Jocelyn and Freddy’s Destination Wedding in Riviera Maya, Mexico

Will: Why did you choose a destination wedding?

The Hernandez’s: My husband and I love the beach and we wanted to tie the knot right by the ocean. We live in Wisconsin and we thought what better way to celebrate then head south to a sunny and beautiful place.

Will: How many attendees did you have and What kind of experience did you envision your guests having?

The Hernandez’: We had about 50 guests. I wanted them to have a vacation. Many of them had never been to an all-inclusive resort and we thought they should experience it at least once in their lives. 

Will: What was one part of planning your wedding that you knew you couldn’t have done alone? How did having a Destination Wedding Specialist help with that?

The Hernandez’: There was no way I could have found a place that had everything I wanted. I wanted a Catholic wedding by the beach and I had no clue Catholic priests don’t just marry people on the beach. Will was able to find the perfect chapel with windows overlooking the ocean on an all-inclusive resort. Also, booking the guests in the hotel was a big pain in the butt lol and I didn’t even have to take their payments and book their rooms.

Will: What piece of advice would you give to couples who are just starting the planning process?

The Hernandez’: I would say to force all of your guests to stay in the resort. Our resort charged about $100 for outside guests and they had a limit on how many they would allow from the outside. This caused a lot of headaches for us because we passed the limit. I had to beg, cry, and beg for them to let more people in and at the end had to pay extra for the ones that went over the limit allowed. Also, they could only stay on the property until a certain time. Our guests thought they would save money by staying outside but really they spent about the same with food, transportation, and the hotel entrance. So just tell them they have to stay in the hotel and that’s it. Those guests gave us so many headaches and they missed out on the before festivities. So if I could do it all over again that’s what I would do.

Will: What’s one “extra” you’re super glad you splurged on?  What surprised you the most about your wedding?

The Hernandez’: I stayed within my budget so I can’t think of any extras I had. What surprised me the most about my wedding is how beautiful everything was and how much it helped to have the onsite coordinator there. I have no idea if something went wrong that day because Priscilla from the Hard Rock Hotel in Riviera Maya had it all taken care of. I was also surprised at how a lot of things are decided days before the wedding. I was so worried some things were last minute but they were pros.

Will: If you could choose three words to describe your wedding, what would they be?

The Hernandez’: 

1. Stunning
2. Breathtaking
3. Beautiful

Will: What is your favorite memory from your big day?

The Hernandez’: When I walked down some steps and saw my dad and stepdad waiting for me at the entrance of the chapel to walk me down the aisle. I know you said just one but my other favorite part was seeing Freddy down the aisle. He was balling! I think all 3 guys cried.

Doesn’t this group sound like a blast? They were amazing to work with.

You can see more gorgeous travel pics and follow my adventures on Instagram.

If you’re dreaming of a destination wedding of your own and you’d like to chat with me about it, you can set up a complimentary One-Hour Consultation by clicking here.

Published by Will Medina 

Here’s the deal: I know you’re dreaming of a tropical beach wedding — may be in Mexico or the Caribbean, warm sand, breathtaking scenery, a gentle breeze blowing your hair in a way that makes you look even more incredible than you imagined — followed by the kind of exotic honeymoon that you’ll be talking about (and hopefully re-living!) for decades. And I get that you’re busy with work and life and might not be super sure about where to go or how to get the best deals or how to plan for everything that might come up. But one thing you do know for sure: you don’t want to leave this event up to chance. Whether you are planning to elope or bring 200 of your closest family and friends, it is my job to understand you and your desires, and then combine my extensive knowledge of the available destinations in order to make this dream event a reality. This more than work, this is my passion!