Anthropologie / Bridesmaid Attire: Coren Moore / Groom + Groomsmen Attire: Banana Republic + Sperry / Officiant: Christopher Taylor / Welcome Dinner Location: Casa Isabel / DJ: Sonido Extassis

A little over a year ago these two lovebirds photographed my wedding and now I am just giddy to show you their jaw-dropping, gorgeous destination wedding in Puerto Vallarta.  This isn’t the first time these crazy kids have got together with Ben & Erin Chrisman. Two years ago Daniel surprised Davina by whisking her off to Las Vegas to have her dream elopement with her dream photographer.  Fast forward to this past April when their nearest and dearest gathered at a love-filled celebration packed to the brim with pretty.  The most perfect destination wedding if I ever did see one.  It is glamorous, chic, a little vintage, a little dramatic and oh-so magical.  There are so many moments that will absolutely take your breath away so make sure you spend some time in the full gallery! And fly on over to Ben & Erin Chrisman’s slideshow to see the entire extraordinary event unfold.

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From the Groom…When Davina and I got engaged a little over 2 years ago, we wasted no time to make it official and eloped to Las Vegas. We chose to do this as we knew we would be planning a destination wedding for our “actual” wedding, so we wanted to simplify the logistics of the legal ceremony by doing it in Vegas, just the two of us. Despite having been legally married at the beginning of our engagement, we never considered ourselves husband and wife. This would only come once we exchanged our own vows, in front of our friends and family, with Davina in a white dress.

Right after our first wedding, we started searching everywhere for the perfect venue – and somehow stumbled upon Casa China Blanca. We weren’t looking to get married in Puerto Vallarta, or even Mexico, but just fell in love with this white mansion on a cliff above the Pacific Ocean. We couldn’t be happier for it to have been there, as it led us to Kristin & Michelle, of The Dazzling Details. It was really important for us to time everything around the light, so the ceremony had to take place at sunset. After a visit to Puerto Vallarta in the fall of 2010, we were faced with many obstacles. The sunset was at 8:30pm, and we had to stop the loud music by 11pm. Not much time for a sit-down dinner! So with the help of our planners, we decided to do things a little differently. We ended up having a cocktail dinner, drinks, speeches, all before the actual ceremony. After the ceremony, we danced down the aisle, straight onto the dance floor, and danced non-stop to Davina’s father’s band until we were kicked out!

Being wedding photographers ourselves (Davina and Daniel), it was extremely important for us to have photographers who would capture all the emotion, and surprise us with out-of-this world creative, dramatic photos. And we got just that by hiring our good friends Ben & Erin Chrisman. We have been following their work for many years, and they are a constant inspiration, in our work, and in our personal lives. There was never any doubt that we wanted our wedding to be documented through their eyes. We were fortunate enough to witness their union a few months earlier, also in Mexico, and we’re so happy they were there to celebrate with us!

Wedding Photographers: Ben & Erin Chrisman / Event Planning + Decor: The Dazzling Details / Catering: ByB / Venue: Casa China Blanca / Band: Minuit (Bride’s Father) / Bride’s Hair + Make-up: Maya Goldenberg / Flowers: DIY / Wedding Stationary: DIY / Bride’s Cocktail Dress: H&M / Bride’s Wedding Dress: Pnina Tornai via Kleinfeld Bridal / Bride’s Exit Dress: Tadashi Shoji / Bride’s Jewelry: Vintage +  JCrew / Bride’s Exit Shoes: Christian Louboutin / Groom’s Attire: Zara / Groom’s Shoes: Reiss

I am absolutely wild about this whimsical and vibrant Puerto Vallarta wedding by Elizabeth Lloyd and The Dazzling Details.  It is at once playful and totally glamorous which are two things that should always go together.  The white modern words scattered throughout from the LOVE placed off-centered on the ceremony canopy to the numbers spelled out on each table is a really fun and unexpected touch.  Click here to see even more!

Click here to see the entire image gallery!

From Elizabeth Lloyd… Monica and Jared’s wedding was held at the stunning villa Quinta Laura in the hills of Conchas Chinas, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. With a ceremony over-looking the Pacific Ocean, a classy, hacienda style dinner, and a night of dancing and fireworks under the palapa and the stars. The amazing design team of The Dazzling Details worked their magic, transformed the space, and handled every little thing so Monica and Jared could soak it all in.

From Kristen of The Dazzling Details… They requested a palette of greens, pinks and silver with a squeeze of lime! Guests arrived to the front courtyard and were greeted with self-serve fresh fruit waters and the amazing scent of rose petals floating in the fountain! As ceremony was about to begin, guests were ushered to the lower terrace where the bride and groom exchanged vows beneath a beautiful canopy of flowing fabrics and fresh flowers. Throughout the cocktail area, silver-painted words that the couple had chosen to describe themselves were used as decor alongside floral arrangements and limes. And as a special surprise, we had a live artist on site painting the dinner reception while it was happening! Later on, we gifted the painting to the couple as a memory of their wedding reception!

Wedding Photography: Elizabeth Lloyd / Event Coordination & Design: The Dazzling Details / Floral Design: The Dazzling Details / Wedding Venue: Quinta Laura, Puerto Vallarta / Catering: ByB Banquetes / Wedding Cake: Charme Reposteria / Latin Trio: Trio Montecarlo / DJ: Sonido Extasis / Hair & Makeup: Sebastian Salon / Bridesmaid Dresses: Thread / Wedding Dress: Pronovias / Bride’s Shoes: Bakers / Groom’s Suit: Ralph Lauren

It is so very fun to get to pour over gorgeous weddings day in and day out. I seriously love my job. But what is even more fun is when one of those weddings happens to be someone near and dear and this wedding is just that. Not only is it so very cute and filled with Mexico goodness but it also is celebrating the love of my friend Erin and her husband Damien. These two are so sweet and have such a great love story, I am more than elated to get to share their special day with you readers. They celebrated in style at a gorgeous villa overlooking the beach and it was all captured by the lovely Michelle Turner. I know they say what happens in Mexico, stays in Mexico but not this time. These images are meant to be shared. Enjoy and congrats Mr. and Mrs. Vanderburg! We wish you a lifetime of happiness.

{click here for more from this gorgeous fiesta}

Damien and I met on a sunny Sunday afternoon at a quaint San Diego outdoor cafe, called Cafe 976. I was reading and love the sun, so i kept moving tables to stay out of the shade. As the hours passed by, i moved about 5 tables, always moving towards Damien. After several hours, his was the only table left in the sun, and Damien asked me to join him…

Our coordinator incorporated this into our wedding night by transforming one of the rooms in the villa and recreating Cafe 976 as a flaming coffee bar that entertained guests with amazing tricks and delicious, intoxicating coffee drinks.
A few years later Damien secretly brought both of our families to San Diego. While I was under the impression he and I were on our way to see a matinee showing of “Fiddler on the Roof” we popped in for a quick lunch on another beautiful Sunday afternoon, back at the same cafe, same table and you know what happens next…There was no lunch or show, just a bouquet of hidden flowers and our families waiting at our favorite restaurant right next door where we began our celebration!

My mom and I flew down to Puerto Vallarta and met with Kristin from the Dazzling Details.  We checked out several villas but I immediatly fell in love with Villa Celeste.  Damien is a surfer and I knew he wanted to get married on the beach, I am a traveler who loves culture, so this villa was perfect! Cobblestone streets, tile roof, beautiful beach, it was perfect!
As guests arrived to the beach they took their shoes off and were greeted with mojitos while a spanish guitarist played. I really liked the idea of our friends and family surrounding us during the ceremony, so we had seats set up in a circle, it was so intimate, we were able to make eye contact with everyone there…so special! Our close friend performed the ceremony. One friend read the Dr. Seuss poem “Oh the Places You’ll Go” and another played the ukelele during our family filled sand ceremony with sands from 4 different beaches poured by 12 of us, again…so special! Incorporating the mexican Lasso tradition, our moms placed a lasso around the two of us to signify our unity and unconditional love. When the ceremony was over we set up a foot bath to rinse off before heading up to the villa at the end of a quaint cobblestone street.

Living in San Diego, we crossed the boarder to Tijuana often for a fun afternoon of tacos and margaritas.  One of my favorite memories of doing this was taking a picture with one of the donkeys set up for us tourist.  I  thought it was only natural to have a donkey make an appearance at our wedding. And what better way to spend the cocktail hour? We had guests take their picture with the donkey and then we printed them out on a portable printer, popped them in cute frames and had them on the tables at brunch the next morning for guests to take home with them.  Everyone had sooooo much fun! And the pictures turned out great! We had a marimba player to provide music while guests sipped cocktail, and munched on hourdurves.  It was such a great way to start a FUN wedding! Damien choose his favorite surf spots as table names.  During the cake cutting we surprised guests with a huge, beautiful fireworks display. Overall it was more of a wedding than we could have ever dreamed of!

Photography: Michelle Turner / Venue: Villa Celeste / Wedding Coordination: The Dazzling Details / Wedding Dress: Mikaella / Makeup: Alexis Jensen / Invitations: Erin Ever After /

All I can say about this next wedding is…beam me up, Scotty. It’s perfection on the beach which is the BEST kind of perfection there is, with this simple and yet totally chic style that I have fallen hard for. Photographed by Jillian Mitchell and styled by Puerto Vallarta based designer Mishka Designs, this wedding is pure bliss. Click here to see lots more details.

Click here to see more fabulous details!

This is the wedding of Sara Walker and Nic Santana, styled by a fabulous up and coming wedding designer in Puerto Vallarta, Mishka Designs. Sara sent Mishka this quote for her design description, “Overall, we like earth tones or white with a pop of color. Simplicity, romantic, chic, natural – style , not ornate – style, no sea shells or day of the dead, but like the vibrant colors of Mexican textiles.”

Every piece of design you see was handmade by Mishka and her family (the other half of her business) except for the Star lights. Those she had shipped from Hawaii because it was the only place she could find the exact colors that Sarah wanted! Her husband made all of the wood block table names with the lights in them and her brother-in-law all of the ‘amor’ candle holders. Mishka had wanted traditional Mexican textiles for the pillows, but couldn’t find any within the wedding’s budget so she decided to make her own out of traditional style Mexican dresses that they sell in Vallarta. All of the fans are handmade by Mishka and her team as well. She had the flowers for the bouquet and boutonnieres flown in from Holland and the cake was kind of a fluke. At the last minute there was a decision to put flowers on it and Mishka stepped up. It came out gorgeous!

Photography: Jillian Mitchell Photography / Flowers: Mishka Designs / Event Design: Mishka Designs / Event Planning: Kerry Moehler Weddings / Pre-Ceremony Location: Casa Teitiare (Teitiare House) / Ceremony Location: Playa Carrecitos (Carrecitos Beach) / Reception Location: Brisa del Mar Palapa / Catering: Naef Cuisine

The color scheme, the mariachis, the beautiful couple – Olé! This Puerto Vallarta beauty of a wedding is a destination wedding dream. Try, just try, to look at these gorgeous images from Elizabeth Lloyd Photography and not accidentally reach for one of the mouthwatering margaritas. The color palette and vibe of this vivacious wedding immediately put me in vacation mode. And really, what better mode is there? Wedding mode? I agree, and luckily we get both with this fabulous affair. … xoxo ~ (the other) Abby from Life in the Super Burbs. Be sure to check out the gallery for the full fiesta.

{check out all the colorful photos in the gallery}

From the lovely bride:

On our first trip to Puerto Vallarta, we saw a destination wedding and immediately knew that we wanted a similar affair!  Two years later, after a quick 7 month engagement, we returned to Puerto Vallarta  with family and friends in tow, to be married.

Our vision for our wedding was a unique, intimate, colorful, and most importantly fun event.  Step one was picking the venue and Terra Noble Spa, nestled high up in the hills behind the city, was perfect.   A unique blend of interesting architecture, colorful foliage, amazing views and intimate spaces created the perfect backdrop for our bright pink and orange themed event.  Entertainment came in the form of a mariachi band for cocktail hour, a trio of fire dancers, and finally a DJ who kept the group on their feet until late.  My favorite details included the flowers, the lighting of the venue with candles, the amazing sunset views, and the comfortable and plentiful intimate seating areas that gave guests a place to rest their tired feet.

We were overwhelmed with the final product and I credit Hector and Priscilla of Prisar Events for that.  I was very involved in the planning and wanted to weigh in on all of the details; however, the end result was so much better than what I’d pieced together in my head thanks to their hard work!

Vendors: Photographer: Elizabeth Lloyd of Elizabeth Lloyd Photography /Planners: Hector and Priscilla of Prisar Events / Venue: Terra Noble Spa

Okay, kids. If you weren’t already jealous of the insanely gorgeous weddings we’ve been featuring today…you will be after this. And I mean really jealous. Green with seaside envy. Had I known this wedding was happening, I would have literally BEGGED the bride to invite me. Photographed by J. Cogliandro, this wedding is TOTAL bliss. Click here to see the whole shebang.

{click here to see the full wedding}

Sandy and Eddy’s wedding was a true day of paradise – 84 degrees, sun shining, a perfect breeze. We knew this wedding had to be picture perfect as Sandy, one of our most active Facebook fans and a wonderful bride, wrote us after nearly every wedding this past fall stating, “This is my NEW favorite! I love it!” After about four new favorite weddings, all of which were entirely different, she had us really pondering her wedding and design for hours and hours on end. She wanted a palette of blush colors – creams, whites, pale pinks but also loves a pop of color! She loves flowers – and really wanted bougainvillea incorporated; She wanted a touch of something tropical, and she wanted to surprise Eddy with a special mojito-related something in honor of his favorite drink! So…. without further adieu, this is what we came up with for Sandy’s wedding (oh yeah, Eddy’s wedding too!)

The ceremony took place on the garden overlooking the ocean. Pomanders hung from wrought iron hooks along the sides of the ceremony, and bougainvillea covered the top of the ceremony gazebo where the bride and groom stood to exchange vows! I always love the guest gasps and comments as rose petals are being sprinkled on an aisle. I think the intoxication of the lovely aroma makes them giddy!

Design by Dazzling Details / Photography by J Cogliandro Photography

SO excited to introduce Erin to you. Erin is the voice behind one of my all time favorite blogs (which you have to check out if you don’t already obsess over it) Erin Ever After. It’s this great little fairy tale of goodness where she calls things “lovelies” and “pretties” and uses words like “liggity love, love, lovin.” So you know she is a girl after my own heart. Erin is our newest contributor and she is coming out of the gates with one of the most gorgeous weddings EVER.

* * *

Where oh where do you start with a wedding like this?  With the fabulous jade colored Gucci dress perhaps?  That is some serious drool worthy fashion.  But that is just the tip of the iceberg for this vibrant affair.  The couple is charming, the locale exotic and the details are impeccable.  Farra and Juan managed to have a gorgeous destination wedding in Mexico full of personal touches while letting the beauty of their surroundings really shine through.  Q Weddings was the photographer behind the day and captured all of the pretty, pretty action.  Now enough chatting, lets feast our eyes on some lovelies, shall we?

A few details about the weekend…

Farra and Juan were married at Hotelito Desconocido, an eco-resort 60 miles south of Puerto Vallarta. Forty-four of their closest family and friends gathered for a three day extravaganza that included world class yoga, rowing, swimming, lounging in hammocks and nightly bonfires on the beach. Did I mention the fresh fish and locally grown food? Sign me up.

This magical place is like a little rustic gem where candles are the only light and time slows down.  This offered the perfect backdrop for Farra and Juan.  When planning their destination wedding, two things were certain. One, Farra knew she wasn’t a white dress kind of bride (thus entered Gucci) and second, they wanted to have a ceremony that truly reflected their personalities and beliefs and included all of their loved ones. The couple had not one, but two ceremonies. A traditional ceremony officiated by their best friend started off the festivities followed by  nuptials involving Native American customs. A beautiful sunset followed suit where the guests were serenaded by a local band. Up next, even more vibrant details from this gorgeous fiesta.

Yet again…Lisa Vorce of Oh How Charming!, Aaron Delesie and the florist behind the event, Mindy Rice, have completely blown me away. This elopement is just about the prettiest thing that we’ve ever seen…and I say “we” because I made my husband come over and look at it for inspiration (renewal of vows, hint, hint). Thank you so very much to all three of you for inspiring us to no end!

More from Lisa…

Their ceremony was held in the Hacienda’s chapel which has the most amazing view of the city, the cathedral, and the ocean. It is extraordinary. Our dear Mindy Rice did THE most fabulous petal treatment in the chapel and stunning altar arrangements. For dinner — we scoped out a private corner and created a fabric draped entrance to a gorgeous table for two! Muy caliente! Tabella created a ruffled table linen with coordinating ruffled napkins and chair cushions. For dessert — we surprised Kara and Ray with a gorgeous dessert display and two wedding cakes!

The elopement was beyond romantic and Kara and Ray were such troopers. They had no idea what we were planning, and they enjoyed every second of it. I always love the way Aaron captures our events – but this one in particular made my heart melt. So, so gorgeous!

There is something blissfully romantic about an elopement. Although I can’t say that I’d ever do it, I looooove reading about couples that threw caution to the wind, hopped on a plane and celebrated their wedding completely alone. It’s right out of a movie really.

Well, this one…is basically as beautiful as you can possibly imagine. Planned by Lisa Vorce, it’s completely delicious. Oh and the photographs…Aaron Delesie. GORGEOUS.

From Lisa…

We immediately locked in The Hacienda San Angel in Puerto Vallarta as the venue. It is a small boutique hotel and it is beyond romantic. It is one of my favorite places on the planet. Upon Kara and Ray’s arrival – we had a beautiful welcome gift waiting for them with traditional Mexican sweets and a gorgeous bottle of Tequila.  Xandra from XYZ Ink did all of calligraphy for the event including the gorgeous note in the welcome gift.

SWOON. So much more to come!

I think that this might be the first elopement that we’ve ever featured on SMP! And, it’s a pretty drop-dead-gorgeous elopement at that! Lisa Vorce of Oh How Charming! is the designer behind this amazing spread and Aaron Delesie is the photographer. It’s a Lisa + Aaron kind of day here and I am SO glad that they have agreed to share all of this gorgeousness.

All my weddings hold a dear place in my heart — but this one is extra special!! I was working in my studio one day and received a phone call from a potential client named Kara. She told me that she and her fiance were going to elope. All she really wanted was for me to design a special “table for two” for her elopement. I got so excited about being involved in an elopement and the thought of designing one very special table — that I kind of went a little out of control. I wanted to design the entire wedding!

I knew of the perfect little romantic hacienda in Mexico for Kara and Ray — and knew my amazing team would be on board to rock out an elopement (and not just a table for two!). I told Kara my thoughts and she was delighted! From that moment on — she let me do my thing and said “I trust you”. (Music to my ears!)