The perfect Wedding Dress!

So here is the big reveal, guys... Presenting... MY WEDDING DRESS!!!!

I get giddy and smiley and starry-eyed just thinking about it! I'm going to go with a cliché on this one: when you know, you know.

One of the first things I did last September after getting engaged was book an appointment at a local (can you call 20 miles away "local"?) bridal shop. I called on Kristin and Ari, two good friends, to have brunch with me and help me 'feel the whole wedding dress situation out'. My expectations were to be overwhelmed with options and have absolutely no idea what to do. Never did I imagine that I'd stumble upon THE ONE.

It's lacy and airy, and has a dreamy, almost frothy feel to it. Needless to say, the train/skirt will blend in perfectly within the backdrop of the ocean waves. I can already see it in my head.

The stats on the dress:

They style is Jodie by Enzoani. It's a classic mermaid cut, there are no embellishments other than the lace, and it's available in white white and a cream (I went with the cream). I got it fitted as tight as possible to make sure I'm not that bride that's constantly hoisting her dress up at the bosom, but at this point I'm concerned I won't be able to eat, drink or breathe. Wish me luck with that!

If you'd like a little more about my exhilarating experience finding a dress, check out my latest YouTube video.

---

Presentando... ¡Mi vestido de novia!

Solo de pensar en el me emociono (Benjamin también, pero en este caso me refiero al vestido). Me voy con lo más cliché para resumirlo: cuando sabes, sabes.

De las primeras cosas que hice en Septiembre justo después de que me comprometí fue hacer una reservación en una tienda de novias aquí en Houston. Invité a Kristin y Ari, dos buenas amigas, a acompañarme, "sólo para darnos una idea de lo que se trataba". Yo esperaba una inundación de opciones y cero claridad. Jamás me imaginé que dentro de la primera hora me toparía con el que era para mi.

Está hecho de encaje y capas abundantes de tul que se mueven como la espuma de las olas. Siento que combinará PERFECTO con el mar de fondo. ¡Ya me puedo imaginar todo!

Más acerca del vestido:

El estilo se llama Jodie de la marca Enzoani. Es un corte clásico de sirena, no tiene mayor adorno que el encaje (lo quería sencillo y romántico) y está disponible en blanco o color crema (yo opté por crema). Les pedí que me lo dejaran lo más apretado posible, porque no quiero ser esa novia que constantemente se esta ajustando el vestido, pero a estas alturas me pregunto si voy a poder comer, tomar, o RESPIRAR. Si. me queda como guante. ¡Deseen me suerte con eso!

Si quieren saber un poquito más acerca del proceso, échenle un ojo a mi video en YouTube!

We found a wedding venue!

YES! YES! YES! We found a wedding venue!!!! Let me start by coming right out and saying it: Ben was right. And I’m so glad I followed his advice.

As soon as we decided that the Riviera Maya was our top wedding location pick (approximately 10 minutes after we got engaged), he said our best bet would be to take a short investigative trip. Although we’ve been many times, going with a mission in mind ended up being incredibly productive.

Here are the top things that I believe greatly contributed to us finding a place we are really excited about. I’d recommend anyone planning a destination wedding to follow as many of these as possible:

1. Knowing the language

(Or having a friend who does and letting them be your voice)

Let’s face it—If you are a rich foreigner, the assumption will be that you can afford more than your average local, and you will be charged accordingly. Therefore, the goal is to camouflage your foreignness to the best of your ability. Weddings are expensive enough without someone pulling the wool over your eyes!

In our case, Ben handled most if not all of the initial emails/phonecalls. In Mexico, you are less likely to be overcharged if your last name is Vargas than if it’s Tuggy. We even conducted our Google searches in Spanish, looking for sites that weren’t geared toward tourists. It takes a lot of scratching, but it’s worth it!

2. Going physically

(Having a friend who lives locally and lets you stay with her and use her car is a HUGE bonus—shoutout to the amazing Vania! We love you!!)

Clearly, nothing beats being able to see a place in 3D before committing to it. But it’s not just about the places; it’s about the people. Being able to shake their hands, to establish a rapport, to ask them questions, show them you’re legit and make sure they are too. Ben had a contact from one of the many phone calls he’d made prior to the trip (a DJ/light/sound guy), and he ended up being a goldmine of resources! He put us in contact with all the people in the wedding industry he worked closely with, and even calling them for us and telling them his “friend” was getting married so they’d give us the best deal possible! WOW, was that a relief, which brings me to my next point.

3. Keeping an open mind.

I had initially fallen in LOVE with a spot in Tulum that does gorgeous wedding packages, but it ended up being way out of our price range ($4000 dollars just for MIXERS for our guests, not including the alcohol! $3000 to rent the place but you HAVE to hire on their wait staff of 40, and oh, you wanted the sand on the beach as well? That will be another $3000. And let's not get into the cost of dinner, tables, chairs, sofas, flowers, a dance floor, you get the gist). Keep in mind most places are going to throw out crazy numbers. Why? Because people are willing to pay them! They know it’s one of the biggest days of your life, they know you’d rather not be bothered with the details and are likely willing to pay good money to have someone take care of everything for you. I was overwhelmed with what Ben was proposing—the idea of just renting a spot on the beach and being in charge of coordinating all the details ourselves. But somehow, miraculously I managed to stifle bridezilla and open my eyes to something I would have never thought of.

4. Opening your eyes to new horizons

This is basically an extension of my previous point. What I’m trying to say is don’t be rigid with decisions you’ve previously made. Be willing to look outside your original zone, and be flexible. I was dead set on Tulum. We both were. It’s a magical place, really. But the thing with magical places is that you’re never alone in thinking so. Demand goes up, prices go up, and this affects not only you, but your guests. We had completely ruled out Cancun on the sole fact that it reminds us too much of Vegas, but hadn’t thought of exploring the coastline a little further north. That’s when Ben’s contact came in: he suggested a sweet little place he had just done a wedding at a few weeks prior. Ample space? Check. Private beach? Check. Reasonable price? Check. No crazy rules or obligations? Check. (It's called Villa Chenera, for those of you asking.)

We think we made the right choice.

Vania was a wonderful host! / ¡Vania fue tremenda anfitriona!

We loved spending time with Vania & her mom / Nos encantó pasar tiempo con Vania y su mami

Ben the hopeless romantic / Benjamin, el romántico empedernido

We’re a little crazy together / Somos unas loquillas

We drove all over in search of the perfect spot! / Manejamos a muchos lugares buscando el ideal

Ben asking all the right questions / Ben sabe a quien hacerle preguntas para conseguir lo que quiere

Picked up some awesome people who were hitchhiking from Tulum to Playa del Carmen / Paramos por estos dos personajes que pedían ride en la carretera… ahora son nuestros amigos 🙂

Shrimp cocktails every day = obligatory beach behavior / El coctel de camarones como Dios manda! Comimos mínimo uno al día

It all started with our love / Todo empezó con nuestro amor

Isla Blanca is a kitesurfer’s dream! / ¡Isla Blanca es ideal para hacer Kite!

Nico, the guy we picked up, was a kitesurfing instructor. Ben didn’t let the opportunity slide. / Nico, el chico que conocimos en la carretera, resultó ser instructor de KiteSurf. Ben no desaprovechó la oportunidad.

The dirt road leading to Villa Chenera, our wedding venue / El camino a Villa Chenera

I can only imagine this with lights and tables and all our favorite people! / Me imagino el lugar lleno de luces, mesas y nuestras personas favoritas y me emociono.

*sigh* I could stay here forever / En verdad me quedaría mil años aqui.

Letting out my inner gymnast / Dejando salir la gimnasta que llevo dentro