Client Stories
Sasha & Tyler
The Fives Azul Beach Resort
Riviera Maya, Mexico, April 9
Wedding Venue: Sky Terrace
Photography: Sofia Katherine Photography, Calgary
Tour Company: Transat Holidays
Sasha reached out to me on Facebook and through my partner agency Weddings by Escapes.ca. I think it was meant to be, as it turned out she is also childhood friends with a Calgary wedding photographer friend of mine, Sofia (who is amazing!), who she was bringing down to shoot her wedding. One of the biggest requirements for Sasha was a terrace venue with a gorgeous view. After looking through a number of options, she fell in love with the Sky Terrace at The Fives.
Once we selected the right dates and packages we encountered a significant issue with our venue on the chosen date. Something I really stress to my couples early on is the importance of industry relationships; I recommend and prefer to work with companies I have a good relationship with, that I know I can trust and turn to when any unforeseen issues arise. This guidance proved essential in this case. I reached out to my contacts, and soon we had the snafu resolved, with an even better outcome than I could have hoped for. Sasha was able to happily resume her wedding planning!
I followed the wedding on Instagram and Facebook eagerly, and everyone looked like they were having an amazing time. And of course the wedding was stunning! Sasha and Tyler had such an amazing time, they contacted me during their stay to see if they could stay longer. Unfortunately the hotel was completely sold out, but this was such a huge testament to the exemplary services of the resort!
“We are so fortunate to have had the opportunity to have Elizabeth assist us with the planning of our destination wedding. Her professionalism, expertise and attention to every detail from beginning to end was nothing less than remarkable. We can't thank her enough for helping to make our very special day so memorable."
Echo & Jorge
Dreams La Romana
La Romana, Dominican Republic, October 11
Wedding Venue: Garden Gazebo and Beach
Photography: MilanPhotoCineArt, Dominican Republic
Tour Company: Air Canada Vacations
Echo and I found each other in a Facebook group, and it was really perfect timing. Echo, Jorge and I met shortly after for a coffee to discuss the details of their Riviera Maya wedding. They mentioned that they originally wanted to get married in the Dominican Republic but had heard it would be too expensive for their guests, so decided to focus on Mexico instead. I told them this was not necessarily the case, and we should keep this option open for them, and I would report back to them on my return from a planned trip to the DR with suggestions for suitable venues and resorts.
My first stop was Dreams La Romana, and after experiencing the resort and seeing the wedding venues, I knew right away that this was it! I was so excited to share the info with them as this location exceeded my expectations and “checked all their boxes”. After reviewing a few different options we ended up booking Dreams, and got some amazing pricing for the couple’s family and friends.
Once everything was secured, it was pretty much smooth sailing until we neared departure. Hurricanes were wreaking havoc in the Caribbean, and sadly devastated many islands. We were biting our nails at this point, waiting to see how it all played out, and wondering if we would need to cancel and rearrange everything in the 11th hour. Luckily nature was on our side, and all of the carefully made plans were able to go on according to schedule. The wedding went beautifully, as you can tell from the amazing photos! Echo and Jorge were a joy to work with and I am happy to say that after their first resort experience, I think they are now travel addicts ;)
Sarah & John
Hyatt Ziva Puerto Vallarta
Puerto Vallarta, México, August 20
Wedding Venue: Gazebo and Terrace
Photography: Ave Sol, Puerto Vallarta
Tour Company: Sunquest
Sarah, John and I first met at an information session hosted by our Weddings by Escapes team. During the presentation, one of the topics mentioned was timeline, and most of our team recommend starting out with planning approximately 12 months in advance. In speaking with them afterward, they mentioned right away that they were planning their wedding for the coming August, a mere 5 months away! We all knew we needed to get started immediately, so we scheduled a meeting for that very afternoon to go over the details.
One key element for Sarah and John was privacy on the beach, and not being overrun by beach vendors. My first recommendation right away was the Hyatt Ziva in Puerto Vallarta, as it is secluded on its own bay, but incredibly close to the city. It is also part of one of my favourite go-to brands, Playa Resorts, that exceed expectations for service, food, and, well, everything, every time. We took a look at a few options, but they liked this one right away. From there it was just a matter of working out the best possible travel options for their guests and getting everything secured quickly. I am happy to say that we pulled it off, and in record time; within about two weeks of our first meeting we had everything selected and booked - phew!
Through it all, Sarah and John were totally calm and collected, even with the short timeline. Even their guests were a breeze through the booking process, and we got everyone on their way with ease.