Stephanie & Scott Kyle

Why a destination wedding

"It's the best! It turns your one day/night into a few days/nights with your friends and family." Stephanie and Scott weren't interested in a single evening that ended at midnight. They wanted a week with the people they love.

Choosing the resort

They did site visits. Multiple resorts, multiple brands. They loved the Secrets brand and — crucially — saw the renderings for Playa Blanca before it opened. The property was brand new. They committed early, knowing they'd be among the first weddings in the space. "Amazing resort and perfect décor matching us" — what their guests said after confirmed the call was right.

The ceremony and reception

The ceremony was on the beach. The cocktail hour moved to the Jungle Pool. The reception was on the Portofino Rooftop — an elevated setting above Costa Mujeres with the Caribbean in every direction. Sixty-eight guests. A Cinco de Mayo wedding date they picked deliberately.

There's one thing Stephanie would change: they didn't get any time at their own cocktail hour because they were taking photos. "We would go back and limit photos during that time." The photos were beautiful. But she recommends protecting that hour for yourselves.

The most memorable moment came earlier in the day — a first touch before the ceremony. "Hearing each other's voices for the first time since we said goodbye early that morning, immediately before walking down the aisle."

Working with Vacationeeze

Stephanie describes the overall experience as "a little bit rocky — but Jared saved it." Sometimes things go sideways; what matters is who's there to fix them.

Their advice

Pick your resort first. Then take a breath. You don't need to do major planning right away — let the date settle before you start building the week around it.

Budget

Planned: $35,000. Actual: $38,000. Worth it.