We love assisting our clients in finding fun group activities to include as part of their wedding weekend of adventure! I hold the Cancun / Riviera Maya / Yucatan very near and dear to my heart. This area is so much more than beautiful beaches. The culture is rich and there’s much to be experienced. Not to mention, a quick direct flight via Continental Airlines from our very own George Bush International Airport (IAH) to Cancun International Airport (CUN)!
This week on Where 2 Wednesday :: Xel-ha [shell-ha]
As the largest natural aquarium in the world, this ecological park has fun and adventure to be had by all! In addition to experiencing your destination wedding, your guests will also want to experience some of what your destination has to offer. Chances are, you will have a variety of adventures to choose from. Xel-ha is a great location to couple a variety of adventure options in one all-inclusive location. At just over $70USD per adult and 50% off for children, this is noted at the best value adventure in the area.
In addition to all beverages,
snacks are included,
breakfast and lunch are also included,
you’ll enjoy ecological and cultural tours,
kids can take part in a child friendly adventure section,
visit a cenote [se'note] “The Mayan Cave”,
enjoy snorkeling,
cliff diving,
bicycling through the jungle,
relax on an inner tube,
and of course… swim with the dolphins!
Share with us your Xel-ha experience in the comment box below!
I have an awful habit of sleeping with the television on. Depending on the channel’s location, I’ve been known to wake up to an infomercial/paid programming for time to time. I never order and always find myself waiting for it to hit the local “as seen on TV” shelves.
The Wonder File actually looks like a must try! I, of course, would order it in black and make it into a Precious Nuptials’ couture original. It’s a perfect wedding planning work station that you can fold right up and take with you. You’ll find slots for your inspiration pages, checklists, notes, fabric samples, receipts, check book, calculator and more. Wouldn’t this be a functional wedding planning organization station?
Minutes away from Xcaret and Xel-Ha (two of the area’s most beautiful ecological and water parks)
496 luxury suites with dedicated concierge service
Adult only section — 96 Ambassador Suites
Luxurious spa situated in the middle of a tropical jungle
Take a look at a few of the images we captured during our visit last year!
Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit Grand Entrance :: Your driver will slowly enter this jaw dropping stone wall entrance into clear glass opening gates. Brace yourself... your jungle tropical oasis awaits you!
King Suite offers sliding doors to expose bath area
Beautiful wood work and hand stone work graces this property perfectly. Opt for a personal plunge pool! You won't regret it.
Enjoy a clean eating experience. Pictured are the different offerings, a Grand Vela chef making his evening dinner catch and dinning room options.
The jungle location of the spa certainly sets the tone for total relaxation!
Our amateur images can’t do Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit justice! We invite you to click virtual tour and photos selections below take a tour. Once you’re done, immediately begin your honeymoon planning. We know you won’t be disappointed! If you have any questions, feel free to email our travel concierge directly at margaret {at} preciousnuptials {dot} com.
Here at Precious Nuptials & Destinations, we have been very fortunate to have a fabulous family of workers that we can totally depend on to make your wedding day every bit of spectacular. We work hard to make sure your wedding day is everything you thought it would be… and more! One this note, we are super excited to introduce to you our newest family member : Dionne Christiansen.
Dionne is originally from Australia, but moved to Houston from California this past year. She brings to the industry an awesome ability to create unbelievable designs from basic details to vintage eye catchers. You will come to know Dionne as a must have in your wedding planning and design experience. She’s original, fun and loves to make her mark on weddings! With out further ado, I present to you Dionne Christiansen! {Crowd Cheers}
1. What do you love most about weddings?
I could say that I love that it celebrates the joining of two people in love, and that they get to celebrate with all the special people in their lives – but that would only be half true. The other half would be that it’s the most detailed, personal, lovely party you’ll ever have!
2. What inspires you? Unusual color combinations – when I see colors put together that I normally wouldn’t see together, it gets my brain thinking about other possibilities. My husband – Brian is completely humble and selfless, and the way he lives his life is such an inspiration to me. It’s that humble spirit that drew me to him in the first place, and he is always inspiring me to be a better person. It sounds cheesy, but it’s so true. My mother – my mum is the best cook ever! Everything she cooks turns to gold. She is known in her town for being a great cook, and people are always hoping for an invitation to Connie’s house for a yummy meal. She is definitely my Cooking Muse! Children – their innocence and unbridled creativity really is a marvel. The things they say and the things they dream really spur me to be broader and less inhibited in my own plans and dreams. I don’t have children of my own yet, but when I do, I am sure I will be inspired by them on a daily basis.
3. What is your background? (eg. education, training, etc)
I have a double Bachelors Degree in Graphic Design and Marketing. I was a graphic designer for 5 years, and my favorite thing to design was always wedding invitations. I am such a romantic at heart.
4. What are your hobbies?
I love people and I love creativity, so entertaining, cooking and baking are big hobbies of mine because I get to combine these two loves. I really enjoy photography too, and pretty much like anything that involves me creating something. I also like making things out of paper, and collecting tea cups and pretty plates.
5. What is your favorite dessert?
Creme Brûlée. Hands down. I love that combination of the silky custard and the hard crackle of the hardened sugar on top.
6. What do you think is the most important thing a bride should remember on her wedding day?
Cherish every moment, and soak it all in – because it flies by so quickly. And one more tip (this isn’t the most important, but I found it pretty handy on my wedding day) – don’t wear your garter all day, especially if you’re getting married outdoors or on a hot day, because it could get all hot and sweaty for the poor guy that has to catch it later on that day. Instead, put it on half an hour before the garter toss – no one will ever know, and it will still be fresh and lovely for the lucky guy who catches it!
Dionne will immediately making regular appearances on our blog, local events and through social media. So when you see her, please be sure to say hello! You can also email her direct at dionne {at} preciousnuptials {dot} com.
Gourmet Sugar Company has gone out of the way to provide an experience at your coffee or tea station. They offer several organic flavors and even offer a vegan option. Here are some of what they have to offer:
Rose shaped organic sugar cubes! This is just too darn cute.
Wedding cake organic sugar shapes!
Sea shell shapes! How perfect for your destination wedding?
Don't know which flavor to try? Order a sample pack and customize the shape to your needs.
Be sure to visit their website and become their friend on Facebook. Be sure to tell them you saw it first here!
There’s no doubt that Mexico is an attractive destination for couples desiring an ease of travel for their guests. With less than two hours flight time, Delta (formerly Continental) offers a direct flight from Houston (George Bush Intercontinental Airport — IAH). Once you arrive, there are infinite possibilities for your destination wedding.
But…
Before we talk about the beauty, tradition, heritage, the people and the wonderful destination wedding possibilities, let’s talk about the reason many are shying away from a destination wedding in Mexico due to the ongoing reports of Mexico’s drug cartels violence at the border. These reports are real and one can’t help but question the possibility of safe travels. To this I say, “We Houstonians are closer to the border violence than The Yucatan, Mexico (referring also to Cancun and Riviera Maya) is to its own border violence issues.”
We visited our local Fox 26 Houston website and took the last ten reports (as of May 5, 2010) and placed them on a pin map. What did we find? Houston is approximately 300 land miles from the border violence. Yes, it’s that close to home. Which is understandably why it’s such a hot topic of discussion. However, The Yucatan, Cancun and the Riviera Maya is 800 flight miles away. Depending on drive route, more than double the miles by land (1700+). For the record, I can’t imagine anyone in their right mind that would attempt a drive through Mexico to get to The Yucatan.
It’s a given, crime can be found globally. Everyone is responsible for their own destiny. We can simply testify that during our two trips to this area in the past five months, we didn’t see nor experience violence-ridden Mexico in the Cancun, Riviera Maya and The Yucatan area that is unfortunately taking place at the Mexico Border.
To visit our interactive map here for details on pin points, please send us your email address.
During a consultation with one of our destination wedding couples last week, we began the forbidden “weather” discussion. We laughed at how our destination bride-to-be’s grandfather enjoyed Molly and Jason’s (ABC’s The Bachelor) downpour at their outdoor wedding ceremony. At that moment I realized that couples are truly beginning to embrace their wedding day’s events as mother nature means for it to happen.
No doubt, it’s all in the attitude. We can’t control the weather, but we can certainly control our reactions and overall attitudes to things we cannot control. If you’re planning a tropical destination wedding, it’s not uncommon for the sky to open up one minute and the sun to peak through the clouds the next. Embrace this possibility and run with it… the grown and sexy way!
Here’s a clip of Molly and Jason’s beautiful rainy day wedding from ABC’s The Bachelor ::
Tell us…
How would you like a wet, rainy wedding ceremony? I’d totally dig it! After all, rain on your wedding day is a sign of good luck. [wink]
We’ve been joyously working on this year’s destination wedding clients’ big day! Not that we haven’t been equally pouring ourselves into our Houston area weddings. The majority of our destination wedding couples continue to choose Caribbean locations. Needless to say, there’s plenty of Caribbean wedding possibilities out there to choose from. We’re going to offer you a glimpse into our clients’ choices thus far (in no particular order). They also make for easy travel for we Texas visitors.
7 Day Western Caribbean Cruise :: At Sea
General Map Credit :: www.welt-atlas.com
As we illustrated above, about forty (40) guest sailed from Galveston to Montego Bay, Grand Cayman and Cozumel for a 25th wedding anniversary and vow renewal cruise. Cruising is a growing trend that we’ll talk about next week.
Puerto Vallarta, Mexico :: Dreams Puerto Vallarta
Photo Credit :: Dreams
Located on the Pacific side of Mexico, Puerto Vallarta offers beautiful sunsets! That’s one of the driving reasons why our Austin, Texas clients choose this destination wedding location. Close to fifty (50) of their closest family and friends will join them for a wedding weekend filled with the fun of creating a lifetime of memories.
Ocho Rios, Jamaica :: Sandals Grande Ocho Rios
Photo Credit :: Sandals
With this couple, they wanted to a beautiful location to serve as the backdrop for their union. Lush gardens, beautiful beaches and white gloved service made this Dallas, Texas destination wedding couple swoon over their new beginnings. They will enjoy ten (10) intimate nights in a top level rooming category. About a dozen guests will join them for this intimate celebration.
Montego Bay, Jamaica :: Rose Hall Resort Spa & Country Club
Photo Credit :: Rose Hall
Breath taking beauty has this Houston couple ecstatic about their upcoming Independence weekend nuptial events! About sixty (60) guest will take part in the holiday weekend wedding weekend bash venturing from Dallas, Houston, New Orleans and more!
Riviera Maya, Mexico :: Dreams Riviera Cancun
Photo Credit :: Dreams
At just under a year in age, this Dreamproperty is truly a dream. Our newly relocated Michigan couple is in love with their wedding ceremony and reception location. This straw architecture will serve as the backdrop for their sunset nuptials. We can’t wait as I’m sure sixty (60) of their family and friends can’t either!
Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands :: The Westin Casuarina Resort & Spa
Photo Credit :: Westin
Photo Credit :: Westin
The Westin is know for it’s great service and offerings. This Houston native destination wedding couple knew this would be the location for their 10/10/10 destination wedding day! An intimate celebration of about thirty (30) guest will enjoy a sunset wedding and breezeway reception.
7 Day Eastern Caribbean Cruise :: Nassau, Bahamas
General Map Credit :: www.welt-atlas.com
This Houston couple proposed became engaged at a previous destination wedding of ours. They quickly called us up to begin planning their Nassau, Bahamas wedding at port of a 7 day Bahamas cruise. They expect about seventy (70) of their closest family and friends to join them. This is proving to be a fun cruise wedding to plan!
That’s all for now! Be sure to send us questions about your destination wedding locations.
Ana de Roux is a Texas stationer that offers a line of destination wedding stationery that’s sure to set the tone for your up coming nuptials. When choosing your stationery, it should set the tone for your event while adhering to the level of formality. Ana’s offerings range from elegant papers to fun designs made to replicate passports and boarding passes. Here is a glimpse at her passport and boarding pass stationery collection::
To see the entire offerings, visit her destination wedding specific stationery website: Passport Invitations. Once there, you’ll have access to her other websites as well.
Roadblock tip :: Know your maximum budget before hand and research your options. Come to terms with your findings. It’s far better to plan a beautiful destination wedding for twelve verses building a logistical nightmare for fifty.
It’s true that planning a destination wedding can be less costly, but this doesn’t mean that you build Romanian gala on a $5,000 budget. It’s not uncommon to have couples with destination wedding visions that are not parallel with their overall budget. This is part not knowing and part media hype. If you don’t know how far your dollar will stretch, it’s okay to ask. We do advise you to do a little preliminary research. Sure, it may not be the best idea to plan a destination wedding and manage your entire group’s travel itineraries yourself. However, it’s okay to use the world wide web to get a general idea on travel demographics of your destination prior to enlisting help. Just to be clear… We didn’t say planning a destination wedding on a $5,000 budget is unrealistic. We’re simply saying, parallel your expectations.
Mistake No. 4 :: Scaling back on guest inclusions
Roadblock tip :: Be gracious to your guests! They’ll love your for it and the overall experience will be that more memorable.
If you’re planning a destination wedding, you should include a portion of your budget to “Guest Inclusions.” Although not many destination wedding couples are able to pay for their guest travel and accommodations, there are other areas of opportunity to treat your guests graciously. If there’s ever an opportunity to practice good hosting skills, it’s at a destination wedding. Many of your guests will make great sacrifices to attend. Be gracious to them! If you need to scale anything back, consider cutting down on your overall guest list to add room on your bottom line.
I enjoy quiet time and the simple pleasures of life. Discovering a new pleasure the natural eye may overlook is ever so exciting to me! I hate cooking. Yet, I enjoy the beauty of culinary art and finding new tastings to satisfy my pallet. I’m a reality T.V. buff that can watch a Hells Kitchen marathon all day. Yet, my life is filled with the joys of planning and executing weddings. This is our blog… Enjoy!
This is my profile
If there’s one thing that you need to know about me right off the bat, it’s that I’m a girly girl. Yes, I love dresses; yes, I love Tea Parties; yes, I love romantic comedies; yes I love desserts! Another thing about me is that I enjoy meeting new people and reuniting with old friends. I thrive on creating and sharing and being part of anything beautiful. I love the beauty that God has made in this world and finding that beauty in the most unpredictable places.
relax on an inner tube,
and of course… swim with the dolphins!
