I must admit, even though I had a beautiful Mexican Wedding that lived up to every expectation, not everything went exactly according to plan! As with almost every bride out there, I totally wanted every detail to be perfect. And as almost every bride out there finds out, perfection isn’t realistic! I quickly learned that the best way to enjoy my wedding was to stop sweating the small stuff. The weather cannot be controlled, the resort will most likely misplace something, and not all of your guests will be on their best behaviour. Despite all of this, you are the bride, and as such, you are entitled to a freak out (or two, but please, not in front of your guests!). Here are some of the minor things that went wrong on my wedding day, and how I dealt with it:
1) The Weather
My wedding in May was just bordering on the rainy season in Mexico. While the weather was pretty much gorgeous the entire time our guests were there, our wedding day was windy, and I mean WINDY! We’re not talking a light breeze, but full gale-force winds (or so it felt when I was walking down the aisle with my veil whipping in my face!). My nicely arranged hair and aforementioned veil were everywhere. But you know what? I wouldn’t trade the wind looking back! The pictures turned out great (and very dramatic!) and the wind actually helped cool down a very hot day. If your destination weather doesn’t choose to cooperate with you fully, don’t sweat it. You still look beautiful, everyone is having a good time, and you’re still marrying the man of your dreams!
Yes- that’s me holding my veil! On the upside, the wind made the ocean backdrop look amazing!2) Misplaced reservation
The Grand Velas Resort where we married was wonderful helping me arrange all of the restaurant reservations in the evenings. However, they did misplace our reservation for the rehearsal dinner the night before the wedding. Horrors! Not really... but as a nervous bride to be, it meant a few tears. My dad and fiancé were amazing however and quickly stepped in with hotel management to figure out a replacement location right away. While I was upset that my original restaurant choice was booked, we managed to get into another great venue almost right away. My emotional state was a bit shot, but to be honest, my guests had no idea about the change in plans. The best part of the mix-up was how loved I felt by my family. They all rallied around me to consol and cheer me up. Is there anything better than having your loved ones so close for your most special day?
Cocina de Autor – the beautiful Spanish restaurant at our resort and was voted as one of the top Restaurants in Mexico by Travel & Leisure magazine.3) Inappropriate guest behaviour
Destination weddings can sometimes be a wild card in terms of guest behaviour. When you think about it: unlimited alcohol + sitting in the sun all day + tons of cute hotel staff/guests = some scandals! Don’t worry- this is totally in the norm. One of my very good friends turned out to be a bit of a gossip magnet because of her behaviour in the week leading up to our wedding. While I totally understand that it was her holiday too, alcohol should be consumed within reason throughout the day. There is a time and place for certain things, and our wedding was not that time or place! In the end, I did sweat this issue a bit, but to be honest it added to the fun of the wedding. People are still talking about the crazy scandals that went down in Mexico last May!
Unexpectedly awesome! At the end of the wedding night, our groomsmen all stripped down and jumped in the pool! (Don’t worry- they’re wearing boxers)At the end of the day, it’s important to put everything into perspective. The weather, the resort and your guests are not things you have total control over, so let it go! Enjoy your day and all the things that did go right, and try not to sweat the small stuff when your drunken Uncle takes over Karaoke at the after party. Remember, imperfections are what make your wedding memorable!
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Adeline Schickedanz is a graduate of the Wedding Planning Institute of Canada, and team member of Creative Weddings and Occasionsand Del Sol Destination Weddings. With a background in Visual Design and a true love of planning weddings, Adeline is a great choice to have on your wedding design team. She is also a destination wedding specialist, working with couples who desire to wed in various picturesque dream locations throughout the world. For more information about planning your own wedding please contact Adeline at info@creativeweddingsandoccasions.com.