Say Yes to a Hassle-Free Destination Wedding – LCM 46 Spring 2017

Say Yes to a Hassle-Free Destination Wedding

Los Cabos provides a picture-perfect backdrop for your big day
By Sandra A. Berry

Say Yes to a Hassle-Free Destination Wedding - LCM 46 Spring 2017
You’ve already made the hardest decisions: picking the perfect partner and wedding destination.

Now it’s time to explore the myriad perks of picking a spot like Los Cabos to host your dream wedding. There are plenty of places to start, but two of the most important items are budget and time line. Once these are determined, the fun begins. And the process can be as fun as you like it! There are venues to consider, the minister, legal aspects, caterers, linens, flowers, cakes, music, photography, and the list goes on. But worry not. You will find all this—and more—right here in Los Cabos.

Much of the above will depend on the number of guests you plan to invite to your destination wedding. Los Cabos is the perfect destination to host friends and family—or to escape if you’re looking to elope. The wedding can be as large or small, formal or intimate as you like it. And the setting is limited only by your imagination: beach, yacht, hotel, private villa, chapel, or wine cellar, the choice is yours. With stunning sunsets, sandy beaches, fabulous restaurants, water activities, and spas galore, Los Cabos is unparalleled as a wedding destination.
Say Yes to a Hassle-Free Destination Wedding - LCM 46 Spring 2017There are big decisions to be made, but all these bases can easily be covered. If your budget allows for a wedding planner, the whole process can become entirely hassle free. Karla Casillas and Co. (www.karlacasillas.com) can arrange for such fun and frivolous additions as heart-shaped fireworks and a dessert bar—whatever your heart desires—plus all the necessary requirements. She is a leading wedding consultant in Los Cabos and handles everything related to weddings. She and her staff work so that you can share this moment with the love of your life, your family, and your friends, while creating memories that will last a lifetime. Amy Abbott (www.amyabbottevents.com) suggests planning small events throughout the days leading up to your wedding to encourage your guests to spend more time together to get to know one another prior to your wedding ceremony. Many guests will want to turn your wedding into an extended vacation in paradise. The Main Event (www.themaineventcabo.com) is an event design studio with a showroom that offers a series of tablescapes, vintage goods, and an inspirational playground for anyone planning a wedding. The staff will create a personalized event design that makes it easy for you to envision what your big day will look like. Regardless of who supervises the planning and execution, here are some tips to make the process flawless and fun for all.

The budget needs to be realistic and as detailed as possible. There are many magazines and books for couples to peruse to get ideas of cost. Do not wait until the last minute to plan how you want your wedding to be. The more advanced the planning, the less stress on the wallet. One thing to keep in mind is that this is a destination wedding. The florist cannot always get the exact type of flower you want at the specific time you want it (this is true in many locations). It is best to select a color scheme rather than a particular flower; let the florist have flexibility when it comes to floral selection. Cabo Flowers and Cakes (624-105-1451) has assisted many a bride with table settings, floral arrangements and cake designs over the years, and its experts can offer ideas to suit the most discriminate tastes. Since much of the planning can be done by email, send photos of cakes, the number of wedding guests, and color scheme, then leave the rest to the experts.

Los Cabos experiences amazing weather most of the year, but the months considered the wedding season are October through May. The summer months may prove a bit hot for some, especially those wanting a beach ceremony. And September is when Los Cabos sees the most rain. That said, prices can be lower during this time, and you don’t sacrifice too much.

Say Yes to a Hassle-Free Destination Wedding - LCM 46 Spring 2017Once you have a date in mind, it’s time to select the location. Many of the top hot spots are booked well in advance, so the sooner a date can be set, the better chance you’ll have of getting your first choice. Most of the well-known resorts have their own in-house wedding planners who can handle everything from blocking rooms for the wedding party for a special price to reserving activities for the wedding guests prior to and after the wedding day, as well as myriad other functions. Looking for a traditional Mexican fiesta? Look no further than the Sheraton Grand Hacienda del Mar (www.sheratonhaciendadelmar.com). Several themed options are available, including a lawn fiesta complete with mariachi band, a beachside wedding with tiki torches, a lovely chapel, or grand ballroom. The hotel has five pools, two golf courses, and the Cactus Spa—all attractions for your wedding guests. Other hotel options to consider are Hacienda Encantada (www.haciendaencantada.com) with its backdrop of dramatic cliffs, emerald sea, and golden sand; or an absolutely breathless adults-only wedding at the new Breathless Resort on the Cabo San Lucas Marina. The Hilton Los Cabos Beach & Golf Resort (www.hiltonloscabos.com) can offer a memorable wedding and an unforgettable honeymoon all in one. For a South Beach-style wedding, check out the Skypool Terrace at the Tesoro (www.tesororesorts.com) in downtown Cabo San Lucas. The JW Marriott Beach Resort & Spa (www.marriott.com/loscabos) has several flexible indoor-outdoor options to make all your wedding dreams come true in paradise that would include such luxuries as hair and make up for the big day, manicure and pedicure for the bride and manicure for the groom, chocolate covered strawberries and petit fours romantic turndown on wedding night, bubble bath with rose petals, breakfast in bed the morning after, and the list goes on.
Los Cabos boasts outstanding restaurants, many that specialize in destination weddings. One is Sunset Mona Lisa (www.sunsetmonalisa.com), which claims one proposal per night and a hundred wedding ceremonies per year due to the most dramatic view of the iconic arch at Land’s End. Many are experienced in hosting weddings and excellent choices for receptions, thanks to experienced chefs and waitstaff.

There are also villas that can be rented and beaches galore, but there might also be restrictions for late partying. Best to have someone in the know to check.

 

Wedding planners agree the perfect wedding is dependent on the couple knowing what it wants as far in advance as possible and being flexible. The more carte blanche given to the planners and vendors, the less stress on the family. “Creating an itinerary for your guests is a great way to ensure that everyone knows what is going on during your wedding week,” says Abbott, “so that they know where they need to be, when they need to be there and if transportation will be provided.”

Gone are the days of strict rules of wedding protocol. Today, it’s the bride’s special day and she can make her own selections, within budget, of course. Fading out are folding chairs with white slip covers and sashes. Today’s bride, especially in Los Cabos, can combine lace with rustic wooden tables and still have all the glitter she wants with a beachy wedding in a flowing bridal gown of any color while being barefoot in the sand. Abbott suggests shaking up traditions with a dessert station and a churro cart verses a traditional cake, trading out your formal rehearsal dinner for a beach bonfire with s’more, or a sunset boat cruise. “Embrace the culture of your destination on your wedding day,” she recommends, “with a tequila tasting station or Mexican coffee ritual.”

Anything goes. And getting married in Los Cabos is an extraordinary experience.