April and Reid chose to host their destination wedding in Manzanillo, Mexico at the Grand Bay Isla Navidad Resort. “Of all the weddings that I’ve attended, the destination weddings are always the most fun!” April says. The isolation of the Spanish-style resort situated on a 1200-acre peninsula along Mexico’s glistening Pacific coast appealed to the couple’s desire to “have an island all to ourselves.” Their week long celebration turned out to be just that. The days leading up to the springtime wedding were filled with sun-drenched leisure. Guests enjoyed trips by water taxi to a charming “Old Mexico” town, al fresco dinners and even a golf tournament organized by the men in the bunch at the resort’s pristine 27-hole course. “Our wedding party ended up taking over the place!” April exclaims. “We were at the pool, the beach, the restaurants (there were only three) and this tiny bar every night!” The resort staff catered to their every wish and allowed them time to enjoy the days leading up to their nuptials. “I felt really calm once I arrived in Mexico and realized that the last nine months of planning were out of my hands,” the bride recalls. “I truly enjoyed myself!”

From her home in L.A., April oversaw the planning and design of their big day, drawing from her mother’s attention to detail and fine taste along the way. When it came time for dress shopping, April knew exactly where to go. She eschewed the “hectic bridal boutiques” for a more personal experience browsing the collections in the designer’s studios in downtown L.A.’s fashion district. She found the perfect dress in a timeless, cowlneck silhouette at Alix and Kelly’s loft. “They design gowns for a woman like myself,” April says. Trusting her girlfriends' sense of style, April asked her bridesmaids to don long gowns in a profusion of vibrant hues: yellow, turquoise, plum and pink. A month before the wedding, the bride held a “bikini brunch” for the ladies in the party to be fitted by Tyler Rose Swimwear designer, Nichole Carroll. They had a chance to further bond on the morning of the wedding day with an oceanside yoga session led by one of the bridesmaids.

On Saturday, April 25, spectacular waves of color filled the Mexican skyline. The ceremony commenced on a picturesque lagoon perfectly shaded by a set of palm trees. As the pretty bride walked down a petal-strewn aisle, her vision came together seamlessly. Reid was debonair in a beige Michael Kors suit. The bride’s brother presided over the touching ceremony, reciting a few lines in Spanish that set a lighthearted tone. “It meant so much to me to have my brother up there with Reid and me,” April says. “The ceremony was so intimate and romantic.”

A festive reception followed on a private lawn fronting the marina. Elegant dinner tables were dressed in shades of pale, with tall, feminine cala lilies occupying the center. The celebrants savored a decadent seafood platter of lobster, scallops, shrimp and mussels with a bacon-wrapped fish filet as the main entrée. “The food came out steaming hot and delicious,” the bride says. April’s father surprised her with a touching country song, “I Loved Her First,” for their father-daughter dance, leaving not a dry eye in the crowd. “I was a limp biscuit in his arms,” the bride says. “When I opened my eyes for a moment, I noticed that everyone on the perimeter of the dance floor was crying, too.” Reid’s best man surprised the couple with a video montage depicting their courtship through fun caricatures and photographs.

Above all, April and Reid wanted to give their guests the ultimate party in the ultimate exotic locale. “It was all about the music for us,” the bride says. “We wanted absolutely no sound restrictions!” The couple flew in one of Southern California’s renowned DJs for the celebration. “At one point, almost all of our eighty guests were on the dance floor, from grandparents to parents and friends, with their hands in the air, singing at the top of their lungs and having the best time!” April says. “The tropical vibe, the spirit of the people and the music made it the perfect evening.”