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Zayla and Joel Get Married in Mexico: Villa la Joya Riviera Maya Real Wedding Inspiration

Zayla and Joel Get Married in Mexico: Villa la Joya Riviera Maya Real Wedding Inspiration

A “pretty in pastel pink” family wedding at Villa la Joya Playa del Carmen. Zayla and Joel brought their nearest and dearest to celebrate their love with a fun and fabulous destination wedding in Mexico. Moving, meaningful and oh so magical, get ready for some real wedding inspiration in Riviera Maya with this lovely newlywed couple from Canada.

Elegant wedding ceremony at Villa la Joya: Zayla and Joel say “I do”

Bride Zayla wore an elegant strapless bridal gown with a glorious long veil cascading from her class bridal updo, absolutely beautiful. Groom Joel looked sharp by her side in his formal tuxedo with a white dinner jacket. Family and friends were invited to dress in "Formal and Festive" attire, resulting in a fun, vibrant, and fresh color palette.

The couple were showered with the love of family and friends as they exchanged vows on the steps of Villa la Joya. We loved the ceremony set-up with glorious pink and pastel florals on pillars of white by Pri Ola!

Why choose Mexico for your destination wedding?

Hearing from “real brides” who have chosen Mexico for their destination wedding is one of the best ways for you to decide if it is the choice for you and your loved ones. Getting away from the cold is always a top answer for our Canadian friends from up north. 

We chose Mexico to escape the cold winters of Canada and to share several special days with our loved ones, rather than just one. Choosing Mexico allowed us to spend a week with friends and family at a resort, while also hosting our dream wedding off the resort for a day. It was the best decision we could have made!

What made you decide on a Villa La Joya Riviera Maya wedding?

Zayla & Joel found our Riviera Maya wedding venue at Villa la Joya on wedinspire.com and we are so happy they did! It was a real pleasure to meet this charming couple and host their warm and welcoming wedding in Mexico. 

Villa La Joya is a picturesque venue for a wedding. Additionally, it allowed us to offer our guests an experience outside of the typical all-inclusive resort setting. While resort weddings are fantastic, we wanted to break away from the routine and take our guests somewhere memorable. Choosing Villa La Joya allowed us to express our appreciation to our loved ones and experience our wedding in a truly special and meaningful way. 

What was your favorite moment of your Villa la Joya Riviera Maya wedding day?

For the Bride:

Starting the day at the Villa La Joya condo was pure bliss – the calm before the beautiful storm! But nothing could top the emotions when saw Joel at the altar, exchanging our vows, laughing, and crying. That, and dancing the night away with our favorite people!

For the Groom:

Deciding to forego a first look and see each other for the first time down the aisle added to the magic of our wedding. Enjoying incredible food and later dancing in the open air with our loved ones was the pinnacle of the day!

Celebration time! Riviera Maya wedding reception at Villa la Joya

After the elegant and moving ceremony, Zayla and Joel brought their guests to the seaside gardens of Villa la Joya for a wedding reception full of laughter and smiles. Great food from Gourmet Soberanis, a mariachi serenade, and a light-up dance floor that glowed as everyone danced the night away and toasted the newlyweds. 

Advice for brides planning a destination wedding in the Riviera Maya?

Bride Zayla is now “Newlywed Zayla” and she was kind enough to share her best advice to future destination wedding brides and grooms. These are priceless recommendations from someone who has lived the experience!

A few things:

1. Hire a wonderful planner. Working with Mango Weddings was the best decision we made. They were professional, understood our vision, and handled every detail flawlessly.

2. Spend the morning with your closest people. It's an intimate time, so give yourself plenty of time to savor the moment, enjoy mimosas, and allow ample time for hair and makeup.

3. Stay true to yourselves. As a couple, many people will offer their opinions. Remember, it's your day to celebrate with the people you love, so do it in a way that feels authentic to you as a couple!

Gratitude and love to Zayla and Joel from all of us at Villa la Joya Riviera Maya

We had such a wonderful time hosting the destination wedding of Zayla and Joel, we send you both much love and gratitude from all of us at Villa la Joya Riviera Maya. We are grateful to have been invited to share in your family wedding celebration and we wish you all the best for a long and happy lifetime of love together! 

Riviera Maya wedding vendor love: We couldn’t do it without you!

We are so fortunate to work with the best wedding vendors in the Riviera Maya. Every wedding at Villa la Joya Riviera Maya is unique and these vendors are creative professionals who always exceed the expectations of our brides and grooms. We thank you and we adore you and we are so grateful for all your dedication to romance! 

And hey, remember lovebirds, there are NEVER any vendor fees at your Riviera Maya wedding at Villa la Joya! Contact us today at Villa la Joya Playa del Carmen and let’s start making your destination wedding dreams come true. 

Planning. Mango Weddings | Photo. Gerardo Rodriguez Photography | Video. Arnol Guillen Films | Glam. Gamaliel Alvarez & Alellamas Makeup | Florals. Pri Ola | Rentals. Velvet Events Design | Catering. Gourmet Soberanis & Tablas y Vino La Española | Cake. Lali Pasteles | DJ. Sonner MX

Real Destination Wedding in Playa del Carmen: Gillian and Alystair

Real Destination Wedding in Playa del Carmen: Gillian and Alystair

We have a delicious, luscious, divine real destination wedding for you today! Gillian and Alystair joined together in marriage in the gardens of Villa la Joya in a fantastic celebration of amor. They brought their loved ones together for the first time for a Texas/England gathering of friends and family to toast the newlyweds on this exciting new chapter of their lives. 

Love knows no borders: This romantic story needs a map and we are living for it

Ali and I met while we were both working in the British Virgin Islands- we met at a Day of the Dead themed Halloween party where he was dressed like Harry Potter… a few months after dating we moved to England together, then to the United States where we had our *first wedding* in Puerto Rico.

With an introduction like this, we were eager to get to know Gillian and Alystair and welcome their adventurous energy to Villa la Joya Playa del Carmen for a fabulous seaside wedding.

Why choose Mexico for your destination wedding?

Why is Mexico the best place for a destination wedding? A million reasons of course, the frequent flights from around the world to the Cancun International Airport, the spectacular views of the Mexican Caribbean, the tropical weather, the warm and welcoming Mexican hospitality, the world-class wedding venues and vendors, oh my! We asked Gillian why they chose a wedding in Playa del Carmen, Mexico:

Our families had never met and with all of Ali’s family being in England, and mine in Texas, we wanted to figure out a place where everyone could get to easily and enjoy their times on their own vacation, Cancun was an easy choice!

What made you decide on a wedding at Villa La Joya Playa del Carmen?

Being very event oriented I knew I wanted a blank canvas for our wedding and you just can’t get that at most resorts in the area. I looked at several venues towards Tulum, but ultimately decided that it would be too far for guests. In addition, I also fell in love with the Team that ran Villa La Joya. Enrique is an amazing person and will always be someone I stay in communication with for years to come. 

A special shout out to Enrique from bride Gillian, we are so grateful to have such an amazing team at Villa la Joya Playa del Carmen! Communication with our brides and grooms is absolutely essential to the wedding planning process and we are really blessed to make new friends along the way.

What was your destination wedding theme or inspiration?

When we decided to have a second wedding so our families could meet we wanted to pick a date very close to the original wedding date and March 17th, St. Patricks Day was available at Villa La Joya. My father had passed the December before and his absolute favorite color on my sister and I was green. So it just felt right to have a green-centric wedding in the sense of floral and decor. 

The wedding ceremony on the steps of Villa la Joya was such a gorgeous blend of formal elegance and lush jungle greens. Bride Gillian wore a stunning bridal gown, lace veil, and full train and her bridal bouquet of white florals and green grasses was just wow! New husband Ali was dashingly handsome in his traditional, formal black tuxedo. The smiles on the newlyweds' faces as they came down the aisle, were totally priceless.

Destination wedding reception dreams come true

My florist, Luis Sales, took my vision of wild, overgrown moss like arrangements and made it all come together. The moss lamps are my favorite thing ever. He had sent me a photo of some arrangements the night before and it's what made me go to sleep feeling SO excited for our wedding day. 

The florals for this Villa la Joya wedding reception were truly outstanding and totally unique! The vision of the bride was brought to life by the creative genius of Luis Sales, just look at these moss lamps and centerpieces! 

The wedding cake was another unique creation, a white sheet with oodles and oodles and oodles of strawberries. Berry delicious and eye-catching! With funny and moving toasts, a fabulous dinner, and a whole lot of action on the dance floor, newlyweds Gillian and Ali shared their wedding reception with the people they love in an unforgettable evening.

What was your favorite moment of your Villa la Joya Playa del Carmen wedding day?

My absolute favorite, and Ali’s I believe, was when his best friends were able to take over our DJ’s setup. They’d been asking for months and I thought no way our DJ would allow it, and he did! Our friend Caleb is a very talented DJ and always plays every party so having that was a lil slice of home for my husband.

Anything you would have done differently in planning your destination wedding? Advice for future couples?

I would have started our wedding earlier! The time flew by so quickly from 6 to 11. My initial worry was guests being too hot, and they might have been if we started earlier, but I would have liked one more hour!

Soak it all in and let go that day! Some logistical advice- think about your makeup, Mexico is very humid. So much so that my makeup was gone 15 min into photos and I barely wore any for the actual wedding.

Big thanks and all of our best wishes to Gillian and Ali

We are delighted to have met you both and to have hosted the marvelous union of your international families at your destination wedding in Mexico. Enrique sends his “holas” and all of us at Villa la Joya wish you both a lifetime of joy and happiness together. 

As always, we extend our gratitude to the world-class wedding vendors in Playa del Carmen who make all our Villa la Joya weddings so very unique and special. We couldn't do it without you! And did you know? There are never any outside vendor fees at Villa la Joya Playa del Carmen! Save your pesos for the fun stuff. Contact us today to start planning your own destination wedding in Mexico! 

Design: Kathie Kessler | Photo & Video: Pink Balance Weddings | Hair + Make Up: I Do Forever | Florist: Luis Salas Floral Experience | Rentals: Archive Rentals | Catering: YD Events by Yazmin Del La Mora | DJ: UNO Audiovisual 

Joanna and Rafa’s Inspiring Love Story and Destination Wedding in Mexico

Joanna and Rafa’s Inspiring Love Story and Destination Wedding in Mexico

The team at Villa la Joya Playa del Carmen is grateful to spend our days immersed in love stories and making wedding dreams come true. We are excited to share these stories with you and while I always enjoy writing these tales, sometimes the bride’s words are just so moving that I don’t need to write a thing or change a word. 

Bride Joanna shares with us the love story of how she met husband Rafa:

Their love story began with a chance encounter in high school. Joanna and Rafael’s paths converged, sparking a connection that would change their lives forever. After that fateful meeting, Joanna extended a heartfelt invitation to Rafael, inviting him to be a part of her quinceañera celebration. Little did they know that this simple gesture would set the stage for an enduring love story.

As they navigated the trials and tribulations of adolescence, fate threw them a curveball when Joanna received a life-altering diagnosis of ovarian cancer. Facing this daunting challenge at such a tender age, they were forced to make a profound decision about starting a family earlier than planned. With unwavering devotion to each other, Joanna and Rafael chose to embrace the moment, and together, they welcomed a beautiful daughter into the world. This unexpected twist in their journey would lead them down a path of maturity and responsibility they never could have anticipated.

Now, 15 years after that serendipitous encounter, Joanna and Rafael are on the verge of a heartwarming union, sealing their love in matrimony. Their remarkable journey serves as a testament to the power of love, resilience, and the extraordinary bond that can be forged between two souls. Their impending wedding is a culmination of their enduring love story, a celebration of their unwavering commitment, and a reminder that love can conquer any challenge life throws their way.

Pass the tissues please, yes, we are crying already and we haven’t even gotten to the ceremony. 

Why choose Mexico for your destination wedding ceremony?

We picked Mexico as our destination since it served as a midpoint for both families, as some relatives couldn’t join us in the United States. Additionally, Mexico’s beauty, culture, and all its offerings were appealing factors for our decision.

Joanna and Rafa said “We do” in the gardens of Villa la Joya Playa del Carmen. The set-up was delightfully romantic, the geometric altar aligned with the Mexican Caribbean sea in the background and framing our gorgeous couple perfectly.

Florals by Cherry Blossom brought a luscious touch to the altar, the aisle and of course those amazing bouquets. We adore sweet flower girls and ring bearers coming down a grass aisle lined by flower petals.

What made you decide on a wedding reception at Villa La Joya Playa del Carmen?

Villa la Joya captured our attention with its stunning architecture and the beautiful Playa Paraiso beach. When we visited the location in person, it truly left us speechless and filled us with emotions. We instantly knew that our celebration had to take place at the exquisite Villa la Joya.

We totally loved the set-up starting with Total Tents and their gorgeous translucent tent with flowing waves of fabric. Beautiful table settings and florals, personalized dance floor and the lighting for the reception over the Villa la Joya pool, just perfect. Moving toasts, tequila and a whole lot of dancing, it was a magic night of celebration and a Villa la Joya Playa del Carmen wedding to remember.

Any advice you’d like to share with other brides planning a destination wedding in Mexico?

Savor the Present. It’s easy to get carried away with planning and striving for perfection, but things have a way of falling perfectly into place. A helpful tip, though, would be to avoid bringing your personal phone near water – my phone got wet and stopped working just a day before the wedding, a funny mishap in hindsight!

Gracias Joanna and Rafa: Thanks for your inspirational destination wedding love story!

We thank you both for inviting Villa la Joya Playa del Carmen to be part of the wedding chapter of your love story. From all of us, we send you both wishes for a long, healthy, and happy lifetime together! 

As always, we share our gratitude with the Playa del Carmen wedding vendors who make all our Villa la Joya events so special. Professional, creative, world-class, gracias.

Planner. Mafer, Mi Amorcito Corazon | Photo. Ruben Chan Photography | Glam. Beauty Expert | Flowers. Cherry Blossom | Rentals. Love Memories| Catering. Gourmet Soberanis | Cake. Nube Reposteria | PhotoBooth. Pic Me | Music. Banda Vakeros

Maddy and Joey Get Married in Mexico! A Joyous Wedding Day at Villa la Joya Playa del Carmen

Maddy and Joey Get Married in Mexico! A Joyous Wedding Day at Villa la Joya Playa del Carmen

Villa la Joya Playa del Carmen welcomed lovebirds Maddy and Joey and their nearest and dearest for a bright, bold, and beautiful destination wedding in Mexico. A tropical seaside celebration brought them from across the pond in the UK and we were thrilled to play host to their unforgettable wedding day. 

From the UK to Mexico With Love: Maddy and Joey’s Destination Wedding in Mexico

It started in a squid costume and it was love at first sight! Their Halloween meeting in the Isla of Man turned into a forever and ever love for this fun couple. Maddy and Joey tied the knot in a destination wedding in our gardens at Villa la Joya Playa del Carmen. Loved ones traveled from afar to share their love for Maddy and Joey in a dynamic wedding in tropical Mexican style. 

Why did you choose a destination wedding in Mexico?

We came on holiday to Mexico in 2018 and loved everything from the culture, scenery, food, music and when we got engaged in 2021 and we considered a destination wedding we knew we wanted to embrace all things Mexico and bring our friends and family to celebrate with us! 

What made you decide on Villa La Joya Playa del Carmen and Villa Planners? 

I fell across the page of Villa La Joya when looking at private venues in Mexico. We wanted something personal and unique rather than a hotel 'conveyor belt’ wedding where you have limited choices and privacy. When we saw the pictures on Instagram we knew we had to look more into it! We had an initial call with Nancy and planned a site visit for September 2022. 

Nancy from Villa Planners was amazing right from the start and we knew she would make our dream wedding come to life, and she did! We would not have had the wedding we did without all her support and hard work behind the scenes! All our guests commented on how smooth the day ran and how impressed with the team they were! We would highly recommend Villa Planners to anyone!

Culture, color, and cuisine: A Mexican-themed wedding in Mexico for our amigos from the UK

If your guests are traveling from the UK to Mexico for a wedding, it has got to be unforgettable and unique. A Mexican themed wedding just makes sense and always promises an exciting celebration. At Villa la Joya we adore sharing our home and our love of Mexico with couples and guests from around the world! 

What was your Villa la Joya destination wedding theme or inspiration?

All things Mexican!! Although we are both from the UK, when we decided on our destination wedding we wanted to embrace Mexico! Tropical flowers, Mariachi Band, Churro Cart! We love the culture and it was something very different to what our wedding would have looked like at home and definitely not like any wedding we have been to before!

The tropical flowers by Cherry Blossom were absolutely lush, so much life and color in our gardens. The sound of mariachis filled the air with music and Gourmet Soberanis brought the taste of Mexico to everyone’s lips. Toasts with tequila and champagne, fireworks, and churros from Los Pockets helped fuel the party as everyone danced the night away.

Ask the newlyweds: Reflections on a Mexico destination wedding experience at Villa la Joya Playa del Carmen

We always like to follow up with our newlyweds and share their reflections with future brides and grooms who may be considering planning a destination wedding.  Maddy and Joey were kind enough to pass along their experienced words of wisdom.


What was your favorite moment of your Villa la Joya wedding day? 

For me it was that initial moment of coming around the corner walking down the aisle and taking in all of our vision coming to life, it was incredible! The sea was so blue, sun shining, bright tropical flowers, all our closest friends and family and Joey stood at the end of the aisle! - Maddy

For me, I loved seeing our guests' reaction to the villa as it was a complete surprise! They all thought we were getting married at the hotel, and on the wedding day we took them on buses to our secret location of the Villa! - Joey

Anything you would have done differently in planning your destination wedding?

We thought a lot about this and no there is nothing we would’ve done differently!! It was the most perfect day and everything we envisioned came to life! A day we will treasure forever! 

Any advice you’d like to share with other couples planning a Playa del Carmen wedding?

Shop around- look at a few different options for each type of vendor, more expensive doesn’t necessarily mean better - Nancy was great in helping us weigh up different options for our budget! Also less is more - it’s so easy to keep adding elements to the day, but the Villa is so beautiful by itself that it doesn’t always need all the extras! Our guests were so impressed! 

Nancy from Villa Planners brought together the team of Playa del Carmen vendors who made Maddy and Joey’s wedding day such a smashing success. Each and every vendor brought their creativity and professionalism to Villa la Joya and we are always grateful for their expertise.

Nancy at Villa Planners | Sara Tamargo MUA & Hair | Paradise Photo Studio | Love In Focus Video | Cherry Blossom | EW Cancun | Gourmet Soberanis | Barras Libres Riviera Maya | Lali Pasteles | Los Pockets, Churro Cart | Pyro Caribe | Juliana Casali Live Painting | Legendary DJ

Qué vivan los novios! Massive congrats to Maddy and Joey!

Long live the newlyweds! We send all of our best wishes to Maddy and Joey, may you enjoy a lifetime of abundance and joy together. We are so happy to have met you and we want to say “gracias”, sending a big thank you for choosing to host your wedding at Villa la Joya Playa del Carmen.

UK brides planning a destination wedding in Mexico and feeling inspired? Tell us all about it!

Contact Villa la Joya Playa del Carmen today to start planning your own wedding in Mexico. From the UK, the USA or Timbuktu, tell us your love story wherever you are, we cannot wait to hear it and to welcome you and yours to our private villa in Mexico!

Ali and Rafael’s Fabulous Rainy Day Wedding at Villa la Joya

Ali and Rafael’s Fabulous Rainy Day Wedding at Villa la Joya

Rain on your wedding day? Fantastic fun! Alanis sang about it being ironic, cultures around the world believe it is a blessing and Ali and Rafael danced joyfully in the rain on their wedding day at Villa la Joya, Playa del Carmen. Rainy day weddings prove that the couple can weather the storm together and these sweet newlyweds embraced the downpours of the day with huge smiles and a whole lot of love.

A destination wedding just makes sense: Celebrate love with your most cherished family and friends

Love at first sight and a family celebration, we asked Ali and Rafael to tell us a little about their love story that led to their rainy destination wedding day in Mexico.

Raff and I met on a dating app and from the moment we met in person we just knew. We stayed out on our first date talking in the car until 4 am because neither of us wanted to say goodbye. When Covid hit we were already living together and working full time. As we watched other people’s weddings get canceled or postponed, we decided we didn’t want to put our life on hold to plan a wedding so we decided to have a baby instead.

In May of 2021, we welcomed our sweet daughter Piper Bee Pats. She lights up our world. So when it came time to plan our wedding we wanted to pick a place where we could really just celebrate with our closest family and friends, since we did things a little backwards anyways. A destination wedding made the most sense to us!

Piper Bee Pats was the cutest little flower girl and she was centerstage for the romantic ceremony in the Villa la Joya garden. Ali, Rafael, and Piper joined together in a family wedding full of joy and youthful exuberance. Kids at destination weddings? Absolutely ADORABLE.

Ali’s Wedding Featuring Raff: A sense of humor and style

This was really such a joyous occasion, Ali and Rafael brought their sense of humor and style to each and every detail. We loved the wedding signs, the menus, the black place settings and the stunning wedding florals by EW Cancun. 

I had such a tough time picking my floral and decor but EW was patient and set up a mock table over facetime to help me decide.  I was so nervous about the floral because you just don’t know what you’re going to get until the day of. I had built up the floral so much that when they delivered the bouquets to the bridal suite I had my back to the door getting hair and makeup done, and my mom and sister actually started crying. When they held the bouquet in front of me I too started tearing up, it was so beautiful! 

A wet knot is harder to untie: Blessings of a rainy day destination wedding

Rain on your wedding day is not the end of the world, it is the beginning of a fabulous life together that has been blessed by mother nature. Some believe rain on your wedding day is a sign of cleansing and abundance and fertility and that it strengthens the knot that has just been tied by the couple in love. 

The biggest surprise was the amount of rain that fell from the sky immediately following the ceremony. It delayed a few things like photos and cocktail hour. I couldn’t believe how professional everyone was and how calm they kept me.

The drinks were flowing by BeYou and the photo team were looking for back up plans. The Villa la Joya team were a bunch of professionals keeping the water off the tent and keeping all the patrons happy!  

The rain although unfortunate and stressful was also one of my favorite things about my wedding. Raff and I threw caution to the wind and danced right away in the pouring rain, risking hair and make up we embraced the situation as best as possible.  

My favorite time of the night wasn’t captured by our photo team or videographers but instead by iPhones. After some guests left our closest friends decided to embrace the rain and we all danced the last hour in the rain. Soaking wet and happy we popped bottles of champagne and enjoyed the end of our night.  

I wouldn’t have changed a thing. And I wish we could do it all over again.

Ali and Rafael went with the flow and didn’t let the weather take away from their celebrations. Check out all the amazing wedding photos by LuxArt Weddings and you can see the glow of true love and the sun shining from the newlywed’s eyes in spite of the rain.

Thanks so much to Ali and Rafael for inviting Villa la Joya to be a part of your wonderful rainy wedding day

All of us at Villa la Joya send our gratitude and best wishes to Ali and Rafael. This was an unforgettable rainy wedding day and we know that every raindrop was a blessing upon your family. Sunny days are ahead, and we wish you both (the three of you, hola Piper!) a lifetime of joy and laughter.

Weather challenges for your destination wedding can be stressful but it doesn’t have to be a disaster. Villa la Joya is so grateful to all our staff and the incredible wedding vendors who made this day a success. Calm, cool, and collected, everyone worked together under the Sky Tent as though rain was the plan all along. Big, huge gracias to all the Playa del Carmen wedding vendors, we are grateful for your professionalism, hard work, and creativity.

Our vendors: 

Planners: Pride Maya Weddings | Photographer: Luxart | Videographer: Frame Film | Dress: Flares Bridal | Floral and Decor: EW Cancun | Hair & Makeup: Angye Abarca | Drinks: BeYou | Caterer: Gourmet Soberanis | Churro Cart: Los Pockets | DJ: Uno Audiovisuals 

Ready to book your destination wedding venue in Mexico? Contact us today at Villa la Joya Playa del Carmen and let’s start bringing your wedding dreams to life! We cannot wait to hear your ideas and remember, there are never any vendor fees at Villa la Joya, put those pesos to better use for something pretty! Rainy wedding day or sunshine and blue skies, a Playa del Carmen wedding is always a good idea, it just makes sense.