When we were in the US, we told my parents that we were going to take them on a much needed and deserved vacation for a week in August. Joe too. We found a great resort in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico called the Sunset Princess and booked our first all inclusive holiday for the Scully's. Nick and I area used to backpacking it in hostels, staying on couches, so this was a big change and something that we were definitely looking forward to!

What my parents and brother didn't know that while we were down there we would suprise them with a vow renewal ceremony...a 2nd wedding for them as they weren't there when we got married in Sydney almost 5 years ago. We wanted to do it exactly 5 years, but timing doesn't always work out that way.


On November 24th, 2005 ,we got married at the Births, Deaths, and Marriages Office in Sydney with Nick's immediate family, but mine weren't there and while we promised we would have a wedding eventually back in the states 1 year turned into 2....3...4..and now were headed almost on the 5th, so to be honest we didn't know what would ever happen to that traditional 'wedding' that we were going to have one day.

So instead it was the Scully's chance to see one in Mexico. Before we left, Nick and I picked out a nice beach dress and outfit to wear, printed invitations, got a few little bits and pieces, wrote vows, printed a renewal certificate, but really didn't know how things would pan out. We had tried to get a photographer, but they wouldn't coordinate with the resort and we didn't want to go all out as just the price to have it at the wedding gazeebo there pretty high and not worth it. So we just went with the flow and now knowing the area decided we'd just have our own little set up on the beach at the hotel in the middle of the week.


The night we arrived, we surprised Mom and Dad with the invitations and pretty sure they didn't know what we had planned. We told Joe that he was going to be the 'officiant' and 2 days later we would have a little ceremony on the beach with just us 5. The night before the renewal, we were supposed to have our own 'rehearsal dinner' which where we chose the Japanese steakhouse to eat at, but we ended up being the Scully's minus Nick. Nick had a bit too much to drink during the day and honestly could not be woken up in time for dinner. After trying everything, he wouldn't move, until 2:30 am when he finally woke up and wondered when was dinner and why no one had woke him up. I told him it was impossible and all of us tried to! Since I'm already married to him and considering that doesn't happen very often, the 'renewal' was still on :)



On August 4th we went downtown Playa in the morning and picked got a little bouquet made up, flowers were a piece of cake. After that we headed back to the hotel and arranged with the hotel photographer to take some photos of us together that evening, again pretty simple. We had a chance to hang out by the pool, have a few drinks and then we all got ready for the ceremony. Pre-ceremony was pretty relaxed and super easy, stress free :) We headed down to the beach and got some photos taken and then started the ceremony. Joe as the officiant was given some cards to read, which he did great. Nick and I actually read vows that we wrote to each other for the first time as Mom and Dad stood by, maybe with even a few little tears in their eyes! We took a few more photos, filled a jar with some sand to remember the day and it was then on to the 'reception'. Thankfully the all inclusive allowed us to get whatever drinks wherever we wanted to the property, so we headed back to the main dining area, got drinks, the boys shared some celebratory cigars and then headed to our dinner at a French restaurant on the property.




We ate dinner, signed a renewal certificate and while there was no dancing wit the dj, it had most of the elements of a 'real wedding' just without all the stress and made for a great day!