A destination wedding was something Joana and Edward always dreamt of but never thought was achievable…until they made it happen! 

“We’ve been traveling together all over the world since we started dating in 2012,” the couple says. “There was no better type of wedding for us!”

Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca appealed to the couple from the start of their planning journey as Edward’s parents live in the seaside city and their first trip to the destination together ignited Joanna’s love for the area.

“When I brought Joanna to Puerto Escondido for the first time in 2013, she fell in love with the beach town, and now we try to go there at least once a year,” the groom says. “We always go to Espadin Restaurante because they offer some of the best meals in town, and have the most amazing view of Carrizalillo Beach. It is the best place to catch the sunset.”

So, it was only natural for Joanna and Edward to consider saying “I do” at their favorite local spot. The ceremony would take place at the nearby Villas Carrizalillo and the group would hop over to Espadin to enjoy dusk reminiscing on old memories while simultaneously making new ones.

The couple made sure to give guests about nine months’ notice so they could plan accordingly. Unfortunately, Puerto Escondido has a very small airport, making travel logistics a bit tricky. Everyone had to take at least two or three flights to arrive in Puerto Escondido. 

“We know it wasn’t easy, and the travel days were long,” the couple admits, “but in the end, everyone was able to attend the wedding on time and have a wonderful weekend in Mexico!”

Thankfully, Joanna and Edward didn’t take on the weight of planning a wedding from afar entirely alone. Angie of Events Weddings Mexico acted as the couple’s day-of coordinator, providing vendor recommendations and being there to make sure everything would go smoothly come wedding day. 

“[Also,] Edward being bilingual was a huge help because he was able to communicate with all the Spanish-speaking vendors,” the bride says. 

Once the wedding weekend came, the bride and groom made it a point to relax and enjoy each and every moment (something they know would have been difficult had they chosen a hometown wedding instead). 

“We believe that more guests would’ve been able to attend our wedding if we had it back at home, but our dream was always to do a destination wedding,” says the couple. “This day, in the end, was about us and how we truly pictured our big day.”

While the time spent abroad with their dear friends and family was priceless, the couple saving a pretty penny by having a destination celebration simply sweetened the deal. In fact, the venue in Mexico for the weekend cost less than the price of a single-day venue rental in Florida! 

After a successful celebration, Joanna and Edward share their sage advice for other couples like them who’ve always desired a destination wedding but are daunted by how to do it…

“Definitely get a wedding coordinator so you have nothing to worry about on the day of your wedding. Ours, Angie, was a godsend. She was there to take care of any problems that arose. We would also recommend, if possible, going to your destination sometime before the wedding and taking lots of pictures and videos, and speaking with any vendors you can. Planning a wedding thousands of miles away from where it is going to happen makes it hard to exactly envision how it’ll actually turn out on the day.”

Vendors: Photographer: Fredy G. Noyola Memories; Coordinator: Events Weddings Mexico; Ceremony Venue: Villas Carrizalillo; Reception Venue: Espadin Restaurant; Florist: Tulipanes Arte en Flor; Cake: Dulce Cerezo Reposteria; Hair & Makeup: Melina Reyes; Gown Designer: Hayley Paige; Groom’s Clothing Designer: Generation Tux