Lorraine and Matthew's stunning wedding at Grand Palladium Vallarta

On January 23, 2023, Lorraine and Matt gathered 50 of their closest friends and family to help them celebrate their special day at Grand Palladium Vallarta Resort & Spa in stunning Riviera Nayarit, Mexico. The happy couple’s long-awaited nuptials were graced with perfect weather while they looked out on the picturesque turquoise waters from their marital stage at Bougainvillea Terrace – who could ask for more! Read on for more of Lorraine and Matt’s unforgettable day and the festivities that just kept going on the luxurious Sunset Sky Terrace.

About the Couple

Bride: Lorraine

Groom: Matt

Occupations: Lorraine is a Nutrition Manager and Matt is a Retail Store Manager for Loblaws.

How you met: More than six years ago, Matt and I used to work down the street from one another. He asked me out on a date but I had to cancel unexpectedly. I ended up losing contact with Matt after that but in March 2019, our paths crossed again. We rekindled our friendship, finally went on our first date, and the rest is history!

What attracted him to her: Her beautiful smile and her personality.

What attracted her to him: His sense of humour and his eyes.

Engagement story: In March 2020, Matt had planned for us to go on a two-hour hike with our dog Parsnip, adventuring the trails. We took a much-needed water break and look at the scenery, and as I had my phone propped up on a ledge to take a video of us with Parsnip, Matt took my hand, got down on one knee, and proposed.

The Wedding Day

Wedding date: January 23, 2023

Number of guests: 50

Her most memorable moment: Instead of writing letters and exchanging gifts with one another, Matt and I wrote and exchanged our own handwritten vows in private. It was such an intimate moment that we could share just the two of us.

His most memorable moment: The same as Lorraine’s, and walking down the aisle with our daughter, Wrenley.

Advice to couples: The day goes by so quickly, so soak in every moment together. Take the time at your reception to walk around with your spouse and admire all the handiwork the wedding planner put into making your dream wedding. The little details are the ones worth remembering.

Wedding song: My Person by Spencer Crandall.

Honeymoon destination: Still figuring that out!

The day in three words: Memorable, seamless, perfect!

Wedding Info

Ceremony location: Bougainvillea Terrace at Grand Palladium Vallarta Resort & Spa.

Reception location: Sunset Sky Terrace at Grand Palladium Vallarta Resort & Spa.

Bridal gown: From DB Studio. It was a beaded, sheath, V-neck gown with godets.

Bridal party attire: Infinity dresses in olive green.

Groom’s outfit: RW & Co.

Music: DJ and Spotify.

Flowers: White and pale pink roses with eucalyptus.

Fun Stuff

Astrological signs: Lorraine’s a Scorpio, on the cusp of a Sagittarius, and Matt’s an Aries.

Type of rings: Lorraine wore a 24K white-gold ring, whereas Matt wore tungsten in black.

Wedding colors: Neutral earth tones with green accents.

Bride’s shoes: Steve Madden.

What was borrowed? A white bridal robe. The tradition started with Lorraine’s oldest cousin who was gifted a white robe for her wedding day. She then had her wedding date embroidered on the robe in her wedding colors to commemorate the special day. When Lorraine’s second oldest cousin got married, the bridal robe was passed down again to her as her “something borrowed” and you guessed it, her wedding date was embroidered on the robe, as well. Lorraine’s sister got married next and now Lorraine, and the tradition continued.

What was new? Lorraine’s white beaded clutch

What was blue? Monogrammed pajama set.

Most romantic moment: Their first look.

Is there anything else that helps tell the story of the day?

It was a beautiful day – perfect weather, not too hot, and not too windy. The day was overcast and it actually made the photos look beautiful. The photographer had us and our wedding party climb on top of large rocks that sat along the beach, and we’d be lying if we said we weren’t a bit nervous about falling in the water, but the photos made it all worth it!

If you could give a couple tips to newly engaged couples about planning a destination wedding or advice for the wedding day what would you say?

To whoever is considering a destination wedding, we would definitely recommend it! We had a great experience with LUXE, and Tiffany made everything so much easier! We had been planning this wedding since 2021, then found out we were going to have a baby in May 2022. That didn’t stop us, though! Tiffany made each step so easy for us — she was so responsive to all of our emails and inquiries – and we don’t know how we would have done it without her! She took all the stress out of wedding planning. Lizzie was amazing, too! She probably sent us over 15 resorts to choose from before we decided on Grand Palladium Vallarta Resort & Spa. It’s a bit daunting because you don’t know how everything will turn out until you get to the destination, but Tiffany assured us that the resort’s coordinator would execute our wedding plans, and it really was perfect! Thank you to the LUXE team for making our day one we will never forget!

Can you please tell us a bit about your experience (prior to departure) working with your LUXE wedding planner and travel manager?

Tiffany was amazing to work with! She sent out emails to everyone and introduced us to the photographer and the resort’s coordinator prior to departure. She even scheduled a meeting with Cinthia at the resort to go over our finalized wedding plans. It made us feel so much more at ease and confident that our plans (and our vision) would be carried out effortlessly. Paul was our travel manager and was prompt with his responses prior to departure, sending us all the necessary information for our guests in a timely manner.