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Autumnal Wedding Signature Cocktails + Recipes

October 6, 2016

Guests attend weddings to celebrate the love and happiness of a family member or friend. But, let’s be honest, they also appreciate the free drinks! Signature cocktails have been popular for quite some time now, often incorporating the couple’s cultures, favorite ingredients, or even the wedding color palette! In today’s case, we are bringing you some cocktails that epitomize the fall season. From ciders to pumpkin shooters, your autumnal options are endless so make sure to check out a few of our favorites below!

applecidermoscowmule-sugar-and-charm applecidermoscowmules-sugar-and-charm-cuttingboard

Sugar and Charm

Apple Cider Moscow Mule Recipe

2 ounces ginger flavored vodka
2 ounces apple cider (store bought or homemade)
Juice of 1 small lime wedge
Good quality ginger beer to top off (about 1/2 cup or so)
Cinnamon to sprinkle

In a copper mug, add the vodka, apple cider and lime juice. Fill the glass with ice, sprinkle cinnamon over the ice, then top off with ginger beer. Stir well and garnish with an apple slice and cinnamon stick.

pumpkin-pie-shooters-a-night-owl a-night-owl-blog-pumpkin

A Night Owl

Pumpkin Pie Shooters

3 Tbsp pumpkin puree
¼ cup International Delight Pumpkin Pie Spice Creamer
½ tsp vanilla
2 oz whipped cream vodka
Marshmallow fluff (opt)
Graham cracker crumbs (opt)

Dip the top of your shot glasses in marshmallow fluff until the rim is coated. Dip the coated rim in graham cracker crumbs until marshmallow fluff is completely covered. Add the pumpkin puree, creamer, vanilla and whipped cream vodka to your blender. Blend until smooth. Pour pumpkin pie shots into graham cracker rimmed shot glasses. Serve and enjoy!

apple-moonshine-cocktail-4 apple-pie-moonshine-cocktail-3

The Little Epicurean

Apple Pie Moonshine

Be sure to check all of our other wedding signature drinks and cocktails that we have written about in the past and check out what our local couples are opted for in their real weddings!

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Catering / food and entertainment / inspiration / inspiration and ideas

Wedding Cocktail Hour Trends

March 29, 2016

We are constantly asking brides and grooms about the most important aspects of their wedding day and what they “couldn’t live without.” We tend to get tons of varied answers except for one; we almost always hear that the food on their day was super important to them. Of course they want their guests to enjoy themselves and you know what they always say, they key to anyone’s heart is through their stomach. Because of this, we were so excited to talk with Joanie Rylander, the Creative Director & Senior Event Designer of our newest DC area wedding vendor, Purple Onion Catering so she could give us the ins and outs of the hottest catering trends right now. We added some of our own thoughts, tips, and tricks as well! This week we will be focusing on cocktail hour, but stay tuned for part two, coming next Tuesday, which will focus on reception food and beverage!

What are some of 2016’s hottest trends regarding cocktail hour?

Some of the things that we have been seeing is canned cocktails, veggie based signature drinks, clean eating menus (so many food allergies!), and fruit/herb infused ice cubes. Rose wine and craft beer continues to be popular, as well. Instead of just one signature drink we’re seeing a lot of his and her’s cocktails; this is not only a great conversation starter for guests but it can also help control bar costs.

We love the idea of his and her’s cocktails because you really can let your personalities shine, not only as a couple, but individually as well. If you want to cut down on bar costs, as Joanie stated, doing wine and beer and then a signature cocktail or two in addition is a great option!

How can a couple create the perfect signature cocktail?

The main thing I really love about weddings is how personal the details have become in regards to the couple. An events menu should be an outstanding reflection of the hosts’ personality. It’s the personal touches that guests remember the most. We have been seeing a lot of his and her cocktails where they each pick their favorite drink and then serve that to the guests. A drink you had on your first date also lends a nice touch. I have done everything from mini hurricanes with a jambalaya skewer for a couple from NOLA to a mini craft beer with pretzel for a Philly couple. Pairing cocktails with food has become more popular.

We hadn’t thought about including a drink that couples had on their first date but we think the idea is spectacular! We have had couples choose drinks that remind them of the other person, drinks that reflect their destination wedding or honeymoon venue, drinks that show off their own heritage and culture, and so much more! Signature cocktails are SO fun. We have even shared some of our favorite signature wedding cocktails + recipes!

What items/ideas are on the decline?

We have been seeing a decline in late night snacks and dinner station menus. Clients are really going back to the traditional plated dinner. However, I am seeing clients adding in a personal station during cocktail hour instead of the standard cheese station.

Some of our favorite “personal stations” that we have seen at cocktail hours are mac and cheese stations, small taco stations, pasta bars, and sushi stations.

What is your cocktail hour specialty? What item or design element sets you apart?

I would have to say service. We really pride ourselves on our attentive staff. Making sure they are trained, courteous, and professional helps us ensure a successful event. Service really is the new luxury.

We absolutely agree! Purple Onion not only makes amazing food, but also has a level of service that makes guests feel taken care of and special, and that is exactly what you want on your big day!

For more catering vendors, please visit our Washington DC area wedding vendors guide and for even more tips & tricks for your wedding, check out our Washington DC area wedding advice.

All photography sent via Purple Onion Catering.

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Catering / Event Planning & Design / food and entertainment / inspiration and ideas

Colorful Cocktail Wedding at Sequoia: Athena + Blair

March 28, 2016

Athena and Blair are certainly not afraid of a little color as so awesomely displayed by their vibrant bright pink and turquoise wedding at DC waterfront wedding venue Sequoia. From the pops of color on their reception linens to the brides sparkly pink wedges and hot pink peony bouquet, we love the fun colorful notes inside today’s real wedding! The couple opted to host both their ceremony and reception at Sequoia when they fell in love with the terrace overlooking the Potomac river, and knew that having an all in one location would be the easiest for guests. For a personal touch, the bride’s sister was ordained to marry in DC to be able to wed the couple in an intimate ceremony that she crafted herself. It was important to Athena and Blair to have those closest to them involved in the ceremony, so each had their siblings in the bridal party and active in the program. For the reception, they wanted to focus on having a laid back party atmosphere so they opted for the reception to be cocktail style so as to lend to more mingling and dancing by their guests. One of our favorite details from the wedding was the amazing paper created for the couple, especially the poster sized colorful ceremony program. Their wedding planner, Margo from Bright Occasions, did an incredible job of pulling together all the details of their special day, and we want to thank Procopio Photography for sharing this wedding with us!

From the Bride: “Our vision was a cocktail style reception with great music, good food, mingling, and lots of dancing. Colors were sea blue, hot pink, and silver. We chose the State Room at Sequoia Restaurant because the venue had a private outdoor terrace with views of the waterfront and we set up tables both inside and outside so guests were free to enjoy both options and were lucky to have amazing weather that day.”

Bride’s favorite details: ” I did think it was pretty cool that we had the Sinatra Suite at the Graham Hotel as the bridal suite. Frank Sinatra used to stay there whenever he came to town. Its also the only room at the Graham with its own private balcony terrace which was a perfect spot for bridal party pre-party before the wedding.

“We wanted our wedding to be fun and convenient for us and for our guests so we chose to have both the ceremony and reception at the same location. The hotels were also within walking distance of all party venues. We chose cocktail style reception as opposed to a sit-down dinner because we thought it would be more fun and allow everyone to talk, dance, eat, or whatever as they pleased. The crab cake bar was a huge hit. It was important to us to have our close family and friends as a part of our wedding so all our siblings and closest friends were part of the ceremony. My sister even got ordained so she could perform ceremony for us. She went out of her way to really personalize the ceremony to us and it was really beautiful. We also splurged on dance lessons before the wedding because we wanted to have a really cool first dance. We had our DJ splice a fast dance mix version of John Legend’s All of Me with the original slow version and did a swing/foxtrot combination.”

“Having a good planner is invaluable. At first we started planning on our own and I actually gave myself an appendicitis from stress. After that a friend of ours recommended a planner to help us through the process. Without Margo from Bright Occasions there is no way the day would have gone so perfectly. From our first meeting until the very end she was on top of it. If you are worried about the expense, don’t be, a planner will help you get better deals with vendors which will more than make up for the cost of planner.”

“Instead of a favors we bought colorful chinese takeout boxes and set them up with our dessert table of mini-cupcakes and cake pops so guests could take dessert home with them. It saved us money and time we would have spent on favors and the guests seemed to really enjoy.”

“Planning a wedding was a really tough process. At times we were ready to run off and elope but we were very happy that we chose not to. Our wedding was really was wonderful and exactly what we wanted. We have gotten so many complements from friends and family that it was one of the best weddings they have ever been to and so much fun.”

Thank you so much Athena and Blair for sharing your colorful DC wedding with us! The following Washington DC area wedding professionals contributed to their wedding:

Venue: Sequoia
Photography: Procopio Photography
Wedding Planner: Bright Occasions
Floral Design: DaVinci Floral
Invitations: Minted
Bridal Attire: Matthew Christopher from Nordstrom Bridal Boutique
Veil & Garter: Gibson Girl Garters
Bridesmaids’ Attire: Alfred Angelo
Shoes: Marc Defang Custom
Beauty: JWK Beauty
Wedding Day Signage: Dandelion Patch
Cake: Sweets by E
DJ: Marc Matsui

For more vendors, please visit our Washington DC area wedding vendor guide and for even more local ideas visit our wedding inspiration galleries or check out our other Washington DC area real wedding features.

Photo Credits: Procopio Photography

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dc weddings / Real Weddings / Real Weddings - Blue / Real Weddings - DC / Real Weddings - Pink / Real Weddings - Spring

Creative Signature Cocktail Inspiration

March 26, 2016

We all know that cocktails can be a fun part of any wedding celebration, but where do you start when choosing your signature drink? There are tons of different options for the customization of wedding cocktails, and many couples choose to incorporate their likes, dislikes, background, culture, and wedding theme. We love all of the creative options that our United with Love real wedding couple’s have come up with over the years and we are so excited to share them with you! Be sure to check out our Signature Wedding Cocktails + Recipes post if you are looking for additional inspiration!

[newgallery cat=”signature-cocktails”]

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Catering / etc. / food and entertainment / inspiration / inspiration and ideas / miscellaneous / Tips & Advice

Signature Wedding Cocktails + Recipes

March 22, 2016

Signature cocktails have been a huge hit on the wedding scene for quite some time, and we can definitely see why! These delectable indulgences often incorporate the couple’s cultures, favorite ingredients, or even the wedding color palette, making for a great way to show off their personalities. We love all of the different concoctions that our couples come up with! We know that it can be difficult to find the perfect drink, so we’ve rounded up not only some fantastic liquid eye-candy, but a few recipes (at the bottom) to get you started as well!

Blushing Bride via Jihan Cerda Photography

Sparkling Mint Julep

Southern Gentleman

Pimm’s Cup

Strawberry Basil Moscow Mule

Lemon and Rosemary Bourbon Sour

Blackberry and Meyer Lemon Gin and Tonic

Blushing Bride

1 oz Peach Schnapps

1 oz Grenadine

4 oz Champagne

1 Sprig Fragrant Lavender

Instructions

Pour the Schnapps and grenadine into the bottom of a champagne flute.

Pour chilled champagne into the glass.

Garnish with a sprig of fresh lavender

Sparkling Ginger Mint Julep

6 ounces ginger beer

2 ounces bourbon

8 mint leaves

Instructions

Muddle the ginger beer, 3 mint sprigs and bourbon together in a glass until the mint has released its flavor

Fill the glass with crushed ice, then garnish with remaining mint sprig

(Optional: If you do not like the remaining muddled mint leaves, you can strain the julep before add in the ice and garnish mint sprig.)

Southern Gentleman

1.5 oz. bourbon

0.5 oz. simple syrup

2 blackberries muddled

3 mint leaves muddled plus a small sprig for garnish

splash of lemon juice (about 1 tablespoon)

Instructions

Muddle simple syrup, blackberries, and mint in a shaker.

Add bourbon and lemon juice to the mixture.

Add ice and shake until cold and strain over ice

Pimm’s Cup

2 oz fresh lemon juice

1/2 to 1 oz simple syrup

1.5 oz of Pimm’s No. 1

Club soda, sparkling soda water or plain seltzer water

Garnishes: Cucumber spear or slices, mint, lemon, orange and strawberries

Instructions

Combine lemon juice and simple syrup to make lemonade (start with 4 to 1 ratio and increase to half of each if sweeter is desired)

Fill a tall glass with ice; add Pimm’s and lemonade and top off with soda; stir to mix

Garnish with cucumbers, citrus and strawberries

Strawberry Basil Moscow Mule

5 fresh strawberries

5 fresh basil leaves

1 1/2 ounces vodka

juice from 1/2 fresh lime

ginger beer

crushed ice

Instructions

Muddle strawberries and basil with a splash of the ginger beer & lime juice.

Add vodka, give a quick stir.

Top with plenty of ice & ginger beer.

Garnish with strawberries & basil.

Lemon and Rosemary Bourbon Sour

3 sprigs of rosemary

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup water

1 1/2 ounces bourbon

1 ounce fresh lemon juice

3/4 ounce rosemary simple syrup

ice cubes, for shaking and serving

sprigs of rosemary, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

Simple Syrup:

Place rosemary on cutting board and gently hit sprigs with back of knife to release their flavor and aroma

Transfer rosemary to small pot; stir in sugar and water. Cook over medium heat 4 to 6 minutes or until sugar is dissolved

Remove from heat; let stand 10 minutes

Transfer to jar or container and refrigerate until completely cool

Cocktail:

In cocktail shaker, combine bourbon, lemon juice, Rosemary Simple Syrup and ice; shake well

Serve over additional ice, garnished with rosemary sprig, if desired

Blackberry and Meyer Lemon Gin and Tonics

12 blackberries

20 fresh mint leaves

2 Meyer lemons (can sub. regular lemons)

1/4 cup simple syrup

12 ounces good quality gin

tonic water

ice

Instructions
Set out four high ball glasses.

Place 3 blackberries, 5 mint leaves, juice of ½ lemon, and 1 tablespoon simple syrup in each glass and muddle together.

Fill each glass with ice, followed by 3 ounces of gin. Top off each drink with tonic water, stir and serve.

Bottoms up! Be sure to check back this weekend to see a gallery full of all of our favorite signature cocktails from our amazing real weddings! Looking for more ideas? Be sure to check out our wedding inspiration galleries.

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inspiration / inspiration and ideas / miscellaneous / Tips & Advice

DIY Patterned Cocktail Napkins

June 11, 2014

We have a fun, super easy and very affordable DIY project for you today! This is for all of those delicious signature cocktails that you’ll be sipping on and comes from fellow Washington DC lifestyle bloggers, Rebecca and Suzanne, at A Feteful Life. When you are planning a wedding, sometimes little things like cocktail napkins can fall by the wayside. However, when you see how easy these DIY cocktail napkins are you won’t forget to have them at your wedding reception, bridal shower or rehearsal dinner. They are so simple, yet they have a big impact! And, the best part is that they can be done way ahead of time – no late night crafting here! The ladies at A Feteful Life are going to take it from here…

When planning a wedding, trying to find simple ideas to customize it and give your guests a unique experience is always at the forefront of your mind – especially ideas that don’t bust the budget. Your bar can be a great place to focus those DIY efforts, from a signature cocktail, drink stirrers or these napkins. At A Feteful Life, our motto is always simple, never plain. We don’t believe that good design needs to be complicated or difficult to make a big impact and these napkins are no exception.

How to Make DIY Cocktail Napkins:

First, choose what stamp and napkin combination to use. It’s best to think first about what the overall color scheme will be for your wedding. For example, if your colors are aqua and orange, it might be best to have napkins with a single aqua or orange stamp.

After your color scheme is chosen, select your stamp. Are you interested in a monogrammed look? Or perhaps a single stamp in the corner? You could even create a unique pattern of your very own.

All right, now it’s time to get stamping! Make sure you have a clean work area and a clean stamp. The key to good stamping is to get enough ink on the stamp but then not pressing too hard when applying the stamp.

When creating a pattern, it’s easiest to pick a fixed spot to start. For these napkins, I always started in the bottom right corner and worked the pattern out from there.

Doing some practice stamps will help you figure out the perfect final product.

Step back and admire your handiwork and get ready to celebrate your big day!

All photos courtesy of A Feteful Life

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So quick and easy right!? I personally love the monograms! Where will you be using your cocktail napkins? Don’t forget to check out all of our other wedding DIY ideas or pick out a signature cocktail to go along with these napkins! Thank you so much Rebecca and Suzanne for this great project. Be sure to check out their blog, A Feteful Life, for all things DIY and parties!

Are you looking for more local wedding ideas? Be sure to look through our DC area wedding idea galleries and find wedding advice from local DC area pros. If that isn’t enough, check out our collection of local DMV weddings from the real world and the best DC area wedding vendors who make it all happen. You can also share your wedding announcement with the world!

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diy

Sweet Valentine’s Day Wedding Dessert & Cocktail Ideas

February 12, 2014

It’s the most wonderful time of the year – Valentine’s Day, that is! Let’s start the celebration a little early with a heavy dose of romantic wedding inspiration perfect for the Washington DC area (or just about any area!) with sweet treat ideas from FÃªte Studio and Rachel May Photography. We know that there might be some of you out there who are getting married around this beloved holiday. (After all, Valentine’s Day this year is a Friday and Valentine’s Day in 2015 is a Saturday!)

But, what if you want to celebrate the season at your wedding and move beyond the candy hearts and boxes of chocolates?! Well, these creative and stylish ladies glammed up the typical Valentine’s Day treats and created a fabulous spread full of wedding ideas, including signature cocktails, meringues, cakelets, truffles and marshmallows! And, be sure to come back tomorrow because they will blow it out of the park with even more Valentine’s Day wedding inspiration!

From Wendy at FÃªte Studio: We chose to go the direction of romantic and sweet for this Valentine’s Day wedding inspiration. Keeping with that theme, we chose to go with lush flowers playing with the color palette and brought in a romantic feel. There were lots of details through out to make the design sweet and fun!

Rachel-May-Photography-11714-62

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More from Wendy: Having a red linen just on the dessert table or an accent table is a great way to bring in the red without looking like a sea of red. You can then balance out the majority of your wedding reception tables with a soft accent color. In this wedding inspiration, we chose mint green for the reception tables to accent the pop of red for the dessert table.

Rachel-May-Photography-11714-204

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Wow and yum! I hope that you are as inspired as we are with this post full of Valentine’s Day wedding ideas for your dessert bar! As we said, don’t forget to come back tomorrow for more Valentine’s inspired wedding ideas. A special thank you to all of the Washington, DC area wedding vendors who contributed to this inspiration:

Event Design + Styling: FÃªte Studio
Photography: Rachel May Photography
Venue: Quirk Gallery
Floral Design : Southern Blooms
Cakes and Dessert: Candy Valley Cake Company
Chocolate Truffles: For the Love of Chocolate
Chairs: AFR Furniture Rental
Stationery and Calligraphy: The Weekend Type
Linen Rental: La Tavola Linens
Bridesmaid Dresses and Accessories: Bella Bridesmaid
Table, Plates, and Silverware : Classic Party Rentals of VA
XO Coaster: Sugar Paper for J.Crew
Bowtie: Mrs. Bowtie
Red Candles, Be My Bridesmaid Bracelet, Pearl Necklace, Cocktail Glassware: Quirk Gallery

If you are planning a wedding in the DC area, there is plenty on United With Love for you. From tips and advice form DC area wedding pros, a real wedding gallery for beautiful Washington, DC area weddings and loads of inspiration in our DC area wedding idea galleries. You can also join the local wedding conversation on our Washington DC area wedding forums!

Photo Credits: Rachel May Photography

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inspiration / inspiration and ideas

Wedding Cocktail Napkin Inspiration

October 11, 2012

Bet you hadn’t put much though into your cocktail napkins yet, huh? Well even though cocktail hour isn’t the main event of your wedding in the Washington DC area, there’s no reason not to use at as an excuse to infuse an extra hint of personality! These napkins can be printed with logos, silhouettes and other motifs. You can even use them in a more interactive manor, with fun facts, trivia or a special thank you note. Here’s a few ideas to get you inspired for your wedding!

Photo Credit: Amelia Lyon via Style Me Pretty

Photo Credit: Lindsay B Photography via Style Me Pretty

Photo Credit: Kojo Designs via Design*Sponge

Photo Credit: Tall and Small Photography from Lori + Will’s Wedding

Photo Credits: My Growing Home via Design Mom (left), Greg Piche Photography via Hello!Lucky (right)

Photo Credit: Dana Duncan Photography (left); Rebekah J. Murray Photography from Hayley + Rob’s wedding

Hugh Forte via Wedding Chicks

Photo Credit: Kasey Hamel

Photo Credit: Kristen Gardner Photography from Nicole + Rudy’s Wedding

Photo Credit: Corey Ann Photography via Wedding Chicks

If you were inspired by these napkin ideas, you can check out our easy (and affordable) DIY cocktail napkin tutorial. Looking for more inspiration and ideas? Be sure to check out our wedding inspiration and local ideas galleries.

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inspiration / inspiration and ideas

Inspiration: Signature Cocktails (+ Recipes!)

May 19, 2011

Guests attend weddings to celebrate the love and happiness of a family member or friend. But, let’s be honest, they also appreciate the free drinks! Signature cocktails have been popular for quite some time now, often incorporating the couple’s cultures, favorite ingredients, or even the wedding color palette! We’ve rounded up not only some fantastic liquid eye-candy, but a few recipes to get you started too!

Photo Credit: Maria Vicencio Photography

Photo Credit: Amber Karson Events (left), Adam Barnes Fine Art Photography (right)

Photo Credit: Laura Ashbrook Photography

Photo Credits: Katie Stoops Photography (left), Amie Otto Photography (right)

Photo Credit: Amie Otto Photography

Is it 5 o’clock yet? Now check out not one, but three recipes to inspire your wedding cocktail!

Photo Credits: Kurstin Roe Photography via Windows Catering Company (left), Artful Weddings by Sachs Photography via Chef’s Expressions

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Portuguese Daisy Cocktail
Courtesy of Windows Catering Company
(Pictured above left)

Ingredients:

2 oz. ruby port
1 oz. brandy
1 oz. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. superfine sugar
1/2 tsp. grenadine syrup

Pour the port, brandy, lemon juice, sugar and grenadine into a cocktail shaker half filled with ice. Shake well and then strain into a martini glass rimmed with sugar.

White Peach Sangria
Courtesy of Chef’s Expressions
(Pictured above right)

Ingredients:

3/4 cups sugar
1/2 bottle of brandy
1 sliced lemon
1 sliced orange
1 sliced lime
3 bottles Cono Sur Viognier
1/2 gallon peach juice

Makes one gallon.

Markers Heart
Courtesy of Chef’s Expressions

Ingredients:

3 whole blackberries
1 oz. POM 100% pomegranate juice
1/4 oz. lemon juice
2 oz. Maker’s 46
3/4 oz. sweet vermouth (preferably Carpo Antica)
1 oz. simple syrup
1 dash of Fee Bros. orange bitters
Navel orange infused sugar for rimming (1 oz. plain white sugar infused with the oil from four zested navel oranges)

In a mixing glass, combine first three ingredients. Muddle the ingredients, then fill mixing glass with ice. Add the next three ingredients. Shake vigorously and strain into a sugar rimmed cocktail glass. Garnish with a dash of orange bitters and orange peel.

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Bottoms up! Be sure to check back later for a few fun non-alcoholic wedding drink ideas, and yes, another recipe!

Looking for more inspiration and ideas? Be sure to check out our galleries.

* Windows Catering Company is one of our fabulous sponsors. For information on our editorial policies, please click here.

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inspiration / inspiration and ideas

A Tale of Two Destination Weddings at El Dorado Resorts

September 21, 2021

If your dream wedding is a beachy destination full of luxury and romance, we have the perfect place for you. We had the pleasure of visiting two different resorts in Playa Del Carmen recently, and fell in love with both of them! So if you are looking for more of a private romantic getaway, or something more family oriented, El Dorado resorts has something for you! While this trip was sponsored by Apple Vacations, all of my opinions are my own, and I promise to give a thorough and honest review of the resorts!

PHOTO COURTESY OF KARISMA HOTELS & RESORTS

Effortless travel

VIEW OF COAST FROM THE AIR

One of the biggest things to consider when planning your wedding abroad is travel. Especially if you are inviting guests, ease of travel is a big consideration! Cancun airport is just a 30 minute drive from both El Dorado resorts, and travel into Cancun is a breeze. Plus, it’s just a 3 hour flight from DC making it an easy trip for almost anyone.

A tale of two weddings

PHOTO COURTESY OF KARISMA HOTELS & RESORTS

One of my favorite things about visiting both El Dorado Maroma and El Dorado Casitas Royale was how different they were! Both resorts were beautiful but they each had unique aspects that cater to a different kind of destination wedding. So whether you are looking for a romantic elopement or vow renewal, or a large family affair, El Dorado resorts has something for you.

A Romantic Elopement or adults only wedding

PHOTO COURTESY OF KARISMA HOTELS & RESORTS

The first resort we visited was El Dorado Maroma. This quiet, adults only, romantic resort felt very exclusive even on the drive in. As you drive deeper into the jungle, you start to feel how secluded and exclusive this resort is. A much smaller resort, El Dorado Maroma is known for its private, romantic atmosphere.

PHOTO COURTESY OF KARISMA HOTELS & RESORTS

One of the first things you’ll notice about El Dorado Maroma is the two different resorts on one property. There is the Maroma resort, and the Palafitos. If you are dreaming of an overwater bungalow like you’d find in Tahiti or Fiji, the Palafitos are the closest overwater bungalows to the US. These dreamy private rooms all have their own deck with insane ocean views, and an outdoor hot tub for you to enjoy. Plus the rooms have windows on the floor so you can see the waves below you no matter where you are.

PHOTO COURTESY OF KARISMA HOTELS & RESORTS

There is also an exclusive restaurant over the water in the Palafitos area that is absolutely incredible. Not only the food, but the views will take your breath away. This restaurant is also available to host your rehearsal dinner or cocktail hour, which would be absolutely beautiful with the ocean background.

If overwater bungalows aren’t your style (or in your budget) the Maroma resort is just as romantic and beautiful on land. With beautiful beaches just steps away from your room, dreamy blue pools, a gorgeous spa and even a nightclub, Maroma is the perfect resort for a couple or small group to get away. We had the pleasure of witnessing a beachfront wedding and it was absolutely gorgeous.

PHOTO COURTESY OF KARISMA HOTELS & RESORTS

And when you are done tying the knot, they have lots of fun things to do on property! With dance lessons, volleyball, canoes, and more, we were having fun from dawn until dusk!

PHOTO COURTESY OF KARISMA HOTELS & RESORTS

Another incredible perk at El Dorado Maroma is the Villa. This 5 room villa can be reserved exclusively with your family or friends, and includes private rooms, a communal area where you can gather and a private pool. You can even reserve a private chef that will cook exclusively for you and your guests! This would be perfect for a bridal party, to share with all your friends, and extend the fun into your honeymoon.

PHOTO COURTESY OF KARISMA HOTELS & RESORTS

El Dorado Maroma also has a marina where you can venture out into excursions like parasailing, ATV tours, scuba diving and more. So whether you are there for relaxation, or you want some adventure, you get both at El Dorado Maroma.

The Maroma Wedding Experience

PHOTO COURTESY OF KARISMA HOTELS & RESORTS

If having a luxury wedding experience is on your bucket list, El Dorado Maroma is exactly what you are looking for. Imagine waking up the day of your wedding for a couples massage, followed by getting ready in the most beautiful bridal suite, complete with make-up booths and brunch snacks. Then walking down to the most beautiful ocean side chapel or right onto the beach for your ceremony. With every last detail taken care of, your wedding experience is stress free in paradise at this intimate resort.

NAAY SPA BRIDAL SUITE

PRIVATE BRUNCH

With the incredible amenities, top notch service and experience, the El Dorado Maroma is the perfect destination for your romantic getaway, elopement or small adult only wedding. But if you have a large family, or even kids, El Dorado resorts has another option that might be more your speed.

Family Friendly Fun

EL DORADO ROYALE

In addition to visiting the beautiful El Dorado Maroma, we had the amazing opportunity to visit their sister resort El Dorado Royale. This property was truly unique because it was three resorts in one, each with their own unique flavor!

PHOTO COURTESY OF KARISMA HOTELS & RESORTS

Immediately we noticed that the El Dorado Royale property was much bigger than the Maroma resort, and had an incredible variety of options for wedding venues. The other great thing about this property was the capacity to accommodate large scale events. Weddings with hundreds of guests can have an incredible experience, and one that is inclusive for the whole family.

Three resorts in one.

Similar to the Maroma property, with the Palafitos resort, El Dorado Royale has 3 different properties that are available for guests to explore! First is the flagship property El Dorado Royale. This property had a lot of fun features and experiences, including an outdoor night club, dozens of pools, and various areas that were instagram ready! Including really fun eating opportunities like an “Iron Chef” style restaurant, and a world class spa, you would never get bored!

PHOTO COURTESY OF KARISMA HOTELS & RESORTS

But for the person who is looking for a quieter, more exclusive experience, right next door is the El Dorado Royale Casitas. This is where we stayed, and this unique area of the resort is made up of casita villages that are centered around their own private pool. Having a quieter, more exclusive area felt so relaxing and luxurious, and having easy access to the more fun and exciting side was such a nice change of pace.

PHOTO COURTESY OF KARISMA HOTELS & RESORTS

And unlike the Maroma property, the third resort in this group is a family friendly resort called Generations. With lots of activities for kids (including a kids club where they can play while the adults have fun) this is the perfect set-up for large family weddings.

All three resorts are connected through a system of trolleys that take you around the property, so you can spread out and have your own vacation, while still having a large wedding that is fit for a family of any size.

Scenic ocean side wedding venues

PHOTO COURTESY OF KARISMA HOTELS & RESORTS

One of the most incredible things about weddings at El Dorado Royale was the incredible variety in wedding venues. Want a covered outdoor wedding with 180 degree ocean views- they’ve got it. Want to literally walk on the beach, with room for over 100 people, they’ve got it. Want a rooftop wedding with incredible views of the water and jungle- they’ve got it. Want a traditional Mayan ceremony in a cenote- they’ve got it!

PHOTO COURTESY OF KARISMA HOTELS & RESORTS

And with on site florists and designers, everything is taken care of, so you can just fly in with your dress and your family, and celebrate your wedding without any of the stress.

PHOTO COURTESY OF KARISMA HOTELS & RESORTS

Luxury weddings for large parties

FULL SERVICE BRIDAL SALON

In addition to having incredible variety, the spa at El Dorado Royale has an incredible bridal suite complex complete with 5 different massage rooms for couples, and a large scale salon and make up studio for you to get ready. This entire floor of the spa can accommodate even the largest of bridal parties with exclusivity, privacy and luxury on your incredible day.

And let me tell you about the FOOD.

One of the highlights of BOTH El Dorado resorts was the food! El Dorado resorts have what is called Gourmet Inclusive dining, which means its not the buffet style “all inclusive” food you may have experienced in the past. Both resorts offer gourmet food in an all inclusive experience, and I can’t say enough about how incredible the food was. If you are a foodie or enjoy high quality service and dining experiences, you can’t go wrong with either El Dorado resorts.

All in all, I was extremely impressed with the wedding experience offerings at both El Dorado Resorts. The resorts were gorgeous, and luxurious, the wedding packages were inclusive and extravagant, the food was incredible, the views were breathtaking and the overall experience will leave you wishing you never had to leave.

And no matter if you want a romantic elopement style experience, a large family event to remember, or something in between, El Dorado has something for everyone.

So whether you are planning a destination wedding, a tropical honeymoon, or a fun girl’s weekend getaway, El Dorado Spa Resorts by Karisma is the ideal choice for you. Ready to book? Complete this form to get all the information you need to plan your dream big event!

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