Maureen and Doug - A Love Story Across Continents

Episode 2

Hello everyone, and welcome to Episode 2 of Maureen and Doug’s mini-series.

This all takes place around 2010–2011, at a time when my own life was shifting in a big way. Mike and I were in a long-distance relationship, and it was becoming clear that our lives were meant to be shared. I started making the decision to transition from Puerto Vallarta and build a life in Chicago.

At the same time, I was also expanding my business. Puerto Vallarta had been my home base — my mecca. It’s where I built my career, where I knew every vendor, every venue, every corner of the industry. But as I began working more with couples in Chicago and the Midwest, it became very clear that Riviera Maya — Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Tulum — was where they were gravitating.

So Mike and I made a decision that, looking back, shaped everything. Instead of just visiting each other in Chicago and Guadalajara, we started meeting in destinations. We would meet in Cancun, in Cabo… spend weekends doing site inspections, visiting hotels, meeting chefs, walking properties, understanding the experience.

We turned our relationship into part of the foundation of my business. And it worked.

Around that time, I launched my first website for this new chapter… and Maureen and Doug were one of the very first couples to find me organically.

When I first sat down with them, I asked one of my favorite questions: “How did you meet?”

And their answer is lovely:  Maureen and Doug’s story began in Sydney, Australia.

Maureen had been relocated there through her role at Google, and Doug was also living there at the time. Through a small gathering with friends, someone mentioned there was “another American” in the room — also from Chicago — and they thought they should meet.

And just like that… they did. Two Americans, on the other side of the world, building their careers and unexpectedly finding each other.

They fell in love in Sydney, and eventually made the decision to return to Chicago and start the next chapter of their lives together. But their lifestyle in Australia had shaped them.

They had grown used to places like Bali, to warm weather, to nature, to that feeling of being immersed in a destination. So when we began planning their wedding, it was very clear they weren’t looking for a traditional setting.

They wanted something intimate. Private. Elevated. No large resorts. No crowds. They wanted a space that felt like their own. From the beginning, their vision was clear: tropical surroundings, white sand, turquoise water, incredible food, great cocktails, and a sense of exclusivity for their guests.

So we focused on boutique properties and private buyouts. They explored options in Playa del Carmen and Tulum… and when they found the right place, they knew. A small boutique hotel in Tulum, about 20 rooms, where they could take over the entire property.

And this is one of the things I love most about buyouts. Every single person on that property is there for you. Your friends, your family… the energy becomes completely your own. The service becomes personalized. The experience becomes intimate in a way that large resorts simply can’t replicate.

They moved forward with the contract… and everything felt aligned. But what came next… shifted everything.

Tomorrow, I’ll share the biggest curveball we faced during the planning process — and how we adapted in a way that completely changed how I approached destination weddings.

Stay tuned.