Two West Coasters traveled into the Dominican Republic for a celebration that is modern-meets-the-tropics Think hand-rolled cigars, mini bottles of rum, and lounge furniture regarding the coastline!
h2>This content initially showed up as “an amazing Match” in Brides mag.
“we destroyed a bet along with to head out with 10 gues on Match.com. After my tenth bad date, I happened to be going to cancel my account. That is whenever i obtained an email from Alex,” Natalia states.
The remainder is history. On October 20, 2012, san francisco bay area few Natalia Carvajal and Alex Villamil married in the Puntacana Resort into the Dominican Republic.
“My Lela Rose dress had been silk that is tissue-weight and airy and perfect for the tropics.”
To honor her mother, who passed on a decade ago, Natalia wore precious jewelry that when belonged to her.
Welcome baskets filled up with fedoras, sunlight caps, sunglasses, and treats greeted visitors inside their rooms in hotels.
A canvas tote bag that read, “Save the date for sun, surf, and sangria! to get everyone excited for the wedding, they sent each guest”
The letterpressed invites had been created by Aerialist Press.
“we wore Oscar de la Renta wedge heels to help keep from sinking in to the sand,” Natalia states.
The bride’s bouquet included atmosphere plants, dried saracena lilies, balsa-wood flowers, craspedia, orchids, and yellowish flowers.
Alex wore a boutonniere of orchids and craspedia covered with twine.
“My household is from Colombia, and Alex’s is through the Dominican Republic,” stated Natalia. “We desired to get hitched regarding the coastline, and Punta Cana is regarded as our all-time-favorite spots.”
The few switched the marriage into a secondary by arranging team pursuits like a watercraft trip and a trip towards the lagoons.
Wedding planner Yelena Johnson sourced the customized signs that are wooden www.mailorderbrides.dating/latin-brides Etsy vendor Lovetheunique.
“we strolled down the aisle to ‘Songbird,’ by Fleetwood Mac,” Natalia claims. “It is for ages been a special track to me personally, plus it ended up being playing during the restaurant when Alex proposed.”
Whitewashed lanterns that are wooden succulents lined the ceremony aisle.
Four-year-old flower woman Montserrat, the groom’s niece, decided during the final minute to start up her footwear and walk barefoot down the aisle.
Natalia’s sis Maria officiated the ceremony, and Maria’s spouse moved the bride down the aisle.
Chrome vases filled up with yellow and blooms that are white the cocktail-hour tables.
“a great deal of plants we desired just weren’t available locally, therefore our florist utilized a variety of dried, silk, and brought in varieties,” Natalia remembers. “the outcome ended up being great.”
Contemporary lounge furniture was put up from the coastline so visitors could sip cocktails regarding the sand.
“A storm held down simply for enough time to own a outdoor ceremony and cocktail hour,” in accordance with Natalia. “It began pouring as soon as we went set for dinner, nevertheless the climate solved over time for all of us to dancing from the coastline.”
Mini bottles of rum, with escort cards attached, directed guests for their seats.
The reception happened at Playa Blanca, a seafood restaurant during the resort.
Natalia really loves neat and contemporary decoration, while Alex prefers a austere appearance. They blended their designs during the reception simply by using burlap dining dining table runners, antique-style urns from Anthropologie, and translucent ghost seats.
“Our wedding planner brought three suitcases of candles and vases,” claims Natalia. “Four vases broke in transportation, but luckily for us she brought extras!”
Each destination establishing ended up being decorated having a menu card and good fresh fruit from a market that is local.
Ahead of the day that is big their florist and planner visited a nearby market and purchased good fresh fruit to embellish the tables and dessert.
Finding vendors you adore in a faraway destination can be tough. Natalia and and Alex travelled in a hair/makeup and florist musician.
The few hired a cigar roller to show visitors about old-fashioned Dominican cigars.
Natalia and Alex just weren’t able to perform a tasting prior to the wedding, so they chose a vanilla dessert, a fully guaranteed audience pleaser. The icing had been fondant, which does not melt into the heat.
Later on, regarding the party flooring, Natalia underwent a dress change that is unplanned. “I became sweating like crazy within the Caribbean temperature, so on the party flooring we kept hiking up my skirt. Away from nowhere, my wedding planner showed up and started pinning it by having a million security pins. Then about 20 visitors joined up with in to simply help. In 2 moments, We went from having a ball dress to a miniskirt!”