If you’re researching destination weddings in Mexico, specifically at Hotel Xcaret Mexico, save this one. Ali and Cameron’s destination wedding is the kind of real wedding story that answers questions you didn’t know you had. From what it’s actually like to plan internationally, to whether a destination wedding is worth the budget, to how to pull off bohemian-chic bridal fashion that doesn’t look like anyone else’s, this wedding will inform and inspire. 

The Origin Story: Seven Years, a Police Academy, and Perfect Timing

Let’s set the scene. Ali and Cam met at the police academy. Not at a bar, not through friends, not on an app, the police academy. How cool is that? At the time, they were simply friends, both focused on their careers, going their separate ways. Then, nearly seven years later, the winds of fate shifted, and the two ended up in the same unit. The friendship deepened into something neither of them had to force. It just happened.

That foundation, years of actual friendship before romance, is threaded through everything about this wedding. The choices they made, the vendors they chose, the way they structured the whole weekend: it all reflects two people who genuinely know each other and have for a long time.

The Proposal: Croatia, a Classic White Car, and an Indiana Jones Outfit

Before we get to the wedding, we have to talk about the proposal, because it is a whole story.

Cam had been quietly ring-shopping before a group trip to Croatia. He hadn’t planned on proposing during the trip, but the ring was ready the day before departure, and he took that as a sign. Against everyone’s advice about traveling internationally with an expensive ring, he packed it anyway.

Ali should have suspected something when Cam asked to borrow a lock for his luggage. As she tells it: “Cam never locks his bag. He barely locks the front door to the house.” 

After 24 hours of travel, they arrived in Croatia. On the very first day, walking to board their catamaran for the week, they stumbled across a wedding in progress. A classic white car was parked outside the venue. Cam, who, in Ali’s words, “never misses an opportunity,” decided this was the moment.

Ali was dressed in what she describes as a mismatched outfit and a hat that made her look like Indiana Jones. She had absolutely no idea what was coming. Fortunately, she’d gotten her nails done before the trip. Her hands, at least, were ready.

Their friends snapped a few photos near the car. Cam suggested a funny picture. Just as Ali was about to pose, he dropped to one knee.

Looking back at the photos, they always laugh at Cam’s clenched hand, awkward smile, and visible nerves. But as Ali puts it: “In that moment, with the man of her dreams, a ring more beautiful than she could have hoped for, and in such a gorgeous place, she couldn’t have asked for more.”

Why a Destination Wedding — and Why Mexico

When Ali and Cam started talking about what kind of wedding they wanted, the answer kept coming back to the same thing: time. Not a party. Not a single day. Time.

The couple tells us they have always believed that time is the most meaningful thing you can give the people you love. Unfortunately, a traditional one-day wedding was simply not going to cut it.

Ali and Cam envisioned a long weekend where the people they love could be fully present, not rushing between venues, not watching the clock. A destination wedding made the whole thing an experience, something guests would travel for and show up to completely.

Mexico as the destination made sense on multiple levels. It was one of the couple’s first international trips together, which gave the location real personal significance. And while Ali had assumed a destination wedding was financially out of reach, actually researching it revealed otherwise. As she now tells every couple who asks: “Don’t assume it’s out of reach before you actually explore it.”

How Ali Found Hotel Xcaret Mexico (On Instagram, By Accident)

Ali found Hotel Xcaret Mexico the way a lot of great things are discovered: completely by accident while scrolling Instagram. Her first assumption was that it was somewhere far-flung and unattainable. The moment she realized it was in the Riviera Maya, just outside Cancun, everything clicked.

The property itself is hard to overstate. Hotel Xcaret Mexico is an all-inclusive resort built into the natural landscape of the Yucatán, with architecture that feels like it grew out of the jungle rather than being constructed on top of it. For Ali and Cam’s ceremony and cocktail hour, they chose Playon Xpiral. Their reception was held at Cuevas Kayak, a cave venue that is exactly as dramatic and beautiful as it sounds.

Planning from the US had its inevitable challenges, but the hotel’s wedding team handled the coordination with consistent professionalism. Ali and Cam were able to make a site visit before the wedding to finalize locations, complete a tasting, and walk through the full flow of the day. That visit was, by their account, invaluable.

“Like any wedding, there were a few bumps along the way,” the bride says, “but the level of customer service, communication, and coordination consistently exceeded expectations.”

The Fashion: High-Couture Meets Earthy Bohemian

This is where Ali will tell you she had a very clear vision, and it was not a traditional one.

“The overall aesthetic of the wedding, specifically the fashion, was something I wanted to be bold, creative, and different. I am not one to follow the crowd or the standard. Our fashion was visually different, edgy, and high fashion, but still seamlessly complementary to the natural and organic elements of the venue and landscape.”

The Wedding Gown

Ali wore the Inbal Dror 16-05 in charcoal blush, a couture mermaid silhouette with a sheer corset bodice, floral appliqués, and nude-toned tulle. It was one of the first gowns she tried on. After months of trying on other, whiter, more traditional dresses, she kept coming back to it. “I had never felt more beautiful,” the bride tells us.

During fittings, she added a custom detachable over-the-shoulder strap made from matching nude tulle. But the piece that made guests stop: a custom nude tulle and lace cape, designed by Ali herself, worn specifically for the ceremony. It was dramatic, romantic, and completely her.

For her second look at the reception, she changed into a Retrofeté dress, because of course, she had a second dress!

The Groom

Cam wore a made-to-order State & Liberty athletic fit suit in heathered forest green, a soft sage hue that, in Ali’s words, “blended effortlessly with the natural surroundings.” The suit had a satin blue paisley print liner, which also checked off the “something blue.” He paired it with a matching vest, neutral shoes, and a floral tie. 

The Bridesmaids

Ali’s bridesmaids wore the Show Me Your Mumu Jasmine Halter Maxi Dress in two variations of green, moss green and deep sage luxe satin, which flowed beautifully and complemented the earthy palette without matching it too literally.

The Best Girls

In place of groomsmen, Cam had his two daughters, Emma and Kami, as his best girls. (We’re not crying, you’re crying.) They wore 2Bunnies ivory tulle A-line dresses with 3D floral appliqués, flower crowns, and woven baskets. 

The Design Vision: Earthy, Organic, and Thoughtfully Curated

Ali and Cam’s design palette was neutral and muted. Sage green, champagne, creamy ivory, warm tan, and soft blush were layered with pampas grass, dried florals, soft greenery, minimalist candles, and woven textures – all in an effort to blend with the venue’s natural beauty. 

Every detail was chosen in close collaboration with their planner Britteny at Cali Curated, the Hotel Xcaret Mexico wedding team, and their florist, Corazón Luxury Weddings. Some pieces were sourced locally through their vendor team in Mexico; a few personal touches were brought from home. The result felt cohesive in the way that only happens when every vendor is genuinely aligned with the same vision.

Notable personal details included:

• Coconuts filled with Malibu rum handed to guests during the ceremony
• Signature cocktails: the groom’s was a spicy tequila watermelon with jalapeños and a Tajin rim; the bride’s was a whiskey, pineapple, agave honey, and passion fruit blend
• Ceremony newspapers from The Ceremony Club
• A wedding voicemail line via Echo Phone for guests to leave messages
• A memorial table with framed photos and candles honoring loved ones who couldn’t be there

The Ceremony: Avery, Matthew 19:6, and Three Pages of Vows

Ali and Cam asked their close friend Avery to officiate — a choice that raised some eyebrows among their friend group, including Avery’s own. They had full faith in him anyway.

He read from Matthew 19:6, said a prayer over the couple and their guests, and delivered one of the most memorable lines of the day. “A vow,” he said, “is not a noun. It’s a verb. It’s demonstrated through small actions every single day.”

Then came the vows. Ali had been clear from the beginning that hers were going to be personal, nothing scripted, nothing generic. Naturally, she showed up with three pages.

“Our poor guests were sweating in the Mexican heat waiting for me to finish reading them,” Alu laughs, “but words are special to me, and it was important that I delivered the most heartfelt words and promises to both Cam and the girls.”

Cam’s vows were also emotional and thoughtful, Ali says they left her feeling “so loved, important, full, and whole.”

Following the ceremony, a cocktail hour on Playon Xpiral featured live violin music, an elevated and beautiful transition into the celebration. The reception moved into Cuevas Kayak, one of the most architecturally striking venues on the property.

What They’d Tell Every Couple Planning a Destination Wedding

Build the right team first. Ali and Cam are consistent on this point. A destination wedding has moving parts that a local wedding simply doesn’t, and having professionals who understand both the destination and your vision changes everything. 

Do your research before you assume. Ali thought a destination wedding was out of reach. Research proved otherwise. She encourages every couple to actually investigate before writing it off.

Allocate budget toward peace of mind. Spending on things that allow you and your guests to be fully present, a great planner, good travel coordination, and a makeup artist who keeps the morning smooth, is worth every dollar.

“When you surround yourself with the right people,” the couple says, “the experience becomes less about managing logistics and more about being present for the moments that truly matter.”

Vendors: Venue: Hotel Xcaret Mexico; Wedding Planner: Cali Curated; Travel Coordination Company: Shoreline Destinations; Photo & Video: Arcos Productions; Floral & Decor: Corazón Luxury Weddings; Hair & Makeup: Zoë Elizabeth Makeup; Spray Tan: Bronzed by SG; Stationery: Tortoise Designs Stationery; Wedding Newspaper: The Ceremony Club; Wedding Voicemail Phone: Echo Phone; Wedding Gown: Inbal Dror from Chic Parisien; Reception Dress: Retrofeté; Groom’s Suit: State & Liberty; Bride’s Rings: Buchwald Jewelers; Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Show Me Your Mumu; Best Girls’ Dresses: 2Bunnies; Wedding PR: Published + Pretty

@destinationido If you're researching destination weddings in Mexico, specifically at Hotel Xcaret Mexico, save this one! Check out Ali and Cameron's wedding story (and a full list of their talented vendors) at the link in our bio! 📹 @arcos.productions ♬ suono originale – sophia ★