A passion driven by Weddings

DESTINATION WEDDING CERTIFICATION COURSE 2012

2012-01-24T07:00:00.000-08:00

On January 19, 2012; we happily received one more time

Destination Wedding Expert Candice "Candy" Cain

with her Destination Wedding Certification Course.

worked really hard to put together a group of coordinators

willing to participate; creating more opportunities for their

bussines as destination Wedding Planners.

The very first course was taught in November 2011 and received with an excellent response, so it was decided that Candy and Ilse would teach it again in January.

This time we chose a bigger location at GLOBAL CENTER & AUDITORIO Cancun, where 16 wedding planners gathered to learn form the expert.

Among the Resorts and Wedding Planning Companies that joined us for an amazing evening, full of laughs, fun and a lot of learning we can find:

This is also a combined effort to maintain our Wedding Destination on TOP of the charts. As vice president of the
Association for Wedding planners of Q.Roo, I can honestly say that we work very hard to bring this type of courses and offer them at very accessible prices for our members.

The International Destination Wedding Course covers topics such as how to work with US-based planners and clients, marketing your business, maintaining relationships with vendors and resorts, presenting your business and services, publicity and much more.

If you are interested in obtaining more destination weddings

from Canadians and Americans,

this is a course that you do not want to miss;

our next course is taking place in April, 2012.

Vision Board 2012

2012-01-23T08:34:00.000-08:00

photo credit Ani Gomez iPhone

Definition: A vision board is a collage of

things you want in your life.

If you're using your vision board for goals, your pictures will be symbolic to the things you wish to achieve.

photo credit Ani Gomez iPhone

The Secret tells the story of John Assarf, who created some vision boards for the things he wanted to achieve in his life. Five years later, he pulled some of the boards out of boxes packed away in his home, only to realize that the home he was living in was actually pictured on one of the vision boards.

photo credit Ani Gomez iPhone

Yesterday a group of friends and I gathered around a mountain of magazines,paper clips,tape, glue, markers, colors, glitter and

we put all our heart into creating our inspirational boards for this 2012.

I am so happy with the results I really wanted to share with you this project.

I'm sure many of you do it and if you don't,

well go ahead try it its amazing, a great feeling!!!

photo credit my iPhone

The great part of this project is that this is really a

very cool thing to do for your wedding.

A vision board and get everything in there,

what you wish to have, what you already know you

will have and write next to the pictures and photos the

real things you want to achieve.

Next to every goal put a little square,

so once you already complete this task you can mark the BOX with a √

photo credits my iPhone

If you already have your cool WEDDING VISION BOARDS
and want to share them for another post please feel
free to email them to rpdiamant@gmail.com

Vision boards are a good way to focus your positive thoughts on the things you want.

KEEP CALM ... and MARRY ON!

ART, deco & inspiration

2012-01-21T18:22:00.001-08:00

This past 48 hrs of my life have been

nothing but site inspections and inspiration.

So I just want to give you a few of the sights and views that have given me a very pretty good idea on some items I will be having at my next weddings.

Sharing is caring, so here I go hope this inspires you too!!!

Tomorrow I will post everything about my site inspection tour and

the certification course we had in Cancun for 16 wedding planners

that had the opportunity of taking the

DESTINATION WEDDING CERTIFICATION COURSE by Candy Cain

keep the party going "mexican" style

2012-01-18T22:59:00.000-08:00

We mexicans are well known for our abilities to party.

And our weddings are exactly the same way,

they start on the sunset and end until sunrise.

So they say,

When in Rome, do as Romans Do.

WE LOVE PROPS AT OUR WEDDINGS AND

THEY ARE WELL KNOWN FOR KEEPING THE PARTY

ON AND ON AND ON!

I give you 5 key items you MUST consider on the dance floor to be the SOUL of your party after the cocktail and dinner; so your Destination wedding in Mexico, can be as Mexican as possible. (and I am not talking about tequila)

1. GLOW IN THE DARK PROPS

2. Tropical glass with straw will keep people less time at the bar

and more time on the dancefloor. Trust me this ones are a great

key item for your party.

(this one is a must have on

beach weddings trust me)

3. Beads and necklaces

4. Air filled plastic instruments like guitars, microphones and saxophones.

5. Funny hats for everyone

So now you know how props are a HUGE part of OUR nuptial

fun, this is the true MEXICAN WEDDING EXPERIENCE.

Trust me when I say this items will rock your friends and family

members in a very mexican party great way!!!

The One detail that will make you a Scene Stealer

2012-01-16T21:06:00.000-08:00

Finding the perfect veil to suit your wedding setting is for sure the ONE detail that will make you a scene stealer at your dreamed day extravaganza, some of us call it Wedding.

According to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veil

A veil is an article of clothing, worn almost exclusively by women,

that is intended to cover some part of the head or face.

Well, times have changed the meaning of the tradition of wearing a bridal veil:

Depending what kind of ceremony you will have

Depending the time of day your ceremony will take place

And most important depending on the LOCATION or DESTINATION

you have choosen for your wedding.

photo: alexgabany.ru

There are many stories of the origin of a bride's veil.

Some say that the veil was used in days past as a symbol of a bride's submission and willingness to obey her husband.

Certain lengths of bridal veils got their names from how or where they were worn. At one time, Cathedral Veils were only worn in wedding that took place in cathedrals.

CREATING A NEW TREND:
Instead of having more than one wedding dress,
choose to have 2 sets of veils, and a last hair piece.

A. One for the ceremony:

A traditional veil or even a mantilla.

A mantilla is a lace or silk veil or shawl worn over the head and shoulders, often over a high comb, popular with women in Spain.

B. for your cocktail and dinner party wear a bird cage veil:

It is a short veil that extends to just over the chin. It is made of French, Russian, or English netting. The size of the squares in the netting is what differentiates the three types, with French being the tightest weave while the English being the largest.

C. AFTER TOSSING THE BOUQUET YOU CAN LOOSE THE VEIL and just party on with a very calsic HAIR PIECE, and you will never loose the “bridal” touch but will have 3 different looks on the same day and they will create a permanet gloss around you.

Your final hair piece can be as BIG or just a natural flower as a little detail crowning your head. With all the Royal Weddings, this year trends will have even more brides wearing Tiaras, like a symbol of "princess" for a day ...

Are you ready for your fairytale?

you can't decide which veil you want to wear?

Well ... its your wedding day just WEAR THEM ALL!!!

NEW ITALIAN #venue ready for #Cancun sunsets

2012-01-14T16:49:00.000-08:00

Located on Cancun's hotel zone on the lagoon side of the

Kukulcan Blvd. Km 13.5. Hotel Zone, Cancun Mexico

WE NOW FIND

My dear friends from GRUPO CENACOLO

Georgina Medina Public Relations manager,

Rocio Cárdenas Groups & PR and Patricia Yedro Manager

gave me a warm welcome as I arrived with my Italian friend Ivanna

and my two new amazing friends Walter & Michel;

last night to the opening of their NEW baby:

CENACOLO MARE

Many of Cancun Jet sets gathered to witness a new HOT Spot,

to taste their delicious selection of wines and to have a sample

of what makes this place amazing their

CLASSIC Italian cuisine.

But I had another idea in mind. I needed to go and check out

for my self the newest Venue in cancun.

A place so romantic

amazing for intimate weddings with spectacular sunsets and

PERFECT for romantic dinners, rehearsal dinners and also PROPOSALS.

So I took my camera with me and started shooting every little

detail, as I tried a glass or two of their bubbly PROSECCO

I started to imagine the possibilities of a beautiful

wedding with an amazing menu and their impeccable

WINE selection.

CONGRATULATIONS TO GRUPO CENACOLO

this is their 4th baby they have one location in downtown Cancun,

another one on Kukulcan plaza, another one in Playa del Carmen

(where we had a menu tasting just 2 weeks ago)

I LOVE ALL THINGS ITALIAN

BUT ABOVE ALL OF THEM

THEIR FOOD!!!

FACEBOOK Grupo cenacolo TWITTER @GRUPOCENACOLO

With a new VENUE down my sleeve I can't stop

imagining all the amazing events I can get to have with them ...

reasons to LOVE/HATE cell phones at your wedding

2012-01-11T11:34:00.000-08:00

Over the past few years I have being watching the growing tendency of people and their devices. I can sure identify my self to all of you who literally can't stop using the phone. Texting, reading, calling, stalking, what ever your hobbies with your phone would be, it just keeps growing with time, like relationships: you are now married to your phone.

photo from NBC news

...And, speaking of marriage oh YES! You are invited to a wedding: Oh the possibilities! The event is going viral with so many guests on Facebook, twitter, youtube, it's like celebrities, they no longer have the exclusivity for hitting the 10000 likes on their social media pages, you can do that too and a wedding is also an amazing way to get great NEW profile pictures and of course make all of your friends that couldn't make it to the "wedding of the year" specially if it's a DESTINATION WEDDING on a HOT tropical location so jealous of you!!!

photo from museumofperipherealart.blogspot.com

Now, aren't we forgetting something here?

Oh yes! this is not your wedding and you are only a guest; which means you have to respect the Bride & Grooms wishes.

It is well known that some of the coolest photos, specially during the party are taken from cameras of guests and family members, this is another reason why some couples buy disposable cameras to have their own attendees to capture some of the most funny and cool moments.

And I know that we all agree on this to be a very good idea, but during the ceremony ... I'm just not a FAN of cameras and phones all over the place and people standing all around to get the best photo.

The CEREMONY is the real deal. This is the precise moment when Bride & Groom become husband and wife.

photo from weddingbee.com

NOT the party. The ceremony.

So I highly agree on letting friends and family know that phones should be turned off during ceremony. Another reason not to turn on the phone is because the event has been very well planned and this is why you where invited in the first place to witness the begining of this new familly. We want you to be 100% present.

Not (I have seen this during ceremonies) bored playing a game

or just looking at the time to see how much longer it will take for them to get married.

TIP:

Place signs like this one on your welcome table,
or besides your guest book. A nice little sign that reminds
friends and family that the use of phones during ceremony is not
appreciated by the Bride & Groom.

You really must feel a true honor being invited to a wedding, where bride & groom's family have put on so much effort and money to have a day they will remember for ever. Please have this in mind because not everybody gets invited to weddings, we have to choose people.

photo from alohaislandweddings.com

And if you where chosen consider your self special and treat the CEREMONY with respect. Be a true WITNESS and honor your invitation.

SO REMEMBER:

follow me on twitter @silkedisa

email ME for DESTINATION WEDDING INFORMATION

rpdiamant@gmail.com

DIAMANT EVENTS

MAID (Wedding planner) OF HONOR

2012-01-09T21:40:00.000-08:00

DID YOU KNOW THE FIRST WEDDING PLANNERS

TO EVER EXIST WHERE THE MAID OF HONOR???

Yes, as strange as this might sound and reading about the tradition of the Maid of Honor's tasks before and during the wedding when you come to compare it, they were doing the same things wedding planners are doing now a days. In other words, as we all know (and if you don't know you can imagine) weddings are hard work, and the maid of honor became the BRIDE'S "person" to help her out with fresh perspectives about situations.

For example the maid of honor was expected to help the bride with:

Attend the catering meetings or tastings and make recommendations.
Host the bridal shower.
Host the bachelorette party.
Scout wedding locations.
Maintain timetables and be of general assistance to keep things moving forward.
Attend the rehearsal dinner.
Keep a list of gifts received.
Select invitations and help with invitation prep.
Explore floral options and other decorative choices.
Help the bride shop for her wedding dress and choose bridesmaids' dresses.
Oversee delivery of the dresses, monitor fittings and assist with other wardrobe functions.
Encourage the bride to register for gifts, spread the word about where the bride is registered and answer any gift questions that may arise.
Help with honeymoon planning.
Help with seating chart details.
Attend the cake tasting and make recommendations.

ON THE SAME LIST I HAVE HIGHLIGHTED IN RED THE TASKS OF YOUR WEDDING PLANNER.

So now the duties are shared with you planner, your maid of honor can still go with you and do all those things but you have now your Planner to make all this decisions even more easy for you.

According to thefreedictionary.com
matron of honor - a married woman serving as the attendant to the bride at a wedding
attendant, attender, tender - someone who waits on or tends to or attends to the needs of another

With that said we now

move on to the BIG DAY

Your number one task is to keep the bride happy, but among your other tasks you may find:

Hold and protect the groom's ring.
(this one is tricky his best man should do it but it makes the bride nervous so you do this too)
- Handle dress and veil issues.
- Maneuverability could be important here, even in the restroom, so this is an important and sometimes unexpected duty involving lifting, fluffing, arranging and rearranging.
- Hold the bride's bouquet for the duration of the wedding ceremony.
- Witness the marriage license signing.
- Be part of the receiving line at the reception or act as a greeter.
- Toast the bride and groom.
- Participate in the first dance at a formal reception (partnered with the best man).
Help the bride dress and deal with her hair, jewelry and the unavoidable wedding day jitters.
Check the last minute details, like instructions for the photographer and deliveries to the hall.
Act as a messenger between the bride and groom (and various family members).

MY EXPERIENCE AS A MAID OF HONOR / WEDDING PLANNER IN MY BEST FRIENDS WEDDING IN GUATEMALA WAS AMAZING. I got to be involved in so many things I can still remember each specific detail. I really think the MAID OF HONOR is an amazing tradition and the role isn't gender specific anymore.

REMEMBER. Your wedding planner is hired for a reason, avoid UNNECESSARY stress to your brides maids and maid of honor you can now split the chores.

Becoming a V-Rated Critique

2012-01-08T22:32:00.000-08:00

Last week my dear wedding planner friend from Vancouver, Canada

Kerry Reid asked me to organize a group of talented wedding planners

in my area to have a meeting about:

The idea was to have a small group to start with and

get started as VENUE CRITIQUE SPECIALISTS

for the first WORLD WIDE wedding and special events

venue and location blog and web page for reviews.

Elsy at the great Hotel in Playa del Carmen The REEF Playacar

was delighted to be our hostess for this great evening full of new

discoveries and great expectations about what our NEW task as

wedding coordinators on the Cancun & Riviera Maya area will be.

After our teaching and learning experience we moved to

the Italian Ristorante CENACOLO in Playa del Carmen.

Located at 5th Avenue and 28 street.

We were treated excellent by the Restaurant's Public Relations Manager

and their amazing sommelier.

Our Menu included 2 glasses of red one and one of white

and the great selection of food was:

ENTREES.

Cenacolo beef carpaccio

Sword fish carpaccion

and baby calamari "Cenacolo" flowered and broiled

served with a final touch of balsamic glaze of the house

and arugula.

MAIN COURSE.

Hand made pasta:

"Only the strength of a man is needed, over a wooden

table, with a rolling pin and a knife" quote by owner Mauro Amati

Spaghetti "guitar" style with assorted sea food

Don Tino's four cheeses tortelli

and the famous (since 1988) "Little green hats"

filled with ricotta cheese and prepared

with a touch of butter and sage sauce

For dessert we had their awesome TIRAMISU & PANA COTA

we asked also for a traditional italian Cappuccino coffee

Our great experience with our hosts made us sad the night was ending.

We had an amazing time talking bout our future projects and

saying "cheers" to our new V-Rated family.

Cancun. Riviera Maya. Tulum. Isla Mujeres. Cozumel

all the venues in the area get ready because you will

have someone from V-Rated coming your way soon!!!

2012 WELCOME!!!

2012-01-03T06:56:00.001-08:00

I will begin 2012 by giving you the highlights of my NYE dinner party at INDIGO BEACH CLUB in Playa del Carmen.

It was a very nice saturday the 31st when I drove from Cancun to Playa to meet with my dear friend and Wedding Planner Vero Riviera. We had an amazing evening planned for our selves, along with Wedding Planners Carmen Laborin, Paula Balderas, Hosted by event planners Caty Gomez and Alina Heredia it would be a night to remember.

I'm walking with Vero and her friend Rosy down the 14 Norte Street when we instantly se a cute golf cart with a twist a sign said BARMACIA which translates to BARMACY and we just had to make a quick stop there, hahaha that is just when carmen and the gang joined us and we had some fun photos at the cute little car.

As I entered the area designated fot the dinner party @ the Beach Club, I immediately knotted my head as a sign of OMG I can´t believe it, they had little candle jars all in the center of the tables in BLUE and also the wine glasses in blue.

All the decoration is meant in different blue tones and silver.

And I absolutely loved the blue color combination as I have just recently posted about how BLUE will be a strong color at Weddings on the first months of the year in 2012.

Right next to the dinner tables we had the lounge area surrounding the wooden dance floor.

On the corner the DJ Booth and just across of it the PHOTO BOOTH,

were I had a blast taking photos with the girls!

Dinner was amazing:

At midnight the countdown towards 2012 started then we started eating our 12 grapes and wishing great things for this fresh start!

Party kept going on until 4am and we had a great night we will sure remember for a while!!!

Then we woke up at 545 am to watch the first sunrise of 2012.

Playa del Carmen and Riviera maya are sure the perfect place for times worth celebrating, wether its a wedding, anniversary or new years eve party visit us I can assure you, you will have the time of your lives!!!

2011 was a great year

2011-12-30T21:21:00.000-08:00

My mother has always thought me to be thankful.

Its one of the best virtues one can have.

So as this year ends I'm just taking a few moments

to say that I am very grateful about this 2011.

It was an amazing year full of personal and professional

chalenges, that just made me become a stronger believer

in AIM for the STARS and the SKY is NOT the limit!!!

I had the privilege of meeting very important people,

who I personally admire and that have influenced my life

and they have no idea how much, thank you!

So many inspiring people, I got the chance to become a TWIPS

(Twitter Wedding Inspirational Pals) community and I am also

so grateful to be part of this amazing group of talented, loving

and passionate human beings that enlighten my hours with

theirs posts, tweets and comments, you guys ROCK MY WORLD!!!

Last but not least (actually he always comes first)

I am thankful to GOD for the great family

I have for being healthy and for giving me a chance to make a living

out of what I enjoy the most: MAKING DREAMS COME TRUE!!!

This has been an amazing year and I am very excited to welcome 2012

I hope everyone has a great NYE

Sending all my loving from CANCUN, MEXICO

Take care and till 2012!!!

with LOVE xoxo ilse

MAKE A STATEMENT

2011-12-28T21:38:00.000-08:00

HE MAY WEAR THE PANTS AT HOME ...

BUT YOU WILL ALWAYS WEAR THE HEELS!!!

FOR THIS SEASON I GIVE YOU:

TEAL

Sakura Suede Platform shoes

Wether its pumps, heels or platform shoes

you will sure make a statement using one

of these beauties on your wedding day.

Giusseppe Zanotti

and BLUE in the most bright of colors

ELECTRIC BLUE is on!

Peacock bridal pumps

We will be seeing a lot of Blue

on the first months of the year

Yves Saint Laurent

So if you still want a classic wedding

with not too much color try this savvy

advise!!!

>>>

AND GET SOME COLOR ON THE PUMPS!!!

SEASONS GREETINGS

2011-12-26T22:02:00.000-08:00

www.secretjewel.com.mx

WISHING YOU ALL LOVE, LIGHT AND

THE BEST FOR THIS 2012

your friends at www.thesecretjewel.com

and

DIAMANT EVENTS

Alira & Nicolas: true love is their destiny

2011-12-23T19:02:00.000-08:00

Alira & Nicolas were our last couple to get married on 2011. They chose the amazing Yazmin de la Mora to cater their event and their wedding was coordinated by Weddings Playa Mexico.

On a very fresh december the 17th saturday, these two love birds from Puebla, Mexico, gathered all their friends and family in a true celebration of love at Capilla de Santa Maria del Secreto.

The love story behind this couple of Doctors is very peculiar. They know each other since high school but at those times they where not even friends. They both studied to become Doctors but Nico´s passion for business made him take some decisions away from his original profession and decided to pursue a dream with his brother and had a Restaurant. Globalization didn't help the brothers and they had to close their business, this is how Nicolas entered Medical school again and ran into Alira at the Hall of the University.

It only took a few words and then they where dating. The time went by they became Doctors, they went to Spain and went they came back to Mexico they had a great opportunity to work in Playa del carmen.

This is how our couple ended up on this part of the country and this is why they choose Riviera maya to be the witness of their union.

Alira writing down and leaving the 1st wish for our 2012 first bride

at our very famous WISHING TREE at the venue.

This wedding had going on several details such as their wedding invitations designed by Alira, which included

"airplane tickets" for their guests coming from other cities.

The Menu was excellent they started with a fish ceviche, then a great mushroom soup and finally an amazing fish filet with a side dish of steamed vegetables and

mash potatoes with a hint of curry. And they had a dessert and fruit bar to indulge everyones sweet tooth.

Party kept on going at the amazing VENUE of Secret Jewel Celebrations where not even the rain could ruin their celebration.

We thank Alira and Nicolas for letting us be part of their love story and also for being so kind and loving.

Alira told me she was so inspired by my BLOG that was the reason she made one for their wedding http://aliraynikolas.blogspot.com/p/nuestra-boda.html

I am very honored and very thnak full, I am so happy we closed this years weddings with a cherry on TOP.

Wedding Destination: Isla Mujeres

2011-12-16T14:06:00.000-08:00

As a destination Wedding Expert in the Cancun and Riviera Maya area

I do need to know everything about the greatest locations and venues that

are not at your typical RESORT, and this is how

I came to Zama Beach Club in Isla Mujeres.

I have been here before at Weddings coordinated by Juliette Franze

my dear friend from Switzerland that owns Papillon Weddings and

coordinates them mainly on the Island.

But this site inspection was truly a

very good idea for a regular wednesday afternoon.

A dear friend of my invited me on a one day adventure,

at this fisherman´s island, I tagged alone

so I decided to set us up for a

site inspection and have a menu tasting at this

great place that has spectacular sunsets.

ZAMA means in maya "amanecer"

wich is in english SUNRISE.

You can arrive on your private Yatch or

just take a regular boat to the island

and just drive to the beach club.

For a very special wedding on a very quiet and

romantic island, I hope you could all experience

the magic and the exquisite flavors of its cuisine.

Special thanks to Jonas Rodriguez

that pampered us at the site inspection VIP style

and that has great plans for Zama on 2012.

You can find more information about this great place

CLICK HERE

Thinking about an island wedding

then come to ISLA MUJERES

Riviera Maya Vacation Rental

for Family Reunions

www.thesecretjewel.com

the power of I DO

2011-12-14T05:10:00.000-08:00

This is a very special post for me

because I will share a personal inner thought.

A basic principle in my life.

Always surrounded by weddings and events ...

I can't help it, and they have become part of my every day reflections.

This is how I came up with one of my favorite phrases: I DO

Thinking positive has always being my "thing" and people that have had the opportunity to share with me some quality time know that I am committed and will fully devote my self to every single project I have.

This is How I understood the power of I DO. This is a very powerful word that means you will make it happen, this word speaks not only from your heart but it is sealing a deal in which you have accepted to take part of something bigger than just your self.

I am referring not only as your I DO's when you

get married but as a general I DO for life.

As good as saying THANK YOU meaning it from your heart is important from the moment we wake up till the moment our day has ended, saying I DO is a very energetic thought that will allow you to accomplish deadlines and to work as a team mate just because you have giving it the correct meaning.

I DO is a commitment not to try but to deliver,

if I can DO it you CAN definitely DO it too!

This is just how I take the simple things in my day to day life

and give them an important meaning;

there for every time I'm hosting a wedding

I always remember why I choose to be positive and

committed with my heart, mind and soul to every project I have said to:

I DO!!!

ps. choose wisely we can't say YES to everyone and everything

this is one of my basic principles too, but that will be discussed at another POST!

finding common ground

2011-12-10T18:44:00.000-08:00

A wedding is a ONCE in a lifetime event that units people.

It brings together families, kind of like thanksgiving or christmas ... your wedding day is the celebration of a LOVE so powerful it creates a new family.

Oh, YEs family, we can't imagine our life without them, but what can you DO when you just want to relax and enjoy, and oh well sometimes just thinking about getting everyone together is a very stressful job?

I can only say, people that LOVE you will make everything that is in their hands so you can have the most wonderful day in your lives. You and your groom have nothing to worry about.

Find some common ground where you can make everyone feel like they are participating and really have it all your way.

The most amazing thing about a family reunion is all the fun we have when everyone is celebrating, just remember how much fun your holidays are and you will see that there is nothing to worry about, you know them better than anybody ... you have known them your whole life.

Just a little thought about family because

HOLIDAY SEASON IS VERY NEAR AND

WE JUST GOT OUR CHRISTMAS TREE ...

... feel lucky because you have your love ones celebrating with you! and what ever you can't handle leave it to your team, after all your girls, bridesmaids and wedding planner have all a purpose in common at your wedding:

your happiness!!!

Catholic Ceremony by the Sea only at #RIVIERAMAYA

2011-12-10T18:31:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the land of wonders, welcome to the place where magic is possible.

YES WE HAVE THE ONLY CATHOLIC HCAPEL

by the sea in the RIVIERA MAYA.

OUR LADY HOLY MARY OF THE SECRET

( Santa Maria del Secreto)

Pleas enjoy our latest wedding

where Andrea and Jason share their

love at the place where GODs presence

can be felt with all our senses.

Venice meets Cancun by Sociale Events

2011-12-05T22:08:00.000-08:00

I had the privilege to be part of the Sociale

Weddings PR & Events team

this weekend in an

amazing wedding in

Hotel ME by Melia Cancun.

And here are the photos:

1st LATINAMERICAN CONGRESS FOR DESTINATION WEDDINGS

2011-12-04T04:44:00.000-08:00

TODAY I WILL BE AT

AS VICEPRESIDENT OF THE 1ST ASSOCIATION FOR PROFESIONAL WEDDING PLANNERS

IN QUINTANA ROO, MEXICO.

I will be talking about Legal

ceremonies of matrimony in Mexico.

Stay tuned!!!!

sweet & joy

2011-12-03T10:13:00.000-08:00

Today's post is about the sweetness of weddings.

And not precisely talking about the LOVE and ROMANCE,

but about the wedding cake!!!!

I have read and heard lots of stories regarding the wedding cake, but do we really know where thsi tradition came from?

Well according to my WBW Book for Wedding Planners the history of the wedding cake goes back as far as the Roman Empire, of course by this time icing was not even on the mind of the bakers.

The groom would eat part of a loaf of barley bread baked especially for the nuptials and break the rest over his bride's head. History tells us that breaking the bread symbolized the breaking of the bride's virginal state and the subsequent dominance of the groom over her. Talk about "macho" ego.

The tradition disappeared fairly quickly in some places, we all can see why that lasted so little. If I'm a bride there´s no way I'm letting my man break the cake on my head, after all the time it took for me to look GORGEOUS... but there were still reports of breaking an oatcake or other breakable cakes over the bride's head in Scotland, in the 19th century. It's reported that in Northern Scotland, friends of the bride would put a napkin over her head and then proceed to pour a basket of bread over her. We are all glad this tradition is over.

I also read on the web that during Medieval England, there was a custom involving stacking small sweet buns in a large pile in front of the newlyweds. The couple would attempt to kiss over the pile. Success in the process was a sign that there would be many children in their future... I guess in those days they would still have many children even if they could not succeed in kissing over the pile of sweet buns...

And then we have the appereance of the BRIDE'S PIE. This was somewhere in the middle of the17th century and well into the early 19th century. Oh how I love pies!! Ok this pie was filled with sweet breads, a mince pie, or maybe just a mutton pie. The main "ingredient" of this pie was a glass ring.

The myth says that the lady who found the ring would be the next to be married. You didn't exactly find these pies at weddings but they where in almost every event. *** great idea for your bachelorette party lets see who the next in line is ???

But wedding cakes became really popular by the late 19th century, they where simple and usually plum cakes.

Legend has it that sleepers will dream of their future spouses if a piece of wedding cake is under their pillow. In the late 18th century this notion led to the curious tradition in which brides would pass tiny crumbs of cake through their rings and then distribute them to guests who could, in turn, place them under their pillows. The notion of sleeping with a piece of cake underneath one's pillow dates back as far as the 17th century and quite probably forms the basis for today's tradition of giving cake as a "gift." After a while brides started to get superstitious about taking off their wedding rings so this tradition just kind of ended too.

FIRST WEDDING CAKES WHERE WHITE.

White icing required the use of only the finest refined sugar, so the whiter the cake, the more affluent the families appeared. It was due to this fact that a white wedding cake became an outward symbol of affluence. (we get that now but not only with the cake but with the ring too) Previous to Victorian times, most wedding cakes were also white, but not because of the symbolism. Using the color white for icing had a more pragmatic basis. Ingredients were very difficult to come by, especially those required for icing.

THE CUTTING OF THE CAKE REPRESENTS THE FIRST TASK THE BRIDE AND GROOM DO TOGETHER AS A NEW FAMILY. It takes place on the center stage so every body can be a part of this moment.

And for sure this is one tradition that most of us have witnessed many times. The first piece of cake is cut by the bride with the "help" of the groom. So cutting the cake becomes a joint project. After the cake cutting ceremony, the couple proceed to feed one other from the first slice. This provides another lovely piece of symbolism, and one I really love: the mutual commitment of bride and groom to provide for one another. (till death do us part)

On my wedding planners course with the WBW I learned about the Groom's Cake, not every culture has this tradition.

Now a days it's a tradition that has prevailed in the South part of USA, but I have seen amazing Grooms cakes they usually symbolize something that the groom really enjoys doing in his life, fishing, gambling, play station, hahaha they are made with a lot of color and fondant details that really make them a fun part of the wedding.

We have evolved into a most sophisticated form of wedding cake with top tiers that are to cut the cake and bottom tiers made with decorated mini muffins. Also the tree tire cake evolves in to first and second layer being fake and only bottom one is to give the guests. And yes the SWEETS and DESSERTS buffet tables have also help bride and grooms decide into a much smaller version of their wedding cake and give guests the option of several deserts at wedding.

Which ever your selection remember to choose wisely, cutting the cake is your first task as husband and wife so you want the cake to shine.

Have a great weekend and take care,

remember sweetness in life is also JOY!!!!

FYI (for your inspiration)

2011-11-28T12:00:00.000-08:00

white and yellow wedding at our venue

We have had a LOT of weddings in the past week

this is why I decided to put together a few of

my favorite moments so I can share with you

why I love being a part of these amazing

LOVE STORIES.

Red Rose wedding theme Melva & Andres

Grand Coral Golf & Spa Resort

Santa Maria del Secreto Chapel
Tropical Flowers
Calla lilies and roses

LIGHTED DANCE FLOOR FOR BEACH WEDDINGS

MY FAVORITE MENU in destination Weddings is

a GREEN CEVICHE STARTER with TIKINXIC Fish Fillet

with rice, beans and Xnipec non spicy sauce by

Chef Federico Lopez

MAIN EVENT OF THE WEEK OUR BRIDES SUITE AT THE VENUE

HAS ITS WISHING TREE UP AND READY
ABOVE WE SEE WENDY SCHULIEN LEAVING

THE WISH FOR THE FIRST BRIDE TO BE

BABYCAKES WEDDING AMAZING TIFFANY BLUE THEME

GAZEBO WITH BAMBOO LOUNGE FOR COCKTAIL PARTY

TIKI BAR WITH COCKTAILS MADE AN AMAZING

COCKTAIL PARTY AFTER CEREMONY
TIFFANY BOX
HACIENDA TRES RIOS WEDDING

AMAZING ROSE GAZEBO
ROSE CURTAIN ON THE BACK OF SWEET HEARTS TABLE

LIGHTED SWEET HEARTS TABLE WITH THE YELLOW AND WHITE THEME
ROSES AND CARNATIONS LIGHTED UP THE BEACH

As you can all see I have been working a lot on the past

week I hope you can enjoy our photos and get a lot of

inspiration for your weddings.

As soon as I get the professional photos form our

talented photographers I will post them for you.

Dear Bride & Groom, read please this piece of advise

2011-11-18T16:37:00.000-08:00

DESTINATION WEDDING VENUE Burning Questions

photo by http://www.trevordayley.com/

Before choosing your Destination Wedding location, be sure you've answered three essential questions.

photo by http://www.trevordayley.com/

There are things yo can leave to chance or luck, but when planning on having an amazing destination wedding you can´t just flip a coin, or shake your Magic 8 Ball. So if you're looking for the right venue, it's up to you to do the searching, the digging and the internet exploring to ask the tough questions that determine whether this is the right place for your event.

photo by http://www.trevordayley.com/

DESTINATION WEDDINGS FACTS:

· THEY USUALLY COST LESS THAN TRADITIONAL WEDDINGS.

YOU CAN DO IT ALMOST ALL YOURSELF - BUT YOUR DESTINATION WEDDING PLANNER WILL GUIDE YOU AND SHOW YOU IN HER (his) EXPERTISE WHICH ARE THE BEST OPTIONS FOR YOUR EVENT.

· THEY ARE A FUN AND RELAZING EXPERIENCE FOR YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY.

photo by http://www.trevordayley.com/

But how can you be sure a venue is right for you? What questions should you ask when considering a location? Here are the three major issues you have to address before you decide for your Destination Wedding Venue:

1. What style of destination wedding are yo looking for? This is the first step to create a bigger idea about the kind of destination wedding you are looking for: classic, whimsical, country, fair, beach, vineyard, rustic, fairytale, vintage, hippie-chic, retro, modern or romatic style. This will define pretty much the place your dreamed idea would be more likely to fit perfect with the natural surroundings of the destination.

photo by http://www.trevordayley.com/

2. What kind of atmospehere are you thinking about? Here you ask your selves if you want an outdoor or indoor wedding, this pretty much will define between venues with gardens or beaches and hotels with great ballrooms.

photo by http://www.trevordayley.com/

3. How much money are you willing to spend? This is really the most easy question of them all, this will tell you exactly if you prefer package deals with all inclusive resorts or if you really want a more exclusive and private venue where you can choose your vendors and can work on a Budget that will exactly fit your interests and you can work together until they fit your pocket too.

When thinking on destination weddings, it´s a fact that on your mind you already have picked your TOP 3 destinations, this Burning questions will really help you choose the right venue or location to make the best out of every minute, cent and patience invested in the greatest treasure hunt of your lives.

photo by http://www.trevordayley.com/

My name is Ilse Diamant and I am your Riviera Maya Destination wedding expert.

RED & WHITE a Chapel decoration

2011-11-17T23:43:00.000-08:00

Ideas for your Chapel Decorations

ROSES

WHITE AND RED A GREAT COMBINATION

A FISHERMAN'S VILLAGE #Wedding 11/11/11

2011-11-13T19:01:00.000-08:00

This is the story of Marja & Carlos.

Daughter of Fisherman and proud of her heritage

Marja wanted her wedding to symbolize everything

the sea and her fathers profession meant in their lives.

On 11/11/11 an amazing magical day

we traveled to AKUMAL Bay only

1.45 minutes from Cancun to transform

the Beach front of

Hotel Villas de Rosa

Into an amazing fisherman's village

for their wedding.

BRIDE AND FATHER ARRIVE IN FATHER´S

FISHERMANS BOAT

BRIDES MAIDS WAITING FOR BRIDE TO ARRIVE

CEREMONIAL ARCH OF FISHERMAN NETS

CEREMONY

PAELLA AND TACOS BUFFET

DAY TIME BEACH WEDDING

AMAZING LOUNGE AREA

WE CALL THIS FLOWER nube (cloud)

2011-11-10T23:31:00.000-08:00

ETHEREAL ATMOSPHERE IS HOW I WOULD DESCRIBE THIS WEDDING CEREMONY

BUNCHES AND BUNCHES OF WHITE LITTLE "nube" which in english means CLOUD.

Literally walking among clouds straight to your altar in heaven!

sweet little details

2011-11-06T21:37:00.000-08:00

ARENT THIS TWO A CUTTIE???

photo by ME

I am crazy about every food on a stick.

I really believe that food + stick = delight in every bite.

dessert by 3 de azucar

Now you know me pretty well and I am a sucker for CUTE things

and dessert on a stick is definitely something pretty!!

photo by ME

I really suggest to have different type of desserts

dessert by 3 de azucar

like cheese cake, chocolate cake or strawberry cake

on a stick.

THINGS TO NOTICE ON PHOTO

photo by ME

Groom always holds bride with his

left arm because it is the arm of the heart

Bride and Groom must always steal the show

Be on the spotlight, because it's your wedding day, your day to shine!!!

Make a fun and sweet DESSERT BAR

PRETTYsome LOVELYsome AWsome

2011-11-03T19:05:00.001-07:00

I LOVE SUPPORTING OUR WEDDING INDUSTRY

I was invited to a cocktail party

last night for the presentation in Cancun of

CONCEPTO ROSA

a new project of my entrepreneur friends

Emma & Mayalen

both very talented event designers from Cancun

that inject their passion to every single detail

they create.

DESSERT AND CUPCAKE BAR

The night was filled with lots of flower and decor details

But also we were pampered by the most exquisite

gourmet selection from the kitchen of

Chef Jorge Hernandez.

MUSHROOM CROSTINI

SWEET AND SOUR CHICKEN ON A STICK

THAI SALAD

ALFREDO PASTA WITH SHRIMP

STRAWBERRY DESSERT

CEVICHE

MORE PRETTINESS

I hope this great event can give you

inspiration and ideas for your upcoming event

or DESTINATION WEDDING.

I loved the flower combination, I'm not a particular ROSE lover

but this vintage style arrangements are so classy that I really

liked the color and the way they have a personality of their own.

Well done girls and BEST OF LUCK with your new project!!!

Mexican Traditions: DAY OF THE DEAD

2011-10-31T17:15:00.000-07:00

TODAY IS HALLOWEEN!!!

One of my favorite holidays.

I have adopted this Holiday

because its fun and I adore costumes.

BUT I´M MEXICAN AND AS MUCH AS I LOVE TO ADOPT CUSTOMS

FROM OTHER COUNTRIES;

I EMBRACE MY CULTURE, AND AT HOME WE ALSO

CELEBRATE THE DAY OF THE DEAD.

Halloween and Day of the Dead have somethings in common:

celebrating souls that are not living with us anymore.

In Halloween people dress up as ghouls, ghosts,

mummies and skeletons,

so spirits can confuse them and will not do them

any harm on the 31st.

And November 1st and 2nd Day of the Dead

we celebrate the Dead by

visiting their graves with their favorite food,

or making altars with

drinks, food, some of their favorite

things that our beloved ones

enjoyed while they where alive.

We decorate with candles, photos and flowers.

The Day of the Dead is also celebrated in some

Latin American countries.

For example, it is a public holiday in Brazil,

when people visit churches

and cemeteries. This holiday is also observed in the

Philippines. In the United States,

The Day of the Dead is also observed as a holiday among

Mexican-American communities. So, while majority of

America celebrates Halloween on October 31st night,

the Hispanic population considers The Day of the Dead as a special

event honoring the dead. In Mexico it is a

traditional holiday.

El día de Muertos is not a sad time, but instead a time of

remembering and rejoicing.

Families prepare an altar

decorated with flowers, bread, fruits and candy.

Pictures of deceased family members are kept on that altar.

In late afternoon, candles are lit, as to remember the departed souls.

Just as in the United States, there are Halloween special recipes and treats,

Day of the Dead is also celebrated with unique and weird recipes like

chocolate skulls, marzipan coffins, white chocolate skeletons,

milk chocolate bones.

There are skeleton figurines, skeletal brides, evil dolls,

spirit and ghost figures, are quite popular

gift and home décor items.

November 1st and 2nd can be a wonderful

time to visit Mexico,

as you will get to see a celebration full of flowers

and chocolates.

People parade through the streets dressed as

skeletons and

ghosts and candles are meant to burn all night.

We have culture which believes in a vibrant afterlife

and remembers the departed ones with joy!

SUNDAY green wedding project

2011-10-30T16:52:00.000-07:00

Well I love pompons and we know

that there are a lot of DIY

on the web for paper and cloth pompons,

but I decided to POST about one

involving plastic bags we keep from

the super market,

or our shopping and this

is a GREAT DIY recycling project for your

GREEN WEDDING.

Why because you can re-use

and its great for out door weddings.

FIRST CHOOSE YOUR PLASTIC BAG

I CHOOSE PINK SINCE ITS OCTOBER

AND ITS THE THINK PINK MONTH

SECOND CAREFULLY CUT ALONG STRAIGHT RECTANGLES

TIE THEM TOGETHER IN THE MIDDLE

START PULLING BOTH SIDES OF THE PIECES OF

PLASTIC TO MAKE THE POMPON SHAPE

HANG IT AND ENJOY

MY SISTER HELPING ME OUT FOR THE PHOTOS OF

THIS FUN SUNDAY PROJECT

PAPARAZZI

2011-10-29T12:47:00.000-07:00

Thank you to my friend Mauricio Clayton from

http://www.photografiart.com/

for these great images he took on

the wedding of Pily & Andres

from Mexico City during their

wedding at our Riviera Maya

Venue.

PRICELESS

I just wanted to share with you

this personal photos that

were taken while I'm doing

my JOB (which BTW I LOVE)