Allie & Tommy
DESTINATION WEDDING IN MEXICO
When it comes to tying the knot, there's something undeniably magical about saying "I do" in a stunning tropical paradise. For Allie & Tommy , their dream wedding became a breathtaking reality at Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit. Nestled along the pristine shores of Riviera Nayarit, Mexico, this all-inclusive resort offered the perfect backdrop for their once-in-a-lifetime celebration. If you’re considering your own destination wedding, Allie and Tommy’s experience will surely inspire you.
Wedding date: May 2026
Travel advisor: Andrea Norfolk
Destination: Riviera Nayarit
Resort: Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit
How did you meet?
Our story started in high school when we met at homecoming at 15 years old. We ended up dating for a year, but life got busy with school, sports, and jobs, so we went our separate ways. Over the next eight years, we would periodically talk, but it never turned into anything serious, and eventually, we went two and a half years with no communication at all. Then, Tommy called Allie after he had been thinking about her for some time. We ended up talking on the phone for 45 minutes and made plans to catch up when Allie was back in town for the holidays. Seeing each other again changed everything, and we made it official again only a month later.
Why did you choose to have a destination wedding?
When we started planning, we knew we wanted something a bit more intimate than what a typical wedding in our home state would look like. As two people who really value quality time, we fell in love with the idea of a destination wedding because it allowed us to spend days, not just hours, celebrating, relaxing, and hanging out with our guests both leading up to and after the big day. We've been to destination weddings in the past where you travel all that way just for everyone to scatter into their own Airbnbs/hotels, meaning you barely get any extra time with the couple. One of the main reasons we loved the all-inclusive approach was that it kept everyone together at the same venue.
Choosing a destination wedding also completely took the pressure off of the wedding day itself. Instead of rushing around trying to briefly greet and talk to every single person at the reception, we knew we had the whole trip to truly connect with everyone.
Why did you choose to have your wedding at Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit?
We were really open to location at first and explored everywhere from Punta Cana to Cabo, but we ultimately fell in love with the unique mountainous views, incredible sunsets, and swimmable ocean that Riviera Nayarit offered.
We chose Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit because our guests have a wide range of travel experiences and expectations. We didn't want our guests spending thousands of dollars to attend our wedding and walking away unsatisfied with their stay, and everything we read online about the service, attention to detail, and food at Grand Velas was unmatched. After spending a week there, we can confidently say the reviews all held true!
What was your most memorable moment during your ceremony?
For Tommy, the most memorable moment was seeing Allie in her wedding dress for the first time while she walked down the aisle.
For Allie, the most memorable moment was during our traditional ceremony vows. We had already shared our personal vows to each other privately over breakfast that morning (which I cannot recommend enough!). When it came time for the traditional vows during the ceremony, there was a little trip-up with the wording, and the two of us just started giggling about it. That little hiccup completely broke the ice and took away all remaining nerves, allowing me to fully relax and feel at ease for the rest of the evening. Being able to laugh together like that, right in the middle of our ceremony, felt very us.
What was the best part about having a destination wedding?
The best part about a destination wedding is getting to spend so much quality time with your guests. We absolutely loved running into everyone at breakfast, making memories together by the pool, and hanging out late into the evenings. Even though these are our closest friends and family, some of them are people we otherwise would probably never take a vacation with, so getting to share that specific travel experience with them was incredibly special and something we’ll always look back on.
What was your experience using Shoreline Destinations?
I had never used a travel agent before and didn't fully understand what they could offer, but now I truly cannot picture what the planning experience would have looked like without them. We had looked at so many resorts on our own before finding Shoreline, and Grand Velas was never even on our radar. The personal experience that Andrea could speak to and the way she described the resort was exactly the push we needed to choose it. From there, they walked us through the entire contract process and even created a wedding website for us to make everything as seamless as possible.
Brides have so much on their plate when it comes to coordinating their own travel while simultaneously planning a wedding. Being able to rely on Andrea and Sharon to handle all the guest bookings meant I didn't have to manage or mentally carry any of that logistics chaos for our guests. Plus, when an issue came up with the resort just a month before our wedding, Andrea stepped right in and resolved it within the week. I really don't think we would have gotten the same resolution without her close, established relationship with the resort.
WORK WITH SHORELINE DESTINATIONS!
✔ Customized destination wedding proposal
✔ Contract review & room block recommendations
✔ Custom wedding website
✔ Guest reservation management
✔ Discounted resort site visits prior to your wedding
✔ Transportation & excursion recommendations
✔ Access to “The Vault” filled with wedding planning tips
✔On-site representation*
*Based on room block size. Contact us for details.
