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Gabrielle and Joe at Finest Playa Mujeres in Cancun, Mexico

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Gabrielle and Joe at Finest Playa Mujeres in Cancun, Mexico

How did you meet?
Joe and I actually went to high school together but graduated with about 1,000 people in our class and didn’t know each other (there are a few photos from prom where we both made it into the same picture though). We met when he came to visit my college town with a friend right after I graduated. Once I was officially home after the summer, we reconnected again!

How did you get engaged?
Joe proposed in Jersey City, where we were living at the time! My two best friends and I had a day planned and started with brunch. After we finished eating, they asked if we can walk down the pier to take pictures with the view and before I can even think, Joe was there with my puppy by his side and on one knee. It was so special and he hired a photographer to capture the moment. After we finished taking photos, we went back to our apartment and I was surprised by 30 of our closest friends and family!

Details of the day!
We decided to have a destination wedding because of our love for travel and the beach. We ended up having 80 people fly into Mexico for our wedding and it was great! It also helped that we got to spend 3 full days with our guests instead of the usual 5 or 6 hours. Because the blue color of the ocean was vibrant enough, we went with more neutral pinks, whites, and sage. I asked for roses and flat eucalyptus and they definitely delivered. For entertainment, we had a band and a DJ which was great because it satisfied everyone’s tastes. This was all one vendor which kept costs fairly low and I would definitely recommend this if you’re between two. Instead of typical favors, we invited all of our guests to join us on a sunset catamaran to Isla Mujeres the next day!

Why did you choose your venue?
The resort itself was so modern and simple. As much as I love being immersed in other cultures, I wanted a venue that would look similar to something I’d book if we got married at home and I think that’s exactly what we got!

All about your gown!
I am SO indecisive and looked far and wide for my gown! I went to over 9 appointments, always bringing along a crew, and just had so much trouble finding the “one”. I did end up buying a gown one of those visits but as soon as we walked out, I knew I made the wrong decision. On a random day in December, while I was at work, I decided to go to Kleinfeld’s on my own and that’s where I found my dress! I knew I wanted a mermaid style with lots of detailing and this gown had it all. We did end up adding some straps so I can dance comfortably all night.

What was your favorite moment?
One of my favorite moments was our first dance. We would practice it at home and I remember thinking “I can’t wait until it’s real.” It felt so intimate like no one else was in the room but you can still feel so much energy and love!

One detail you couldn’t live without?
Chargers. I can almost promise you that not a single guest would have noticed if I had chargers or not but to me, they were a must!

Did anything go wrong?
It was veeeeeery windy, so my hair did not stay, despite the amount of hairspray and my extensions. I definitely notice it in a lot of photos but at the end of the day, I had to expect that from getting married on a beach.

First dance song?
Here Tonight (acoustic) by Brett Young ft. Charles Kelly

Honeymoon Location
We stayed in Mexico for an additional few days as a mini-moon after all of our guests left and will hopefully be going to Maldives and Thailand as an official honeymoon in January.