Resort: Secrets Maroma Beach
Wedding Date: April 25, 2024
Photography: @byjanineleigh
Video: Shane McKee

Ashley and Jake knew from the start that they wanted to have a destination wedding. Several of their friends had gotten married recently and they didn’t want the level of stress that comes with planning a wedding at home. Instead, they wanted to enjoy their engagement and the wedding planning process and have more than just one day of celebrating.

Keeping the trip affordable for their guests was a priority but they also wanted their friends and family to enjoy a vacation. Ashley and Jake planned some fun excursions with their wedding party as well as events at the resort. Their entire group had an amazing time at Secrets Maroma – so much so that several of them didn’t want to come home!

Wedding Q & A with Ashley & Jake:

Why did you decide to have a destination wedding?

Growing up I always thought I wanted to do all of the planning for a wedding and make all of the decorations. However, now as an adult, I do not have the time or mental capacity to do all of the planning (phone calls, contracts, designing, etc). Another big piece for us was wanting to have it be more of an event, not just one evening with friends and family. We were able to spend several days celebrating with loved ones. A destination wedding also helped us cut down on the guest list and created a lot less stress for planning.

Why did you choose Kate’s Travel?

I had a friend who had used Kate the year prior for her destination wedding. I had been thinking about doing a destination wedding but didn’t know where to start. I asked my friend who she used and she highly recommended Kate. Jake initially thought that we did not need a travel agent and we could do it ourselves. While looking into what a destination wedding entails, I knew there was no way I was going to be able to do this while also working full-time as a nurse. So I set up a consultation with Kate and would ask Jake for forgiveness later. I knew her services were going to be needed because I knew I was going to be the one answering all of the questions and doing all of the work.

After my phone consultation with Kate, I knew she was the one to go with. She asked about Jake and I, what we liked to do on vacation, non-negotiables for our wedding day, and a few other things. She was SO thorough and sent an awesome list of different resorts with pro’s and con’s of each resort. I was worried about transportation and everyone’s questions, but again Kate was amazing. She was the go-to contact person so we did not have to stress and answer questions. She also set up transportation for everyone from the airport to the resort and vise versa. I couldn’t be more grateful that we went with Kate’s Travel.

Did you invite guests in a unique way, with a themed save the date or invitations?

We did passport-themed save the dates, with fake boarding passes. We also had a unique wedding program that was like a newspaper. 

Describe what it was like working with the wedding coordinator at the resort.  

For the most part Claudia at Secrets Maroma was fairly easy to work with. The only challenge I found was emailing back and forth with her, mostly because I would take forever to respond to her with how busy my schedule was and it would take her a bit to respond. However, on the day of the wedding, Claudia was so helpful and acted almost as a personal attendant – setting up decorations I brought for the reception, our picture guest book, and more. I was slightly annoyed that they charged so much for the linen napkins, so I bought my own for cheap! I washed them, flew with them to Mexico, and then Claudia had the staff set the places with the napkins I brought.

Tell us about your wedding dress.

The dress I wore was the dress that I initially found online and knew that I wanted it (we will call this one “Dress 2”). However, at the bridal store, they did not have it in stock so I wouldn’t be able to try it on. I didn’t like the idea of ordering a dress without trying it on so I found a different dress. We will call this dress “Dress 1”.  It was a blush dress that had a detachable tulle over skirt with one shoulder strap. I tried on Dress 1  in December, and it fit perfectly. However, in December I was also diagnosed with PCOS and was started on a medication called Spironolactone, a side effect of which is breast growth. In late February I had a feeling that I should try my dress on. Good thing I did, because I could not zip the top portion of the dress. It fit perfectly everywhere, except in the bust. Dress 1 had a side zipper so there was nothing any of the seamstresses could do to fix it.

After crying about the situation and stressing about finding a dress in a month, I went online. I got Dress 1 for a discount but I didn’t want to spend even more money on another dress, and unfortunately, the bridal store I purchased my dress from closed down.

So, I opened up Poshmark as a last-ditch effort to try to find something. I found Dress 2, in my exact size, at a discounted price, and with the tags still on it. It was like it was meant to be. Dress 2 was PERFECT and everything I wanted, it was a different and unique look. It fit the Mexico/beach vibe perfectly! I got so many compliments on my dress.

Were your guests wowed by the resort? What was their reaction upon arrival?

The reaction across the board was awe of the resort and how beautiful it was. Most of our guests said the price and value were perfect for the service, food, and drinks we got. The resort was so clean, and there were always shows and entertainment at the resort. During the wedding buffet, after scooping the food you wanted, one of the servers was there immediately and took the plate out of your hands so you did not have to carry it to your table. Hugo, one of the servers, was AMAZING! As soon as I would finish my drink he would have another one ready!

When checking in there were staff trying to sell us a time share. For those of us in the Preferred Club, we said we weren’t interested and they left it at that. Our guests who weren’t in the Preferred Club needed to be persistent in saying they weren’t interested.

What was the best part of having a destination wedding?

Rather than just a few hours of a day for the wedding, it was several days of celebrating and getting to spend time with people. I didn’t feel as stressed trying to see everyone the day of the wedding because I knew I was going to see them around the resort. I could be in the moment and enjoy my wedding day. Our day was the least stressful day, and it all went according to plan. There isn’t a single thing I would have changed about our wedding and vacation at all.

Would you recommend Kate’s Travel to other couples who are considering a destination wedding?

YES! 1,000,000 times yes!