Sayulita Destination Wedding with Sayulita Dream Weddings

Blair and Jason MacDonald met through mutual friends while attending college at Western Washington University in 1999. They got engaged in Sayulita on April 2^nd, 2013 when Jason proposed on the rooftop of Casa Mar Del Sur at sunset. They wed one year later to the day, with Blair’s brother, Christopher, officiating their ceremony.  This couple currently lives in Port Ludlow Washington and shares with El Sayulero why they chose Sayulita as their wedding destination and much more.

1. How did you first hear of Sayulita?

We heard of Sayulita through our family. Blair’s sister-in-law had visited over 13 years ago and wanted to see the town again, so we took a day trip while vacationing in Bucerias in 2009. We have come back to Sayulita every year since.

2. Why did you choose Sayulita as the location for your destination wedding?

We have been visiting Sayulita every year since 2009 and we were also engaged in Sayulita in 2013. We love the energy and the people. We wanted to share this experience with our closest family and friends.

3. Which wedding planner did you choose and why?

We chose Sayulita Dream Weddings.  We researched who was available in Sayulita and found Andrea Villarrubia. She seemed to have the most creative, fun, easy going vibe that we were looking for, and we were right!

4. Were there any other local individuals/companies that helped out with your wedding plans?

Yes, aside from Andrea at Sayulita Dream Weddings, we used several other vendors. Andrea was able to get us connected with all of our vendors. Here is a few of the main ones, but there were many others involved to help complete the day: Funky Diva Hair Design, Flor Mimo Florist, Plush Catering, and The Blond Gypsies and Roberto Zepeda for Music! Our photographer was Joann Arruda with Sayulita Wedding Photograpy, who is an amazing and fun lady. She captured a lot of details and moments that blew us away when we got our photos back. We could not have been happier with her! 

5. What was it like planning a destination wedding?

We had talked to friends that planned weddings here at home and had been completely stressed through the process.  So, we were a little nervous.  However, Andrea took so much stress off of us. She made it fun, exciting and stress free.  She was extremely well organized and always had answers to our questions.  She was also able to show us more of what Sayulita had to offer.

6. Where did you have your wedding and what was your wedding day like?

Our ceremony was on the beach on the North end of town and our wedding reception was held at Casa Vela. The day itself was amazing and very easy as everything came together seamlessly, thanks to Andrea.  We were grateful to be able to share the town of Sayulita with so many of our friends and family that have also fell in love with the town.

7. How big was your wedding? Where did your guests travel from?

Forty people attended the wedding and all of them traveled from Washington State.

8. What is your most memorable moment from your wedding?

Going into town to take photos. The Sayulita community was just as excited as we were, shouting congratulations and waving.  The beach ceremony was amazing, what a back drop!  The reception, the food, drinks, dancing, and celebrating.

9. What did you like about having a destination wedding in Sayulita?

We really enjoyed sharing Sayulita with our friends and family. The energy and the vibe of the town spilled into our celebration, which was what we were hoping for.

10. What most impressed you about your wedding planner?

One phone conversation was all that it took for Andrea to understand what we wanted our wedding to be, and also how well she was able to execute every little detail. She was so well organized and so easy going that she put us at ease from the very beginning.

11. What did you enjoy most about your stay in Sayulita?

The energy and people of the town, the culture and how it really makes you stop and slow down. We love relaxing, but being active at the same time, hiking, walking, surfing, playing in the ocean… there is just so much to offer for everyone.

12. Some people have a preconceived notion that Mexico is unsafe? How did you and your guests feel about your safety in Sayulita?

We have always felt very safe while walking in town and interacting with the locals. We always travel with others and are conscious of our surroundings, as you would be anywhere else. 

13. How did the cost of your destination wedding to Sayulita compare to the cost of friends’ wedding in your home of origin?

We feel that ours was comparable, but the atmosphere, and scenery you cannot find anywhere else.

14. What advice would you give others considering a destination wedding in Sayulita?

Find a wedding planner!!!  It was absolutely the best decision we made in planning our wedding.

15. Any final words or thoughts?

We would not change a thing about the planning experience or the day of our wedding.  The memories we made and shared with our family and friends are priceless.  We cannot wait to return to Sayulita this April to relax and enjoy the town once again!

Also, the photo of us, which also has Andrea, from Sayulita Dream Weddings in it, is one in which she is addressing our party.  We had asked our guests to bring supplies to donate to the local school. We collected pens, pencils, flash cards, books, notebooks, paper, glue sticks, etc. All of the supplies were collected at our welcome party and Andrea delivered them to the school the next day. Andrea was thanking our guests for the donations and expressing the gratitude from the school.