Wedding Review of Hotel Villa Rolandi, Isla Mujeres

This following review of Villa Rolandi in Isla Mujeres, Mexico was sent to us by Ellen, a travel agent from Special Occasion Travel.

It was hot and white and the perfect spot. It was absolutely picture perfect in every aspect: "perfect rooms, amazing food, attentive and wonderful staff" - the perfect atmosphere for a vacation. When you go on vacation with your best friends, that's what you would expect. But would you expect everyone to get married while you were there?

That is exactly what Angie and Terrence Repasky, of Ft. Collins, did when they went to Isla Mujeres with their long time friends. Isla Mujeres, the Island of Women, is where time passes slowly and your dream vacation becomes a reality. This fishing village still retains its charm and tranquil atmosphere. As you stroll the streets in the evening you will see families gathered together in Caribbean styled homes, tucked between stores and restaurants, mending their fishing nets and relaxing.

Angie and Terrence had called Michelle and Derek of Michigan to invite them to witness their marriage they were planning in Mexico. But before they could get the invitation out, their friends announced their engagement! What happened next was a whirl of activity for both couples to get married in Mexico!

First on the list was to locate a travel consultant to help them find and book just the right place for their dream wedding. They needed suggestions and coordination between the two couples and the resort. That's when they found me, Ellen Keralla at Special Occasion Travel. I specialize in romantic travel especially honeymoons and weddings. My areas of expertise are the Caribbean, Mexico, Costa Rica, Hawaii, Tahiti and Fiji.

Working with these two couples was both fun and exciting. They needed help with choosing their date and destination for this very special occasion. After listening carefully about their dreams and requirements for the wedding, we choose Hotel Villa Rolandi.

Hotel Villa Rolandi, Gourmet & Beach Club is five minutes away from the ferry terminal in Isla Mujeres. The dock is 20 minutes away from Cancun international airport. The hotel lies between the beach with its white sand and the Lagoon Makax, where its private luxury yacht has its pier. The property consists of 20 luxury Junior Suites, all with Ocean Views, full amenities and the best quality materials. The Casa Rolandi restaurant is a gathering of the local gourmets. Connoisseurs come in their boats from Cancun, just to have a gourmet experience in the relaxing atmosphere of the hotel. Evening dinners are a unique event of romanticism and quality food. The management makes you feel at home and the guest's wishes are orders for the hotel's personnel.

Choosing the date was our second concern. We wanted to avoid spring break but still fit it in during the winter. The legal requirements for marriage in Cancun are to have certified copies of both parties' birth certificates or valid passports, blood tests taken, a copy of both tourist permits, four witnesses, and three full days to process the paperwork. With these things in mind we decided on March 3rd.

With the resort chosen and the wedding date confirmed with the coordinator, we could then make travel arrangements. The Ft. Collins couple would arrive on the same day as the Minneapolis couple, within a few hours of each other. Both brides had a couple of days to decide on the location of their ceremony (they chose the beach) and time of day.

On the big day, the weather was perfect, the sunset brilliant and the sand white and warm. The ceremony took place at Sunset to add to the romance of the event. As required, the ceremony was in Spanish but the resort provided an interpreter for the brides and grooms. The Mexican official performs the ceremony with heartfelt Spanish words such as "Love is patient; love is kind. Love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way: it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrong doing, but rejoices in truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things..." It is a very thoughtful and touching ceremony even if you don't speak Spanish.

Michelle and Derek were married first followed immediately by Angie and Terrence. Congratulations were exchanged and pictures were taken. The sun set with a beautiful brilliant color that reflected off the Caribbean Sea. All four best friends sat down to celebrate their special occasion with a Tiki Torch dinner on the beach. They had the most wonderful photographer that even pointed out that they had married on the night of a lunar eclipse! This added to the already perfectly romantic memory that will be with them forever.

Ellen Keralla, Special Occasion Travel
Tel: 1-800-691-0243
ellen@specialoccasiontravel.com
www.specialoccasiontravel.com

Hotel Villa Rolandi Gourmet & Beach Club
Tel: 52 (998) 877-0700
www.villarolandi.com