I was lucky enough to be invited to attend the 5th Annual Destination Wedding Planners (DWP) Congress which, this year, was held in Los Cabos, Mexico! This event is where the world's top destination wedding planners meet, along with selected suppliers, to share experiences and ideas, and to make contacts from all around the world.
This was the base for my stay - a beautiful hotel right on the beach. The weather was wonderful (of course!) but the big surprise for me was that there was no humidity, so no 'melting' as soon as you step outside, just sunshine and a cooling breeze -perfect.
DWP are fantastic at organising these wonderful events, and we were treated to an amazing welcome cocktail party at Cabo del Sol - it had a truly Mexican feel, with vibrant colours, mariachi bands and margaritas! I'm sitting with Matthew (from Bath, UK) and Carrie (from Houston, USA), and I know that it looks as if I have an almost empty glass in front of me - but not for long!
The convention itself was a great opportunity to hear some inspiring speakers from some of the world's top wedding planners, including Kevin Lee (Lionel Richie, Adam Sandler, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jennifer Aniston); Sharon Sacks (Kim Kardashian-West, Michael Jordan); Evelyn Mills (Marriage Maestros - premier wedding consultancy in Hong Kong, China and Southeast Asia); Franc (Ireland's leading wedding designer and the face of 'Say Yes to the Dress' in Ireland) and many others. It was great to hear their stories of events they've worked on, challenges faced and disasters overcome - including having to move to an entirely different island in the Caribbean to avoid a hurricane!
Once again, we were spoiled with beautiful surroundings and wonderful food - they don't do things by halves at DWP - and this is me taking a moment on the stage....
There was an amazing gala dinner in San Carlos Canyon, with beautifully laid tables, spectacular light shows, fireworks, choirs and brightly-coloured magical creatures joining in the dancing!
All in all, it was a wonderful experience: seeing a part of the world that I hadn't visited before (and what an amazing place for a destination wedding!); learning from talented wedding industry professionals; making some new friends; and having the best time!
Thanks, DWP, and hope to see you all next year!