When Quilla and Maria first connected on Hinge during the COVID-19 shutdown, they could never have imagined that their love story would one day lead to a sun-kissed ceremony at Dreams Macao Beach Punta Cana on the shores of Punta Cana. From a FaceTime first date to a Thai restaurant conversation that lingered long after closing time, their bond grew organically, and when it came time to say “I do,” they knew they wanted a wedding experience that reflected their adventurous spirit and deep connection.

“We were looking at several different beach locations in Mexico and the Dominican Republic,” Quilla and Maria explain. “We decided on our final location in the Dominican Republic because it had everything we wanted: a more isolated feeling resort surrounded by tropical foliage and beautiful beaches.”

Helping them bring their dream to life was wedding planner DeAnne Stewart of Dear September Events, who handled much of the heavy lifting from afar. “Our wedding planner did a lot of the initial work selecting resorts that had various locations so we really could choose the vibe we wanted,” the couple says. They envisioned a celebration that brought their loved ones together in an intimate, tropical escape—and Dreams Macao Beach Punta Cana offered just that.

As with any destination wedding, planning from a distance can come with unique challenges, but with their planner’s guidance, the process was smooth. “Any issues we ran into were spearheaded by our wedding planner,” Maria recalls. “There were some communication delays, but our wedding planner navigated that beautifully and handled everything, so we were not worried.”

With the logistics in good hands, the couple focused on personalization. “Flowers were important, so they played a key role in the design,” Quilla says. The brides also added thoughtful touches like custom folding hand fans with their monogram and welcome bags inspired by the palm trees at the ceremony site—“minus 1 palm because a storm had taken it out!!”

Their modern ceremony honored both partners’ backgrounds and individual beliefs. “It was important that both of our religious perspectives and backgrounds were respected and honored,” Maria explains. “Our ceremony combined prayer, poem, and a beautiful group vow.”

Reflecting on their experience, the brides agree that the destination added something truly special to their celebration. “It definitely would not have been nearly as picturesque,” the brides say. “It would have also been less intimate; we got to spend a lot more quality time with our guests since we spent at least three days with everyone instead of just one evening.”

For other couples considering a destination wedding, Quilla and Maria offered this advice: “We checked in with each other throughout the process, constantly asking ourselves ‘what is important to us’ and discussing our ‘why’ for getting married. . . It is easy to get lost in the details and stress of it all.” And most importantly? “Wedding planners, like DeAnne and Sarah from Dear September Events, are, in our opinion, a necessity and a support we would highly recommend.”

Vendors: Venue: Dreams Macao Beach; Wedding Planner: Dear September Events; Photographer & Videography: Cores Films; Florals & Decor: @vlady_flowers; Hair & Makeup Artist: Yanet Makeup Artist; Rentals & Lighting: CR Flowers Events Company; Bridal Boutique: Ellie’s Bridal; Wedding Party Dresses: Azazie; Stationery & Branding: The Pretty in Paper