Real Wedding: Stacey & Ben at Dreams Macao Beach

Wedding Date: July 8, 2023 ~ Resort: Dreams Macao, Punta Cana ~ Photographer/Videographer: Punta Cana Storytellers ~ Florist: Vlady Flowers ~ Bridal Gown: David's Bridal ~ Tux Salon: Macy's

Why did you choose Romance Travel Group?  
We chose Romance Travel Group because they had really good reviews and while reading the reviews everyone mentioned how smooth they made their wedding planning and that they handled all the guests’ travel arrangements, which was exactly what we were looking for.  Not to mention, they also create a ‘Save the Date Website’ as well!  During our first phone call with, Shelli was very informative and I felt a sense of ease, like I was making the right decision to book with Romance Travel Group.
 
What led you to choose a destination wedding?  
We chose a destination wedding because I’ve always wanted to get married on the beach, near the ocean.  We also knew that we wanted an intimate wedding (30-40 guests) and thought it would be a great idea to have all of our family and close friends travel with us and make it a group vacation!
 
How did you select the resort? What were the deciding factors?  
We chose Dreams Macao Beach because, our first vacation was in Punta Cana and we wanted to take it back to where it all started.  Dreams Macao was fairly new at the time and we wanted a newer and more modern resort with a great beach.  Also, after reviewing their website and saw the different locations for weddings, I fell in love with the beach and rooftop options and of course the price point was also a deciding factor.

How did you come to decide on your wedding date? Is there meaning behind it?
My wedding date is my sister’s birthday, who passed away in 2019.  We were extremely close and she was my biggest supporter in life.  So I wanted to get married on her birthday, so that she is forever celebrated! 

Describe what it was like working with the wedding coordinator at the resort? What went well? Any challenges?
My experience working with the wedding coordinator was great. I understood from the beginning that response times would be delayed so I started my planning very early (1 year) because I had a lot of questions and I’m a planner and like to have things in order. Surprisingly, the wedding coordinator was very responsive.  Sometimes it would take a few day to a week to hear back from them, but I wasn’t concerned as I knew I had plenty of time to get things in order. The only challenge I would say I had was just waiting for the resort to get back to me with my questions, other than that I felt like everything else went well. 

Describe the booking process for your guests. Did they find that to be easy to navigate?
The booking process for my guests was extremely easy.  My guests were very happy with ease of booking their rooms and the ability to make monthly payments was the icing on the cake!  I hardly received any questions from my guest, so that tells you they were able to navigate on their own, or reached out to Heather (who was amazing by the way) and she handled all of their questions / concerns.

What were some of your biggest fears or things you worried about as your wedding date drew near? How did you get through this?
My biggest fear as my wedding date drew near was how everything was going to turn out, as far as the decor.  It was a bit challenging to pick out decor, flowers just from pictures, however I did a lot of research on Pinterest, which helped me gather my ideas and create a vision.  Also to help with my anxiety, I joined a Dreams Macao Brides Facebook group.  After reading reviews from the other brides, it put my mind at ease and I just trusted the process.

Describe the meeting you had with the onsite wedding team when you arrived at the resort.
Meeting the on-site wedding team was a wonderful experience!  I felt like I knew them since I’ve been communicating with them for over a year.  They welcomed us with open arms.  Franny (my assigned wedding coordinator) was the absolute best.  She had such a calm demeanor and that helped me feel at ease.  I put full trust in her to bring my vision to life. Franny was extremely patient and gave us suggestions when we couldn’t decide on certain things.  She was the absolute best and I’m so glad she was my wedding coordinator!

Were your guests wowed by the resort and the all-inclusive concept? What was their reaction upon arrival?
My guest were extremely happy with the resort.  They kept saying how beautiful it was and wowed by the all-inclusive concept.  They are excited to book another all-inclusive vacation and considering going back to Dreams Macao.

How easy/difficult was it to travel with your wedding dress? Did you carry-it on, where did you store it? Did you get a lot of comments at the airport?
Traveling with my dress was extremely easy as I didn’t have a big poofy dress so that made it easy to store it in my carry-on luggage.  I kept the dress in the garment bag it came in and just folded it and put it in the suitcase.

What was the best part of having a destination wedding?  
The best part of having a destination wedding was have my family and close friends with us in paradise.  It truly felt like a family vacation with a wedding!  It was truly amazing and every time I think about it, I can’t help but smile!

Would you recommend Romance Travel Group to other couples who are considering a destination wedding? 
We would absolutely recommend Romance Travel Group to other couples considering a destination wedding!  Shelli and her team were great!  I had so many questions and they were very responsive.  They liaised  with the resort and make sure rooms were booked accordingly.  I had a few check-in calls with Shelli to make sure I was good and if I had any concerns / questions.  They really walk you through every step of this process, which was extremely important to me.

Congratulations and best wishes to you always, Stacey & Ben!!