When Alison Mason Heurich moved back to Southern Maryland after finishing law school, the first person she wanted to call was Craig Heurich. They’d met in high school, dated and fallen in love while in college, but ended things when she left the area to finish school in Boston and then Chicago.

“I always thought of Craig over the years and wondered what he was up to,” Alison said. “In August of 2006, I moved back home after law school, and I immediately wanted to call Craig.”

Lucky for her, he was single. “We went on our first date, and it was like all those years hadn’t passed,” she recalled. “We both had the opportunity to move away for college and have a lot of great experiences. So when we met again, we were both truly ready to get married and start the rest of our lives together.”

The rest of their lives together began November 9, 2007, at the Riu Palace Las Americas in Cancun, Mexico. Craig proposed in November 2006 on the pier at Alison’s parents’ house overlooking the Potomac River.

“Craig is the sweetest!” Alison said. “He knows how close I am to my family, so it was really important for him to ask my dad’s permission before he asked me to marry him. He not only went over to the house, but he brought gifts for my parents!”

“It was very romantic,” she said of the proposal. “He got down on one knee and told me how much he loved me and that I was everything he ever dreamed of.”

“It was very Craig,” she added, “sincere and straight from the heart.”

The couple knew they wanted a destination wedding from the start. They also planned a local reception for September 8, 2007, for those unable to make the trip to Mexico.

“We wanted to be able to spend a lot of time with our guests and for everyone to have fun,” Alison said.

Planning for a week of festivities thousands of miles away requires trust, Alison said. The hotel’s wedding package included the services of a wedding planner who organized the ceremony. Since the hotel planner’s services were limited, Alison hired a second planner -- Sharon Van Bramer of Caribbean Cancun Weddings.

“I was so nervous with how everything was going to turn out since you do most of the planning over email,” Alison said. “The planner I hired is an American working in Mexico, so she understood what I wanted at my wedding and could set everything up in Mexico for me.”

Eighty of the 120 people invited to Alison and Craig’s wedding made the trip to Mexico. They stayed at the Riu Palace Las Americas. When they checked into their rooms, they were greeted by gift baskets Alison had prepared for them. Each included flip flops, sunscreen, candy and information about Cancun. The couple also included an itinerary of the week’s events.

Part of those festivities was the rehearsal dinner thrown by Craig’s parents. Guests dined and danced on a charted boat on the ocean at sunset. They sipped margaritas and ate lobster prepared on board for dinner. A DJ played music for dancing after dinner.

“It was an amazing night and a great way to kick off the wedding weekend,” Alison said.

The ceremony took place on the beach at sunset. Rows of white chairs were set up facing the ocean. Pink rose petals blanketed the aisle, and a violinist played music for the ceremony. Alison wore a Monique Lhuillier “Elle” gown from Betsey Robinson Bridal Boutique in Baltimore. The dress has lace detailing on the bodice, a ribbon belt and a full tulle shirt. The groom wore a khaki Calvin Klein suit. The seven bridesmaids wore white and champagne gowns from Nordstroms, and the seven groomsmen wore khaki pants and white linen shirts. Each also wore a gift from the groom: a pink tie with palm trees that was personalized with each man’s initials.

After the ceremony, guests relaxed during cocktail hour on a terrace overlooking the ocean. They were entertained by an eight-piece mariachi band. For dinner, Alison, Craig and their guests moved to an open-air steak restaurant at the hotel. The dinner tables were decorated with arrangements of white lilies and high pink candlesticks, and each chair had a starfish with a “Craig & Ali” ribbon attached.

Following dinner, the guests were transported to Laguna, an outdoor venue that was the site of the reception. The site has a large teak bar and stage and a terrace that overlooks a lagoon. The pool at the bottom of the waterfall was filled with floating candles. Antique sofas were arranged in conversation areas so guests could mingle and chat. Candles and bright pink lilies filled the venue. A second mariachi band and a DJ entertained the guests and kept them dancing.

Alison and Craig’s cake was something special. The pink, four-tiered cake was vanilla flavored and topped by bride and groom figurines designed to look just like Alison and Craig.

Local photographer Sandi Foraci and her assistant traveled to Mexico to chronicle the couple’s celebration.

A couple of months before jetting to Cancun for their wedding, Alison and Craig celebrated with family and friends locally at a reception at Alison’s parents’ home on the Potomac River in Newburg. “I knew I wanted to have a reception there because it’s the prettiest place in the world,” Alison said. “I wanted the reception to complement the historic home, and I wanted to have a theme of ‘Southern charm.’”

Local vendors Something Special, Scrumptious Entrees, Mark Bailey, Gardener’s Cottage, and Diamond Alley helped Alison achieve her goal. The tent had a white drapery lining and two large chandeliers. The tables and chairs were dressed in white linens and gold bows with pink menu cards. To direct guests to their seats, Alison used handmade escort cards and the site’s natural beauty. “I pinned the cards to pink ribbon that was tied around a large oak tree,” she explained.

Flowers added to the natural beauty of the location -- large pink hydrangeas and white and pink roses were set in antique pink and gold vases.

Two bars were set up, and a specialty cocktail -- mojitos -- was offered. Drinks had personalized stirrers in them. Dinner included roast beef with horseradish and stuffed fish with Maryland lump crab meat. For dessert, guests enjoyed cake -- a pink polka-dot cake -- and chocolate-covered strawberries.

The evening ended with a bang -- literally. Guests were treated to a fireworks show by Fireworks Concepts from Delaware. “You have to get the fire commissioner’s approval,” Alison said, “but it was well worth it.”

Because their destination wedding was a vacation in itself, Alison and Craig waited until spring to take their honeymoon. They spent two weeks in Italy and the Greek Islands.