Yvonne and Abe have known each other since they were teens, but didn’t make a love connection until college. “Abe and I first noticed each other while attending the same high school in our hometown of El Paso, Texas,” explains the bride. “I was a cheerleader and Abe was on the basketball team. We both shared many mutual friends, but never officially had an introduction until the inevitable creation of Facebook. While attending our separate colleges, Abe and I reconnected on social media and had our first official date while both visiting our hometown in October 2009.” Fast forward many love-filled years and Yvonne and Abe were joined by 25 of their closest loved ones for a destination wedding in Puerto Morelos, Mexico.

When it came time to decide what kind of wedding they wanted, these two didn’t hesitate to opt for a wedding away. “I always knew a destination wedding would be a part of my wedding plans,” says Yvonne. “We knew we wanted something small and intimate and a destination wedding was a perfect way to gather our small group of friends and family.” Once these lovebirds decided on a destination wedding to Mexico, then came the task of choosing a resort and venue to host one of the most important days of their lives.

For help, Yvonne and Abe reached out to the experts and Certified Destination Wedding Specialists at Destinationweddings.com. “With the help of my Destination Wedding’s coordinator, I was able to narrow down my choice to a resort that was adult’s only and had plenty of on-site activities to keep us all entertained.” After lots of research and thought, the couple chose Secrets Silversands Riviera Cancun as their chosen resort and venue. The overall planning process was straightforward for the couple and they even implemented a few custom details.

“We personalized our wedding by bringing our own decorations, designing our own wedding menus, place card holders and topping our cake off with a beautiful acrylic monogram block,” says the bride. When the couple looked back on their wedding day and destination wedding trip, two words came to mind: breathtaking and memorable. Their favorite part of the entire wedding weekend was simply spending time with those they love most.

“Our favorite part of the trip was simply relaxing poolside with our friends and family and enjoying the resort’s amenities.” For the actual wedding ceremony and reception, two memories particularly stand out for Yvonne. “Our family and friends shared their special moments of Abe and I during their speeches. [Then] all our guests jumped into the infinity pool at the very end of the night!” 

We asked the bride if she had any words of advice for other couples currently planning a destination wedding. “Choose a resort that you and your fiancé are absolutely in love with and that accommodates your needs. Everything else will fall into place.”

Vendors: Photographer: Shannon Skloss Photography, Ceremony/Reception Site: Secrets Silversands Riviera Cancun, Wedding/Travel Planning & Coordination: Destinationweddings.com, Wedding Dress: Maggie Sottero, Videographer: Javier Martinez