Secrets Vallarta Bay Destination Wedding: Suzanne & Lance

The best destination weddings look effortless. That’s rarely an accident. It’s usually just someone backstage sweating so you don’t have to.

For Suzanne and Lance, that meant booking a wedding at a resort they’d never seen, in a city they’d never visited, and just… trusting it would live up to the pictures. It did, and then some.

Like a lot of couples, their excitement came with real nerves attached, and honestly, we get it. Suzanne worried people wouldn’t want to come, or would see it as too big a financial ask. She wondered if the resort would actually match the pictures she’d been staring at online. Neither of them had ever been to Puerto Vallarta, so a lot of this came down to trust before it came down to anything else.

They had actually booked a different venue before finding me, and it wasn’t the right fit. By the time we talked, she felt overwhelmed and wasn’t sure where to start. Instead of spending weeks scrolling resort reviews from strangers online at midnight with forty tabs open, they told me their budget and what the day looked like in their heads. I came back with three real options, pros and cons already sorted out. Puerto Vallarta wasn’t even on their list going in, but once everything was laid out side by side, Secrets Vallarta Bay was the easy answer.

That’s where I came in.

Looking back, Suzanne says it plainly: it was just perfect.

One of the biggest surprises?

How smoothly the whole week came together.

“I kept waiting for the unforeseen issue to crop up,” Suzanne said, “but it never did.”

Honestly? That’s exactly what we hope every couple says.

From the moment they pulled up, she felt taken care of, which meant she and Lance actually got to be in the week instead of running it. Mornings by the pool. Breakfast with people they loved. Their favorite guests meeting each other for the first time. The wedding day was obviously the high point, but Suzanne’s favorite memory might be the quieter one: getting ready in the bridal suite with her daughters, her sister-in-law (who officiated) getting ready right alongside them, champagne and strawberries, music playing, everyone in one room before the day even started. Worth every penny, by her own account.

They didn’t spend big everywhere. Florals and table decor were the one place Suzanne wanted to keep simple, so her coordinator gave her options that fit her budget without looking like it. Baby’s breath, tall glass vases, floating candles, dressed up with table runners, seashells, and sea glass she packed in her own suitcase. Turns out gorgeous doesn’t require a five-figure floral budget.

Their advice for future couples?

Trust the process. Give yourself close to a year. Let your coordinator tell you what’s needed and when — and if your dates have any flexibility, use it. Better pricing, better availability, and often better weather? We’ll take that every time.

And one piece of advice I’d happily echo?

Always keep your travel advisor in the loop. That’s it. That’s the whole secret.

Two months before the wedding, a security incident in Puerto Vallarta led to canceled flights and a shelter-in-place order. Suzanne called us right away. We were already in touch with contacts on the ground, tracked the situation as it unfolded, and kept her updated the whole way through. In her words, I kept her sane. Then, a month before the wedding, Suzanne’s son-in-law (the one walking her down the aisle) needed emergency surgery. We had a mobility scooter rented locally and delivered to his hotel room before he even arrived.

Suzanne and Lance never had to solve either problem themselves. They just got to show up. We can’t promise to pack your literal bags, but everything else? We’ve got it.

That’s exactly what a destination wedding should feel like.

Real Wedding Q&A with Suzanne & Lance

What were your biggest fears when planning a destination wedding?

I was afraid people would not want to come or would consider it a financial burden.  I had never been to the resort (or even the city) where we were getting married, so there was a bit of a fear of the unknown.  I wondered if the photos might not really represent what we would be walking into.

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

Everything came together so well and went so smoothly.  It was so well organized.  I kept waiting for the unforeseen issue to crop up but it never did.  From the time we pulled up, we felt taken care of and could really just enjoy each day.

What is your favorite memory of your destination wedding?

Having our family and closest friends all together in this beautiful location at the same time.  Seeing people at the pool, at breakfast, and around the hotel throughout our stay.  It was fun to see our favorite people meeting up and enjoying themselves over the course of our stay.  Food and service throughout the week were amazing.  The wedding day was obviously a high point.  Getting ready with my daughters, doing the first look, and those last few moments our bridal party was together just before the wedding started will be core memories for me.

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

I reserved the bridal suite for my daughters and I to get ready and it was SO WORTH IT.  My sister in law, who was officiating, joined us while we were getting ready. Champagne and strawberries were included and having that room just set the tone for the whole day and made everything extra special.  The room was beautiful and huge, allowing us to spread out, play music, and just enjoy getting ready together. 

We did not opt for the swim out room because we wanted a good view of the ocean, but we did upgrade to a Preferred room.  Also totally worth it.  The first morning I woke up, I sat in the outdoor tub on the patio and watched the ocean.  It was so nice to grab snacks in the lobby and our personal concierge was wonderful – over the course of the week he decorated our room and door and was always available to answer questions, reserve activities, and just make us feel completely taken care of.

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

I did not want to spend a ton on flowers/table decorations.  My wedding coordinator provided me with a variety of options that were within my budget and still pretty.  We went with very simple florals, which basically just included baby’s breath submerged in tall glass vases with floating candles.  I was able to bring table runners, seashells, and sea glass for the vases from home and the staff at Secrets made it look absolutely gorgeous.

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

I don’t think so!  It literally was just perfect.  The weather was great and the resort was amazing.  Our beach photos were taken early during cocktail hour and some were taken into the sun.  I guess if I could change anything it might be to add an hour to the reception and allow some time for us to get some pictures at sunset, either on the beach or on the Terraza.  Our videographer did a great job, and the photographer was okay – however, he did take over 500 pictures so we were able to choose 85 that were good for our album.

What kind of feedback did you get from your guests?

Everyone loved it – so many people talked about what a fun vacation it was, and how they want to go back.    Food, drinks, and service were wonderful. 

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

This sounds cliche but trust the process.  These resorts know weddings and do them almost daily.  The coordinator will let you know what is needed and when.  Allow about a year to plan – when we first got engaged, I thought we could just pull something together in a few months, because we had a small group.  If dates are flexible, it is helpful to know when rooms are more affordable (or not) and what the weather is like at different times of the year, which is where the travel coordinator comes in.  Destination weddings are so special and it really was so much fun to have this great vacation together with all of our closest people.

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

Oh gosh where do I start. I had originally booked a different venue and location before hiring AYB and quickly realized that was not the place for me for a variety of reasons.  I felt so clueless, overwhelmed, and really had no idea where to start.  Ashley “talked me down” more than once and asked me simple questions about budget, what I pictured in my dream wedding, and what type of vibe I was looking for.  Puerto Vallarta was not even on my radar, but based on our conversation Ashley sent me three places to look at, along with information/pros/cons for each.  It was pretty easy to go from there.  

AYB was always available when I had questions or wanted to run things by someone I trusted.  It was nice to refer our guests to AYB with questions about the hotel or travel and let them take it from there; I did not need to worry about answering questions or getting a room block because that was all done for me.  

Two months before my wedding there was a security issue in Puerto Vallarta that caused flights to be cancelled and a shelter in place order for a couple of days.  I immediately reached out to Ashley, who assured me she was in touch with her contacts there and was monitoring the situation and literally kept me sane.  She kept me updated and informed as the situation was resolved and by the time we left for the wedding we felt safe  and ready to enjoy our vacation.  When my son in law (who walked me down the aisle) injured his hamstring and had to have emergency surgery a month before the wedding, Mandie was able to coordinate having a scooter for him rented locally in town and delivered to the hotel.  

Little touches like the upgraded airport transportation and keepsake box when we arrived home were super thoughtful and so appreciated.

Travel Advisor: Alpaca Your Bags Travel 

Resort: Secrets Vallarta Bay