Congratuations Karen and Kurt! Now that you’re married, here’s a little look back on this gorgeous day photographed by Elizabeth Medina, one of our favourite Riviera Maya region photographers.

About Karen & Kurt
Occupations: Karen- medical student, Kurt- Assistant Athletic Director
How they met:  In high school at a volley ball game
What attracted Kurt to Karen: Her personality. Karen is the most amazing person.
What attracted Karen to Kurt: he had the most beautiful green eyes and perfect smile!
What was the best advice you received as a bride/groom? To take in each moment and try to make a mental memory of the planning process because the time really does go by quickly
Engagement story: Kurt asked Karen to pick him up at his house before they would be eating dinner. Karen didn’t think this was strange because Kurt had been working all day and was running a little late, so her picking him up would save him some time. She arrived at his house and he was nowhere to be found. She found a bouquet of roses on the door step with a card with her name on it; inside it read “Meet Me at the Wildey Theatre.” This is an old restored theatre not too far from Kurt’s house. She drove there and found the theatre was all lit up! She was led inside by an usher to the main part of the theatre, and there was Kurt on the stage with champagne and music playing! He took Karen’s hands, got down on one knee and asked her to marry him. After she said yes, the lights to the top balcony switched on where Kurt and Karen’s parents had been watching.

The Wedding Day
Wedding date: July 1, 2013
Number of guests: 81
Wedding colours: Ivory, blush, peach, blue-gray
Karen’s most memorable moment: The kiss at the end of the ceremony!
Kurt’s most memorable moment: Seeing my wife for the first time in her wedding dress
Advice to others: Stay in touch with your guests in ways other than email to make sure that everything is clear before you head to the destination wedding! We found that making phone calls (instead of emails) actually worked better to communicate with our guests through the wedding planning process. Although it was a bit more time consuming!
Favourite wedding detail: The way all of the bridesmaids dresses looked together (all the girls were able to choose their own with the guidance of the wedding color palette)
Most unexpected moment: The booklets that our mom’s made chronicling our relationship with pictures of us as kids and then in high school, college, to now which were put in all of our guest bags! We had no idea they did that until we saw one!
Most romantic moment: Kurt tearing up throughout the ceremony
Did you include any traditions in your wedding? Yes; in Judaism there are 7 blessings which can be read in Hebrew. We asked 7 guests to give us their own blessing (pieces of advice, funny stories, a favorite memory). Each guest wrote it or spoke from the heart, and it was a very meaningful part of the ceremony. A Bible that is over a hundred years old that has been used in every member of Karen’s family was used during the ceremony.
Honeymoon: Staying at the hotel four extra days after the wedding!
The day in three words: Beautiful, relaxing, dance party! (at the reception!)

Wedding Details
Ceremony location: The beach at Azul Beach Hotel
Reception location: The ballroom
Why did you choose this location for your wedding? It was suggested by the Luxe team because it fit our wish list while also being able to customize a wedding; we wanted a smaller hotel, which was family friendly and catered to children, that would allow our guests to stay at a reasonable budget for a 4 day trip. Azul Beach is a truly amazing hotel, everybody loved it!
Bride’s gown: Alvina Valenta
Bride’s shoes: Dana Davis (reception), Mystique sandals (ceremony)
Groom’s outfit: Brooks Brothers Fitzgerald suit (stone)
Type of rings: Gold bands
Jewellery: Diamond earring studs
Bridesmaids dresses: They chose their own
Groomsmen attire: Brooks Brother’s navy chinos, white button up shirts, ties
Wedding song: John Legend Stay with You
Signature drink: Tequila! haha
Favours: Bissinger Chocolates Duos with espresso truffle and salted caramel
Music: DJ from the hotel (who was phenomenal!)
Flowers: Lomas
Photographer: Elizabeth Medina Photography
Hair: Azul Beach
Makeup: Bride did her own make up
Stationery/Invitations: Friend of the bride

Fun Stuff
Astrological signs: Kurt’s: Gemini / Karen’s: Sagittarius
What was old? The family Bible used during the ceremony
What was new? Earrings
What was borrowed? A handkerchief from Kurt’s grandmother
What was blue? A monogrammed dress patch with Karen’s initials sewn into her dress
What did you put in gift bags? Chapstick, a deck of playing cards, sunscreen, Famous Amos cookies, Pretzels, trail mix, cheese and peanut butter crackers, MnMs, bug repellent, Dramamine, Advil, Shout wipes, booklets with photographs of the couple
Is there anything else that helps tell the story of the day? The best part about a destination wedding when compared to other weddings is being able to relax the morning of your wedding! We spent the morning hanging out at the pool, soaking up the sun, and visiting with everyone. We ended up getting dressed and ready around 2 and just really got to enjoy the day!
Tell us about your experience working with LUXE Destination Weddings: Working with Laura planning the wedding was a breeze! We were able to do it all over email which was very convenient!