The Can’na Boutique Hotel and Spa is right across the bay from our seaside apartment, about a 15 minute walk through the japanese village we live in: Kanna, Ginoza-son.

Can’na is right on the water, so we were able to have an outdoor wedding, with a cocktail hour on their terrace. The reception was held in the dining room, which had gorgeous carved wood interiors with a japanese-polynesian aesthetic. Ornate carved flowers and elaborate dragons became a beautiful, dramatic backdrop for the reception.

The guests stayed in the 10 or so villas that are scattered across the resort. The small scale of Can’na was perfect for our intimate wedding. These rooms had beautiful views of the lush tropical landscape and pacific ocean. Each had its own hibiscus covered terrace and draped white canopy beds. The villas were very private, exotic and romantic.

The restaurants and bars at the resort serve amazing sushi and tempura, as well as western-japanese dishes. Can’na’s spa is also amazing and I treated the mothers, bridesmaids and girls at the wedding to a seaside massage.

Here is a picture with me and Nozomi, Can’na’s wedding planner!

Thanks again to Suzanne for continuing to tell her story to us and to photographer Kimberly Mitchell for sharing her incredible photographs!

Today, we are heating things up with a destination wedding that took place last month by Amber Karson Events at a seaside villa in the Dominican Republic.  The couple, Sandie and Alan, live in DC but travel a a great deal for their jobs so a destination wedding was the perfect option for them.

And, I just LOVE their story…

A summer internship during graduate school took Sandie to Brussels, Belgium in 2003 where she first met her future husband.  As fate had it, Sandie did not meet Alan, the handsome U.S. Marine, until her last night in Belgium.  Trusting a gut feeling, Alan asked Sandie to return to Brussels that fall for his Marine Ball.  Feeling spontaneous (and a little like Cinderella), Sandie accepted and returned to Belgium to attend the event (in a historic castle.)  They had a wonderful time together, but their paths (and long distance) led them different ways soon after the ball.  However, Sandie always kept a picture of Alan on her dresser and no guy she dated afterwards ever compared.  Four years passed, and on the eve of yet another deployment, the two reconnected by chance- this time, for good.

For a destination wedding, it is crucial to embrace the local culture and let your guests experience everything your locale has to offer.  This wedding took place in Cabrera, a small town at the eastern end of the Dominican’s north coast.  Cabrera has little tourism infrastructure – far from the resort towns most people are familiar with – and the quaint, remote atmosphere added to the tropical mood.

The Rehearsal Dinner took place at Playa Grande Beach (once rated as one of the top ten most beautiful beaches by Conde Nast Travel) the day before the wedding.

The ceremony was full of fabulous, island details.  Amber Karson dressed up standard slip-covered chairs with a unique chair sash knot, adorned with a simple shell.

Invitations communicated the upscale beach vibe the bride and groom wanted throughout all the print pieces.  The invitation included a real starfish – getting everyone excited early on for the tropical location!

Custom place cards were set in “sand box” trays with shells and pearl accents, program fans were also functional during the humid tropical afternoon and menu cards continued the theme.  Guests also received prepared detailed welcome packets and gift bags that were delivered in the guest rooms upon arrival.

Amber Karson hand-painted sand dollars to create a custom table number for her client.  Simple touches like starfish set against blue linen created the upscale beach vibe her client wanted.  Also, silverware with a bamboo pattern added a subtle tropical element to the table setting.

Thank you to Amber for sharing this beautiful, exotic wedding.  These are the details, and story, that we love at District Weddings!

The vendor team behind this lovely wedding…

Planner: Amber Karson Events

Bride’s Dress & Veil: Modern Trouseau from Hitched

Stationary: Invitations by Emily

Amelia Island felt worlds away from reality but was just a hop over from the Jacksonville airport.  Easily accesible from Boston, New York, Washington, and the entire South, you and your guests may experience a destination wedding without any hassle.

Anastasia Stone, the oh-so-fabulous Catering Sales Manager on property, welcomed planners and wedding industry professionals from up and down the East Coast to experience  how incredible a wedding weekend would be at this property – and let me tell you, the Ritz at Amelia Island makes a next-to-none destination wedding spot.

Here are some visuals that I hope will warm you up on this rainy, cold day -

A ceremony set to be held by the sea…

Cocktails or lunch by the spa pool…

Delicious dessert…

Dinner in the Plaza Ballroom – and see the lighting transforms the table?!

Chai Martini’s for dessert?  Yes, please!

Peacock cake as tribute to the peacocks who roam the island…

A Sunday Southern brunch to close the weekend…

All of these lovely photographs are by Anges Lopes.

More eye candy to come later – stay tuned!

While I’m away, Lyndsay, our Bridal Contributor, will be guest blogging about her latest finds.  Oh, she has some wonderful things in store for you!

District Weddings In Your Inbox will be taking a one-week vacation as well, but you can be sure to have the Weekly Recap back in your email next Friday!

Be sure to check in with Lyndsay tomorrow — she has lots of bridal fashion eye candy for you!  Here’s a sneak peak…

Photo: Jenna Walker Photography

When I return, I’ll have plenty of pictures to show you of this destination wedding!

An update:  Because we’re still receiving feedback for our One-Month Anniversary Giveaway, we’re going to wait one more week to choose a winner.  The winner of the Paper Source gift certificate will be announced next Wednesday, March 4.  You can definitely enter more than once, so send us your feedback!

While I’ll always adore chic city weddings that take place in the heart of the District, I have a special place in my heart for weddings in Charlottesville. 

That’s why I decided to start planning my own there.

Photos: Jeff Greenough

Yes, that’s right!  I’m engaged.  I’ve been dying to tell you all, but with so many wonderful things happening in the D.C. wedding world, there was just too much else to talk about!

I’ll keep you updated on my own wedding finds, especially what I’m learning as a bride-to-be — seeing things from a perspective different than that as a wedding planner or a wedding blogger.

Our wedding is scheduled for September — less than 7 months away, I know!  So if I am posting late at night, or sometimes into the following day, you’ll know why — things are pretty crazy!

Tomorrow we’ll kick off another exciting planning journey…a Green Wedding being planned by the D.C. Couture Wedding Consortium!  Stay tuned!

Photos: Jeff Greenough

Photos: the oh-so-talented Jeff Greenough

Still more to come later this afternoon!

Liz and Brian were married last October at Barboursville Vineyard.  I could go on and on about how beautiful Barboursville is, but just wait til you see the pictures .  Wedding Planner extraordinaire Aimee Dominick, of A.Dominick Events, created a wedding day that embraced the coziness of fall, the subtle elegance of a vineyard, and the magic of Charlottesville.  Photographer Jeff Greenough did an exceptional job capturing this unbelievably gorgeous wedding… Oh, how I LOVE Charlottesville weddings!

Photos: Jeff Greenough

Much more to come later today!

What type of acceptance rate should we expect for RSVPs for destination weddings (50%, 80%, etc.)?

Regarding RSVP acceptance rate, for a domestic destination 80% is realistic and for international plan for closer to 60% to accept. 

A HUGE thank you to Aimee for taking the time to share her advice on planning a destination wedding from D.C.  I hope you all learned a thing or two that will help you on your wedding-planning journeys!

Photos by Andrew Reilly

Thanks to everyone for making this a wonderful first week on District Weddings!  Have a fantastic weekend!  I’ll be back bright and early on Monday morning with a special week-long feature.  Oohhh I can hardly refrain myself from telling you about it right now — trust me, it will be great!

Don’t forget — if you are free on Sunday, be sure to stop by the Washingtonian Bride & Groom: Unveiled bridal showcase.  Sip champagne with D.C.’s hottest wedding vendors while watching a gorgeous runway show of bridal gowns from Carine’s Bridal Atelier.  If you are planning a wedding in D.C., you won’t want to miss this fabulous event!

I am so thankful that local planner Aimee Dominick, of A.Dominick Events, is taking time today to share her inside tips on planning a destination wedding from D.C.  Aimee has also agreed to answer your questions on destination wedding planning.  I’ve already received a few from brides thinking about planning a wedding outside of the D.C. area…

What is a ‘hot’ destination spot for D.C. brides?   

Aimee:  D.C. brides love Mexico.  It is an inexpensive and relatively easy to reach location. 

Aimee:  A planner from the destination may know the local vendors and locations, but a planner from your home town, if they are well versed in destination planning, can be a better advocate for you and your budget.

If you have a question for Aimee, leave a comment or shoot me an e-mail and I’ll be sure to pass it on to her!