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The Couple
Richard and Ryan met on an online dating website in 2011. Richard had plans in the works to propose, but Ryan beat him to it during a trip to Philadelphia for a Lady Gaga concert. It was the day prior, and two of their closest friends had just arrived. As Richard came downstairs after getting ready for dinner, Ryan was nervously sitting on the couch, he began tearing up and held his hand. At first, Richard believed Ryan was going to give him some bad news, but he noticed their friends filming in the kitchen and he got down on one knee and proposed. Richard said, “It was so sweet and perfect, we all got a good laugh about it afterward.”
The Planning
The couple loves Mexico and knew early on in their relationship that they wanted to get married there. Together with their Destify agent, Jessica, they chose the Dreams Tulum resort along the Riviera Maya section of the Caribbean coast. Jessica was always responsive and helpful, from start to finish. They chose the Dreams Tulum resort for numerous reasons; it was close enough from the airport for an easy drive but far enough away that it sat on its own secluded section of land. It also was budget-friendly and airport transfers were included, and they really loved the jungle-tropical beauty of it all.
Once working with their wedding coordinator from the resort, everything went smoothly. It was tough making some decisions, but the couple generally agreed on decisions. They both agreed to have a wedding coordinator made planning everything that much less stressful.
The Wedding
The couple kept it simple for their wedding ceremony and events. On the night of most of their guest’s arrival, they hosted a cocktail hour, featuring appetizers and drinks. The couple agreed this trip was a vacation for their guests too, and they wanted to give them plenty of time to relax and enjoy the resort.
The couple held their wedding ceremony on the beach at 5:30pm. After, the couple took photos and hosted a private reception in the garden. Their reception included a cake, sparkling wine toast, natural floral centerpieces, and a live music trio too. Overall, the couple loved that they got a week’s worth of time with guests instead of a single day like at a traditional wedding.
Looking Back
The couples advice is to pick and choose your battles when it comes to wedding planning. Don’t sweat the small stuff, and when it comes to the day of, it’s not the end of the world if things don’t go exactly as planned.
Venues: 12 
Family Friendly 
90-120 Minutes 
