When Vanessa and Jaime got engaged, including their family in the celebration was top priority. After Vanessa’s grandmother passed, they knew they had to have Jaime’s grandmother by their sides as they swapped their vows.

With the groom’s grandmother unable to travel long distances, the couple decided to have a destination wedding in Cartagena, Colombia.

“Cartagena is a gorgeous destination and served as the ideal backdrop for our romantic outdoor ceremony,” says Vanessa.

Once the destination was selected, the planning of their big day began. “Because I am a publicist and do events regularly, I was highly organized and provided my wedding planner team with clear instructions of what I wanted to achieve,” says Vanessa.

Despite being very organized, the couple still encountered some minor challenges along the way. “One of the challenges was figuring out the exchange rate to Colombian pesos and finding enough hotels in the city for all the guests,” says Vanessa.

Selecting vendors was a bit challenging for the couple, but having a wedding planner made the process much easier.

Although picking a picturesque setting was easy for Vanessa and Jaime, arriving to Colombia wasn’t as easy for the guests. With friends and family coming from all over the country to watch the couple wed, traveling was difficult for some. On their wedding website, the couple offered tips on where to stay and having a smooth stay in Colombia.

When their wedding day arrived, the couple was ready for the dreamiest day of their lives. Their wedding had a string quartet, a band, a DJ and even a “hora loca” with Carnaval themed dancers!

As they walked down the aisle after they were wed, their guests showered the lovebirds in rose petals. As a token of their gratitude, the couple gifted their loved ones with Colombian Coffee and bottles of Don Q rum, a token to their Colombian and Puerto Rican heritages.

If the couple had opted to have a hometown wedding, they wouldn’t have been able to have the kind of wedding that they had in Colombia. “I think that I would have had to sacrifice a lot of the things that made it so special,” says Vanessa.

For couples planning their own weddings, Vanessa and Jaime say, “People will not remember what color the plates are, but they will remember an unforgettable evening.”

Vendors: Photographer: Christian Goenaga, Wedding Planner: Casa de Novias Barranquilla, Ceremony/Reception Site: Historical Museum of Cartagena, Florist: Alcira Guevara Design, Gown Designer: Morilee, Groom’s Clothing Designer: Hugo Boss.