Emily and Rob's Destination Wedding in the Dominican

Emily and Rob's perfect destination wedding at the Majestic Colonial in the Dominican Republic

While the Majestic Colonial remains as beautiful as ever - this trip I had the opportunity to meet an amazingly down to earth couple along with their kickass group of party-with-all-their-hearty family and friends!  I shit you not... they party.  Long before arriving in Punta Cana, the Mother of the Bride took down the groom-to-be in a beer-bong contest - shout-out Mrs L!

The day was spattered with the Groomsmen's GoPro antics and the Bridesmaids spot-on renditions of classic 80s and 90s tunes ... huge shout-out to the Vrecic Wilson Phillips jam squad as they held on tune after tune!  Needless to say they went all out with the reception starting with booking the Majestic Colonial Presidential Suite and then the always excellent DJ Mannia.  This leads me to my tip for future Brides interested in the Majestic...

Pro Tip:  Budget is always a priority for any wedding however if you're looking to spend that budget in the most meaningful way I suggest using it to entertain your guests.  They all traveled a long way to be with you for your celebration, slide some of those funds towards making their experience exceptional.  The Dominican is hot and the Presidential Suite is private, has a massive outdoor terrace and it's right at the edge of the beach/ocean for cool breezes and kickass views.  

That first look feeling

A good DJ like DJ Mannia makes it their goal to keep the party rockin' with any tune you can think of, lights, party-style balloons, cold fireworks etc. The Dominican Fire Dancers are also pretty sweet... it's about a 10min show that'll drop the jaw of even the grumpiest guest.  Or maybe you'd like to do a group excursion - I'd recommend an afternoon aboard the Santa Maria where you booze and cruise, snorkel and visit your own private Caribbean beach.

Enough from me, let's hear from the Bride and Groom themselves…

Garden Gazebo at Majestic Colonial Punta Cana

Garden Gazebo Majestic Colonial photo

WHAT DID YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT YOUR WEDDING:

Emily:  The privacy. Choosing the garden gazebo over the beach gazebo kept the short ceremony private and intimate. No regrets on upgrading to the Presidential Suite for the reception. Awesome privacy with incredible views AND delicious food!! The cake was unreal!  Our wedding coordinator Yanette was amazing too. She was on top of EVERYTHING.. making the day flawless and carefree. I loved too many things to narrow it down to just one - sorry. :) Shout out to you too Vaughn! We will have the best photos to remember our special day!!!

Rob:  I will also have to say that the privacy of the garden gazebo made for a very intimate ceremony with all of our family and friends! It was nice to be away from people in bathing suits during our ceremony and be able to get some great pictures mostly away from everything else going on at the resort. Our reception was also amazing! We had a fantastic party led by DJ Mannia!

MOST MEMORABLE MOMENT? 

Emily:  Walking down the long garden gazebo aisle was the highlight of my day. My absolute favourite moment and memory of the entire week!

Rob:  The first look with my beautiful wife. It was awesome to be able to see her before she walked down the aisle! It also gave us a chance to get some great photos pre-wedding.

A QUICK COMMENT ABOUT YOUR NEW BRIDE/HUSBAND.

Emily:  The sweetest and most loving man I've been so lucky to know and now spend the rest of my life with - absolutely adore that he teared up on our wedding day :) :)

Rob:  We have been together for 8+ years now and I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with her. She is sweet, kind, and an amazing partner!

A TIP FOR FUTURE BRIDES FROM EMILY:  "Glide" anti-chaffing sticks are your best friend ladies. This will be your saving grace on your big day!

A TIP FOR FUTURE GROOMS FROM ROB:  Absolutely do a first look with Vaughn! You won't regret it!

TIPS FOR FUTURE MAJESTIC COLONIAL COUPLES 

Emily: We provided Bubba mugs to all of our guests and they were a huge hit. We opted out of doing excursions and optimized our time on the resort. We did however do the Banana Boats with 12 of our guests and it was well worth the 10 dollars!! The resort is spectacular and so clean! I would definitely upgrade to an ocean front room - it had amazing views and was well worth the extra money!

Rob:  Bring ginger capsules and start taking probiotics before you go on vacation (at least one month). Take 1 or 2 capsules throughout the day while on vacation, your stomach will thank you!! Especially if you drink as much as we did!!!

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