With a little slice of Mexico, a big dose of this couple’s personal style and a gorgeous fireworks display at the end of the night, this wedding has magic (and fiesta!) written all over it. This crew knows how to have fun, and it’s impossible not to be moved by the love and emotion in the air. Casa Garza Blanca is a stunning venue, and when it’s lit up with lights at night, WOAH. Everything comes to life! Bundles of thanks to the amazingly talented Socorro Sandoval and Eric James Photography for the full gallery of images that you’ll find here.
See the FULL gallery right here!
From the Bride… Donovan and I spent a week in Mismaloya in May of 2011. We are both lovers of Mexico and have both vacationed there a few times a year even prior to meeting one another. I was thrilled to see a part of Mexico that I had no idea existed. It was lush, green, tropical and had so much cultural history. It could be as rural or as luxurious as you wanted — truly a gem for two people who lead busy lives and appreciate the simple moments. Mother Nature has gone above and beyond in the Bay of Banderas! The day after we returned from our trip and were unpacking the new home that we had purchased and left in disarray for a little rest and relaxation, Donovan proposed! Immediately, we both knew exactly where we were getting married, and the planning began. There was never hesitation to have a destination wedding because we wanted to share this place with the friends and family that bring laughter, joy, compassion, support and love to our lives. Our intent was to make this not only a wedding for us, but also a vacation for everyone! We invited 72 people and to our surprise, 58 of them immediately replied YES.
Finding a planner was the next step, and I stumbled upon The Dazzling Details on a website that I was getting daily emails from. Instantly I knew that they were the company that we had to hire! Although we wanted our wedding to be in a location outside of the US, we also knew that the vision we had was very American. Immediately Kristin and Michelle worked with us by agreeing to make a special exception and plan two weddings in one weekend — had we known how elaborate our wedding would be, we would never have asked this of them! We were beyond impressed at their ability to capture “us” on our special day.
On the wedding day, I walked into Casa Garza Blanca and was stopped speechless in my tracks. I had never seen the venue in person, and as if that was not enough to take in, I found myself holding back tears as I looked around at what The Dazzling Details team had created. The word that I often use to describe it is “magical.” I literally was without words and had to catch my breath. I felt as if I was the luckiest bride in the most beautiful place in the world at that moment. There was not a detail left undone. I was not a “simple” bride but a “more is more” bride. The Dazzling Details went out of their way to give me every option from the ceremony furniture, BIG flowers, bling, classic romance, candles, fireworks, two cakes, plenty of yummy goodies, a cigar roller, fire dancers and a late night taco cart. The staff was amazing to our guests, and the dance floor was never empty! Our planners were” invisible” throughout the wedding day, making themselves inconspicuous while overseeing every detail and ensuring that everything went off without a hitch. There is not a detail that Donovan and I would change, and we are thankful everyday for the wedding of our dreams!
From The Dazzling Details… Suzi and Donovan first contacted us in October after having visited Puerto Vallarta, their original venue and wedding team. They had determined that their already-in-place-wedding-plans for late February simply didn’t fit with what they envisioned! We happily hopped on board and went into high-gear planning to pull together an amazing celebration in just a few months! We found them a new venue, booked a new team of vendors and worked intensely with them to have a clear understanding of the ambiance they wanted to create for their wedding day, and the end result was fantastic!
Wedding Photography: Socorro Sandoval + Eric James Photography / Wedding Venue: Casa Garza Blanca in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico / Wedding Coordination, Floral + Event Design: The Dazzling Details / Officiant: Tamara Bradley of Puerto Vallarta Wedding Officiants / Wedding Cinematography: Ray Dion of Promovision PV / Catering: B&B Banquetes / Wedding Cake, Groom’s Cake, Groom’s Cookies + Fruit Tarts: Charme Reposteria / Taco al Pastor Cart: Don Juan / Sweets Buffet: Naef Catering / Wedding Invitations: Photo Card Chef / DJ: Sonido Extassis / Fireworks: Victor Zagal / Fire Dancers: Biosfera / Cigar Rolling: Leopoldo Ponce / Accommodations: Barcelo Resort & Spa / Wedding Dress: Amy Kuschel / Bride’s Reception Dress: Betsy & Adam via Nordstrom / Bride’s Shoes: Badgley Mischka / Bride’s Flip Flops: Tommy Bahama / Hair + Makeup: Sebastian Salon / Bridesmaid’s Dress: Cache / Bridesmaid’s Reception Dress: Priscilla of Boston (Now Closed) / Groom’s Attire: Jos. A. Bank / Groom’s Shoes: To Boot via Nordstrom
