I would like to firstly thank Mauricio and Morgan for including me in their special day! I'd never been to a destination wedding before last week, let alone one with 85 guests! If you know Mau & Mo, they are well loved amongst their rather large circle of friends. It didn't come as a surprise to me that so many people made the trip down to Playa del Carmen to witness and celebrate their wedding. Since it was my first destination wedding, I wasn't really sure how it all worked, so I wanted to share the whole process of a destination wedding from a guest's perspective.
How the Pre-Trip Part Worked
I received the save the date in the mail last year and on it were the instructions on how to book the trip. Our mutual friend Tezra was organizing the booking of the trip. To secure my spot, I had to put down a non-refundable deposit. In this case, it was $200. I didn't know specifics about the flight times other than the dates. About 2 or 3 months before, final payment was made and then all of our flights were secured. The detailed trip documents were sent out much closer to the departure date. Easy peasy. I love working with travel agents because a few emails was all it took to get me signed up and all of my questions answered. I made sure to purchase travel insurance (this is important later on in this post). I could have done it with the agency, but because I work in travel I only pay a net rate, which is much more affordable (#perks).
Arrival
We had all of the specifics about what to bring with us (a real no-brainer if you are comfortable traveling, but reassuring if you weren't) and how to check in for the flight. The group confirmation code allowed me to check in 24 hours in advance and choose my seat. We all arrived separately at the airport and met up together for the flight. I felt very happy that I was one of the ones in the group on the flight rather than those traveling individually because we were a loud and excited group. Sorry, but when you put at least 10 tour guides in a small confined space, our voices do carry! Not to mention everyone was so excited that a beverage (or two) was called for! As soon as we arrived to Cancun airport, there were coaches ready to pick us up (once we made it through customs and pressing the infamous Mexican button). About 45 minutes later, we arrived at the Azul Fives by Karisma resort near Playa del Carmen. I checked in right away (most people got distracted by the champagne - I did not and I was first to get my room - yay!). I was showered and eating dinner before some people had even gone to their rooms.
At the Resort
The nice thing about a destination wedding is that you're really on your own vacation and your own time - so you can eat, sleep, explore as you please. After a year of busy traveling for business, I was ready to relax and enjoy the beach (something I didn't expect to happen, but I gladly embraced relaxation-mode). The resort offered multiple pools, gorgeous sandy beach front, spa services, activities, lots of restaurants - so no one could say they were bored. Dinners were on your own and we usually all met up in the evenings at the "disco" or watched one of the shows the entertainment staff put on for us. I took advantage of the spa one day which helped relax me even more, as did reading in one of the hammocks near the beach (pretty much all I need for a great vacation!).
At the Wedding
For us, the wedding was on the Wednesday of a Saturday-Saturday trip, so we had plenty of time to soak up some rays, enjoy the beach and nightlife, and still look well-rested for the big day. Their particular ceremony was on the beach (perfect weather), and was so perfectly beachy, romantic, and intimate. After a bubbly champagne toast, the bridal party excused themselves to take what I can only assume are stunning photos on the beach, and the rest of the guests mingled and got drinks from nearby bars. I opted to ditch my high heels behind, choosing to slip into some flip flips so my feet could enjoy the comfortable luxury that only a beach wedding could provide. When it came time for dinner, they had tables set up in the garden and by the pool, complete with twinkly "fairy lights". From there, the evening progressed as a normal wedding would - except for the groomsmen jumping in the pool, that was kind of unique.
After the Wedding
I wish I had more to tell you about what happens after the wedding, but since I had changed into my comfortable flip flips, they're the ones that slipped on the wet floor of the bar (wet from a leaky ceiling, I'll have you know - more on that to come). I ended up dislocating my kneecap and fracturing it as well. Good news though - no surgery but still won't be able to walk for weeks. But the other 84 people were completely healthy and had a fabulous 2.5 more days of their vacation, so don't let my crappy story ruin the experience for you.
Overall
Weddings can be long, tedious and drawn out - and those are the ones that are only one day long! This wedding was relaxed, fun, and dare I say, comfortable? It was nice getting to know everyone and spend time together celebrating the happy couple before the actual wedding. If I hadn't hurt myself, it was gearing up to be one of the best weeks I'd had in a long time (and it still kind of was!). Destination weddings are fun and enjoyable if you are going with the right group of people. The one biggest piece of advice that I would give is to purchase travel insurance! You never know if you might need it. For this trip - it was worth every penny.
Congratulations to Mauricio & Morgan! xoxo