Friday, January 24, 2014

I Do in the Dominican Republic

Words by Taylor Wilson
Photos courtesy of Kim Chapman

After dating and living together for ten years, Lauren and Garth knew they wanted their wedding to be small, intimate and incredibly personal. With that in mind, the couple chose the Dominican Republic as the locale for their destination wedding.

Knowing they wanted to host their wedding in the Caribbean, Lauren and Garth commenced an extensive Google search to find their dream location. Criteria which had to be met included a large, private home which was fully staffed and all-inclusive, the ability to host the ceremony and reception at the house and a location directly on the beach, accessible by direct flights from NYC. Flor de Cabrera fit all criteria and was chosen as the backdrop for their nautical nuptials.

The owner of Flor de Cabrera, Ruthie Moller, acted as the couple’s wedding planner, providing a seamless experience for the couple. She arranged everything from food to décor, only leaving travel logistics to Lauren and Garth. “Our wedding planner, Ruthie Moller, was fantastic. I never needed to use any books or reference guides,” says Lauren.

Because the couple could not ship anything to the house prior to the wedding, there was little room to incorporate DIY projects into the event. However, Lauren still wanted to add a personal touch to the day so she designed little cards to be used in place of a guest book which prompted fun questions like, “What’s your favorite memory of this weekend?”, “What family tradition should we start?”, and “What’s one thing the bride doesn’t know about the groom?”. This was a fun and memorable activity for all guests to participate in.

The entire weekend was full of bonding and pampering, as each guest was treated to a massage during the weekend and a fabulous firework show at the reception. Together time was exactly what Lauren and Garth were aiming for, which is exactly what they got. “Both sets of parents had an amazing experience getting to spend four uninterrupted days with their kids, grandkids, and getting to know each other. That made it all the more special,” says the bride.

Vendors: Photographer: Kim Chapman, Wedding Planner: Ruthie Moller, Ceremony/Reception Site: Flor de Cabrera, Florist: Stary, Cake: Flor de Cabrera, Hair & Makeup: Flor de Cabrera, Gown Designer: Ann Taylor, Bridesmaids/Groomsmen’s Clothing Designer: Ann Taylor, DJ: Dave Dionne