Featured Sayulita Business: Full Wedding Services Playa Secreta
Full Wedding Services Playa Secreta in Sayulita is a company with an experienced staff including a senior wedding planner and sun-planners, waiters, chefs, set up & clean up staff, decorators, electricians, etc. Full Wedding Services Playa Secreta is an established company that has been operating for the past 18 years and provides catering services for a variety of events and clients in the Sayulita area. services will include exclusive menu creations designed for client’s tastes and requirements, bar services, food preparation, wedding planning, and set up and clean-up services. We got talking to Karen Ruezga, owner of Full Wedding Services Playa Secreta about her business, here’s what she had to say.
- Can you tell me a bit about yourself?
I am a wife and mother of 2, my family and work are my devotion. I am always working, but of course the off time that I have I love to spend it with my family. I love to travel! I love to read, I enjoy having friends at home, I think quality time is for sure my favorite hobby. - How did you land in Sayulita?
I was living in Boston and my mother had cancer ( she is healthy now), I wanted to move close to her but also keep doing what I love so I see the opportunity in Puerto Vallarta. But then one day I saw an ad of a hotel looking for a wedding planner and I can tell that I was very lucky to have the opportunity of being interviewed by the owner of the hotel, Rod Ingram, he gave me the opportunity to enter in Sayulita, I am very thankful for this interview and for being able to meet him and his beautiful family. I have been here since then. - How long have you lived in Sayulita? What is your favorite part?
I lived in Sayulita “El Mangal” for many years, then I had my first kid and I had to move to Mezcales ( 25 minutes from Sayulita), since I had to find help with my baby. But I am in Sayulita every day! 🙂 … my favorite part…. where do I start! … I love to see my kids play at the main plaza, and we love having dinner at La Rustica (my kids love their pizza and love their drinks and dinner) … I really enjoy getting into Sayulita and having a coffee at Paninos, our team and I really like ordering lunch for Rubens at every wedding, I like having breakfast at YAH YAH and this amazing place that Jose Luis Caslin just opened for breakfast ! … food is delicious in town, too many options… I love Martha from El Corte (she is the only person that will cut my hair :)) but what I know I love the most is the people, I have a lot of amazing friends here and I feel very blessed for that. - Can you tell me what inspired you to start your business?
I want to create a business that will personalize weddings and understand the client, I love working hard but most of all I love seeing people happy, I am very lucky the be the witness of true love, family love, funny and amazing speeches, 1st dances, father/daughter mother dance… and so many other beautiful moments… I know I have the best job in the world ..! - What services do you offer?
Full Wedding Planning Service
*Hotel Accommodations (we work with one of the most beautiful hotels, Amor boutique hotel)
*Vendors Recommendations
*Exclusive vendors
*Coordination the day of
*Catering service
*Concierge services
*Decoration
*Transportation, ETC. - Tell me a bit about your background in this industry?
I started doing events in Cape Cod Massachusetts back in 2002, I worked for a company there and I learn a lot from them, I also worked with the Mexican consul in Boston as an event assistant. In 2004 I moved to Puerto Vallarta and started planning weddings for a resort in Riviera Nayarit. In 2006 I started my own business and became Playa Secreta Exclusive wedding manager.
I have planned at least 920 events in the last 18 years. I always knew I wanted to be a wedding planner, I have a degree from the University of Guadalajara as a tourism expert and an events & meeting management degree from Northeastern University in Boston Ma. I also have more certifications, in Certificate Meeting Specialist, Certificate in Events Production, etc. I always prepare myself and study, I work with the best vendors of the area and I can tell now that I am surrounded by amazing professionals and good friends. - How long has your business been in operation?
18 years - What does your business offer that separates it from the rest?
I believe this is a question we must ask our clients. I believe I offer a very personalized experience. - What are your plans for your business? Any new goals?
We are very lucky, we are super busy and we like to continue being. - Can you share a happy memory with a client?
Well, I have many … one that just crossed my mind is when Emily (one of our beautiful brides) was getting ready, she lose her mother about one year before her wedding and I lose my sister at about the same time (she does not know this) but I was missing my sister soo much this day, anyways, I check with her if she need it anything and she said, Karen, I forget to give you something, and she take out a little box with a beautiful wind bell and she said, my mother give me this before she died and I want to have it on my ceremony, we hang it on the tree and you could hear it during the whole ceremony, it was beautiful! … What she didnt know is that this was also the last present that my sister gave me before she passed (a wind bell) so It means a lot to her and to me to hear the nice sweet bells during the ceremony … I think I told them this story when we met in Sayulita years after their wedding, Emily & Jared have two beautiful boys now. - Is there anything special that you want to share?
I just want to say thank you, to all the brides, grooms, mothers of brides that trusted us and chose us in the past, and to all the ones that we are planning now their wedding. GRACIAS!
