Zach and Cat wanted a small wedding with plenty of time to spend with friends and family, which is why they decided to have a Mexico destination wedding on the vibrant coast of the Riviera Maya.

“Our guests were so excited to have a reason to plan such a fun vacation,” says the couple.

Despite the excitement, not everyone was able to make the trip. “There were some who could not afford to come and were disappointed, but we held a wedding shower beforehand and everyone was invited, so they still got to celebrate with us,” says the bride and groom.

Aside from the ideal weather, Zach and Cat love Mexico’s all-inclusive options. However, in order to get legally married in Mexico, the couple says the ceremony must be in Spanish with an assigned priest and blood work must be completed. In order to get around those requirements, the couple got married privately at home.

“We decided to get legally married ‘secretly’ at home (literally in our living room with our parents and grandparents as witnesses) and then we had a symbolic wedding in Mexico,” the pair explains.

In terms of planning the wedding, the newlyweds say things couldn’t have gone smoother. Their wedding planner was able to handle the guests’ questions and reservations, allowing the bride to focus more on herself as the big day approached.

For guests who needed assistance finding flights and getting to the final location, the bride and groom say their wedding planner took care of any and all travel complications. “A few people had flight timing issues, but they were able to get ahold of Alison when they landed and she made everything right,” the pair says.

The resort also took stress out of planning by communicating with Zach and Cat so that everything looked just how they envisioned.

While most of the organizing was taken care of for them, the couple created unique gift bags for every guest to take home. “The bags had an itinerary for the week and for the ceremony, and a dedication to a loved one who is no longer with us to celebrate. It also included sunscreen, lip balm, Excedrin and personalized koozies,” say the newlyweds.

Along with their wedding going exactly to plan, the couple says overall, they spent less money compared to their friends’ weddings at home. Additionally, the bride believes that having the wedding at home would have meant more guests and more stress.

Overall, Zach and Cat suggest hiring a wedding planner to help take care of guests and vendors. In the end, this allowed them to focus on themselves before and during their special day.

Vendors: Photographer: Kaleigh Turner Photography, Wedding Planner: DestinationWeddings.com, Location: Unico 20°87°, Florist: TulipaNa, Stationery: Minted, Hair Extensions: Delores Martin at Toi et Moi, Gown Designer: Pronovias, Groom’s Clothing Designer: Suit Supply, Cake: Unico 20°87°, Bridesmaid’s Clothing Designer: LuLus, Groomsmen’s Clothing Designer: Jos. A. Banks & DJ: Encore DJ