Alberto dal Lago, 41 and Karla Munguia, 43 wed under the sea this past weekend off the coast of Punta Venado beach in Playa del Carmen. The couple invited 300 guests from South Africa, Egypt, Brazil, France and Italy to attend the watery wedding, but only 205 made the plunge, dashing the couple's dreams of breaking the world record for largest attendance at an underwater wedding.

The current record was set by an Italian couple who had 261 guests at their ceremony in 2010.

Nevertheless, the Mexican real estate broker and Italian scuba instructor exchanged rings and signaled their vows before swimming to the surface. The bride wore a white gown and the groom, a bow tie over his scuba gear.

Judge Jorge Denis, who officiated, had to learn scuba diving for the ceremony.

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The underwater wedding was not just a world record attempt, the pair hoped to raise awareness of the plight of endangered sharks. According to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, 50 of the world's 300 shark species are listed as vulnerable, endangered or critically endangered.

After the ceremony, the bride told the Telegraph, I'm happy because I married the man of my dreams in the place I love the most: the sea.

The groom said he was drawn to the woman who was so at ease in the water and shared his passion.

Here's a look at the July 17th wedding under the sea:

Underwater Wedding
Mexican Karla Olivares-Sosa Ysunza and her husband Alberto Dal Lago from Italy hold hands with each other after their underwater wedding ceremony in Punta Venado beach in Playa del Carmen July 17, 2011. Dal Lago said that 205 certified divers participated in the wedding which was an attempt at breaking the previous Guinness Record set for such an event, in addition to bringing awareness towards creating laws for protecting bull sharks in the area. REUTERS
Underwater Wedding 2
Mexican Karla Olivares-Sosa Ysunza and her husband Alberto Dal Lago from Italy embrace on the seabed of Punta Venado beach after their underwater wedding ceremony in Playa del Carmen July 17, 2011. REUTERS
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According to Guinness World Records, the previous record for the largest underwater wedding was set on June 12, 2010 when 261 divers participated in the wedding ceremony of Italians Francesca Colombi and Giampiero Giannoccaro in Elba Island. REUTERS
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Italian Alberto Dal Lago (L) and Karla Olivares-Sosa Ysunza of Mexico (obscured) pose for photographers during their underwater wedding in Punta Venado beach in Playa del Carmen July 17, 2011. REUTERS
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Karla Olivares-Sosa Ysunza from Mexico (L) and a friend pose for a photo before her underwater wedding with Italian Alberto Dal Lago at Punta Venado beach in Playa del Carmen July 17, 2011. REUTERS
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Divers enter the sea in Punta Venado beach during the underwater wedding of Italian Alberto Dal Lago and Karla Olivares-Sosa Ysunza of Mexico in Playa del Carmen July 17, 2011. REUTERS
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