Real Destination Wedding: Molly and Collin

Resort: Hyatt Ziva Puerto Vallarta

Wedding Date: February 18, 2022

Photography: Del Mar Photography

Molly and Collin knew right from the start that they wanted a destination wedding. Neither of them wanted a long engagement and it was obvious from our first phone call how excited they were to be marrying each other! They also knew they wanted the entire wedding experience to be easy and stress-free.

Another priority for Molly and Collin was the travel experience for their wedding guests. They wanted affordable flights and accommodations as well as a destination that was easy to get to for everyone.

Throughout our early conversations about potential resorts for their wedding, it became clear that Hyatt Ziva Puerto Vallarta checked all their boxes. Their wedding was exactly what they had been hoping for and then some!

“It wasn’t until we traveled to the wedding that we heard from guests– over and over– how much they truly appreciated working with Kate, up until the last minute with flight changes and more. We felt zero stress from destination wedding coordination because Kate had us and our guests completely covered!!” ~ Collin

Wedding Q & A with Molly and Collin

Why did you choose to have a destination wedding?

We are from different states and knew it would be a destination for 50% of guests either way. We also thought it would be a great time to encourage travel among friends and family after two years of quarantine. Molly also always wanted a destination beach wedding and wanted an experience that was stress-free and could be thoroughly enjoyed.

Why did you choose Kate’s Travel?

It was a family-friend referral and had previously worked with Kate’s Travel as a guest. We did explore other travel agencies and felt Kate was the most reputable and trusted option.

How did you select your wedding resort? What were the deciding factors?

We were between a few resorts in Puerto Vallarta and the Cancun area. Ultimately, the environment, the downtown dynamic of Puerto Vallarta, and price points were our most influential factors. Knowing the majority of guests were attending from Montana and Minnesota, we wanted to find a location that was reasonable to get to (i.e. expense-wise and travel time) and had nice weather. Once we landed on resorts in Puerto Vallarta, we read reviews looking for positive feedback about the wedding experience (host and guest perspective) as well as the quality of food. The Hyatt Ziva Puerto Vallarta stood out to us immediately as it was located just south of downtown (5 min) and touted a completely private beach.

Did you invite guests in a unique way?

We sent Himalayan salt shot glasses and shooters of tequila in a small box with our invitations.

What was it like working with the wedding coordinator at the resort?

Valentina at the Hyatt Ziva PV was phenomenal to work with. They simplified the wedding planning process so that we were able to complete all of the necessary information from home. This gave us more time to focus on the areas that we cared most about (i.e. intention with music, etc.). Once we committed to the resort, we had 3-4 Zoom calls leading up to the trip. Valentina made herself available, in the event that we would want to speak more often about the details. The resort had a hard time anticipating the percentage of guests attending the wedding, resulting in a late change of venue for the reception. Fortunately, they upgraded us to a premium venue and we were more than happy with the final location.

Tell us about your wedding dress. How did you find it? How did you feel wearing your dress?

My wedding dress was super soft and comfortable, and not typical. I went dress shopping at A&Be Bridal in Minneapolis with my mom and sisters. It was the first dress I tried on and everyone gasped when I walked out. It fit me perfectly. I tried on 12 other dresses, all beautiful, but none that were as “me” as this one. It had delicate materials, a fitted bodice with lace underlay, off-the-shoulder sleeves, and a full skirt of the delicate material that caught in the wind on the beach. I felt more like me than ever before when I was wearing it.

Describe the booking process for your guests.

This was something that Kate’s Travel took the lead on completely. Once we delivered invitations, guests began to coordinate their room preferences and travel dates. We had numerous guests who required flexibility and adjustments along the way and Kate’s Travel provided each of them with great customer service. Most times, we had no concept of how often our guests were connecting with Kate’s Travel.

Were your guests wowed by the resort? What was their reaction upon arrival?

The Hyatt Ziva PV was unbelievable from the start. Each member of the staff provided 10/10 service throughout the week. This was apparent from the initial check-in process. Hyatt Ziva welcomed guests with glasses of champagne and cold towels. Friends and family immediately gathered in the resort lobby when we arrived and were raving about the different experiences that they had thus far at the property (i.e. lunch, beach, swim-up pool bar, or simply the views of Banderas Bay from their room).

Tell us about your wedding! What was different about a destination wedding compared to a wedding at home?

Early on, we made it clear to each other that the goal for the wedding was to maximize the time that we could spend together leading up to, during, and after our wedding day. We felt that a destination wedding would cater to this as we could plan the details of our celebration from afar and leave the execution to the Hyatt Ziva PV team. Our celebration included “Welcome Drinks” on the Wednesday evening that we arrived. This was not a private event, rather we took advantage of one of the indoor/outdoor casual restaurants. It worked out great! Thursday evening, we coordinated a walk-through of the ceremony on the beach and had a rehearsal dinner at one of the resort restaurants. We opted to not host a private event for this but found difficulty in holding 20+ seats together at the restaurant. Looking back we would have scheduled a private event knowing the limitations of seating, reservations, and the overall size of our group. Friday brought us our wedding day. Molly took advantage of the hair and make-up services as part of the package and they turned out great. The ceremony was in the later afternoon on the beach. Cocktail hour followed for guests on the pool terrace with the reception taking place in the private penthouse. We booked the reception for 3 hours – which ultimately came up quickly. Rather than extending the reception, we departed the penthouse and took advantage of one of the restaurant bars. The “unofficial” reception continued for hours!

What was the best part of having a destination wedding?

Getting to take a vacation in an amazing environment in the middle of winter with all of our friends and family. It was completely stress-free for us and felt like we had the ability to be as involved as we wanted. We truly felt that we were celebrating each other and it wasn’t lost in the details of planning a wedding.

What is your favorite memory of your wedding?

Collin: Seeing Molly for the first time walking down the aisle.

Molly: Reading vows by the ocean and hearing Collin’s vows to me.

How did Kate’s Travel make the planning less stressful for you?

Kate managed all of the guest accommodations, transportation, and coordination with the Hyatt Ziva for us entirely. She was the point of contact for ALL travel and lodging questions from guests, including cancellations and adjustments to travel plans. We had no idea how frequently our guests relied on Kate for support until we got to the wedding– we heard over and over how helpful she had been, and she continued to support guests even on their travels home when flight changes occurred. As mentioned, we truly did not see or feel the amount of correspondence that was necessary to ensure all of our 70+ guests had a great travel experience, and we owe that to Kate. This made for an amazing experience for us, and we would recommend Kate to everyone we know. Additionally, Kate’s support in choosing the venue and designing the wedding website was incredibly helpful – she offered us amazing options within the constraints of our requests, and as soon as we landed on the right one she designed the wedding website and process for booking right away. This allowed us to give our guests nearly a year’s notice to plan their trip. Finally, Kate offered great advice as little questions popped up– important details to include on our invitations, how other weddings have operated, etc. Her support was truly invaluable and delivered on our number one goal for hosting this wedding– to have a stress-free, memorable experience together and with our favorite people.

What advice would you give to couples just starting the planning process?

Give plenty of ample notice to guests for booking and don’t sweat the small stuff– focus on WHY you are getting married first and foremost, and let that ground you when surprises or tough decision-making arises.

What surprised you the most about having a destination wedding?

The number of guests that attended! We anticipated 40-50% would join, we had 80+% show up. People were ready for a vacation! And trusted our planning– this credibility is largely in part to having Kate help us prepare in the best ways possible and her responsiveness to guests.