Getting Married in Mexico: Haley and Colten’s Playa del Carmen Wedding

Getting married in Mexico? The Playa del Carmen wedding of Haley and Colten will inspire you with love, magic and romance! This incredible couple from Canada tied the knot at Villa la Joya with a small group of loved ones and an intimate wedding full of emotion and beautiful details. Be sure to check out all the photos of this Playa del Carmen wedding, they are simply gorgeous work from Fine Art Photography Studio!

We asked Haley to share her love story with us and tell us about her experience in getting married in Mexico. Here’s what she kindly shared with us:

How We Met: A Love Story with a Delightful Happily Ever After

Haley and Colten met in 2008 at a bar in Edmonton. The two were not introduced by anyone, they actually just locked eyes and walked right up to each other which was unusual for both of them to do. The two only had a brief conversation but both admit feeling an undeniable connection and imprint left on their hearts after that night. Haley vividly remembers saying to her friend “I’m going to marry that guy one day”, not knowing this would be a future reality. It wasn’t good timing for the two to date so neither of them pursued anything, but over the next few years they would lock eyes all over again, walk right up to each other, have a brief conversation, and go their separate ways again, and again. With each run in the two had, those imprints on their hearts would deepen further.

Eventually, in late March of 2012, Colten hinted to Haley that he was single, so Haley responded "well, are you taking me for a drink then?".

So they lined up a date to go for drinks where they had hours of endless conversation and laughs. The two took their relationship slow and really took the time to learn what makes the other person smile, what makes them laugh, and how to best support them when life is less than simple. After 9.5 amazing years of dating, the two have tied the knot!

Why Did You Choose to Get Married in Mexico?

Mexico was actually our first ever trip together and it was the trip that really solidified both of our feelings. We were in love before but that trip completely magnified everything.

We have traveled to Mexico 1-2 times a year ever since and always have a blast together. So it really felt like a no-brainer for us to choose it as our wedding destination and we're so happy we did.

Why Did you Choose a Villa La Joya Playa del Carmen Wedding?

Colten has always wanted a warm destination wedding so we obviously chose Mexico, but I have always wanted a place with beautiful architecture so I didn't really want to get married on the beach. We researched different venues but nothing was really what I was looking for initially. Our wedding planner Monica then told us she knows of a beautiful location that she thought I would love called Villa La Joya. We looked it up and I said yes in a matter of seconds! Monica had never planned a wedding there at the time but was hoping to one day, so we were all so happy she knew about this place!

Favorite moment of your wedding day at Villa la Joya?

Both of us agree that our ceremony was our most favourite (although terrifying) moment of our wedding day. Neither of us like attention so we both had some fears standing up there in front of everyone. But we both agree that the moment the ceremony began, the nerves were replaced with the most intense emotions.

It was the most amazing moment of both of our lives and definitely the highlight. Our vows to each other were also major highlights to each of us.

But once the speeches were done it was right into having fun and celebrating on the dance floor with our family and friends, it was such a fun and memorable night!

Things we would have done differently: Getting married in Mexico tips

We wish we would have had our wedding ceremony 1-2 hours earlier- It was November, so the sun goes down pretty early. We wanted our photos done at 'golden hour' so we opted to have our ceremony start around 4:15 but it didn't actually start until around 4:45 because we were running a bit late.

After our family photos were done, we kind of had to rush the photos of just us two before we lost sunlight. It wasn't a big deal, but if we could go back we would have started our wedding at 2:30-3pm because we didn't get everything we would have liked to have photographed, but we do love what we were able to achieve! The photos are gorgeous!

Any advice for brides getting married in Mexico?

I would have booked hair and makeup earlier so that I had more time to unwind after getting ready prior to the ceremony. I was really rushed and felt a bit frantic so I didn't bother with putting my necklace or veil on lol! I recommend having some time to relax before walking down the aisle. It's better to have too much time than not enough when it comes to your wedding. Aside from those things, we wouldn't have changed anything else! It was such a beautiful day.

Mega huge thanks and muchas gracias to Haley and Colten for inviting us to host your Playa del Carmen wedding at Villa la Joya! It was a great pleasure to meet you both and witness the waves of love that surround you. Getting married in Mexico was obviously the best choice for you and yours and we are so happy to have been a part of your big day.

Playa del Carmen Wedding Vendors:

Big thanks as always to the incredible Playa del Carmen wedding vendors that helped make this a magical day. Remember, there are never any vendor fees at Villa la Joya!

Wedding Planner: Monica - Aisle Plan Your Day

Wedding Coordinator - Paradise Wedding & Events

Photo/video: Fine Art Studio Weddings & Enzo Vera Studio

Florals: Blossom Cancun

Decor: Archive Rentals

Makeup/hair: ST Makeup Artistry

Dress: Martina Liana Bridal

Catering: Gourmet Soberanis

Cake: Lluvia de Azucar

DJ: Plugin Audiovisual

Churro dessert: Los Pockets