Christine & Mike - Episode 3
The Lighthouse Journal -
The Planning Decisions That Made It Flawless
It’s a wrap on Christine & Mike’s saga, closing it with a bang!
I am excited to close the spotlight on Christine and Mike’s miniseries today with an in-depth analysis of the rest of their wedding.
Something I want to highlight in this Lighthouse Journal is this: When you have an experienced wedding planner guiding your hotel choice and vendor decisions, it can make the difference between an overpriced mistake… and a truly strategic, cost efficient-choice. And that is exactly what happened in this wedding.
The hotel that Christine and Mike chose for their wedding and signed their contract with is one of the most luxurious all-inclusive resorts in the Riviera Maya.
Awww, the way he looks at her!
This hotel delivered on every dream they had stunning spaces: impeccable service, exceptional food, and that rare feeling of “yes” in every interaction. But here is the hidden truth about choosing one of the most expensive resorts in Mexico:
The quality is there… but the pricing structure can sometimes be extreme.
And for Christine and Mike, their priorities were crystal clear from the beginning:
A true Catholic ceremony that felt sacred.
Food and beverage that impressed every guest.
And next on the list was live music and entertainment.
So we started the planning. To nobody’s surprise they hired the same photographer as Julia and Davy and Catie and Dom. Those photos have ultimately convinced the next couple in line!
This company was one of the hotel’s preferred vendors – which is great – My favorite flower designer was also in that exclusive list. I knew both companies had reasonable price point, and were an easy hire.
For the live music and fireworks, same thing happened, pricing was adequate making our choice easy. But what was completely out of alignment with the reality of costs in the region was the entertainment and production — sound systems, DJ equipment, architectural lighting, audiovisual setups, etc.
The pricing was nearly 300% higher than what it should have been. And I simply could not justify it.
As a destination wedding planner, I always begin by requesting quotes from the resort’s preferred vendor list — and there are very good reasons for that.
First, bringing an outside vendor can trigger a displacing fee, which is a charge the hotel applies for allowing an external company on property.
Second, preferred vendors are usually pre-approved because they are professional and reliable.
Third, they know the property inside and out: where the electrical access points are, how to load equipment discreetly, how to navigate resort rules, and how to coordinate with security and staff.
And lastly… they’re already in constant communication with the hotel because they may be managing multiple events at once. So yes — preferred vendors are often the easiest, safest route.
And in this case, the pricing for audiovisual was simply unreasonable.
I exhausted every avenue. I spoke directly with the vendor and asked them to revise their quote in a way that would make it feasible for us to work together.
They reduced it slightly… but not nearly enough. Christine and Mike didn’t need a 5% discount. They needed a real solution.
At that point, I sat down with Christine and Mike and laid out two clear paths:
Option A: Use the hotel’s vendor, and reduce the budget in every other area to accommodate the inflated production costs.
Option B: Open the quotes to outside vendors in the region — and accept the hotel’s displacing fee.
Christine and Mike didn’t hesitate. They chose Option B.
Even with the displacing fee (which was about 10–15%), we were still landing around one-third of the original quote. And when you’re talking about entertainment production, that difference can easily mean thousands and thousands of dollars saved.
But I still wasn’t willing to gamble with the execution of their wedding. Because if one vendor is responsible for the success of your welcome party and your reception… Then that vendor must be flawless.
I told them honestly: “If we are bringing in an outside production vendor, I need us to do a second site inspection and walk the entire event with the hotel team and the new vendor together.” This wasn’t optional if we were going to go with Option B.
We needed to confirm every single logistical detail that could impact execution. So we did it. In December — two months before their wedding — Christine, Mike, and I traveled to Mexico together for their second site inspection.
It was the second time we were in Mexico together, and it was one of the smartest decisions they made.
Not only did we walk the hotel with the vendor and the resort team… We also used the trip to finalize everything else.
During this visit, we met with their floral designer and finalized every detail in person. We selected tables, chairs, glassware, and design elements that would define the mood of their wedding.
photo of selected table scape during our site visit
And we did their final tasting. Side note: there was a tuna dish that was so good, I swear I was thinking about it for months. Christine and Mike even added it to my wedding day meal selection. I was counting down the days until I could eat that tuna again. More on this later… because yes, there is a plot twist.
Also, because Christine and Mike had not stayed at the resort during their first site inspection, we were able to apply their December stay toward their wedding contract as their official “first site inspection.” Meaning: their investment counted toward their invoice.
A win is a win.
Even with three flights, a three-night stay, and the displacing fee, Christine and Mike were still saving enough money to justify every penny of that trip. The difference between the resort vendor quote and the outside vendor quote was significant.
As a result they got exactly what they wanted.
The Welcome Party
Christine and Mike wanted their welcome party to feel relaxed, colorful, and full of Mexico.
So we hosted it right on the beach. The setup included lounge furniture, bistro lighting, welcome coconuts, and the perfect festive touch: a mariachi band.
Christine and Mike gave a beautiful welcome speech, and the energy was exactly what it should be the night before a wedding.
The Wedding Day
By the time the wedding day arrived, everything was aligned.
Because once we returned from the second site inspection, I created a full week-of schedule and wedding day timeline: Hour-by-hour, vendor-by-vendor, and in some cases, person-by-person.
The bride and groom receive their own schedule. Key family members receive their own schedule. Anyone playing an important role gets their own timeline.
The wedding day flowed beautifully.
I stayed on property with them, as I always do when I’m flying in for execution, because I’m moving constantly throughout the day. It allows me to be present, responsive, and fully hands-on.
That morning, I delivered the bouquets and boutonnieres personally — it’s one of my favorite moments because it’s my “good morning sunshine” hug, and it’s the moment the day truly begins.
Here’s a quick tip for brides:
You do not need your photographer there at the beginning of hair and makeup when you are completely bare-faced and not camera ready. I always schedule photographers to arrive once the bride is already glowing, makeup is done, hair is styled, and she’s ready for that beautiful “getting ready” story.
The magic is in the final touches. The robe shots, the veil moment, the dress, the earrings, etc.
The chapel looked stunning. The floral design was elegant and meaningful. And if you are wondering how we honored Mike’s mom, we reserved her a front-row seat at the ceremony.
We created a beautiful floral memorial with her photo and a tribute that allowed her presence to be felt. And later, I brought her flowers and photo to the reception so she could be honored there as well.
no caption needed <3
Of course, spirit does not need physical objects… But in the human world, these moments matter.
A Wedding Design
Christine and Mike’s wedding was fully custom. Every detail reflected them. And because their guest count wasn’t huge, we had to be intentional about how we used space.
One of my favorite examples? Their seating chart. It was a stunning black display with mirrors and each guest’s name — a true statement piece.
its so nice when you and your clients share the same taste!
But it also served another purpose: It beautifully filled what would have otherwise been dead space. We also created an altar honoring loved ones who could not be present, flanked by candles, guiding guests from the elevator to this meaningful moment.
The Venue Layout:
Their reception venue was a long, narrow terrace facing the ocean. Gorgeous, yes. But tricky because when a space is long and skinny, you have to create a flow that feels balanced.
So I designed the layout like this:
Dining area to the right (romantic, dreamy, floral, candlelit)
Dance floor in the center (DJ with lighting and fairy lights above)
Speakeasy bar lounge to the left (jazz band, cigars, deep colors, moody cool vibes)
It worked beautifully. Guests moved naturally between spaces, and each section had its own personality — yet it all felt cohesive.
Christine and Mike had everything, and yes that includes fireworks too.
There were many moving pieces, many vendors, and multiple entertainment elements happening throughout the night. However, the execution was flawless. The team behind me was wonderful, and I was so proud.
Now remember that tuna dish I mentioned before… The tuna I had been dreaming about for months. The tuna I was so excited to eat after the first dance, once my clients were settled and I could finally breathe.
Tasting portion of the Tuna I didn’t get to taste
The kitchen held my plate for me. It was waiting. And then… One guest changed their mind last minute. They switched their order from salmon to tuna. And the resort gave them the last tuna available. Meaning…Mike’s cousin received my tuna! LOL
But of course… Guest experience always comes first. Still, I am absolutely craving that tuna.
Happy Anniversary, Christine & Mike
“Jen’s Wall”
It has been such a joy to honor your wedding through this blog series, and I love that we’ve been exchanging messages each time I post a new chapter. Knowing that you feel proud, seen, and honored through the way I tell your story means the world to me.
Your wedding was one of those celebrations that reminds me why I do what I do.
Now to the rest of the readers that are dreaming of a destination wedding in Mexico and you want someone who will protect your budget, guide you strategically, and ensure your wedding is executed flawlessly — I’d love to support you.
Because the truth is… the magic isn’t just in choosing a beautiful resort. The magic is in knowing how to navigate what most couples never see.
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