Archive for the ‘Destination Wedding’ Category

Every couple tries to incorporate elements into their wedding that have special meaning and moments that tie their families together. For Lisa and Omar, it all started with having a destination wedding in Jamaica, which is where Omar’s family is from. They chose to host their wedding at Moon Dance Cliffs in Negril – a charming, intimate resort with rocky cliffs overlooking the ocean. Lisa and Omar’s family and friends got to know each other better during a welcome reception, catamaran cruise, and a rehearsal dinner before the big day. The rehearsal dinner was especially touching, as each guest was given an opportunity to share their stories and words of support for the happy couple!

Lisa and Omar got ready in private villas overlooking the ocean. The girls spent hours getting hair and makeup done, taking a break to have lunch and mimosas. At one point, Lisa was sitting in the living room on the couch with her grandmother, listening to her sing. It was such a sweet moment!

Meanwhile, the guys were at their villa getting ready and playing pooll! Omar had a smooth Cubavera linen suit and white fedora. Lisa and Omar have a great sense of style, and on their wedding day they both made jaws drop when they walked down the aisle!

The ceremony began with a steel drum band playing as the family and wedding party made their approach to a beautiful gazebo overlooking the water. They personalized their ceremony with a sand ceremony as Lisa’s sister, Patricia, sang “From This Moment On.” They ended the ceremony with butterfly release, which was sentimental and humorous at the same time. Some of the butterflies didn’t quite want to leave the newlyweds!

We have so many photos to share from the wedding day, so today we’re going to share everything through the ceremony. Be sure to come back on Thursday to see Part II with the group photos, Trash The Dress photos, and reception (including a fire dancer)! For now, we hope you enjoy Part I of their Moon Dance Cliffs wedding!

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We just returned from 5 incredible days in Jamaica with Lisa and Omar and their friends and family. Lisa and Omar had their wedding at Moon Dance Cliffs in Negril, a breathtaking boutique hotel set among beautiful seaside cliffs. It was a gorgeous setting for a wedding, and the entire week was a celebration.

We can’t wait to do a full preview of their wedding, but first we have a sneak peek for you!

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This week, Monica & Mike’s Eleuthera wedding photos were featured on Destination I Do! When I think of a romantic wedding, I think of Monica & Mike’s intimate wedding on the quiet island of Eleuthera. They rented a beach house and held their ceremony on the back deck, overlooking the stunning turquoise water behind them. We love all kinds of weddings, big and small, formal and casual, but I think our favorite might be when it’s just the couple.

Next month, Monica & Mike will celebrate their one year anniversary! We wish many more years of happiness for them, hoping that they always remember that beautiful day in Eleuthera! Thank you to Destination I Do for featuring their gorgeous wedding!

Eleuthera wedding photos

A big thanks to Jessica from Destination Inspirations for sharing Michelle & Josh’s Hilton Head destination wedding photos this week! We were in awe of how blue the skies were that day and love all the personal elements that Michelle & Josh incorporate into their wedding! Such a beautiful day to remember, and we always enjoy taking a look back at the photos!

Hilton Head destination wedding photos

Last week we were excited to see that Angie & Blake’s Riviera Maya destination wedding photos were shared on the NOW Resorts blog! Angie told us the good news on our Facebook page, and in this chilly weather it brings back warm thoughts of the jewel-toned beach on the coast of Mexico! We really enjoyed working with the amazing staff at NOW Sapphire Riviera Cancun to make Angie & Blake’s wedding day complete! Thanks so much for sharing their wedding day photos on your blog!

NOW Sapphire Riviera Cancun wedding photos

All day, she was determined to hold back her tears. “I’m stopping it at Phase 1!”

But when Angie stood at the top of the stairs, looking below toward the beach where her family, friends, and soon-to-be hubby stood waiting, the tears started to fill her eyes. She took a deep breath, and continued her journey down an aisle of rose petals toward the blue-eyed boy who adored her.

To say Angie & Blake’s destination wedding in Riviera Maya was breathtaking is an understatement. They held their wedding at NOW Sapphire Riviera Cancun against a backdrop of jewel-toned waters and bright blue skies. Their wedding was filled with fun details, and Blake designed a wedding logo that was used throughout. It appeared on their Save The Dates, their welcome bags, the label for their cigars, and on the pashima scarves that they provided for guests to bundle up! I also loved Angie’s adorable personalized hangar for her wedding dress, proudly announcing her new name “Mrs. Lookabill.” She also had a cute robe with her new name on the back!

It’s hard to top a gorgeous ceremony, but Angie & Blake went all out for the reception. Angie knew that Blake really wanted a dance floor that lit up, so she got one for him! When I first saw it I just pictured someone doing the Moonwalk on there. So jealous that we didn’t have one for our wedding! LOL! In addition to a killer dance floor and colorful lighting, they also had fireworks shoot off twice during the evening! The NOW Sapphire staff also brought out a bunch of sombreros and tequila shots, which really got things going! It was the kind of night that you wish would never end. Truly incredible!

We welcome Angie & Blake back from their honeymoon and hope that these photos bring back memories from this amazing event! We were so honored to be a part of it and enjoyed meeting your friends and family! They are a fun bunch!! : )

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Today we’re in Charlotte for Nancy & Salim’s wedding reception at home. A couple weeks ago they celebrated their destination wedding in Riviera Maya with a close group of family and friends. With memories and stories (plus some gorgeous pics – wink wink) they are now celebrating their love again in the gorgeous state of North Carolina!

So to get the celebration started, we wanted to share more photos from their amazing Riviera Maya wedding at Azul Beach Hotel! The evening before their big day, they brought their guests together for a gorgeous party on the beach. Cocktails and dinner on the beach alone would have been awesome, but Nancy & Salim brought it to the next level! They stunned guests with an appearance from Pepito, the super cute little Mexican burro! Everyone enjoyed Pepito’s company, petting him and even going for a short ride around the beach! No one could get over the fact that Nancy & Salim brought a donkey to the party!

But they didn’t stop with Pepito! As the sun began to set, the sounds of a mariachi band started playing and they walked down onto the beach. NOW they had a party! Everyone danced away as the mariachi band played, sang, and danced.

Nancy & Salim were also in for a surprise because following the party, their families had prepared a slideshow telling the story of Nancy & Salim then and now. It was an amazing evening full of laughter, and we can’t wait to re-live the memories with everyone tonight at their Charlotte reception!

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To know Nancy & Salim is to love them. As one of her friends told us, Nancy is everyone’s best friend. She loves with her whole heart and just being around her makes your day brighter. And if there is anyone who can match Nancy’s amazing spirit, it’s Salim. They are both always smiling and it’s clear that family and friends mean everything to them. And on October 9th, we witnessed just how much two people can love each other!

Nancy and Salim planned an incredible destination wedding in Riviera Maya at the Azul Beach Hotel. Filled with salsa lessons, lounging on swinging beds hanging over the ocean, a welcome reception featuring a mariachi band and “Pepito“ the donkey, the days leading up to their wedding were incredible. We’ll share more about their welcome reception and the resort later, but since Nancy & Salim just returned from their honeymoon we are anxious to share their wedding photos first!

The morning began with Nancy meeting her sisters for breakfast while Salim and his friends took a catamaran sail down the coast. As they got ready in rooms near each other, the anticipation was building. Salim waited anxiously in the grand entranceway to the resort for Nancy to meet him for their first look. When Salim turned around to see Nancy for the first time, the look of joy on both their faces caused us to get tears in our eyes. Salim already thought Nancy was the most beautiful woman in the world, but no doubt he saw her differently at that moment. With tears in Salim’s eyes, I’m sure that Nancy’s heart started fluttering as she looked into the eyes of her soulmate.

Nancy and Salim’s beautiful ceremony included personal vows that they had written for each other. You could tell that both of them could barely contain themselves as they laughed and cried. They even got in trouble for kissing (a few times) before they were supposed to.

Following the ceremony, everyone met for a cocktail hour in a swanky lounge created under the palapas. As everyone chatted and enjoyed the ocean breeze, the resort was preparing a gorgeous reception site further down on the beach. Everyone gathered for dinner under the stars as tikki lamps and candles created a romantic ambiance. As the evening continued and speeches and “tequila” toasts were made, everyone was in full party mode! Everyone brought props to take part in the photobooth, and it got a little crazy! Good times!!

We can’t emphasize enough how wonderful their wedding was and what an amazing time everyone had! We are so honored to have been part of it, and we’re very excited to be going up to Charlotte this weekend to celebrate again at their home reception! Nancy & Salim, you are both wonderful and we love ya! : )

Sometimes a song can speak right to your heart. For Jessica & Jeff, music and love are almost synonymous. It was music that brought them together, and on their wedding day it was how they expressed their love for one another.

Jessi and Jeff planned a romantic evening wedding in downtown Nashville. The day began quietly as Jessi spent the afternoon at Charm Salon getting hair and makeup done. She joined her mother and bridesmaids at her suite at Hotel Indigo to put on her dress before heading to the wedding venue.

Because their wedding began after sunset, they decided to do a first-look at the ceremony site. Jessi slowly walked down the aisle towards Jeff and as he turned around to look at his bride, it was like a moment frozen in time. We could see the connection between them, see the sparks flying, and feel the energy in the air. And as they simply held each other, putting their heads together and whispering each other, we knew we were looking at two soulmates.

Their ceremony took place on the beautiful rooftop at Graham Central Station in the heart of Nashville. Overlooking the Cumberland River and LP Field, they were joined by their closest friends and family for a very emotional ceremony. As a very special surprise to Jessi, Jeff arranged for a performance by country music band Emerson Drive, who sang Jessi and Jeff’s favorite song “Belongs to You.” As the music began, Jessi still didn’t know that it was live until she heard the first note sung. It was such a sweet moment, and one that they will never forget.

Following the ceremony, Jessi and Jeff had a beautiful reception downstairs in the River View restaurant. To go with their music-themed wedding, the reception featured some amazing elements, including a black guitar for guests to sign and a black and white cake with music notes. Their wedding stationery was designed by Cory Ridge (Cory49@aol.com) and included a Save The Date that was a concert backstage pass and invitations that were made to look like a concert ticket (complete with perforated RSVP ticket stub).

The rest of the evening was filled with music and fun, as Jessi and Jeff shared their first dance together, partied with their closest friends and family, and enjoyed their dream wedding together. We thank them so much for letting us share this special day with them, because we consider them friends! We love you guys! : )



We are so excited to announce that Stacey & Mike’s beautiful Bahamas destination wedding has been featured in the Sept/Oct 2010 issue of Destination Weddings & Honeymoons Magazine! Their ceremony and reception at the private community of Old Fort Bay (where Shakira and other celebrities own homes) included stunning details from a vintage brooch bouquet to a whimsical wedding arch designed by Nassau florist Jim Whitehead.

We found out that their wedding was going to be featured back in May when Stacey called to tell us the news, but we wanted to wait until this issue hit shelves before we shared the news! We are so excited for Stacey & Mike to have this magazine to include among their wedding mementos! Destination Weddings & Honeymoons was one of the magazines I read when planning our destination wedding in Jamaica, and I’m sure that Stacey & Mike’s Bahamas wedding is going to inspire other brides planning their dream destination weddings!

DWH - Oct 2010

DWH (inside) - Oct 2010