As a Weddings by Funjet Concierge, my favorite part of all the tasks involved is being able to be hands-on and see the hard work come to life the week of the wedding. The Come Away With Me Package is designed with brides in mind. It takes wedding planning to the next step and allows for brides to have their wedding concierge in destination to help coordinate and manage of all the behind the scenes details.
Last month, I had the chance to travel to Generations Riviera Maya to assist a couple and make their wedding weekend absolutely perfect. The weekend itinerary was packed full of lovely events that brought the group of more than 100 guests together to celebrate their love for the bride and groom.
We began our weekend with an onsite meeting with the wedding staff at Generations and El Dorado resorts. Altogether, we were coordinating 2 major events with 103 guests spread across three sections of the resort. The hotel’s onsite team did a fantastic job of reviewing the details I had previously put together to bring the bride’s vision to life. Angie was our onsite coordinator and she is outstanding. We not only made a great team, but we had so much fun working side by side.
After we completed the review, it was game time! There are never-ending tasks to be done behind the scenes to ensure all of the pieces fit together perfectly. At the start, my tasks tend to include assembling welcome bags, organizing personal décor, and even welcoming the wedding’s VIP guests upon check in.
The day before the wedding, the real fun began. On this day, I worked to coordinate all of the vendors involved with the ceremony rehearsal and the welcome party. We had the fantastic DeGroot Film Co. with us to capture all of the memorable photography and videography. Prior to the welcome party, we held an intimate ceremony rehearsal at the pier with just immediate family and the bridal party.
Although most guests stayed at the adult sections of the hotel, the wedding events took place at the family-friendly Generations Riviera Maya. The venues at this hotel are lovely, with gorgeous scenery and the ability to accommodate large groups. The décor provided for the welcome party were compliments of the Weddings by Lomas team at Generations and El Dorado.
In addition, the welcome party also had several other vendors that needed coordinating and greeting prior to the start of the event. The Mexican inspired food stations were provided by the Generations culinary department.
We had a fabulous open bar for all of the guests to enjoy. How cool was this display set up?
We also had a surprise visit from Filemon, a donkey bartender! Filemon was the hit of the party and made for an awesome photography spot for many guests. (Don’t worry, when Filemon isn’t at events, he lives a very lavish life being spoiled!). A Mariachi Trio also made an appearance and provided the group with festive entertainment.
The welcome party was a success and a great start to the celebrations. The night ended with DJ Mix providing a dance party poolside at the Generations to get the group ready to hit the dance floor the next night.
The next morning was here before we knew it. The day started with me greeting the Styling Trio artists who came onsite to do the bridal party’s hair and makeup. They were a pleasure to work with and I would highly recommend them to any bride who values high quality and professional services.
While the ladies were getting ready in a special suite in Generations, I was a busy bee! From ordering room service for the girls, to keeping the groomsmen’s beer supply fully stocked and also ensuring that the venue set ups were complete, time went by quickly as it always does on wedding days. (Any vendor will tell you the same!).
Just as the ladies were finishing up their hair and makeup, photography and videography coverage began. Shortly after getting dressed, there was first look arranged for the bride and groom, to be held in the romantic gardens near the ceremony location.
During that time, guests gathered to enjoy pre-ceremony cocktails at the Palapa Ganesha. I made sure to stay in communication with the hotel’s onsite team, all while triple-checking the décor set up, ensuring the ceremony musicians had been ready, and also keeping an eye on the bridal party so we began on time. All vendors involved did their job perfectly, the timing panned out according to plan and the ceremony set up was complete and flawless.
The bride and groom, surrounded by their loved ones, were married by their good friend. There were laughs, there were tears, and there were heartfelt lifelong vows.
During the cocktail hour, the bride, groom, and their bridal party and families took photos. During that time, I worked quickly to do a final walk-through of the reception venue set up. It turned out perfectly. All of the centerpieces had been placed, and every table was beautifully set. The bars were fully stocked and ready to go. DJ Mix had the LED dance floor set and the music playlist in order.
When the bride and groom made their way to the reception area on the Sky Deck, they were amazed. They made it to the reception just prior to the guests’ arrival to take a few minutes to soak in all that had transpired over the last few hours.
The Generations staff worked tirelessly to prepare a picture-perfect meal presentation. Even the desserts were set up in such a fashion that anyone with or without a sweet tooth would drool over them! Trust me, the food was as good as it looks!
Following a series of very thoughtful and moving speeches after dinner, the dance reception began. The party didn’t take long to start and went late into the night.
Seeing everything come together so well brings joy to my heart at the end of a wedding. When you’re in the wedding industry, you work closely with your clients for several months, and sometimes even longer than a year. You learn about their love story, their dreams, and their journey together. You become friends while working together to create something so beautiful in celebration of their big day. While there are always a hundred things that can go wrong, my job is to make sure that each and every thing goes as planned so that their wedding day is as memorable and stress-free as possible. This journey as a traveling concierge was unforgettable and successful. I wish this couple happiness on their new adventure together and am grateful to have been able to help make their wedding everything they hoped for.
Participating Vendors
Wedding Planning and Design | Ashley Grossmann with Weddings by Funjet
Wedding Group Travel Coordination | Megan Glodowski with Weddings by Funjet
Resort | Generations Riviera Maya & El Dorado Royale Resort and Spa
Onsite Wedding Team | Angie with Weddings by Lomas
Photography & Videography | DeGroot Film Company
Hair & Makeup | Styling Trio
Décor & Floral | Weddings by Lomas
DJ | DJ Mix
Entertainment Performances | Provided through Weddings by Lomas
