Sunrise Punta Cana Wedding

We adore the idea of having a sunrise wedding- nothing could be more romantic that exchanging I Dos with the dawn of a new day! For this Punta Cana wedding from Asia Pimentel Photography, a beautiful, shipwrecked mermaid theme was planned and executed to perfection with the help of Val’s Weddings, and a symbolic fisherman’s knot was even included in the ceremony. These two lovebirds decided to break from tradition by having the reception follow hours later, at sunset, giving them time to enjoy the day together as husband and wife- how amazing is that!

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From the bride: My husband proposed in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean on a cruise ship. It was beautiful, romantic, and fitting after a six year relationship. It was destiny that when I began planning our wedding I automatically knew that I would be a destination bride. I wanted to celebrate our romance for an entire week, instead of just one day. After deliberating a lot, I came across the Jellyfish Restaurant in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic in various blogs. I guess you could say it was love at first sight. The Jellyfish is such a unique venue which allowed us to enjoy the sea breeze, the shade of the gorgeous palm trees, the turquoise ocean back drop, and the beautiful architecture that it boasts. Another thing I knew was that I wanted a small wedding, contained to our most intimate family members and friends.

I began planning my wedding with Val’s Weddings and I can say that all of my wildest wishes came true. I wed my love on May 5th, 2015. Stepping into my own wedding was absolutely surreal. It was ethereal, laid back, rustic, yet glam at the same time. It was as if all of my ideas came to life in an instant. My theme was a mixture of rustic yet classic, with a hint of glitter and sparkle. I wanted mostly neutrals with bursts of turquoises and touches of blush. My theme was a loose version of a shipwrecked mermaid’s fairytale. My planner promised me a “mesmerizing wedding” and she definitely delivered that!

Our ceremony was at sunrise. There’s just something about that time in the early morning that is so incredibly special. Time seems to stand still. The weather was perfect, the wind is ever so light, the temperature was warm and comforting, the soft sand felt like powder between my toes, and the lighting was absolute perfection. Coming down the aisle and watching tears streaming down my grooms cheeks was one of the most emotional moments of my life. Seeing all of my visions coming to life before me is something I will probably never be able to effectively put into words. Our ceremony was so emotional. Having the closest more beloved people in our lives beside us in paradise was beautiful. Looking around I could not find a dry eye. During our ceremony we did the fisherman’s knot ceremony. The more strain and tension placed on the knot, the stronger the knot becomes, symbolizing our new marriage. The sunrise began to shine through the clouds at the precise moments we made our vows.

Having a morning ceremony allowed us to enjoy ourselves for the rest of the day. Our reception was at sunset. Having this unique wedding day schedule allowed my hair and makeup artist Anna Nuet to create two completely different looks for me on my big day. Anna nailed both looks, she is a true talent. To anyone considering a sunrise ceremony, I say go for it! At the end, none of my guests complained about waking up before the break of dawn and all felt that the sunrise added to the positive emotions they felt that day. They also got the opportunity to return to our resort, Now Larimar and enjoy themselves before the reception.

For the reception we had a delicious meal at the Jellyfish Restaurant and scrumptious cake prepared by Ana from Cake Studio Bavaro. We then proceeded to the dance floor where we had the most amazing time with the crazy hour. The night came to an end with a breathtaking fire show.

The next morning, my husband and I trashed my dress (or two). First we went to the Ojos Indigenas Ecological reserve where we took underwater photographs. This session was followed by a sunset session at Macao Beach, one of the most beautiful beaches I have ever laid eyes on. Our photographers Asia Pimentel and Nikolay Chernichenko were the absolute best. I think it’s so important to establish rapport with the people capturing the most important day of your life before the wedding. I was in constant communication with Asia and Nikolay leading up to my wedding day, and I think it made all of the difference in how comfortable my husband and I were in front of the camera. It felt like hanging out with old friends all day. Honestly, all of my vendors were fantastic.

I had a few DIY projects including all of my wedding bouquets. I hand crafted each one individually. My treasure chest ring box was also made by me, a patch that I sewed into my dress and into my grooms tie, and some of the signs that were used as well. A couple of special things that I had made included a sign with the coordinates to the exact spot where we stood for our ceremony, which was proudly displayed on our welcome table, and a caricature family portrait that included our fur babies that weren’t able to make it to our wedding.

For future brides, savor each moment because it’s all over in a blink of an eye. My wedding lasted an entire day and I felt like it went by way too fast! Enjoy your partner, but also be thankful for all of the special individuals who spend the day with you both celebrating your love. Can I please plan another wedding?!

Sunrise Punta Cana Wedding

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