This couple arrived in the Dominican Republic a few days early with close friends to really relax before the big day. We coordinated drivers to bring everyone to The Palms, a beachfront villa in Punta Cana situated on an acre of Caribbean paradise. It offers 250 feet of beach frontage, a swim-up bar in their pool, and a 150 feet long lazy river that flows the full length of the property. It was a picturesque place to unwind and begin the celebration together!
Constance and Andy had a very diverse guest list with people traveling from Tokoyo, California, New York, Washington, New Jersey, Maryland, Oklahoma, and Texas to celebrate with them. They wanted everyone to become acquainted and mingle before the big day. Those staying at The Palms moved to Casa de Campo the day the rest of the guests arrived in the country. We organized a beach barbecue welcome party at Playa Minitas with views of the sea to greet everyone. This laid back event was the perfect way for everyone to switch into vacation mode!
The following day we organized a seaside rehearsal dinner for the intimate guest list that included family and the wedding party. Chefs cooked a colorful seafood paella table side and toasts were given throughout the dinner courses, sharing stories about college life, work stories, and travel adventures. My favorite were the references about college life consisting of studying and video games, given the couple and so many guests in the group work in technology haha!
For the wedding day, everyone moved and met the rest of the guests at Casa de Campo. Casa de Campo is a unique Ponderosa-style tropical seaside resort in La Romana on the southeast coast of the Dominican Republic. It was developed in 1975 on 7,000 acres of land that used to house Central Romana's sugar mills. This was the first resort in the Dominican Republic.
You can wander around the property to find 300 feet tall cliffs above the Chavón River, the village of Altos de Chavón, a new marina, and views of the distant mountains. A great attraction of this area are the 3 well known golf courses Teeth of the Dog, Dye Fore, and The Links that remain the only Caribbean course consistently in the world's top 100 courses.
The morning of the wedding was spent sipping mimosas with the girls and getting ready for the first looks. The guys played a few traditional Chinese wedding games with the groom. They put $2 bills in red envelopes for good luck to present to the bride. In Cantonese culture, there's a tradition to do door games before the groom can see the bride. They threw the money inside at the bridesmaids as a fun way to honor this tradition.
Andys favorite color is blue and he wore a sharp blue suit with blush and blue handkerchief. The bridesmaids all wore different gowns that all complimented their unique styles. Some dresses wear made of beautiful satin and others were intricately beaded.
Constance wore a layered wedding gown that made her gracefully glide over the ground as she walked through the garden to have her first looks with Andy. She squeezed his waist tightly and he quickly turned to see her glowing smile.
After the first looks, they explored the gardens in the resort taking their last photos as an engaged couple. Then Constance returned to her bridesmaids and Andy went with his groomsmen so they could arrive separately to the beachfront ceremony.
The ceremony was right on the shore with stunning views and crystal clear water. The clear chairs, often called ghost chairs, lined the white aisle to the beautiful greenery broken arch with soft tropical pink flowers adding some color.
The guests arrived to the beach and took their seats but kept the first row open for the wedding party. On each seat, they found custom wedding fans with the ceremony details on them. These are both such thoughtful ideas for weddings in tropical destinations with hotter climates.
Casa de Campo Wedding Playlist
After a touching ceremony, the wedding party took photos on the beach before heading up to the poolside cocktail hour. On the bar and each of the cocktail tables were small framed haikus that guests had written. This was such a fun detail as Constance and Andy had requested that guests write a haiku as their RSVP!
As the sun started to set everyone took their seats for dinner. The table was set with gold-rimmed plates and gold cutlery. The centerpieces had candles, blush roses, and greenery. The room was filled with soft lighting and string lights hung above.
Casa de Campo Wedding Menu
Everyone watched the first dance and as Constance and Andy cut the cake. The topper was custom made with a figurine of the bride and groom and their corgi Brisket. The 3-tier wedding cake with a guava bottom, chocolate middle, and dulce de leche top was delicious!
The day after their gorgeous wedding, we planned a food truck lunch at Playa Minitas. Constance and Andy also went on their first married adventure, with a couple's photoshoot so they did not have to worry about fitting in a long time for couples session on the wedding day. This worked out perfectly to allow more time for photos as taking time to go to Altos de Chavon didn't quite work in the wedding day schedule.
Altos de Chavón Wedding Photoshoot
Constance and Andy planned their dream destination wedding in Casa de Campo in the Dominican Republic. The wedding week was complete with a beach welcome barbecue and a marina rehearsal dinner. The wedding day was magical with a beachfront ceremony, poolside cocktail hour, and a dreamy reception. Casa de Campo is such a huge property … Read more
Rehearsal Dinner in the Caribbean
We are excited to share more about this beautiful wedding week in the Caribbean. The Dominican Republic was wonderful to explore, and the variety of venues at Casa de Campo made this wedding week really unique! Constance and Andy wanted everyone to become acquainted and mingle a bit before their big day. This was achieved with … Read more