A destination wedding in Playa del Carmen, Mexico was the perfect choice for Farrah and Nick. After getting engaged, they knew they wanted an intimate wedding in an exotic and beautiful location. What better choice than exchanging nuptials in beautiful Mexico.

“We wanted it to feel like a special getaway for ourselves and our guests, and it was,” says Farrah. When they began planning, Farrah and Nick made a pros and cons list for each location they were considering. In the end, Playa del Carmen won with its beautiful beaches, activities, nightlife and the option to relax or go be active.

Friends and family of the couple were excited and eager for a reason to celebrate in a beautiful location. Although not all of the guests invited by Farrah and Nick were able to attend, the duo were grateful for all of their loved ones who made the trip.

One of the reasons behind selecting Playa del Carmen was the ease and cost of air travel for their guests. Farrah researched costs of flights from all of the major cities their loved ones would be flying from, and posted all of their travel information on their wedding website.

After the location was secured, the soon-to-be-newlyweds enlisted the help of a wedding planner, Celeste Aviles of Wedding in Riviera Maya. Farrah and Nick enlisted a lot of trust into their planner, as the New York residents couldn’t pick up and go to Mexico any time they wanted before the wedding.

“It’s really good to have someone to help you make decisions and do a lot of the leg work you won’t be able to do when you have a destination wedding,” says Farrah. Their wedding planner and various Internet sites helped make planning from afar easier.

When selecting vendors for their special day, Farrah and Nick trusted their planner to help choose the best options in Playa del Carmen. “She selected the florist, makeup artist, cake vendor and décor team,” says Farrah. “She introduced us to our wonderful wedding photographer, Juan Euan.”

Farrah also hand painted her and Nick’s names and wedding dates onto maracas and made their cake topper, peg figures painted to look like the couple and their pets!

Once all the details were finalized, the time came to celebrate. Their three-day celebration included a welcome party the day before, the wedding itself, and a farewell brunch the day after the ceremony.

In the end, three days of celebrating cost less than having a one-day celebration in Farrah and Nick’s home base of NYC.

When asked if things would have been different if they held their wedding in New York, Farrah says, “It’s impossible to know, but we are very happy we did it the way we did and we wouldn’t change a thing.”

For the couples that are in the beginning stages of planning their own destination wedding, Farrah and Nick advise, “Do everything you can to make guests feel welcome and special and just relax and enjoy yourself the day of. Leave everything to the professionals.”

Vendors: Photographer: Juan Euan Photography, Planner: Celeste Aviles, Wedding in Riviera Maya, Ceremony/Reception Site: Blue Venado, Florist: Valeria Ceravolo Designs, Stationery: Katlem Invitations, Cake: (provided through Celeste Aviles), Hair & Makeup: Rose by Dahena, Gown Designer: Leanne Marshall, Groom’s Clothing Designer: JoS A. Bank, Groomsmen’s Clothing Designer: JoS A. Bank, Band: La Mata