My Wedding Review....

ARRIVAL

We arrived at the resort at around 6. On the drive up to Akumal, all I thought was WOW..... it is alot bigger than I expected! As we arrived, my dad was riding past on a golf buggy as a few guests had arrived a couple of day's before us. It was lovely to see him, he got off and gave us a big cuddle. When we walked into Akumal Lobby, we were greeted by a lady with a glass of champagne. Which was really nice and they gave the kid's a glass of juice. Check in was fairly straight forward but we had put on the rooming request to be on the second floor and if possible to be in villa 47.The man told me villa 47 was not available and full. They gave us a first floor in block 49. When we arrived at the room, we had no view and were given a standard room ( I think) and not a junior suite, which we had paid for with having 2 kids. We would normally not say anything but my other half went back to reception and a man came down on a golf buggy and moved us to villa 47....So much for there being no room left here! Villa 47 was fab, we had a sea view and the room was a proper junior suite. 

Meeting with wedding co ordinator

We met with Maria the next morning at Coba, she is lovely and speaks fab English. All details were sorted very quickly. She had a list and went through everything. I worried myself so much about which flowers before I arrived and was sorted with 2 minutes at the meeting!.... Maria showed me a coral rose off a previous wedding. I knew the coral rose and ivory roses were perfect. Maria gave me a wedding schedule time card. This had what time the flowers would be delivered, what time the buggy would arrive, where we were going after the ceremony and what time our meal was etc. I told Maria I had material for the gazebo and lots of other items, It was a nightmare getting everything from the U.K but so pleased we brought it. Chair sashes, confetti, napkins, sand ceremony kit, wording for the sand ceremony, fans for the ladies, name place cards, a cake cutting set, chinese lanterns for the poolside reception. Maria said to take it all over 2 days before the wedding. We took it over to her in a suitcase and explained really quickly where we wanted it. We had not done a seating plan, I had not gave it a thought, so we quickly did a plan with Maria.

Day before the wedding

Most of the men went into Playa Del Carmen, we had a day round the pool and got pretty stressed when teatime came and there was no sign of the men!...They had told us they would be back at teatime. They finally came back at 9. I was so pleased they got back safely but most of the men got a cold shoulder for a little while!! We ate food in the buffet, My bridesmaid stayed in my room with me and we enjoyed a couple of bottles of champers in the bedroom, before going to sleep around 1. I should have gone to sleep earlier but was far to excited! Joe slept in the bridesmaid's room with her boyfriend.

The wedding day ))

Woke up around 7.30, ran straight to the window to see what the weather was like! ...Could see the sun and was very happy! went down to breakfast with my bridesmaid, then my mother in law came to the room to go to the spa to have our hair done. The spa did my hair well ( my hairdresser back here, had done it better on the trial) but I was still happy with it. My briesmaid's was perfect after she had a little bit of a mess on in the room. My mother in law had asked for just a wash, blow dry and straighten. I felt so sorry for my mother in law as the lady washed it then sat her down in the chair. The lady was drying it with the hairdryer then stopped and towel dryed it then did the same again. After straightening my mother in law went back to her room and re straightened and got sorted. We think the spa ladies are better at up do's. I brought my own make up and the lady in the spa put it on. Everything was good but my eye liner needed to touch it up, when we got back to the room. Which was fine. When we got back to the room, Joe had ordered me a bottle of champagne to the room. It was lovely, we chilled with a few glasses and I rang to order some sandwiches with reception...I was passed around to alot of different people on the phone but eventually got hamburger and chips( I really di not want to eat this, right before the wedding but we were starving) delivered but they didn't arrive until 12.30. The time Diego was coming up to the room after being with Joe! Sure enough Diego arrived as we just opened the plate. Diego was fab he took photo's of different wedding pieces whilst we tucked in! My dress was hanging up and he took some pictures of that. I put my flowergirl's dress on and he took lots of pictures.My flower's were not brought up to the room till around 12.50pm as they said it was so hot, I had given Maria diamontes to go into the flower head and I panicked when I looked at them with no diamontes in. Maria's assistant had the diamontes and put them straight in. I had ordered my mother in law a flower bracelet but it came as a pin but was far to heavy for her dress, problem was sorted quickly, we had to use a hairbobble (our only issues, of the whole day) I got into my dress whilst Diego stood outside, then came in and took pictures of my mother in law fastening it. My 2 boy's arrived at the room and we were good to go.I ordered my 7 and 3 year oldcram rose baby buttoneires, they were lovely. I did not feel nervous at all, which I thought I would have done. I just could not wait to see Joe, I had missed him so much! Diego was still faffing with pics outside. His radio kept going and I knew it was Maria telling him to hurry up! I looked at the time and it was 1:10pm.I knew Joe would be uneasy at this point. We sttod behind the bushes and my flower girl walked down first, then the boys and then the older bridesmaid. They walked down to You've got the love (piano version) My dad held my hand and I felt so excited and we started walking down to Songbird Eva Cassidy. It was perfect )) The gazebo, chairs..everything was set up beautifully We signed the register to Shania Twain, From This Moment, and Maria read our sand ceremony wording out and it was lovely, the kids were involved and I am so pleased we did this. We walked up the aisle to Bob Marley, One Love, One Heart.  We had champagne under the gazebo whilst Diego went for a drink. Which was lovely to get some time with our family and friend's before the photo's. 

We had pics on the beach with everyone and some on our own. We then went to the Hacienda for some photo's Diego took us down on his buggy and it was fab to have some time with Joe. We got back around 3.30pm and went and met our family and friends in the Akumal lobby bar and had some drinks before our wedding meal at Portofino at 5pm.The table was set up PERFECTLY!!...Everything just how I wanted it, the maracas and cigars were perfectly placed. The childrens toys, activity packs. They had put my flower corsage up in the resteraunt which I had on the gazebo and my coral and ivory centerpiece we had on the table at the ceremony, on the table at the resteraunt. We really enjoyed our meal in here but the people that had the chicken said the cheese was a bit strong. That was the only thing I could fault. We did speeches in here and I cried at my dad's lovely speech! The cake was lovely, they have changed it from the cakes I had perviously seen on here. It was cream icing with some flowers iced on it. I have a pic and will post it on here. The cake was three milk and delicious!....Everyone said, how nice it was.

Maria came at 7.30 and took us to the jacuzzi pools where our reception was, (just around the back of portofino). We only paid for 3 hours D.J but had him for 4 hours. I cried upon walking down the pool, Maria and her assistant walked us downthe path perfectly lit up with lantern bags, chinese lanterns were hanging, rope lights around the tree's it was perfect! I gave her a hug and she is such a lovely lady. We danced the night away and had the best time. Some people then went onto the 24 hour bar. 

I loved every minute and would thoroughly recommend this place to everyone ))               

Rachael- first of all congratulations on your wedding! It sounds like it was a beautiful and emotional event. Cannot wait to see some photos. Best wishes to you, Joe and your boys!