Orly & John

Billboard to Beach

The Bride: Orly Hadari
The Groom: John Rieselman
Date: March 25, 2011
Venue: Play Fiesta Beachclub & Hotel (Puerto Vallarta, Mexico)

When Orly Hadari and John Riselman began to plan their wedding, they had big shoes to fill, shoes that belonged to John’s romantic, over-the-top proposal. On a work trip in San Francisco, John surprised Orly with dinner plans. While walking to their favorite restaurant in San Francisco, a billboard featuring a giant photo of the couple read, “Will you marry me, Orly?’ “It was impossible to miss, and I was blown away,” Orly explains. As the couple began to plan their nuptials, they realized the one way to make the wedding as memorable as the proposal was to take their closest friends and family on a fabulous vacation, during which they would get married. A wedding at the Playa Fiesta Beachclub & Hotel in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, became the site for the spring 2011 event, where 54 guests watched Orly and John exchange vows on the hotel’s sundeck overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

Venue

Located on the south side of Puerto Vallarta overlooking Banderas Bay, Playa Fiesta Beachclub & Hotel suited John and Orly’s vision. The 21-room boutique resort, which has on-site bar and restaurant, provided an intimate getaway for their families and friends.

Bridal Attire

Beneath the hem of her mermaid, taffeta wedding gown Orly sported bright yellow Ivanka Trump pumps to match her bridesmaids’ playful yellow Jim Hjelm gowns.

Bridal Attire

Beneath the hem of her mermaid, taffeta wedding gown Orly sported bright yellow Ivanka Trump pumps to match her bridesmaids’ playful yellow Jim Hjelm gowns.

Welcome Bags

Wedding guests were provided with an embroidered reusable tote bag that included some local goodies, an itinerary of the week’s festivities, and a pamphlet including a picture and short description of each guest to help everyone get acquainted.

Ceremony Music

Vitamin String Quartet played Jason Mraz’s “I’m Yours” as the bridal party made their way down the aisle but they switched to U2 “All I Want is You” for the bride’s grand entrance. As soon as the groom kissed his bride, a mariachi band kicked the party off right with fun, local Spanish tunes throughout the recessional.

Menu

Playa Fiesta provided a menu focused on local fare, like shrimp with tequila lime shots, duck taquitoes, tuna tartar, and ceviche served in a homemade tortilla cup.

Favors

Mini-bottles of Don Julio tequila played a dual role: escort cards by day and favors by night. The yellow labels suited the color scheme perfectly.

Wedding Cake

An elegant two-tiered wedding cake decorated with yellow beading and a spray of roses featured a layer vanilla cake with strawberries and a marble cake with chocolate and raspberries.

Billboard to Beach

The Bride: Orly Hadari
The Groom: John Rieselman
Date: March 25, 2011
Venue: Play Fiesta Beachclub & Hotel (Puerto Vallarta, Mexico)

When Orly Hadari and John Riselman began to plan their wedding, they had big shoes to fill, shoes that belonged to John’s romantic, over-the-top proposal. On a work trip in San Francisco, John surprised Orly with dinner plans. While walking to their favorite restaurant in San Francisco, a billboard featuring a giant photo of the couple read, “Will you marry me, Orly?’ “It was impossible to miss, and I was blown away,” Orly explains. As the couple began to plan their nuptials, they realized the one way to make the wedding as memorable as the proposal was to take their closest friends and family on a fabulous vacation, during which they would get married. A wedding at the Playa Fiesta Beachclub & Hotel in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, became the site for the spring 2011 event, where 54 guests watched Orly and John exchange vows on the hotel’s sundeck overlooking the Pacific Ocean.