Real Oceanside Destination Wedding

Don’t be fooled by the fancy nature of destination weddings, often couples end up spending less on their ceremony when they chose to marry away from home. This was the case for Ali and JT whose wedding in Baja, Mexico saved them enough so that they could spend in areas they wouldn’t have otherwise had the budget for – like fireworks and a mariachi band.

However, their budget-stretching further isn’t the only reason this couple wanted to say “I do” in Baja. “We chose to do a destination wedding because we love to travel together. It is a big part of our relationship,” the two say. As is surfing and enjoying street tacos – the couple told us. “We discovered Las Rocas Resort since it is next door to a popular surf spot called K-38. We had dinner one night at the resort and met our amazing Mexico wedding planner Willy,” Ali and JT say.

Fate took its course from then on. Luckily, with the help of their planner and JT’s mother, their wedding dreams came together with a bit more ease. Plus, it helped that their guests were on board with the idea of a destination wedding from the start. But it wasn’t all easy…

One challenge Ali and JT faced beforehand on behalf of their guests was crossing the San Ysidro border. Crossing from California to Mexico is easy but going back into America from Mexico can take many hours. “We were concerned about the wait time because it always changes,” the couple says. “We worried about our guests missing flights out of San Diego. In order to solve this issue, we provided our guests the option to buy a fast pass for $20 to skip the line and cross the border back into America in half the time.” This genius idea turned out to be a huge success, and it made having the travel to Mexico much smoother for everyone.

Ali and JT’s Baja, Mexico wedding can be described as an epic weekend-long celebration. They invited all of their guests to the rehearsal dinner the night before the wedding where they got to enjoy their company, playing games and listen to speeches about the bride and groom. Saturday was the oceanside ceremony where the couple said “I do” surrounded by crashing waves, palm trees swaying in the breeze and cacti highlighting the beauty of the Mexican desert. To top the weekend off, the couple hosted a pool/surf day on Sunday, featuring a lobster meal at dusk.

“Overall, we recommend that future destination wedding couples hire a wedding planner,” the two advise. “It really does make a world of difference.”

While it may seem a massive undertaking to choose a destination wedding, Ali and TJ’s wedding is proof that – with a lot of vision and help – the benefits are more than worth it.

Vendors: Photographer: Heather Frank Photography; Ceremony/Reception Site: Las Rocas Resort and Spa; Wedding Planner: Willy Llamas with Las Rocas; Gown Designer: David’s Bridal; Groom’s Clothing Designer: Men’s Wearhouse; Bridesmaids/Groomsmen’s Clothing Designer: Azazie, JOE & Calvin Klein; Sound Equipment: Wizard.Audio & DJ: Illuminacion DJ