Wed on the beach: A Dominican Republic Destination Wedding
When Quilla and Maria came to us to plan their wedding they were planning to get married in Colorado to make things as accessible as possible for Quilla’s mother who was facing some health challenges. Luckily, this wasn’t our first go at planning for a couple’s destination wedding in a location outside of both New York and where they reside. However, things took a turn when she lost her mom just days before a planned visit to their top choice venue. After taking a bit of time to regroup, the ladies came back to me with the thought to move forward with the wedding in their neck of the woods of the DMV region. One day we all realized that this wasn’t actually their dream. Based on what they wanted to prioritize, I tossed out the idea of a tropical destination event. This quickly resonated with them and so our search began!
It was very important to me to find destinations that were not only LGBTQ+ tolerant but were welcoming to same-sex couples. We landed on hosting the wedding at one of the Dream Resorts newest properties, Dreams Macao Beach. We were able to craft the wedding they wanted and a guest experience that was seamless and exciting for their VIPs which made up the entire guest list.
Planning and designing for Quilla and Maria was such a treat! They fully trusted in my expertise and gave me the freedom to be creative, leading them to their dream wedding. It’s always fun balancing individual preferences within the couple like Maria’s love for flowers and moody vibes with Quilla’s desire for fun and unique touches to go the extra mile for their guests like the branded coconuts when guests arrive at the ceremony. There was a collective attraction to sleek neutrals but a desire for some pops of color. When we first discussed palette, they were drawn to incorporating some sort of pastel hue for their spring wedding but naturally gravitated towards deeper, fall tones. I balanced this with bright whites, soft grey and dusty blue with pops of toffee in the florals which Vlady Flowers executed perfectly.
We solidified the branding of their event with a logo created by The Pretty in Paper Co. that could be recalled from their invitation suite and was seen throughout the long weekend. It was featured on the coconuts and custom fans. In line with the elegant nature of the fans we stayed away from rattan here and opted for a black accordion fan, which were a hit of the day from the late afternoon sun to the dance floor. I designed the ceremony set up with the chairs in a curved shape to enhance the intimacy of the group of just 45 guests.
The couple wanted a unique focal point at the altar rather than a standard arbor. When we went with the triangular structure, I knew I wanted the florals to feel like they were growing up the structure organically. We had black and white signage and aisle markers at the back behind the ghost acrylic chairs. Guests found their fans on their seats preparing them well for the Dominican Republic’s strong April sun. One of our favorite touches of the ceremony was the flower woman as it was a kid-free wedding. We highly recommend, especially if you have a friend who is going to own the task like Megan did!
The reception was set in an open-air rooftop location that overlooked the ocean and stunning property. We were leaning into the drama with a secondary chair choice from CR Flowers, our primary local supplier of decor. Black, white, cream and a touch of toffee filled the space for a modern and elegant set up atop the light grey stone flooring. String lights in a star shaped arrangement hung over the open rectangle shape that the tables were laid out it, carving out the perfect space for a dance floor. On the tablescape, we added black chargers and napkins against the white linen with custom menus and placecards situated on top. Guests found their way to their seats with a champagne wall (sparkling apple cider for our n/a friends).
Cold fireworks accompanied the couple as they shared their first dance and family dances followed with Quilla dancing with her dad then her brother and Maria joining in for a sweet family quartet. Once the dance floor was open the guests never left and they made sure to bring their fans with them! Quilla and Maria’s wedding was chic, elegant, intimate and adventurous. Sometimes pivots are necessary in your wedding planning journey but with the proper guidance, they can be so worth it. We can’t wait for our next beach wedding adventure!
Venue: @dreamsmacaobeach
Wedding Planner: @dearseptemberevents
Photographer: @coresfilms
Videographer: @coresfilms
Florals & Decor: @vlady_flowers
Hair & Makeup Artist: @yanetmakeupart
@dreamsmacaobeach spa
Rentals: @crflowers10
Lighting: @crflowers10
Bridal Boutique: @elliesbridal
Wedding Party Dresses: @azazie
Stationery & Branding: @theprettyinpaperco
Couple: @maria.oj13 @quiks91
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Dear September Events offers full-service wedding and specialty event planning and design, proudly based in New York City and available to tell your story worldwide
