This Azul Beach Resort Riviera Maya Wedding is an oldie but a goodie! I photographed this wedding in 2017, just a couple of weeks before my own, so it was really nice to talk with another bride to be during the process! When I met Morgan and Larry it was like greeting two old-time friends!
- Why did you pick Puerto Morelos / Azul Beach for your Azul Beach Resort Riviera Maya Wedding?
My cousin got married a couple of years ago at Azul Sensatori (a nearby resort that’s owned by the same company as Azul Beach), I wasn’t able to go to her wedding because I was in graduate school at the time, but all of my family that went had so much fun, they all said it was one of the best vacations they had ever been on. Shortly after Larry and I got engaged, we decided we wanted to have a small, intimate wedding and we felt that a destination wedding on the beach was the best way to make that happen! I chose Azul Beach resort in Puerto Morelos for our destination wedding location after discussing a few different options with my travel agent. We went with the Cancun area because it’s a short flight from Texas (where Larry and I live, as do most of our family and friends who came to the wedding). Once we had narrowed down the area that we wanted, we decided on Azul Beach because it’s a smaller resort than most of the all-inclusive in the area, with less than 150 suites. Also, our travel agent said the beach was nice at Azul Beach resort (crystal clear water, white sand, not rocky), which was a big selling point!
- What is your most memorable moment / what did you liked the most from your wedding day?
There were so many moments from our wedding day that I’ll never forget, it’s impossible to choose just one! I loved spending the morning/early afternoon with my mom, my mother-in-law, and my best friends getting wedding-ready in our beautiful swim-up suite. Each one of these people is so special to me and it was amazing to get to spend that time with them. Having my mom walk me down the aisle was such an incredible moment; we were both trying to keep it together so we wouldn’t be crying in all the pictures! My mom has always been a constant source of strength for me, and this day was no different, we laughed and smiled the whole time. I’ll never forget seeing my stepdad crying happy tears and Larry’s big smile when we made it to the end of the aisle. Every moment of our ceremony was memorable, especially when we read our vows to each other. I tried so hard to hold it together but I started crying pretty much as soon as he started talking. I was able to get my vows out eventually… about 4-5 words at a time! The reception was a blast!! Even though it was pretty hot out, we all had so much fun dancing the night away!
- Do you have any tips for destination brides marrying in Cancun / Mexico?
It’s funny, I was actually thinking about tips I would give to other people having a destination wedding while we were at the resort in the days leading up to the wedding. First, make a list of when your guests are arriving and when they’re leaving and bring that list with you. My travel agent gave me this information and I compiled it into a little spreadsheet, this made it so much easier before and after the wedding to be able to see when all of our guests were getting there and when each person’s last day was, so we could greet them when they got there and see them off as they left. Also, if you’re going to write your own vows, I would recommend getting vow books to write them in (I got ours from an Etsy shop). It’s hard to remember every word that’s said during the ceremony because you’re so wrapped up in the moment, so it’s been really nice to have them and be able to read them again. Larry and I actually re-read our vows to each other over the bacon cheeseburgers we ordered from room service after the reception!
- How was your experience with Monica Lopez Photography?
Honestly, the biggest tip I would give to someone getting married in the Cancun area would be to book Monica for your photographer! She and her partner, were AMAZING to work with. Monica was always quick to respond to emails and answered all of our questions thoroughly and honestly. She was so helpful in helping us figure out what we wanted and what kind of schedule would work best for our big day. She was always so professional and friendly over email, skype calls, and in person. I think people don’t always realize that you spend a large portion of your wedding day hanging out with your photographer(s) so if they’re not easy to be around it can make for a pretty uncomfortable experience. Larry and I were both SO relieved that not only were Monica and Santiago both amazingly talented, they were such a calming presence and they made our day even more fun and special while they captured the whole thing. All of our friends and family were impressed with the way they managed to photograph every little detail of our big day. Monica also got our finished pictures to us SO fast and they are all stunning pictures!!! We’re just so in love with every single one of our pictures. We truly could not be more pleased with the whole experience of working with Monica Lopez Photography, we would recommend her to everyone and we would choose her again in a heartbeat!
I could probably go on forever but Larry’s making fun of me for how long this review is! Lol. I just cannot thank you enough for the beautiful job you did capturing every single moment of our wedding day. It was such a great experience working with you and we (and our families) will cherish these photos for the rest of our lives. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!
With love,
Morgan and Larry