Reed & Wade’s destination wedding at The Fives Azul in the Riviera Maya is going to be a hard wedding to top. Not only was the food the best I have ever had on a resort, but the people I was surrounded by during those 5 days were so much fun.
This was my first time in Mexico and I was travelling alone. I had never been to a resort on my own before, so it was a tad nerve-wrecking! I’m no expert when it comes to all-inclusives (I usually just follow the person I am with lol), so doing it alone was an interesting adventure.
The Fives Azul blew me away. It was a large resort which almost felt like I was in a small town (it even had a Starbucks!). They had street festivals at night, with taco and churro vendors (literally heaven), amazing drinks, and beautiful pool areas.
The resort is considered a fine dining resort, and oh boy does it live up to its name. The buffets were small (which annoyed me at first), but I then realized I much preferred one of the THIRTEEN fine dining restaurants anyways (no reservation required, and fast service!). I literally had some of the best food I’ve ever eaten.
The only downfall to this resort was the walk to the beach…it was quite far; however, the walk was very enjoyable. You had to walk on a boardwalk through the jungle, where you would often see monkeys swinging from the trees!
Ok…I guess I will talk about the wedding now!
Reed and Wade had a rooftop ceremony overlooking the ocean. (This was supposed to be the location of their reception, but with the chance of rain, Reed and Wade made a quick decision to use plan B—which was just as beautiful!). The ceremony was officiated by one of their close friends, which made it even more special.
The modern look of the rooms made the getting ready photos look sleek and beautiful. I find sometimes Caribbean rooms can be very colourful and make images look too busy.
When it was time for Reed and Wade to have their bride and groom photos taken, we wandered around the resort: we stopped in the tequila bar, swung on the hammocks, and enjoyed the beautiful weather.
Their reception was filled with amazing speeches, lots of tequila, and so much dancing that I was sore the next day lol.
I was very impressed with the wedding department at The Fives Azul—everything was punctual and they were great at communicating. The wedding food was incredible (no surprises there!), and the DJ’s and bartenders made for a super fun evening! I also want to applaud the makeup artists who worked on the ladies…their makeup was stunning!
Overall, my first time in Mexico was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had. The wedding group I was with made it feel like I was there with my own friends. I was expecting to spend much of my time alone reading books…but I was with the group the entire time. This is one of the reasons I love destination weddings—not only do I get to spend so much time with my couple, but I get to know their wedding party on a personal level! This makes the wedding day much more enjoyable because I am friends with them by the time the wedding comes.
Thank you to Reed & Wade for trusting me to capture your wedding—I am forever grateful.
– Christina Stirpe [Owner]
