Tina & Matthew
THE FIVES RESORT | PLAYA DEL CARMEN, MX
Tina Wong is the founder and lead designer of Grace + Ivory. So when she married Matthew in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, in November 2024, no one needed to convince her that the details mattered. She already knew.
The two met in Chicago's West Loop at The Press Room after connecting on a dating app. Their first conversation lasted until closing time. Then they moved to another bar and kept talking until midnight. From that night forward, neither of them slowed down.
When it came to their wedding, they wanted somewhere that felt alive — not a packaged resort experience, but a setting with culture, texture, and room for a specific creative vision. They chose The Fives Beach Hotel in Playa del Carmen, a property with lush grounds, Mayan cultural touches, and the flexibility to bring in outside vendors. That last part mattered most. Tina had names in mind and wasn't interested in substitutions.
With 113 guests traveling to Mexico and no pre-wedding site visit, they needed a planner who could operate without hand-holding. Wedicity managed the full scope from Chicago: resort logistics, outside vendor coordination, guest flow, and the laser-cut stationery that Tionna hand-carried from O'Hare to the coast of the Caribbean Sea.
Tina wore five custom looks across the weekend — each designed for a specific moment. The rehearsal dinner called for a short vintage-inspired Chantilly lace gown with off-the-shoulder long sleeves. The ceremony gown was a floral-inspired fit-and-flare in nude and blush tones, built around a palette of mauve, cream, green, and deep plum. For the reception, she changed into her mother's traditional Chinese Qi Pao, a gown made in Hong Kong for her mother's own wedding decades earlier, worn again in her daughter's honor.
The details throughout reflected the same level of intention. Bamboo fans with silk bows replaced paper programs at the ceremony. Guest names were laser-cut onto individual menu cards by Amore Creative, a Chicago studio that doesn't typically appear on resort vendor lists. And cocktail stirrers arrived printed with the faces of their two 70-pound dogs — one wearing a sombrero — because the photo already existed and it was too good not to use.
Welcome bags were reusable canvas totes filled with Liquid IV, Advil, and Mexican candy Tina and Matthew personally sourced before the trip. Guests repurposed them as beach and pool bags all week. Tina's cousin Brian officiated, having spent months ahead of the wedding interviewing both of them separately so the ceremony felt like a story only he could tell.
Destination weddings require a different kind of planning — one that doesn't stop at the ceremony space but extends to every moment your guests experience from the minute they land. This is where Wedicity operates best.
VENDOR CREDITS
Planner & Design: Wedicity | Gowns: Grace + Ivory | Venue: The Fives Beach Hotel | Photographer: Berlez | Videographer: Aspen Avenue Studios | Florals: The Blush Flower Shop | Stationery: Amore Creative | Hair & Makeup: Prep Tulum | Rings: Plum Diamonds
Our Locations
At Wedicity, as a destination Wedding planning service, we offer our services across the country and in various worldwide destinations from coast to coast, including New York, Southern California, Aspen, Italy, Amalfi Coast, and Paris. Our team of expert wedding planners and event designers are ready to create unforgettable experiences for you and your guests.
To learn more about our planning and design services and how we can help you plan your dream wedding, please contact us using the form above. Our team is based out of Chicago and services weddings from City to Coast!
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