Puerto Vallarta is synonymous with romance. One of the most magical sunsets in the world, quaint colonial charm and an inspirational shoreline with pristine beaches and jungle-covered mountains all combine to create the perfect setting for a Destination Wedding.
First Thing To Do: Find The Perfect Venue
You have come to the right place. Whether wanting to say “I do” with a small intimate group or a week-long reunion of friends and family from all points, you will be happy to have chosen Vacation Villas of Mexico to help you.
Scroll below to read a write up from ‘Destination I Do’ magazine on how we helped this couple achieve the perfect destination wedding in Puerto Vallarta.
Puerto Vallarta is known for well-priced properties in stunning locations that include full staff in the rate. Your villa will have a cook and wait staff who will serve sit-down meals and do all the grocery shopping. The waiter or “houseman” also doubles as bartender. Some villas include pool waiters in the afternoon.
Destination Wedding Formula
Experienced Rental Agent + Villa Staff + Local Event Planner = Success
Let us guide you through the long-distance planning of a destination wedding. Tell us about your vision and we will present you with a list of wedding villas based on your criteria. We know the properties so well, it is what we do best. Making the right match between guest and villa is our expertise.
We will also connect you with an experienced local event planner, the crucial step to success. Everyone wants you to have the best party designer and organizer possible to ensure all goes smoothly. There are so many talented wedding planners in Puerto Vallarta; we want you to shop around until you find the one who clicks with you personally. Your event planner and your rental agent will become like family by the time the wedding is over. We will be here every step of the way to offer tips and suggestions but mostly just to listen. Give us your requests and we will do everything in our power to make it happen while keeping it stress-free.
As seen in “Destination I Do Blog”, Dec 2016
The Perfect Party in Puerto Vallarta
Vanessa and Ryan at Casa Aventura in Puerto Vallarta, March 2016 | by Courtney Cox
Vanessa and Ryan are seasoned international travelers, so it was no surprise their guests needed to pack their passports for the couple’s destination wedding.
We asked the couple why they opted for a wedding away and their answer came quick and without reservation. “When we have time off from our busy work lives, we’re off flying somewhere,” says the bride. “Traveling has been an integral part of our lives since we started dating, so it was not even a question to say our ‘I do’s’ in any other way.
Despite the couple having traveled extensively, they zeroed-in on a wedding location almost immediately. “Mexico holds a dear place in our hearts. We’ve been all over the country, but Puerto Vallarta, in particular, is where we find ourselves returning,” says Vanessa.
While the couple was confident in their south of the border choice, some of their loved ones had reservations. “There were definitely concerns from people who weren’t accustomed to traveling to Mexico. We made sure to listen to their concerns and, in turn, loaded up our wedding website with a bunch of stats and travel articles that educated them in hopes of assuaging their fears.”
It’s not uncommon for travelers to question a trip to Mexico, but Vanessa and Ryan handled the situation perfectly. If your guests are hesitant about your chosen location, the best thing you can do is to hear them out and provide them with as much helpful info as possible. Beyond that, it’s up to them to ultimately decide if they’re comfortable traveling to your destination wedding. “Only about 25% of our invited guests ended up showing, but that made it intimate and all the more fun,” says the bride.
Once the destination was decided and the save the dates sent, it was time for Vanessa and Ryan to decide on a venue. “[Puerto Vallarta] itself was easy to decide on; the venue and accommodations were another task,” says Vanessa.
“Ryan was interested in having a wedding on the beach at a resort and I wanted something a little more private with an ocean view. It was my mom who suggested we rent a big villa and get married in it. Once we saw the place, we knew we made the best decision.”
The couple rented Casa Aventura through Vacation Villas of Mexico and it ended up being the perfect option for them.
Best of all, the couple got the privacy the bride was after without sacrificing the helpful team of experts they might have found at Ryan’s resort of choice.
“Vanessa Cole of Vacation Villas of Mexico was outstanding and went above and beyond to ensure we were welcomed to the villa, settled in and taken care of the whole time,” recalls the bride. “She even set up a zip-lining bachelor party for the boys the day before the wedding. They are all still talking about how much fun that was.”
“Vacation Villas of Mexico also helped us provide transportation vans for each of our family members from the airport upon arrival. They had all the flight itineraries, so there were no hiccups.” When it came to accommodations, the couple also worked that out for their guests in advance.
After the couple found that first vendor they could trust, they asked them for referrals for their other vendors. “Vacation Villas of Mexico gave me a recommendation for a wedding planner who lives in the area,” says Vanessa. “I shared a Pinterest board with the planner and after many, many emails back and forth, I left the details up to her. I essentially showed up and had a blast!
“We had a lot of our own ideas for the Mexico wedding theme: we wanted a donkey, a mariachi band and a piñata, churros instead of cake, maracas as table decorations and custom tequila shot glasses with bottles of tequila as guest gifts, but it was my planner and her team of vendors who made it all happen.”
Speaking of vendors, there was another person Vanessa mentioned who was instrumental in their W-Day success. “Taylor Abeel Photography – amazing. He was not local; I found him. He is a photographer who will travel for your event. He felt like part of our wedding party and his pictures speak for themselves. He’s truly a rare talent and was able to capture the wedding beautifully.”
When we asked the bride what advice she would offer other couples currently planning a destination wedding, her answer was one a lot of brides would agree with.
“Hire a planner, relax and take a shot of tequila.”
Your Travel Advisor: