The Couple
Kevin and Lindsey originally met in college, in Chicago, and were acquaintances. They were reintroduced in 2013 through a mutual friend. During a trip to Seattle to attend a family wedding, the couple took a special one-day getaway to Orcas Island, part of the San Juan Islands. After spending a day visiting local shops, wine tasting, eating great food, and whale watching they rested for dinner at a tavern near Fishing Bay. It was an important part of Kevin’s childhood, and at sunset, Kevin proposed to Lindsey there.
The Planning
Since many of their family members are spread across the United States, having a destination wedding was always a part of the couples’ conversation. A destination wedding sounded like it would provide the best experience for all, and they liked the idea of having extended quality time to spend with family and friends. Their Destify agent, Brittany, made traveling easy and she worked as a liaison for their guests, coordinating all travel and rooming plans. Lindsay said, “It allowed us to focus more energy on planning the wedding itself”.
The couple chose the Dreams Tulum resort because it was in a location that allowed for exploration, and guests could make a vacation out of the trip. It was far enough away from Cancun to feel secluded, but close to Mayan ruins, cenotes and a bustling downtown area. Once planning with their wedding department, it took only 3 conference calls to lock in their desired decor and wedding vision.
The Wedding
The wedding guests stayed anywhere from 3 to 8 days to enjoy the resort. 2 days before the ceremony the couple held a welcome party on-site so their guests could get to know each other. The day before the wedding the couple hosted a dinner rehearsal in downtown Tulum so guests could see more of the area. The couple held their ceremony at 4pm the day of, in Dreams’ Secret Garden venue. It was the perfect venue to offer the privacy the couple was originally looking for.
After the beautiful ceremony, a cocktail hour immediately followed in the same venue. It featured the couples’ signature drinks and delicious appetizers, while the couple took pictures with their guests. A private reception followed on the beach, which would include dinner and dancing.
After the wedding party cooled off in the spa, they made their grand entrance into the reception. There was a dinner buffet with gluten-free and vegetarian offerings, toasts, the first dances, and a DJ who played music for the dancefloor. The couple ended their festivities with a day-after recovery pool party, where guests could take advantage of the swim-up bar. There was even a photobomb by an iguana, who came up to the pool to drink from one of their floating coozies.
Looking Back
The couple was unable to visit the resort before their wedding, which added stress to the planning. They recommend having a site visit if you are able to do so. One thing that did help, though, was using Instagram’s location feature, which allowed them to see recent pictures of the resort from real guests.
Venues: 13 
Family Friendly 
90-120 Minutes 
(800) 792-6898
