Hyatt Ziva Cancun Destination Wedding: Clayton and Tori

Tori, a true crime podcast enthusiast and elementary school counselor, found her perfect match in Clayton, who connected with her after knowing her sister for years. (Fun fact: Tori’s sister and Clayton went to high school prom together—now, that’s a plot twist!)

Their choice to have a destination wedding was an easy one. Tori has always dreamed of a lovely, intimate celebration where they could make special memories with their closest friends and family.

Reaching out to us was their first step in the whole planning process, and their energy and trust have us thrilled! After over 2 years together, they both can’t wait to marry their best friend and soulmate.

Real Wedding Q&A with Clayton & Tori!

What were your biggest fears when planning a destination wedding?

My biggest fears were getting my loved ones and best friends to commit to going and making sure they had a stress free/great time. Alpaca Your Bags Travel definitely helped with making sure the booking process and travel days were smooth! Then everyone ended up loving the resort and was SO glad they came! There were literally no complaints from anyone and that made my experience as the bride so much easier because you naturally worry about your guests.

Is there anything about the actual destination wedding experience that surprised you?

It surprised me how stress free it all actually was! Obviously Alpaca Your Bags Travel helped a lot with picking the right resort for our needs and getting my guests there problem/stress free! I was also so pleasantly surprised with the resort and how easy/stress free wedding planning with them and the actual wedding itself was. I had so many people tell me it was the best wedding they have ever been to. My wedding coordinators were amazing and made everything SO stress free! I would recommend a destination wedding to anyone!

What is your favorite memory of your destination wedding?

My favorite memory is taking little moments throughout the day/night to just appreciate the amazing views and being so thankful I had the opportunity to have a wedding right in front of the beach in the most beautiful tropical setting. I also loved how intimate my wedding was. We had all the right people there! My absolute favorite memory was dancing with everyone at the reception. Our DJ and MC were amazing!

Did you splurge on anything travel or wedding related? If so, what was it and was it worth it?

To me, the biggest splurges were paying extra for the upgraded venues at our resort. I’m SO glad I did. The cliffside gazebo was amazing to get married at and the pictures you just can’t beat! Also, our rooftop reception with views of the sunset over the ocean was worth it! Another splurge was a DJ. I knew it was a most because me and my friends love to dance, but it was SO worth it because the Dj was awesome. He took my playlist and made it so much better! Best resort I have ever been to by far and all of my guests are dying to go back! Also, they do SO many weddings, you can tell they really know their stuff and made it super stress free.

Did you attempt to *save* on anything travel or wedding related? If so, what was it and was it worth it?

I attempted to save by having very minimal decor. I do feel like this was worth it! All you need is the scenery and guests are not paying attention to decor. My pictures are still amazing due to the scenery! 

If you could change anything with your wedding (planning, the day itself, the location, resort, ANYTHING) – what would you change?

I would have tried to stress less and realize the resort takes care of everything! I think no matter what all brides stress on their wedding days, but you really do not have to at Hyatt Ziva Cancun. They think of everything!!

What kind of feedback did you get from your guests?

All of my guests thought the resort was amazing and that it was the best wedding they had ever been to! All my guests thought booking was really easy and enjoyed Alpaca Your Bags Travel helping them.

Now that you’ve been through it, what is your #1 best piece of advice for wedding couples entering the planning process?

Less is more! You do not need to spend all the money on the decor and the bells and whistles! Your coordinator will try to convince you that you need everything. However, looking back on the day all you will really remember is the beautiful scenery and your family/friends. The only splurges that were worth it to me were the DJ and having a good photographer. 

In what ways did Alpaca Your Bags Travel make this less stressful for you?

Definitely by encouraging Hyatt Ziva Cancun and with booking everything. Ashley helped me realize what wedding package to get and what was important and what wasn’t as far as add ons. Ashley had the greatest presentation explaining all the resorts and listening to our wants/needs. I was definitely stress free with planning due to Alpaca Your Bags Travel. 

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Photographer: Haley Brownen Photography

Travel Advisor: Alpaca Your Bags Travel 

Resort: Hyatt Ziva Cancun