Real Wedding: Mackenzie & Jace at Dreams Riviera Cancun

​Wedding Date: January 17, 2024 ~ Resort: Dreams Riviera Cancun ~ Photographer: Celia Armijo Photography ~ Videographer: Alejandro Lopez ~ Bridal Gown: Modern Dress in Boone, Iowa ~ Beauty: PrepTulum/PrepWeddings   ~ Tux Salon: Indochino

Why did you choose Romance Travel Group?
We had friends we went to college with that used Romance Travel Group and they had a great experience, so we knew we could trust them with finding us the right resort for our wedding! 

What led you to choose a destination wedding?
We chose a destination wedding because we wanted to spend a week with all of our favorite people at an all-inclusive resort! We have been to a lot of weddings and wanted to do something different. I also am not the best planner and thought this would be the best route to help me with the wedding planning process! 

How did you select the resort? What were the deciding factors?
We knew we wanted a smaller resort, one centralized pool area, and a resort with good reviews on food. Romance Travel Group gave us a few options that had all of these, but we ultimately picked Dreams Riviera Cancun based on their wedding package. It was what fit our needs and budget best! 

What were some of your biggest fears about having a destination wedding?
I would say our biggest fear was knowing people we really wanted to be there might not be able to come. This was hard to accept at first, but we knew we were asking a lot of people and also that it was something we could not control and just tried to focus on all of our guests that were coming. Although there were a few close friends and family that could not make it we still had such a great turn out and enjoyed every second with those that could make it. ​

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Describe what it was like working with the wedding coordinator at the resort? What went well? Any challenges?
Working with the wedding coordinator overall went very well! Our wedding coordinator did not get in contact with us until 3 months out from wedding date. This made us a little nervous, however I reminded myself that they do this everyday and trust me they have it down to a science! We interacted through emails and had 2 video chats during the planning process. Once we got to the resort we also had a meeting the first day to review everything. I completely trusted our wedding coordinator and knew he understood my vision and what we pictured for our big day - and let me tell you he did an amazing job!! 

Tell us about your wedding attire – How did you find it? Who went shopping with you? How do you feel wearing your wedding attire?
I went wedding dress shopping with my mom, sisters, my mother in law, his sister and best friend. I had a larger group than I was originally thinking, but we all had such a good time! I was able to find my dress at the second place I went to. My biggest advice is make sure you surround yourself with people who support you and make you feel good and trust the ladies that work there. I did not think I would like what they picked out and then ended up going with the dress she picked and wish I could wear it more! lol! 

Describe the booking process for your guests. Did they find that to be easy to navigate?
All of my guests told me how easy it was to work with Romance Travel Group and navigating the website. We really did not have to field any questions and those that needed to get in contact due to issues all had great things to say about their experiences with getting things resolved. 
 
Were your guests wowed by the resort and the all-inclusive concept? What was their reaction upon arrival?
We had a lot of guests that have been to an all-inclusive before, but we got a lot of great feedback on the service, night time activities, and overall wedding set up. 

How easy/difficult was it to travel with your wedding attire? Did you carry it on, where did you store it? Did you get a lot of comments at the airport?
We had 4 checked bags with our clothes, wedding decorations, and welcome bag items in them and then our two carry-ons with our wedding attire. My dress was not very big, so I just bought a dress garment bag that folded in half and the flight attendant hung it up for me during the flight. We both had no issues at all!  

Tell us about your wedding – did you have a traditional wedding with a cocktail hour, dinner reception and dance? What was different about a destination wedding compared to a wedding at home?
I would say our wedding was more traditional, but casual. We had a rehearsal dinner the night before, a symbolic ceremony (we were legally married in the states before leaving) officiated by my brother-in-law, cocktail hour after the ceremony, and reception. The biggest difference I would say is the service at a destination wedding. We had servers bringing us drinks while we were on the dance floor, which was so much fun and all my guests loved it! It was also more relaxed, we did not have the best weather on wedding day and ended up having to delay our ceremony by an hour. At home this would have been very stressful, but knowing everyone was already at the resort and had more time to do what they wanted made me feel so much better about what would normally be a stressful situation! 
 
What was the best part of having a destination wedding?
The best part about having a destination wedding is that you get to spend an extended amount of time with all your family and friends celebrating you and your significant other! You also get to enjoy the actual wedding day rather than going around to visit with everyone, because you have already done that the days leading up to the wedding. 

What is your most favorite memory of your wedding experience?
So many!! But the thing that stands out is just when everyone was arriving at the resort, it was so fun to have everyone trickle in at different times, and just getting so excited when each person gets there is a feeling and memory I will never forget!

In what ways did Romance Travel Group make the planning less stressful for you?
Knowing that all of our guests were able to book their rooms through RTG and transportation was included was a huge stress relief. Abby and Shannon were both wonderful at checking in with us and answering any questions whether travel or wedding related! We also were absolutely spoiled by Lomas Travel and RTG the moment we arrived in Cancun. It made the week feel even more special! 

What surprised you the most about having a destination wedding?
I was surprised at how fast it went by. I thought by doing a destination wedding I would get to prolong the wedding activities, which it did, but it still flew - I already feel like I am forgetting things! My advice to future brides/grooms is to truly take everything in, enjoy all your loved ones that traveled to celebrate you both, and slow down to enjoy every minute of what you planned and also relax and trust! Your wedding coordinator and RTG has everything covered. :)

​Congratulations Mackenzie & Jace! What a perfect wedding!