lesley_mexico_bride

Thanks everyone for the compliments! I am so ready to go back again every month and do it over and over...lol I wish. It was truly amazing. In the one picture of just me getting ready to walk down the aisle with my bouquet that is Kelley in the peach dress in the background. She and the staff at Vallarta Adventures are top notch and will pull off your perfect wedding day seamlessly! To answer some questions: Yes, Mishka made the papel picado and the papel picado chuppah. I just interacted with her online, my dad actually went and picked up the papel a couple of days before the wedding. I am very happy the way it turned out and I only wish I could have taken maybe one back with me. She was very nice and professional to work with. The dog is actually named "Coochie Flies". I'm serious. My dad is re-married and lives in Mexico, and it is my step-brother and his girlfriend's dog. I remember visiting them with Andrew and hearing them call the dog's name, and we would just crack up. I guess Coochie is a little nickname in Mexico. Anyway, I had no idea he was coming, but I remember Kelley came up to the casita to let me know that the guests had arrived, and she mentioned, "even the dog made it over". I was like, "What dog?". Anyway, he is cute and was the most dressed up person there besides Andrew,....he was wearing a tie!! My dress is a San Patrick Eresma style. I added the rhinestone piece in front from ChantalEveleen on Etsy. I got the dress at Weddings by Debbie in the Houston area. My dress got pretty much destroyed that night from sand, dirt, boat, and hotel lobby after. Oh ya, I also was sweating profusely the entire time from the heat, the dress, and dancing. My husband even told the photog we might have had to cancel our TTD the session the next day cause it was already trashed lol, the bottom of it was literally black. Then, during our TTD session, the Pacific Ocean really destroyed it. The train became like an 80lb anchor in the water filling with sand. Those photos should be interesting lol. Just a warning....the Pacific Ocean's waves and undertow are very powerful!! I know some other people asked about shoes earlier....I wore what I would call flat platform wedges to give me some height. They worked out pretty well actually. I think the key was they didnt go up like a heel to possibly throw you off balance. I got them from DSW. The escort cards were last minute Etsy purchase but I loved them! I got them from "jennie" on Etsy. She was quick and great to work with. If yall have any other questions feel free to ask!!

By the way, my photog Jared Rey is from Dallas and will fly anywhere....he was awesome to work with and such a genuinely nice person. Also, I had boudoir photos shot in Houston by Tara from Red Shoe Boudoir and it turned out amazing and was so much fun to do!! Here are two face shots (I don't want my bod on the internet but don't worry, she makes you look good!!)

Before our wedding I had a fun fun photo shoot with Tara from Red Shoe Boudoir in Houston, TX!! She was awesome and I loved how the shots turned out, so did my hubby!! Here is just face shots cause I don't want my bod all over the internet....but don't worry, she knows how to make your body look good!

sneak peak pro shots/TTD:

dance floor and boat ride back=wild

our papel picado chuppah, below, the boys came over earlier once the girls went upstairs to change and got to swim in the ocean just like we did,....we had the entire place to ourselves for a whiel...magical

my guestbook

the space to get ready in...bring extra outlets!

my matron of honor and I

Sorry girls!! Reality set in as soon as we got back and we were very busy! I am still waiting on the full set of pro pics, so I mostly have just friend's pics but here is some so you get an idea...we came over early, it is absolutely breathtaking.....

Hola Senoras y Senoritas! We were married on May 29th at Las Caletas and it was just beyond everything and anything we could have hoped for. It was absolutely perfect. I would love to go on and on about it and I promise I will write a long long review but I have to get back to my honeymoon . I just have to say that Kelley is amazing as always, Vallarta Adventures is awesome also (we have already done the Marietas and Outdoor Adventure excursions and everyone that works for the company is excellent, tomorrow we are doing sea lions), our photog, Jared Rey (Hernandez), who I found on this forum, was an absolute lifesaver, so nice, and so much fun. Dreams so far is pretty good and we are enjoying ourselves. We loved staying at the Westin also before the wedding. I might never leave PV, we will see........I will be back next week with more details and pictures, but rest assured these are the most amazing people and the most amazing scenery to have for your wedding so no worries!! By the way Lea I saw maybe you or one of your guests having breakfast at Dreams the other morning (saw their luggage tags)

Prelude to Ceremony: Island in the Sun-Weezer Better Together- Jack Johnson Mine-Taylor Swift Hey Soul Sister-Train Lucky-Jason Mraz & Colbie Calliat All this time-One Republic CEREMONY Processional-Bridesmaids Walk: Somewhere Over the Rainbow-Israel Kamakawiwo'ole Bridal Entrance: I'm Yours-Jason Mraz Recessional: Is this Love?-Bob Marley Post Ceremony/Champagne: Suerte-Shakira Cocktail/Dinner: One Fine Day-The Chiffons Carry on my wayward son-Kansas A whole lotta love-Led Zeppelin Today I met the boy I'm going to marry-Darlene Love Going to the chapel-The Dixie Cups Light my fire-The Doors Misirlou-Dick Dale Mexico-James Taylor I wanna hold your hand-The Beatles This magic moment-The Drifters Want somebody to love-Jefferson Airplane All my loving-The Beatles Sunshine of your love-Cream Your really got me-The Kinks And I love her-The Beatles My baby love-The Supremes My girl-The temptations Sunny-Bobby Hebb Be my baby-The Ronettes Come Sail Away- Styx Santaria-Sublime Say Hey-I love you-Michael Franti & Spearhead First Dance: Blessed the Broken Road-Rascal Flatts Mother/Son Dance: How sweet it is to be loved by you-James Taylor Father/Daughter Dance: You are my sunshine-Kevin Devine Cake Cutting: Hit me with your best shot-Pat Benatar Bouquet Toss: Single Ladies-Beyonce Garter Toss: Lets get it on-Marvin Gaye Dance Party: More (Red One Remix)-Usher On the Floor-Jennifer Lopez ft. Pit Bull Like a G-6-Far East Movement Brown Eye Girl-Van Morrison Way you make me feel-Michael Jackson Stereo Love-Edward Maya & Vika Juguilina Conga-Gloria Estefan Dynamite-Taio Cruz Living on a Prayer-Bon Jovi She Wolf-Shakira We Speak No Americano-Yolando Be Cool DJ got us falling in love-Usher Live your life-T.I. feat. Rhianna I wanna dance with somebody-Whitney Houston Teenage Dream-Katy Perry Come on Eileen-Dexy's midnight runners Hips don't lie-Shakira Higher-Taio Cruz Hold it against me-Britney Spears Sweet Child O Mine-Guns n Roses Hey Ya-Outkast Bidi Bidi Bom Bom-Selena Don't Stop Believing-Journey Crazy in Love-Beyonce/Jay-Z Tequilla-The Champs Just Dance-Lady Gaga Everytime we touch-Cascada Country Roads Remix-Hermes House Band Shots-LMFAO ft lil John Billy Jean-Michael Jackson Last song: Till the World Ends-Britney Spears Slow Dances: At Last-Etta James Is This Love-Bob Marley Always be my baby-Mariah Carey Stand By Me-Ben King Aint got you-Alicia Keys This magic moment-Ben E King & The Drifters You look wonderful tonight-Eric Clapton Underneath Your Clothes-Shakira Stay with You-John Legend

We leave TOMORROW, I cannot believe it!! Just bought a new camera so I will be back with pictures and reviews after June 5th!!

Thanks so much!

WOW, your wedding looks so amazing and fun! We leave Thurs and are getting married there next Sunday! Your review has def gotten me even MORE excited for it! It looked so beautiful and I can't wait to see it in person. Thanks for the in depth review!! Congratulations!

Wow, the time has been flying by! We leave for Mexico on Thursday! Last weekend was a surprise bacherlorette party in New Orleans, and last night we had our legal ceremony. I think it finally hit me that we are married, and it feels great!! I know in Mexico it will feel totally different with the big white dress and everyone there....We had a childhood minister marry us in the arboretum that my husband (feels great to say it) proposed to me in. Our in town immediate family and three friends came along. We were walking along the path looking for the bench that he got down on one knee and instead found a little area off the side in the woods that had bench seating and a podium! Then afterward we went to our favorite Mexican food place that he took me after he proposed where he had all of our friends waiting as a surprise after he proposed. So we have come full circle!! I cannot wait for Mexico though!!! I bought reese's peanut butter cups and trashy mags for Kelley yesterday. I have been trying to put a music playlist together,.....I have four bridesmaids.....does anyone know about how long it takes to walk down the aisle? Did you use one song or two? If you brought sand for the ceremony, how much did you need? I am bringing my wedding stuff down in two boxes....hope customs doesn't give me a hard time. I checked the weather yesterday and I know it says 10 days out but it says RAIN on our wedding day, NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! This happen to anyone? What did you do? Thanks girls, this would have been impossible without you!! Everyone I talk to I tell them about this site and recommend a destination wedding and that you HAVE to use this site!!

I am getting married on a Sunday, so it might be different because they do not have any tours that day, but here is what we are doing. The girls are going over in the morning as part of the 6 person deal. We will be leaving from the Marina. That includes fun on the beach and lunch. Our hair/makeup girl and her assistant (I brought them from home) are leaving at 1230 but they have to leave from Boca De Tomatlan, a small fishing town a cab ride away. This is so we don't have to pay. Then the guys and the photographer are coming over through Boca De Tomatlan also leaving at 2:15 to arrive around 3. She said if we wanted them to leave from a boat in the marina it would be over 400 dollars. I guess the Boca De Tomatlan port is where the employees come and go. Hope that helps! We leave the 26th! Our legal wedding is the 20th, my bday is the 25th, and the 29th is our Las Caletas wedding, wooohoo!!

25 days till our wedding and 22 days till we leave and 21 days till my birthday, and 20 days till my last day of work!! YAY!!!!!

I am getting married May 29th . Kelley said that the boat would leave the marina at 4:30, however, we are staying at the Westin, I am not sure if you are leaving a different port or not. We are leaving from a port called Opequimar across the street from the Westin since it's a Sunday she said. Otherwise I think its a different port in the Marina Vallarta area. I am telling guests to be at the lobby of the Westin at 4:10 so they can walk across the street together. The ceremony beings at 6. Since we have not added an extra hour yet, the boat leaves Las Caletas at 10:30 and arrives back at 11:30. I am sorry, that might not have helped you that much since we are staying somewhere different, but its at least an idea and I am sure if there are any changes I would let guests know when you are down there. I am sure they will be asking anyway. I would just tell them to at least be ready to roll around 4pm.

There is a place it sounds like outside of Guadalajara called Hacienda el Carmen. http://www.lafleurweddings.com/mexican-hacienda-wedding http://www.haciendaelcarmen.com.mx/ingles/inicio.php Here is a website with a lot of haciendas on it: http://www.bodaclick.com.mx/bodas-mx/guadalajara/haciendas-para-bodas/ google can translate it for you if you don't speak Spanish. My dad lives in Guadalajara and one time we went to somewhere on Lake Chapala, which is out of town but very beautiful.

Thanks Karen! Congrats! You and Las Caletas look gorgeous! OMG I can't wait!!

Can you add me please? Las Caletas, Puerto Vallarta, May 29, leaves May 26th! Thanks!

Ahhh those pictures are getting me so excited! 51 days to go till the big day! It feels like it can't get here soon enough! For those veteran LC brides, if you had about 8 people to a table, how many centerpieces did you have and were they large or small? Did you make a playlist for the DJ, if so, was your last song the last song on the beach or on the boat ride back? Kathy, I think you had orchids, do you know ball park how much extra it was to have orchids? Did I mention I CAN'T WAIT?!?!! I am so excited