Constance + Andy

A handsome Vietnamese-American man named Andy found his dream girl in a Chinese-American beauty named Constance.  Together they have a 2-year-old corgi named Brisket and live in the busy city of Seattle. Their love story is filled with adventure and great memories all over the world. They visited beautiful remote places in Iceland, went scuba diving in Vietnam, explored small towns in Germany, and big cities in Japan. They knew they wanted their guests to experience their love of travel so a destination wedding was a definite right from the start!
entrance to campos dominican republic

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!

birdal accessories in the dominican republic

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!

marina view dominican republic blue water

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!

bride getting make up details morning

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.

morning attire palm robes rings

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.

groom poolside villa room
Casa de Campo has a modern marina complete with a shipyard designed by Italian architect Gian Franco Fini to resemble the famous Portofino village in Italy. There is plenty to do surrounding this harbor. There are over 70 restaurants, shops, and bars. As well as, over 1,700 private villas, most costing multiple millions, making it also one of the countries' most affluent communities, comparable to the Hamptons. It is a luxurious place for a destination wedding.
red envelope wedding traditions cantanese

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.

money tradition groomsmen two dollar bills
throwing money in the door cantaneese tradition
groom details blue tux whiskey

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.

suit and tie blue custom suits
mother of the bride helping put on the gown
bouquets florist in dominican republic

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.

bride twirling portrait love
first looks in the garden of casa de campos

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.

strolls through casa de campos
Dominican republic ceremony on playa mirina

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.

dr ceremony on plata mitas casa de campos

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.

custom wedding fans in DR

Casa de Campo Wedding Playlist

Processional Song: “Memories” by Maroon 5
Bride Entrance Song: “I Choose You” by Sara Bareilles
Recessional Song: “Dancing in the Moonlight” by Toploader
Entrance Song: “You & I” by Ingrid Michaelson
First Dance: “First Day of My Life” by Bright Eyes + “Never Let You down” by Colbie Caillat
Cake Cutting Song: "Lucky" by Jason Mraz & Colbie Caillat
Last Song: “Yellow” by Katherine Ho (from the movie Crazy Rich Asians)
groom seeing his bride for the first time
big i do kiss sealed
after the big i do moment bride couple
bridesmaids girls groomsmen
portraits by the carribbean

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!

venue in dominican republic for wedding
reception overlooking the river in dominican republic
casa de campos cocktail hour by the pool
casa de campos decor
welcome to dinner take your seat

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.

desserts dominican flan and cheese cake

Casa de Campo Wedding Menu

Cocktail hour:
Smoked salmon rosettes canapé
Dominican ceviche with imported oils and lime
Assorted cheese and fruit brochettes
Deep-fried plantains topped with pulled beef
Fresh miniature crab cakes
Chorizo sausage sautéed in brandy
Appetizers:
Caprese salad with basil.
Fresh arugula salad with goat cheese and sweet plantains.
Pearl couscous mixed with lemon, fresh mint, cucumbers, and chives.
Frutti de Mare mixed seafood salad.
Served with assorted fresh rolls, crisinis, and butter.
Main course:
Roasted whole leg of lamb with au jus served from a personal chef carving station.
Fettuccine arrabbiata with grilled chicken breast served with a lemon and saffron sauce.
Whole New York sirloin steak at a personal chef carving station.
Freshly caught mahi-mahi served in a salsa of heirloom tomato, spring onions, and capers.
Mushroom risotto covered in a light mushroom scented crème sauce.
Sides:
Grilled seasonal vegetables
double roasted garlic potatoes
Desserts:
Naked 3-tier wedding cake with a guava bottom, chocolate middle, and dulce de leche top
Coconut flan, traditional tiramisu, tres leches, and macarons.
All served with a specialty Dominican coffee and tea bar.
sunset tablescape dinner villa

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!

first dance in the villa casa de campos
wedding cake three tier guava top

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.

postcard guest book by samba to the sea
Together they explored Altos de Chavon for their post-wedding photoshoot within the Casa de Campo property. Soon we will be sharing a new blog where you can see stunning photos overlooking the Chavon River. At every turn, you can envision the history. They took photos in the cobblestone streets, every beautiful scenic vista, and an amphitheater that Frank Sinatra, Shakira, Sting, and Elton John performed in! Following the shoot, they had a couples massage and dinner. It was a great first day as Mr. and Mrs. Congrats you two!
dance the night away in black and white
Altos de Chavón Wedding Photoshoot

Altos de Chavón Wedding Photoshoot

By Kerry Charlotte | September 17, 2020

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

Rehearsal Dinner in the Caribbean

By Kerry Charlotte | September 15, 2020

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