A Beach Wedding in Isla Mujeres, Mexico - The Destination Wedding Blog

Nichole and Jimmy said “I do” in Isla Mujeres, Mexico in a beautiful beach ceremony. We asked the couple to share their destination wedding experience with us and here’s what they had to say!

A love of travel is one of the first things that drew us together. When we knew this would be forever, a destination wedding just felt natural. We have visited several parts of the Caribbean, but never had the chance to bring our closest family and friends along for the adventure. So we thought it would be perfect to go somewhere new, for the first time, with the people we love. After researching a few locations, we fell in love with Isla Mujeres. And the rest is history!

Writing our vows together (separately of course) the morning of the wedding was really special. With all the planning, and coordinating with our guests, it was really special to be able to put every thing aside so we could really get into the mindset of what we were there for. We will always remember sharing those quiet moments overlooking the sea.

We went back and forth on the idea of a first look. Our wonderful photographers convinced us that it would be worth it, and we’re glad we listened. I (Jimmy) wept big happy tears when I turned to see my bride for the first time. We laughed (and cried) and held each other on the beach, amazed that we had finally made it to the big day.

(Nichole) Before I even met Jimmy, I knew my niece Emma and Nephew Avery would someday be in my wedding. It was perfect that Avery was three and Emma four. They truly were the stars at the wedding. I took great care into talking with them beforehand about what they would be doing. Most importantly I bribed them. I bought Emma a princess dress For motivation and Avery was easy, he just loves chocolate. . Looking back at the photos make my heart swell with gratitude. They are my babies.

(Jimmy) Our flower girl and ring boy stole the show when they came down the aisle. Everyone turned and gave a collective “awww!” when they saw the pair, and something special happened. Avery is normally fearless and loves being center of attention. But in that moment, he froze. Emma, on the other hand, is typically very shy. But in that moment, she took charge. Noticing Avery had fallen behind, Emma went back and grabbed his hand. She led him up to the front, but he was still petrified. By this time, I was crouched down to his level with arms out. “Come on Bubba, I’m right here!” He sprinted into my arms, and held on long enough for me to tell him he did a great job and that I loved him. Then he ran straight for mommy. To this day I still laugh thinking about the whole thing, and one of my favorite photos is from that moment with Avery.

Unlike other brides I only knew what I didn’t want. A google and pinterest search of beach wedding tends to bring up “beach themed” weddings. And I knew I didn’t want that. Being a destination wedding, I didn’t have complete say in every detail. I went with more of a simple decor that if I needed to DIY, I could do it. My favorite decor was the gold pineapples that lined my sandy aisle and the ones we turned into centerpieces. Other than that I knew I wanted dinner on the beach with sand under my feet and bistro lights hanging beneath the palm trees. It truly was simple decor and I put more energy into making sure our guests had fun! And us too! I was adamant about making sure I had fun! After all I did all the hard work for it

There was a special moment in every single thing we did that day. It was all so special. And I made sure to take a step back throughout and take it all in. Watching our friends and family sit for dinner on the beach, out under the stars was sweet. Their joy and laughter will stay with me forever. In that moment it made all of the hard work and stress worth it. This is what life is all about. And then transitioning from the fire dancers to the dance floor. We had a very busy night! In our photos it’s evident of the fun everyone is having. Dancing the night away despite the heat and humidity was magical.

Advice for other destination wedding couples?

Finding a good wedding planner is essential! Especially if you’ve never visited the destination before. I loved being able to enjoy the entire day with all of the small details being taken care of. Organization is key even with a planner. Be sure to run through all of the specifics that are a must for you. Several important details were missed by my planners and I wish I had communicated exactly what I was expecting.