Nicole and Gabriel said “I do” at Now Jade Riviera Cancun in Puerto Morelos, Mexico. Nicole shared with us the idea behind the big day locale. “My husband’s family has a house in Playa Del Carmen, so we have been going together for the past five and a half years. I fell in love with that part of Mexico the first time I went. It is also where we go engaged in 2010, so we thought it would be special to have a destination wedding and bring our closest friends and family to our favorite place to vacation and relax.”
“Our biggest concern was finding a place that would accommodate everyone and still be affordable. We really wanted to get married in Playa Del Carmen but when Barbara from Destination Weddings picked out several resorts based on what we were looking for we found that Now Jade was our best option. We were very happy with the resort and all our guests loved it as well.”
For the color palette, the couple opted for something bright and cheerful! “We wanted to go with a bright tropical color that would stand out. My favorite color is coral and we thought it would work perfectly.”
“We found a guava color for the bridesmaid dresses that truly flattered everyone.”
“Our first look photo session before the ceremony was one of my favorite moments of the day. I went back and forth of whether I wanted Gabe to see me before the ceremony and I am so glad we did. It is such a beautiful and special moment because you get the time to take it in and say to each other whatever is on your mind in privacy and without any distractions. I would not have changed anything about that moment.”
The ceremony was full of life (and several adorable little kids)!
This little flower girl even matched the maids!
While a very serious ring bearer got down to business.
Back to the beach for more fun photos and to capture memories of some very special mementos!
“My father passed away ten years ago and I wanted to find a special way to honor him and still have a part of him walk me down the aisle. So I found one of my favorite pictures of him and had a locket made that I could tie to my bouquet. I know his spirit was with me that special day.”
At the reception, the couple had “love is” cards displayed for guests to share their thoughts on the subject. Great idea!
Sparklers sent the bride and groom off at the end of the evening!
And after the big day was done, the happy couple headed out to sea for some fun photos waist deep in the water! ”One of our other favorite parts of our wedding week was our trash the dress photo session. It was so much fun and we got some of our favorite pictures out of it.“
Congratulations to the newlyweds!
Destination Wedding Photographer: CMP Studios
Wedding Vendors: Wedding Dress: Wtoo by Watters, Location: Now Jade Riviera Cancun, Location Planning: Destination Weddings
Once the bride and groom got wet, we headed over to the sandbar known as Stingray City and that’s where the real magic began!
The rays are so accustomed to people, you can even give them a little kiss. Though at times they looked like something from another planet, they acted like they were part of this new family. 
Would you dare something this adventourous for your trash the dress session? Just remember, we took every safety precaution! If you give it a shot, be prepared and be safe and always go with the pros.
An enormous thank you to
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When we jetted off to the 
Cristin wore a beautiful dress by 
We had the best time out on the ocean and at the beach for this shoot! Imagine getting away from it all after the wedding and taking some time just for two, yet you’re back by dinner to continue the celebration with friends and family still on island!
You can even get a little cheeky…here Dave and Cristin channeled their inner music video divas as they headed back to the boat by Sea-Doo.
While you’re out for the day, keep in mind you might just find the perfect Christmas or holiday card photo or the ideal thank you photo for the many thanks you’ll be sending to those who traveled near and far to be with you on your big day. If you plan ahead and bring a sign or prop or two, you’ll have that much more to work with when planning out your stationery when you touch down back at home. Just remember to have fun with it, whatever you do!! This is after all, the day after…no pressure, just fun and time together out of the hotel to see what your chosen destination has to offer.
Stay tuned tomorrow for photos of the grand finale – Christin and Dave dive in with the stingrays!
