all right hello
and welcome back to Destination wedding Planning
made easy we have a special episode for you guys today
and we're super super excited
you are joined of course
by myself and then uh
prissy from the team at Destination Weddings Expert
and we have some special guests today
Abby and Devon Abby and Devon
thank you so much for joining us
we're super excited
super excited to have you guys with us today
thank you for having us of course
welcome welcome welcome
absolutely um cool
so this we actually
this was fun
because we actually got to witness your wedding
we came hahaha
we crashed the wedding just had
I love it though property that day
so um
this we wanted to kind of jump in
and have a conversation with you guys
talk about your planning experience
there were some unique situations
we'll call them for the wedding
and so we wanted to talk a little bit about that
and just kind of chat it up
so I think first things first
let's talk about what made you guys choose
destination weddings expert
what did your kind of beginning process look like
as you were you were kind of kicking things off
definitely um
well first and foremost
thank you so much for having us here
very excited to be doing this with you all
we love you all um
first of all thank you for working with us too
our pleasure thank you for working with us
um I would say
when we were on the search
for somebody to help us plan the wedding for
whatever that looks like we didn't know at the time
we were so like
uneducated in what we needed out of somebody
or a group to help us put this together
um when I started looking around
I think actually
we stumbled across like
just like random
like Instagram videos and like
wedding planners and TikToks and all this stuff
and somehow I think I landed on your Instagram page
um and just like
looking through the content
I was like wow
it's like they seem like they are very genuine
um they know what they're doing
they plan a bunch of different types of
of groups and I think in just starting this journey
we didn't know how far this was gonna go for us
in terms of who would be involved
what it would look like what the costs were
and all of that um
I think we did a couple of chats just with other people
and um
Mario from the first meeting with you
and then introducing us to prissy
like it was honestly
it just felt felt right
it felt like we're friends
it felt like you had our back
um and that was most important like
just like seeing two and like
some of these Facebook groups
some of like the
the travel agents and teams like
they can be very aggressive
and we just like
never felt that with you guys and we appreciate it
you know I think
that's one of the things
that our team brings to the table that
you know it it
it all there's all these different styles out there
right there's the advisors and the planners
that just kind of go after numbers
numbers numbers
we're trying to get as many people as possible
and then there's groups like us who
it's more so about the concierge style service
the making sure that
you know that we're there to be your advocate
you've hired us you've signed our contract
we're there to make sure that we're representing you
along the way
and we're not here to represent our hotel partners
or our tour operator partners or
they're amazing
and we wouldn't recommend them if we didn't trust them
but in the end
we want to make sure we have your back and
and making sure that your group has an amazing time
yeah and she's usually indecisive
so when she came to me that
she said that she's comfortable with you guys
so it just made sense I'm very indecisive
shout out to you Percy
cause
I know I probably showed my indecisiveness a few times
it's okay though
that's what we're here for
like
we got to the major decision
so that's all that matters
and I think it's one of the amazing things that
you know
that's whether you're working with Prissy or myself or
or any of the experts on our team
that's Prissy does a phenomenal job
at bringing her knowledge of the industry to the table
right that's
this is your first time planning a destination wedding
that's the only time planning a destination wedding
and so
we want to make sure that all the experience that
you know
everything that we've experienced over the years
working with you know
the specific resort that you choose
or just going through the process
or why we do a room block or the tour operators
we want to bring that all to the table
and bring you up to speed as quickly as possible
so
you understand why we're making some of the decisions
that we make or why we're doing things a certain way
all of it down to the emails that we send out to
to your group have a specific purpose
and cover a specific piece of the process
that we want to make sure
you know it brings everyone kind of even
playing field yeah absolutely
okay so now we've had our consult
that you guys got to chat with
actually
most couples don't get to chat with both Prissy and I
which is a a little bit unique in your guys situation
we had a blast doing it um
but now we've had our consult
and we've started doing our research on the properties
what made you guys kind of land on dreams
Mccaw what
what really stood out to you that it was like
you know what that's the one
oh man
that was a process um
I think we had a lot of back and forth on that
but it was all like
good back and forth um
I think we weighed a lot of different things
um we already established I'm indecisive but um
Presley was great in um
proposing actually we
we looked at I think
Mexico and Dr
and then I think I quickly ruled out Mexico um
which uh
at the time I know like
some people were like uncomfortable
other people are like it just
I think Mario even you
weighed in of like
flights from where we're located
um and then once we got on um
Dominican Republic
and then we started looking at resorts
we thought about so many things
a lot of people it's their first trip
um we have people on all different types of levels for
for income and what they would probably want to spend
um we have people who really love the fine dining
the fancy stuff
and then we have people who couldn't care if they're
you know
we're getting married inside of like a McDonald's
you know like
there's just like so wide of like
a net that we were casting
in terms of our audience that was gonna be there
um so one thing that was a non negotiable for me
is I wanted something that had decent food
decent drinks
allowed kids while not being too kid friendly
um cause we true
we love all inclusive well
at least I do I know you're like
I'm over them but I love going to a good all inclusive
where I don't have to think I can show up
I can enjoy my meal enjoy my drinks
and we've always done more of like the adult only um
higher end like
luxury style all inclusive
and we knew if we wanted people to show up um
we needed to consider all of those factors
um so we put a
I think Chrissy gave me a list of um
oh god I feel like it was a lot
and then we went back and
we went through a bunch uh
it was like no no
okay yeah
it was a lot
and then I think we added some back in while I was like
what about this one and then prissy
you were great with giving like
your honest feedback
also what past brides had liked and didn't like
and um
we really settled on dreams
because I think it tailored to just about everything um
that we were looking for it gave a high end luxury vibe
it's very put together clean resort um
very aesthetic um
and also affordable for a lot of people
very affordable um
and also it's not one of those massive
overwhelming resorts that
you know people would need golf carts
to get from point a to point B
but it's also not a super tiny
where you're running into
you know the same person every second
so I really feel like that helped
with our decision making process
and just like understanding dreams
what their offering was
what their wedding packages were
but also how it was really able to speak to everyone
from all walks of life
that we would want to have there with us
and everybody had different options
from the seven restaurants
the three different pools
oh yeah
the Mexican um
the truck oh
my god the truck
yeah
I wish I spent more time at the truck
that was good I think
you know I love that response
because that is you know
when you're planning your individual vacation right
your options are a little bit more open
you can go anywhere you can do anything
you work within your own budget
that's you can plan everything to your specific needs
I love that you guys considered your entire group as
as you're doing it right
it's not just about your budget
it's about what can the group afford
at least the majority of the group
right yeah
um that's
it's making sure there's entertainment options
and dining options
and making sure that the travel experience goes smooth
and that's I
you know
I do kind of agree on some of the things that you said
about Dreams
Macau as a whole just it is a nice clean
modern resort
it does offer a little bit of everything for everyone
obviously
you can't please everyone in the group at all times
that's
someone is gonna end up with some shit that happened
and it's you know
it's for whatever reason
their eyes are rolling and that's gonna happen
but as a whole
we want to make sure we deliver on a good experience
for everyone absolutely
perfect so now let's talk a little bit
I kind of put the cart before the horse
let's talk about why a destination wedding in general
what what made you guys decide that you wanted to
kind of get out of town um
at first I didn't want a destination wedding really
yeah you had the most fun like right
I did right
he had the most fun
but at first I was worried about who show up
who couldn't afford it
who would cancel at the last minute
you know so that was like
one of the biggest things I was worried about
so I wanted it and Jersey or New York at first
but then me and her had a conversation
and she talked me into it
so yeah
I'm very convincing yeah
um but I'm glad though that yeah
it definitely that's vacation
we would never do anything different
like if we had to do it all over again
we would just do that again
um we've thought about it a lot
and for me personally I've been to weddings here
like home
and where I'm born and raised in upstate New York
and honestly no shade on weddings
they just feel stuffy
it feels like you do all this work for one big day
and it's over in a couple hours
and just not having the best time
um like
how many times have you gone to a wedding
and you just show up as a guest
you sit at the table and then you leave right
we one thing too
for us we've never done a friend trip
never in our 10 years of being together
have we done a friends trip
um we always just do solo travel uh
with the family we'll like
go just local and do things with the families
but we have just like
never done anything to show people really
our world and we do love to travel
we like to do exciting things
we like to try new places
and I really was like it'd be so cool
if we could just bring everybody together
and have like
one big trip one big party
get everybody knowing each other um
show them little bits and pieces of our world um
individually and as a couple
and that's exactly why
I really wanted to do a destination wedding
and again like
I would do that time and time again
not saying we're gonna get divorced and remarry
but like you know
maybe vow renewal like
we'll do it again that was the one thing I said
I was like I wanna do this again
and my mom was like I'm not gonna get married again
are you like
well like
with him just do the party aspect
I think that's one of the
I think that's one oh
sorry Priscilla
go ahead no
I was just gonna say
I think that's one of the great things
about destination weddings
it's a gift to the people who don't love travel
or who may have been waiting to travel with a group
or to be comfortable
or to just have somebody to show them how to do it
so we're just like
a purpose to go and get out of their day to day life
and there were so many people who
they just got their passports for the first time
doing this which was really eye opening
like wow
like we made people do that
so special it was funny because Mario and I
we were sitting in the lobby bar
just minding our business and
you know you never really notice if people are looking
looking at you but one
I think it was your mom and your aunt
they came up and they had the email on their phone
yours divine they had the email on their phone
and they were like is this you like
is this
and I'm like yeah
so it was a nice moment just
you know we never know if people open those emails
if they read them
if they scroll to the bottom to see my picture
so it was just nice a full circle moment for me
like okay
this is helpful like
she still has it in her phone
she hasn't deleted it she recognizes me
so I love that that's a cool moment
I love that I like that
absolutely absolutely
and I think that's you know
that's that's the thing with destination weddings is it
it brings everyone together for a few days
cause the wedding itself is stressful for everyone
stressful for the guests you gotta get dressed
you gotta look right you gotta show up
it's it's stress
obviously
stressful for the couple of just making sure that
you know this is the big day
this is you know
when everything happens
but then with a destination wedding
you have all the days before and afterwards
to actually spend time with your people
get a little one on one time with everyone
make sure that they're having a good time
it is nice to kind of get
that multi day experience in there
yeah our social battery is
it's kind of yeah
we have so many friends after we're back asking us
do you wanna hang out with her
like wait we just need a second
but we would still do it again
but we just need like
we need two seconds yeah
and I can't tell you how many of our couples kind of
come back to us and like hey
let's do we're gonna turn this into an annual trip
let's you know
go somewhere different
or sometimes they go back to the same hotel
we have one couple right now actually
my meeting directly after this
is with a couple who got married five years ago
with us and are now going back to the same hotel
smaller group this time obviously
not everyone is going but it's just
you know to turn it into that group trip because yeah
it's it's fun
I love that that is so important
that's a good idea too
so this part is gonna be a two part one
first Abby and Devon
I'm gonna ask you guys and then prissy
I'm gonna talk to you about our process
but it's Abby and Devon
how many guests came from your original guest list
our original guest list was what
1 1 14 1 14
yeah I think 1 14
with plus ones for most people
that we were giving plus ones to
um and then
I'm forgetting forgetting
the numbers you remember them leading
leading up to it I think right down to like
the last minute I think we had like 68
and then we ended with 74
including us being there we had one person
unfortunately they had passport issues last minute
they did not come um
but yeah
we actually had much higher turnout
from what I would have anticipated with that honestly
so for the ones that didn't read our emails
about the passport reminder
oh my god
they didn't even read his text messages
they just is there's some
you can't win them all
I had to create a different group chat
yeah and make sure everybody
we were responding yeah yup
that's it's just some battles
you cannot win that listen
we try it is frustrating on our side too
oh my god
I don't know how you guys do that
I would have thrown my laptop out the window
it's just a thick skin we
you get used to it good good
so now prissy
that's on that kind of
on that same note
can you talk a little bit about our process
on how we estimate from the
the couple's guest list
to the number of rooms that we end up holding
talk us through a little bit
about what that process looks like
and how we end up where
where we end up because I just did the math on my phone
and our estimation would have been spot on so
so we take a percentage of that guest list
what is it 80% Mario
so we 70 and 80
uh huh
70 to 80% of who you're inviting that we expect to come
and so based on that invite list
that's how many rooms that we plan to hold
um we talked a lot about
you know early on divine
you were saying that you were worried
with people canceling last minute
we structure our groups
so that if someone does cancel last minute
that's not on you so once the guest start booking
they are responsible for their own reservations
like it's their money that's tied up
we are teaching them how to protect their money
cause we encourage everyone to get travel Protection
I send everyone a travel Protection quote
they don't book it but hahaha
and even if you don't book it
from my quote book Travel Protection somewhere it
you know it protects you when life happens
so we are in the background building that group
making sure everyone understands
when the deposits are due
when the second payments are due
when the final payments are due
sometimes people might need a couple of extra days
so I'm working with the suppliers
just to make sure
everyone has what they need to attend that wedding
and in the end your group held
like to only miss one person last minute
because they did not get their passport
that's a big success story so
and you did a you did an
an amazing job communicating with everybody
to the time limit yeah
thank you thank you
yeah even the people that were
at the last minute mm hmm yeah
oh yeah
the last minute Adams yeah yeah
you know we talked at the beginning of the call about
you know some of the questions we ask in our processes
and how they work
and those are one of the things that prissy and I
slide into our conversations
that for you guys it comes off as just hey
we're trying to get an idea
of how many people are coming
but really what we're doing on the back end
is trying to protect you
from taking on extra liability
so this when we say that we're holding 40 rooms
it's because we calculated it
based on your original guest list
bringing it down to
how many people are actually gonna come
holding those number of rooms
because if we hold 40 rooms
and you're coming to us
and telling us that you need sixty
we're gonna talk to you
about what that actually looks like
because that extra 20 rooms
is actually another 40 to 50 thousand dollars
of liability on the back end
that you don't realize you're taking on
when you're looking at this stuff
right
so that's a lot of a lot of
kind of those conversations
of those simple questions that we ask
that really make it so that we're being
as successful as possible
with the room block
absolutely we definitely appreciated that too
because if I had to try to guess that on my own
I would have been way off
so now that's we talked about
kind of some of the stuff that went well
talk to me about what would you change
if you had to do it all over again
would be
would there be anything that really stuck out to you
that like
we shouldn't have did that venue
or we shouldn't have done
you know it's
this decor was there something that you just like
you know what
we could have made a better decision on that honestly
I had the best time of my life
from the day we got there to the day we left
from the welcome party the what
um the wedding
we had a boat party that Friday
everything was spot on I wouldn't change anything
honestly I think though
the one thing that maybe we agreed on
though at one point
we didn't talk about it leading up to this
but that comes to my mind now though
is I would have loved if we started sooner
and I think we can agree on that too
yeah um
I know obviously there was a lot of hiccups
and I spoke about how my my dad was in an accident um
the the year that we got engaged
which really just left a lot of uncertainties
and then when finally we felt like okay
we can focus on Nessa now
it was like oh man
we feel a little late to the game
for when we want to get married
which ultimately was on my
my parents um anniversary
um and we like
we really want this date it's a good date
it works
but I do feel like we were kind of late to the game
and I think if I could go back and do it again
I would just have planned earlier
because honestly
we probably just would have had more people
but everything happens
but everything does happen for a reason and
and like
looking back at it there's literally nothing like
we would actually change like
it all worked out and with that
like obviously
if you change something
things might not work out exactly how they did
so there's like no regrets with when and how we did it
it's just like
the only thing is I just wish I had more time with it
I am so glad that you just said that
we we sit
and we try and just scream it from the rooftops
and talk about it in our socials and in the podcast
and you know
this everything
everywhere that we have kind of that public platform
we try and talk about the planning process because it
all of this stuff does take time
and yes
in your head
even if you've had conversations with some of your
guests about you know
hey we're gonna have a destination wedding hey
it's probably gonna be you know
this next year
and we don't know exactly when and what not
guests are hearing it
but they're not actively working towards it
and so it it isn't till you put pen to paper
till you tell them hey
by the way we need 60% of your room due by this date
now all of a sudden
they're like oh it's come through
yeah
so the more time that you give them to take off of work
to plan on being out on a certain time of year
to make arrangements for the kids and the pets and the
you know the house
like they need to make sure
that they're getting all this other stuff planned
the more time that you do that
the more of your guest list that you're gonna get
now on that same side
maybe you don't want your whole guest list right
exactly exactly
that's why some people do it
we definitely have some people that we purposely
they knew they would not make the trip
yep exactly exactly
I still had to send that's why I did it
I still had to send the invite
but we knew they were not gonna go
yeah yeah
absolutely
so I think that's you know
it's just it those are good notes to take as you're
you know from
we always talk about like the
the now you guys are the graduates
and you're you know
it's you you had the wedding right
and that advice
that you pass on to some of the newbies
that are just getting into it
this is the important stuff
these are the things you need to know
yeah so on that note
then what do you think was maybe
your favorite part of the process
what was like your like
this was the best part of it
literally like
everything I'm gonna say every
so he I think
as I noted before he works overnights right
so then like
after I'm done with work usually around like
6 or 7 that's like
when I'm in my planning mode like
and it's
it was challenging because he's sleeping before work
and I'm over here
trying to handle all the coordinations
and planning and stuff and then
and then he would come home from work the next day
but now I'm on work and we're having like
a meeting with each other to be like okay
this is what I did the night before
this is the planning and that
to me at the time
all felt so stressful and overwhelming
but then as soon as I didn't have to do it anymore
I was like I miss this
I miss it all I was like
I wanna do it again um
like I was like
I like
it's crazy like Percy
I'm not having to talk to you every single day
um and I'm like
I don't like this and then like
even just like
doing like the
the florals and working with um
the the floral company that we had and doing like
the design and getting like
the different quotes in the moment
all of that yes
and like
at that time is stressful
because you're like
hoping that this all comes together
but now that you did see it all come together like wow
that was worth it and understanding
had I realized that
that turnout would have been completely perfect
like it was
I would do that time and time again
so looking back at it
and if you ask me this while I was doing it
and while we were in the midst of everything
I would give you probably completely different answer
but literally
the process was my favorite part of the process
if that makes sense and I mean
even just having you guys there to lean on
holding my hand also
because I know like
I'm sometimes very quick with it
I'm like oh
I got this email I'll
I'll respond right away I'll like
I'll um
chime in um
and and handle all that
but just knowing like
I had prissy there to fall back on
to guide me when I was uncertain
like all of that just made it 10 times better
and I I just wanna do it again
like I'm gonna keep saying that
um but the process was my favorite part
and then obviously the turnout was amazing
I mean hell let's let's
we're planning the anniversary
let's do it hahaha please
I think we actually
that actually was the idea to plan it again because
yeah her parents and us have the same anniversary now
so now it's just like a party
yeah so we might do it
yeah we were already talked about it
yeah
this is your girl she's got you covered
oh yeah you definitely hahaha
alright so now
now the harder part the flip the coin right
what was your least favorite part of it
that's if it was me you can say it on the podcast
now is the time
what was your least favorite part of planning
and you know
something that you might wanna do differently
do you have a least favorite part
or do you want me to lead with mine
cause it's not even like a least favorite part
I will say I don't have anything negative to say about
yeah there was nothing
this whole the only thing was just like some guests
I feel like they don't understand and comprehend
and I don't even know how you would change that
and I'm just like out of respect
just answer or respond or give an update
because that was the only thing that just like
drove me nuts and there's nothing we can do about it
cause Percy aside you
from showing up at their doorstep and knocking
on somebody's front door
you did everything you'd be able to do
um and I just think
as a bride who does not I'm anti bridezilla
like I do
I appreciate everyone showing up for us
helping us um
being a part of it vendors
people who are paid to do that work
I still wanna give respect to everybody
and never be that mean oh
this is about me
bratty bride that I have experienced before
just being involved in weddings
and I was like that is not gonna be me
and it was a fine line of like
trying to respect my guests
and whatever their scenarios are
but while also like
respecting our process
and what we need to get finalized
how we need to move along
and just like
not ever letting that get in the way of
I don't wanna be mean I don't wanna be bitter
but like
I do also need updates answers
responses and I think like
just navigating that
in the conversations that we had to have along the way
with some of our guests was a little challenging
and I would say probably my least favorite part
because it creates a little bit of awkwardness
you're like hey
you're I get that you're showing up for me
but like
hey can you answer
can you respond can you give an update
like are you actually going
um so yeah yeah
that was that was the part that was a little like
oh don't love that
but it all worked out in the end
I think that's our least favorite part as well
nobody wants to be a Bill collector
like nobody wants to be a bugaboo or a pest or hey
it's me again but like
with group travel we need these things
we need the payments in by a certain deadline
we need your flight information
because all of these things impact other things
so just help me help you a little communication
take a time you know
send me you know
send me a small email a quick note something
yeah yeah
just ghosting ghosting us is
is the worst because we don't know what's happening
yeah yeah
I had a couple people do it so
oh yeah
even those like you yeah
it's it's
you know and people
it just kind of shows the anxiety that's out there
that people can't you know
they feel like they can't even respond cause oh
I can't make it to the wedding
that's fine yeah
a destination wedding I think
one of our favorite things that Nikki says
from our team is
attendance is not required
they can't make it we completely understand this
but we need to know that yeah
but I also I also feel like sometimes
people are sad that they are missing out
and they're
they're a little hurt and sad that they can't
so it's it's hard to put that final no
I'm not gonna be able to attend on it
because it's a hope and a prayer that something happens
magically that they can
yeah yeah
I also found too just like
trying to have like
very honest conversations with guests was helpful
just like hey
like I really want you here
but also if you cannot make it
if there's something going on
just talk to me let's figure it out
let's figure out a solution
maybe we maybe you can make it
maybe it can be last minute
I Christina
know that I express
I had some friends who were going through some things
they're up in the air they're trying to figure it out
they really want to be there
and I got an understanding of what that looks like
from you and for the resort
and I was able to communicate that
and those guys were actually able to be at the wedding
so it all worked out if you can have
just have open as a bride
understanding communication
cause again at the end of the day
these people are showing up for you
I think that's so important
I'm just
always trying to look at the other side of things
and not take offense to it
because we really had everybody
that we wanted to be there at the wedding
yeah and my one last note on that
I think a lot of times with guests
like especially me
I always want the penthouse
the rooftop the preferred club the
the bells and whistles oh yeah
those bells and whistles I'm not guessed
I'm guilty but a lot of times
if you just scale it back right
if you I'm not gonna do seven nights in the penthouse
I'm just gonna do three nights in a pool view
yeah that's a totally different commitment
it you know
it makes it possible for you to show up
whereas when you're trying to do seven nights and
you know all of the things
it's a lot different yeah
and I think sometimes you never go into it
looking at that pool view room
just because I'm a rooftop girly right
I was a penthouse but yeah
sometimes it's worth it to just show up and take a pool
yeah yeah
I'll take you to
give me a call next time we have that debate
cause he's always like just book a regular room
and I'm like no no
ha ha
no what do you mean
that's what makes it difficult for certain guests
yes because
you know ha ha
absolutely it's
you know and I think that
we actually had an entire podcast episode just on that
on communication from guests to the couples
and making sure that they're
they're letting the couple know what's going on
because we are this you know
booking an entire wedding group
is a lot different than booking your individual travel
it's when we sign a room block and we're
you know first of
all the couple is taking the effort
to put down a deposit and sign a contract and
you know do all this planning ahead of time
it's so that the guest you know
booking process can be as easy as possible
but also when we're doing that
you guys
are taking on a hundred thousand dollar liability
Chrissy's taking on a hundred thousand dollar liability
my name's on there's no building
but my name's on the side of the building
I'm taking on a hundred thousand dollar liability right
it's this is a large commitment
so when we're sending all those follow UPS
and the texts and the emails
it's not because we you know that's
we wanna be a pest and we wanna like
like Prissy said we wanna be Bill collectors
it's because we're all on the line for
you know for those funds
and we wanna make sure that us
as destination weddings expert
are protecting the couple on the room block
and make sure
they're not taking any additional penalties
cause we're trying to make all that money
go towards the wedding right
I wanna make sure that the wedding
is everything that you wanted it to be
we don't wanna be putting money towards a room
that we didn't no one's actually staying in
yeah so yeah
it's always interesting on that part of the process
but I I like
you know as
as we have our couples that kind of graduate and
and move after the wedding
they get to understand it
they get to see it they know what that looks like now
and now they're a little bit more well versed on it
yeah yeah definitely
so now my last question
this is one that is a little unique to you guys
but happens to a lot of couples
right so as
as we talked about in the beginning of this one
this is a part two of an episode that
that the team had talked about a
you know
what happens when the weather doesn't cooperate
right
and you know
it's prissy and I and and the entire DWE team actually
we're on property with it
so we got to witness it
and we just fell in love with your response to it
and so what happened to you guys with
in regards to the weather
oh man
I think it rained during the welcome party right
yeah so it um
we did weather checks what
one PM I think it was one PM with our planner um
and I think like a month ahead
well no
they start looking at it like
the week of when we got there
yeah yeah
um I mean
the weather always has rain
we were worried about that
but then we Learned that's just Dr
um at one PM the day of the welcome party
we did a weather check no rain
she was even like oh
it's like 2% but that's no rain
we're like great perfect
so we're doing our rehearsal um
right before the welcome party
and during the rehearsal there's a double rainbow
beautiful double rainbow and I'm like
that's weird though
why is there a rainbow like okay
we took that as signs yep
we're like yes
like this is meant to be
we're meant to be together
not that we needed a sign that day
but we're those types of people
we always just look for signs
yeah um
so we saw the double rainbows
and then we're wrapping it up
and Marcy's like oh
that looks like a rain cloud back there and
and I was like oh
do you think it's gonna rain
she's like no
that's not in the forecast
it's gonna blow right over
if anything it'll be like
a little sprinkle I'm like okay great
um the
as you guys saw welcome party was going on
we were having a blast so much fun
um and we feel a little bit of rain
I'm like that's whatever
you know I
I think I said to you guys
I was looking at what a misting system would be
because I knew it's June we're in Dr
it's probably hot um
and then I was like we don't need that
um and then uh
a full on downpour just happens
everybody all like the girls especially
we have a lot of girls who like my hair
my makeup those type of girls
everybody's running for cover
and I'm like damn
like we didn't want it to end like this
and um
Devon has uh
his best man who took over my iPad
yeah and he ended up playing Can You Stand the rain
yeah
yeah that song and the Pina Colada song
yeah what was it
the Pina Colada song so we had 2 like
rain based songs we're like
well who just sits around and don't like
you don't dance to these songs in the rain
so then we start dancing everybody falls suit
we have videos of like people doing
what was it the Electric Slide or Cuban Shuffle
what's the name of the both of them
the Cupid Shuffle like in the pouring rain
um there you still had a few people that were just like
I'm not getting wet but like
we embraced it wholeheartedly
um my
I looked like a wet dog but my
my makeup stayed put that looked amazing
I was like oh yeah
this makeup is legit um
and yeah we just like like
honestly that's my fondest memory
um well
I love everything just to say like
you got a chance to dance in the rain
in the Dominican public under
under the stars hopefully they were out at that point
um and it was hot
and it was hot we had a couple lemon drops
you had several lemon drops
it felt good yeah
hahaha
not a couple I saw you
but it just like the next win that night too
so it was just like perfect
like the next
the next one and it like
I think it just goes to say like
embrace whatever situation you are thrown
whatever that is and like we
you know everybody paid to be there
why end the night that way
and it was such a special moment that is like
literally forever embedded in our memories
around the wedding and especially like
having my parents there having your parents there
his dad who never flu before
was there and he was dancing in the rain
and he's like one of the quietest people
um I was like
I love it so
I mean I just say embrace that
because it's it's literally a once in a lifetime moment
you're not gonna be there again
with all of those people again
um so
I mean a little bit of rain never hurt anybody
so absolutely absolutely
I think it's you know
it's one of those things Chrissy
that's when we were so we were there and
you know we stopped by and we said hello
and it it
the first rain happened like
like when we were standing there
I was like oh no hahaha
but then we had gone up back up to the lobby
and Percy came to me she's like
they were just so phenomenal about it
like they just rolled with it and embraced it
and this is now part of our welcome event
and it was so great to to hear that
because it's
there's no amount of planning
that will avoid something like that
no not at all
especially in the Dr especially in Mexico it's
you know it's
you're in the tropics yeah
I live I live in South Florida
so I oh
my god yeah
and I was shocked you guys came to
I know yeah
we love seeing you that
like honestly
seeing you guys at the welcome party
yeah that was
I was like oh
my god they are here
cause I know um
I had a couple people say
we saw Prissy I was like
get out of here no
you didn't and they're like
no you did
I was like what
um and then what
seeing you guys obviously made it
and honestly like
I would do it again with the rain
like that made it too
it was just something to talk about
it was something special it got people uncomfortable
which I think is also needed
it got people being like there's
you know 20 other people out there dancing
let me get up and not be that person
that's just hiding under shelter
and really like
break the ice honestly
that's exactly what it did
and I mean the
the resort's prepared had they saw rain in the forecast
they would have moved us somewhere else
um it was nobody's fault
you know at that point
just out of our hands and might as well embrace it
yeah it's I and
and you know
people who aren't from kind of the tropics
they don't really understand
but it's you know
in my forecast I
every day I've got rain in the forecast
I'm like it's not gonna rain
it's not gonna rain it yeah
you just when you live there
you understand it when you're
when you're an employee of a resort
you understand when things need to move
and when they don't and it is in your best interest
and it is in their best interest
to try and predict that as best they can
that's
there's a lot of expensive equipment that's out there
that you know
is being used there's a lot of just liability
you know you don't want grandma out there
dancing on the dance floor and broken like this
you don't you gotta be
you gotta be careful with it
so um
it it's
it is a fine balance
it's also so much fun to see the couples that just
kind of roll with it
embrace it have a good time with it
and I'm so glad you guys had that opportunity
to be able to do that yeah
no it's honestly amazing and a core memory just to say
we were all together our parents
my uncle who is
is older and I've never traveled with
like that and it was
you know my dad and him haven't traveled
probably since they were younger together
and just such a special moment to have us all there
rain or not um
you know dancing um
at just the welcome party so
you know the wedding was even more fun hahaha
Chrissy
anything else that you wanna go over while we got
Abby and Devon
just want to say thank you like
I enjoyed working with you guys
I enjoyed working with your families
I love seeing glimpses of it
so just
thank you for rocking out with us
and trusting us with the process
yeah thank you
of course you guys are honestly amazing
I would do it time and time again
um and we'll
we'll plan another we'll do a friendship
I like that
we'll have to do it more of like an annual thing
once everybody gets into the flow
and just continue to to keep it going
cause it was it was a good time
yeah definitely reach out
we have tons of recommendations and ideas
I love that you guys
anything else that you wanna add before we
before we jump off advice to new couples
just go with the flow
don't stress yourself out about it
cause it all works out
people make sure it works out for you
and that's what you guys did
you made sure it worked out
worked out for us
the resort made sure it worked out for us
I know it's hard I never saw dreams
we never went there before
um just put your trust in these people
understand they're professionals
they do this for a living
and um yeah
I just make sure you communicate
yeah that's the main thing communication
yup definitely not the same as a relationship
as it is for a destination wedding
keep that communication going
are you saying we're in a relationship now
I think we are we are
we got it we got it
welcome to this crazy family
yeah right exactly
you guys I wanna thank you so much for joining us today
it is so sweet of you to take the time
and connect with us and to share your experience
share your advice it really means a lot
um that's
we are super excited
and I'm sure we will be talking soon about a group chat
yes yes definitely definitely
thank you alright
we will talk to y'all soon
alright thank you
thank you bye
