Hi Brenda, Erika and (of course) Maartje!

When Tania and I got engaged, we thought that a destination wedding would be a great way to celebrate our big day. But we had no idea how to go about actually putting one together. We thought that we’d be on the phone a lot, making long distance calls to the priest, the musician, photographer, etc.

Then one day, we discussed the idea of getting a wedding planner, and after going to the Mexican Tourism website, I registered on your website (as the bride, by the way)…. That afternoon, only a few hours after I visited your site, Tania and I were astonished to get your call! Any stress that we were destined to have in planning our wedding evaporated within minutes of talking with you.

We can’t thank you enough… For the next 16 months, you were there for us to answer any questions, and, more importantly, to help us when we had to make adjustments to the plans (which there were many). It started feeling like all we had to do was show up and say “I do”. During our pre-planning session, we brought along two of the harshest critics we know (our mothers) and they left that meeting completely relaxed and excited…. They were able to enjoy the wedding day.

As we look at this blog, we don’t know how you did it… It felt like we were your only clients, but by the looks of all the posts, we obviously weren’t.

We wanted to thank you and everyone that was a part of our day… The music, the photography, the church…. There is nothing that could have been better.

We’ve recommended you to couples already and will continue to do so. We wish we could do it all over again.

Thank you very much.

Tania De Jesus & Jose Roldan
October 15, 2007

After 11 years of marriage, Tami & Ken renewed their vows in their beautiful hotel.

Reservations for a rehearsal dinner at Hacienda Maya

50 Attendees

Spiritual ceremony at secluded beach in Playa del Carmen

photo by Jill Higgins

Dear Maartje,
 
Where do I begin? I’m sure you have heard this many times, but thank you so much for the wonderful job you did coordinating our wedding. It couldn’t have been more perfect.
 
First off, I would like to thank you for being so patient with me throughout the planning process. I know I made things a little rough at times, but you were always so kind and helpful. You always made sure I was comfortable with every decision, even if it meant changing my mind a few times. I also loved the fact that you were always an e-mail or a phone call away.
 
Secondly, you made the 10-months of planning so easy for me! I was asked many times if planning a destination wedding was hard and my answer was always “no.” All I had to do was tell you exactly what we wanted and/or send you a picture and you made it happen! I don’t think you could’ve made it any easier for me.
 
I have to admit that I was a little bit nervous during our plane ride to Mexico. For someone who likes to be in control, it was very nerve-racking for me to go into the biggest day of my life somewhat blind and to trust someone whom I had never met. The last-minute butterflies definitely kicked in during that plane ride to Cancun. However, all of that changed the minute we met you for our pre-wedding meeting. When Will and I came in to Ajua! Maya with boxes and bags of wedding “goodies,” you listened intently as we went through every item with you. I could tell by your face that it was important to you that our wedding is exactly how we dreamed it would be. You definitely took the anxiety off my shoulders. I felt much more relaxed after our meeting because I knew you had our vision in mind.
 
All of this was reinforced on our wedding day. The ceremony was truly amazing. Capilla Nuestra Senora del Carmen is one of the most gorgeous Catholic chapels I have ever seen. When you first sent me pictures of the chapel, I knew it was the one. To see it in person….well, as good as the pictures were, it did not do the place justice. My heart skipped a beat the first time I saw the pictures; I think it actually stopped the first time I saw it in person. The intimate feel, the hardwood floors, the conch lights on the walls – it was exactly what we wanted and more. And the view of the ocean and palm trees behind the altar – amazing!
 
Part of the reason we decided to hire Ajua Weddings was because we did not want a resort wedding. We wanted our wedding to not only reflect us as a couple, but to also embrace our destination of choice. You definitely made that happen for us! The mariachi parade through the streets of downtown Playa del Carmen was incredible. Our guests loved the Mexican music played by the mariachi band….and the colors down the streets of Avenida 5 were amazing! Of course, who can forget our many fans….it was great to have everyone on the street stop to congratulate and wish us well on our marriage. I will always remember walking out of the church and seeing a huge group of people (strangers) clapping and cheering for us. I also loved how a few of them actually joined in on our parade! The energy was truly there. I’m sure you can see in pictures what a wonderful time we and our guests had during the parade. It was definitely one of the highlights of the night (after our vows, of course!). The cocktail party after the ceremony was also perfect. Not only did it give us time to take formal portraits with our family and friends, but it also gave us and our guests the chance to enjoy the beautiful Playa del Carmen beach. It was the perfect pre-party to our wedding reception. Everyone enjoyed the appetizers. The salsa, guacamole and mushroom stuffed cheese were the biggest hits! The mariachi band serenading us with the sound of the waves in the background was very romantic. We loved feeling the cool sand beneath our feet as we danced to the mariachi music.
 
I am so happy that we picked Ajua! Maya for our wedding reception. The casual, fun atmosphere of the restaurant was exactly what we wanted. The food was absolutely delicious. Everyone loved the ceviche – Will claims it’s the best he’s ever had! Everything was so beautifully presented. The restaurant is the perfect blend of 5-star dining and laid-back atmosphere. As for the restaurant staff, well, I don’t think there are words to describe what an amazing staff you have in Ajua! They kept all of us entertained throughout the night – from serving food and drinks on their head, to the infamous legs, and to the best conga line ever!
 
Maartje, I can not thank you enough for the wonderful work that you did with our wedding. Everything was perfectly orchestrated. You made sure that we had nothing to worry about other than to have fun and enjoy our wedding day. Our guests loved every minute of it as much as Will & I did. Some have told us it was the best wedding they’ve ever been to, one that will be hard to beat!
 
Every little girl dreams of their perfect wedding. I’ve been envisioning mine since I was 10 years old. What I got on Saturday, November 24, 2007 exceeded all of my expectations. It was everything that I dreamed of and much more. You made my dream wedding come true and for that, I am forever grateful.
 
 
Love,
Catherine
 
 
p.s.: please give Jeanette, Vaughan, and the entire Ajua! staff a big thank you for me. You guys are fabulous!

Jorge & Brenda with Mayan Shaman Huicho and Mayan Drummers
Frank´s 50th Birthday Cleansing
Xaman Ha, Playa del Carmen

Jorge and Brenda,

Just a quick note to say thanks for suggesting the event on the beach for Frank’s 50th. What a wonderful experience. We had a great time in Playa and our evening at your restaurant was terrific.