The Spreadsheet Psychopath: How 98 Guests Made It to Mexico (And Why That Sky Deck Saved Everything)

Michael Morimoto describes himself as "a psychopath with the spreadsheet." He's not exaggerating. Every centerpiece, every service fee, every mysterious line item that appeared on their Secrets Moxché wedding invoice got tracked, questioned, and budgeted down to the dollar. When you're planning a destination wedding in Playa del Carmen for nearly 100 guests, that level of obsession stops being neurotic and starts being survival.

In this episode of Passports and Promises with host Shalene, Michael Marimoto and husband, David Geist, walk through their journey from complete destination overwhelm to pulling off one of Shalene's favorite large-scale weddings at Secrets Moxché. Along the way, they dealt with hidden fees that made them question everything, a cyclone that threatened their outdoor plans, and the venue upgrade that accidentally became the hero of their entire weekend.

When the Guest List Gets Real  

They invited 135 people. They had no idea who would actually book a flight to Mexico.

"We kind of didn't know what to expect from a destination wedding," David admits. "Is everyone gonna go? Are half the people gonna come?" They started with a 15-room minimum at Secrets Moxché, genuinely worried they might end up eating costs on empty rooms.

Final count? Ninety-eight guests.

That's a 72% attendance rate for an international wedding. Their secret wasn't complicated: they gave everyone a full year's notice by starting to plan 14 months out, they skipped save-the-dates entirely and just sent invitations that prompted immediate action, and they picked a resort their Minnesota crew actually wanted to visit. Shalene's team managed the booking process, which meant guests got help with room selections and flight coordination without bothering the couple every five minutes.

The guest list grew so reliably that Michael and David never had to release a single reserved room. Every person who said maybe eventually said yes.

The Adults-Only Decision Nobody Regrets  

Both Michael and David have young nieces and nephews in their families. The question came up early: do we exclude kids from our wedding?

Short answer: yes.

They initially considered Casa de Campo in the Dominican Republic, a stunning property where Blair Underwood had recently gotten married. However, Casa de Campo's family-friendly villas and higher costs for individual bookings didn't match their needs. Secrets Moxché offered an adults-only environment, better flight options through Delta from Minneapolis, and the flexibility to book guests in individual rooms without villa complications.

"We were like, yeah, no, we don't want kids there," Michael says, and Shalene immediately validates that choice. She made the same decision for her own wedding. Sometimes you want the celebration without the kid-ness of it all.

The Upgrade That Became Essential  

Michael and David made two upgrade decisions that defined their entire experience. First, they booked their accommodations at Impression rather than staying in Secrets Moxché rooms. The Impression suites are massive, and they used that space for everything: getting-ready headquarters for their mothers and sisters, photo staging area, and a late-night hospitality suite before everyone headed to the resort's speakeasy.

Their second upgrade was the Sky Deck venue at Secrets Moxché. This upper-level space features both an enclosed, air-conditioned area behind floor-to-ceiling glass windows and an outdoor terrace. The original plan called for ceremony and cocktails on the Sky Deck, then moving everyone down to the pool deck for dinner and dancing.

Then a cyclone showed up.

Shalene was actually at a nearby resort that same weekend for another event. "I thought I was going to be able to drive down to you guys and surprise you," she remembers. "And I was like, I can't even get out of the resort." The weather that weekend was so unpredictable that the resort coordinator suggested keeping everything in the Sky Deck's enclosed space rather than risk moving 98 people to an indoor ballroom that didn't match their vision.

Best decision they never planned to make.

The enclosed Sky Deck fit all 98 guests comfortably, looked gorgeous in photos, and provided climate-controlled comfort during dinner. David now recommends keeping everything on the Sky Deck even in perfect weather. "The pictures did not do it justice. It was so gorgeous," he says. The only change he'd consider? Maybe putting the dance floor on the outdoor terrace if weather allows, while keeping everything else inside where the air conditioning makes dinner actually enjoyable in Mexican heat.

Meanwhile, 60 people packed into a hot tub during the storm, drinks in hand, turning bad weather into the party everyone still talks about.

The Hidden Fees That Weren't Hidden Enough  

Here's where Michael's spreadsheet obsession saved them from financial disaster.

They knew the Sky Deck upgrade would cost extra. What they didn't know was that service fees and taxes would stack on top of that upgrade fee rather than being rolled into the adjusted package price. The $1,200 lighting charge caught them off guard because the alternative was harsh flood lighting that wasn't functional for an evening event. Tables and chairs they assumed were standard? Additional charges appeared. At one point, Michael found calculation errors in the resort's own pricing spreadsheet.

"If you know there's going to be a fee on top of a fee, at least know what's going to happen," David says. "It's easier when you know what you're setting up for." The frustration wasn't about the money itself but about discovering these charges late in the planning process when their options for adjustment were limited.

To the resort's credit, Secrets Moxché now schedules early video consultations where coordinators walk couples through detailed pricing breakdowns before decisions get locked in. Shalene recommends that every couple explicitly ask about service fees, taxes, and any charges beyond base package pricing regardless of which resort they choose.

Michael and David got creative when faced with budget challenges. David has vision; Michael has spreadsheet skills. When Michael's floral mood board came back at nearly double what they'd budgeted, they found ways to achieve the same vibe without the same price tag. That flexibility saved them, but they both wish they'd had fuller pricing information nine months before the wedding instead of three months out.

The Photographer They Found on WeddingWire  

Michael filtered WeddingWire photographers by Cancun and Playa del Carmen destinations, compiled portfolios from his favorites, and requested quotes from five options. They selected a photographer who hadn't shot at Secrets Moxché specifically but knew the property and brought a slightly more artistic style than Adventure Photos, the resort's in-house team.

Even with the vendor fee for bringing an outside photographer, they saved roughly $4,000 compared to Adventure Photos' top package. They still booked one hour with Adventure Photos for welcome party coverage, which proved to be the perfect amount of time for group shots.

Their photographer, David Rangel Photography, brought two videographers and two photographers. First-look photos arrived within a week. The full gallery came three weeks later, and after one revision on the video's song selection, they received both long-form and social media highlight reels that exceeded expectations.

Unlike many couples who never watch their wedding video again, Michael and David still show theirs to friends and family regularly. That's the real test of whether you picked the right photographer.

What Worked at Secrets Moxché  

The resort was only two and a half years old when Michael and David got married there. Their architect friend raved about the property design. Guests loved everything from food to service. Out of 98 people across dozens of rooms, Shalene received exactly one complaint during the entire trip: the beds in one room weren't ideal.

When Shalene returned to Secrets Moxché recently, the property still maintained the same pristine condition as opening day. That consistency matters. Some all-inclusive resorts open gorgeous and deteriorate quickly when they can't keep up with maintenance demands.

David admits he had concerns about all-inclusive quality going into the planning process. "I've been to like a couple really nice ones and a couple really bad ones." Secrets Moxché exceeded his expectations across every measure.

The Real Advice  

Michael's recommendation? Ask explicit questions about every possible fee before you fall in love with a venue. Will service fees stack on top of quoted prices? What about taxes? Are there charges for items that seem standard? Get detailed cost breakdowns early enough to actually adjust your plans if needed.

David emphasizes starting early. Their 14-month timeline gave everyone breathing room to plan, save, and book without panic. That timeline also meant they could skip save-the-dates entirely and send one invitation that prompted immediate booking action.

Both agree the adults-only decision eliminated stress, the Impression suite upgrade served multiple purposes beyond sleeping, and keeping everything on the Sky Deck would be their recommendation regardless of the weather.

For couples considering a destination wedding in Playa del Carmen for a large group, Michael and David's experience proves it's absolutely do-able with the right combination of meticulous planning, creative problem-solving, and the willingness to pivot when a cyclone crashes your weekend.

JUST BRING A REALLY GOOD SPREADSHEET.

Listen to the full Passports and Promises episode for more details on managing large destination wedding groups and navigating resort planning processes. Reach out to Latitude Concierge Travels to start planning your own next travel destination and wedding celebration.

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