Our Coral Tide groom and bride Kegan and Shannon were married at the popular Dreams Riviera Cancun, all-inclusive resort in Mexico! They had an amazing time and were kind enough to share the details of their experience so that future wedding couples could get a glimpse into the reality of having a destination wedding!

Event Dates:

Sunset Cruise: June 17th
Mexican Fiesta: June 18th
Wedding: June 19th
Guest Count: 80
Wedding Coordinator: Fernanda
Package: Ultimate (not available anymore)
Total Wedding Price: $29,200 (includes Mexican Fiesta; excludes flights, stay, photography, and hair/makeup)
We flew in our own photographer, which actually ended up being more affordable than hiring someone locally in Cancun. She captured our Mexican Fiesta the night before and was with us the entire wedding day (from 12 PM to 11 PM). If you'd like her contact info, feel free to reach out!

Travel Agency: Coral Destination Wedding – Briana Cowan

Briana was absolutely amazing! She helped us choose the perfect resort, created our wedding website, and assisted all 80 of our guests with booking their stay. Thanks to the concessions, we received $4,600 back! I highly recommend her services—she made the entire process so smooth and stress-free!

Resort Coordinator:

Fernanda is hands-down the BEST! If you’ve been assigned her, consider yourself so lucky. She will absolutely take care of you!

Weather:

All of our events were impacted by rain and had to be adjusted.
Still, I had the best week of my life and wouldn’t trade it for anything!

Hair and Makeup:

For the Mexican Fiesta, I used the resort’s hair and makeup services. It wasn’t anything over-the-top, but I felt comfortable and like myself all night—which is exactly what I wanted. If you're looking to save a little money, I’d say the resort option works just fine!

For the wedding day, I went with VO Evolution. Even with the extra resort vendor fee, I’d say they were worth it. I wasn’t in love with my own hair and makeup—looking back, I should’ve asked for more glam—but it was still totally fine, especially given how hot it was!

My bridesmaids, on the other hand, looked amazing and loved how theirs turned out.

What really impressed me was how long everything lasted—through 100+ degree heat, wind, humidity, and even jumping in the pool at the end of the night, my makeup held up perfectly!

Sunset Cruise:

We booked through Cancun Sailing — it was affordable and 100% worth it!
The staff were amazing, the boat was clean, and the service was constant (even in the rain).
Although the first hour was rainy, we were treated to the most gorgeous sunset once it cleared.
We had 35 girls on board and made the absolute most of it

Mexican Fiesta:

This was moved indoors due to an unexpected rainstorm. We decided around 2 PM to relocate to the ballroom, and honestly, it was still beautiful.

Guests had a blast — we still hear about how delicious the tacos were! I do wish this event was longer. Two hours flew by. Because of the weather, we only had access to half the ballroom. With 80 guests, it got hot and a bit cramped.

Some guests mentioned there wasn’t enough seating, so I highly recommend budgeting for extra chairs, especially if your event is moved indoors. Shout-out to Fernanda for throwing in the speaker for free — huge win! It came with someone to run music, which helped create a mini dance party by the end!

Wedding Day:

Weather looked promising…until noon.
Fernanda suggested moving the reception inside. But I had my heart set on the deck — it’s why I chose the resort — so my husband and I signed a waiver going against her recommendation.

The ceremony still happened outside and was magical.
Guests said people from the resort stopped to watch, take photos, and record — though my husband and I didn’t even notice. We were just so in the moment. Also, had to remove my veil due to the wind!

Cocktail Hour was set for the Mayan Tree. But then, rain and wind picked up quickly, and we had to rush everyone into the lobby bar. The mariachi band still played (indoors!), and everyone had fun — but the cocktail snacks never made it over.

Then things got real.
Fernanda told us we had two options: move everything inside immediately or cancel the reception. Staff couldn’t work under the conditions, and it was 6:20 PM — our reception was supposed to start at 7!

There weren’t enough staff to move everything from the deck to the ballroom…
BUT staff from a nearby restaurant jumped in to help, and so did my amazing bridal party and friends — running through the rain to rescue décor and flowers.

In 30 chaotic minutes, the ballroom was set up, and the reception started on time at 7 PM!
The storm only lasted 10 minutes, but the deck was a mess — broken plates and glass everywhere.
Lesson learned: If your coordinator recommends moving inside…trust her. Seriously.

Reception:

Despite the shift, the ballroom looked stunning, and guests appreciated the AC!
The night was unforgettable — 40+ guests ended up in the pool!
The bartenders were incredible — wish I got their names — they brought trays of shots, stood on chairs, and kept the drinks coming right to the dance floor!

Resort Feedback:

Positives:

The wait staff made the experience next-level.
The lobby bar staff remembered everyone’s name and drink orders.
Alex at the pool bar was a star — ready for our rowdy group of 80 every single day!

Needs Improvement:

Concierge and housekeeping were inconsistent:

We didn’t receive turndown service included in our package.
My parents didn’t get water bottles and had to repeatedly request them.

We paid $5 per room to deliver personalized guest bags — but they weren’t delivered upon arrival, and three were lost. I complained every day, and concierge always seemed confused.
- Eventually, they comped us the getting-ready room (honeymoon suite 1401), two cabanas, and refunded the delivery fees.

Checkout Issue:

During checkout, the front desk tried to charge us $400 with no explanation.

They said we couldn’t leave until it was paid but couldn’t tell us what it was for.
After showing that our wedding balance had been paid, they guessed it was a "currency exchange charge" or “wedding charge.”
We put a hold on our card while they sorted it out.
An hour later, I received a text apologizing and confirming the hold was canceled.
My parents said concierge told them they “always try to sneak a charge in” at checkout.

Final Thoughts:

Even with the hiccups, we had the most incredible wedding week. Rain, chaos, and all — I wouldn't change a thing.

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Dreams Riviera Cancun Destination Wedding Review (uncensored)