An Intimate Wedding at Villa Azul, Puerto Vallarta

Shannon and Matt didn’t want a hotel ballroom. They wanted their closest people, about 30 of them, under one roof for several days, cooking together and waking up steps from the ocean. They got married right where they were staying: Villa Azul, a multi-level house in Conchas Chinas overlooking the whole bay. Everything happened right there, from getting ready to the last sparkler.

Arriving at Villa Azul

The villa was the whole weekend’s setting. I started at the entrance under the palapa, with the tile plaque that gives the house its name, then moved on to the details: the dress hanging against the stone lattice with the ocean behind it, Shannon’s red shoes, and the rings on the stone railing. That red showed up all day, in the shoes and in Matt’s boutonnière. Before getting dressed, someone close to her helped button up the back of the dress, while the villa’s kitchen was already in motion with the weekend’s preparations.

Shannon gets ready

Shannon got ready with her bridesmaids in coral robes, soft window light, and genuine laughter while she finished getting her hair done. Her mom and her bridesmaids helped her with the last details of the dress before heading out.

Matt gets ready

On another floor of the villa, Matt got ready in a white shirt and suspenders by the pool, with the ocean behind him and all the calm of the morning.

Heading to the beach

Already dressed in his navy suit and orange boutonnière, Matt headed down to the front door before leaving for the beach. They each rode down separately in an Uber.

First look and beach session

I recommended that spot on the beach below: I know the corners near Villa Azul well, and I wanted a place where they could have their first look alone, with no guests or family around, between the rocks and the surf. From there we went straight into the full session against the Pacific, with open portraits among the rocks, the sand, and the coastal vegetation.

Back at the villa

Back at Villa Azul, the team was finishing the setup: the floral arch facing the ocean and the last details in the kitchen.

Shannon ready with her dad

Shannon hugged her dad with her eyes closed before heading down, already ready for the ceremony, in a close portrait, smiling, with her veil on.

The ceremony by the ocean

Shannon came down the villa’s stairs with her bouquet in hand and her dress in motion, while her parents and the guests waited below. The ceremony took place by the ocean, under a floral arch, with each of them reading their own vows.

Cocktail hour and group portraits

They went straight into the cocktail hour, with group portraits spread across the terrace and the ocean behind them, genuine hugs, and laughter among the guests.

Toasts and the sunset

The toasts happened with everyone gathered around and the sun going down over the ocean. The mariachi, with violin and trumpet, played by the floral arch as the sky turned orange behind them.

Family portraits and blue hour

With the music playing in the background, we took the chance for family portraits, and once the sky turned deep blue, a couple’s session against the villa’s white architecture.

Dinner and the cake

Dinner was already at night, with floating candles in the pool and the arch lit up. They cut the cake amid laughter, and the toasts followed: two of the guests ended up sticking out their tongues laughing mid-toast.

The first dance and the party

The first dance was close together, barefoot by the pool lit up with warm lights. From there, the dance floor didn’t empty for the rest of the night.

Sparklers to send them off

We closed out the night with sparklers on the terrace: the guests surrounded them with the lights on, and the two of them hugged, laughing among the sparks.

The party continues by the pool

By the early hours, the party had moved to the pool, with a live band playing and the guests singing and dancing late into the night.

One last shot with them

Before saying goodbye, this one stayed as the closing shot of the whole story: me with Shannon and Matt. Their final gallery was over 1,000 photos; this recap is just a small summary of everything we lived that weekend.

If you’re thinking about an intimate wedding in Puerto Vallarta, Villa Azul is one of the places I recommend most: it’s in Conchas Chinas, just steps from the area’s most famous beaches, and it gives you the privacy of having the whole house to yourselves and your people for the entire weekend.