Destination Wedding Planner & Officiant
Saying I Do in Dreamy Dominican Republic
Vendors Include:
Resort: Secrets Tides Punta Cana
Wedding Planner & Travel Agent: Jennie from A Divine Affair & Glow Travel
Photographer: Amos Photography
Officiant: Jennie - Extraordinary Officiants
DJ: 2ble M Entertainment
From Jamaica to the Dominican Republic: How Cyann & Mason’s Destination Wedding Took an Unexpected Turn
Some love stories take you places you never expected. For Cyann and Mason, their destination wedding journey took an unexpected detour from Jamaica to the Dominican Republic, proving that even when plans change, the most beautiful memories can still be made.
There are destination weddings that go exactly according to plan, and then there are destination weddings that remind you why having the right wedding planner and travel agent in your corner makes all the difference.
Cyann and Mason’s wedding was a little bit of both. While their original plans were turned upside down just three weeks before departure, their wedding day turned into something truly special. They had a celebration filled with sunshine, beautiful ocean views, meaningful moments and a lot of fun!
As their wedding planner and travel agent, I had the privilege of helping them navigate one of the most unexpected challenges imaginable and ultimately bring their dream destination wedding to life.
Cyann and Mason originally planned to celebrate their wedding at Royalton Negril in Jamaica. They had chosen their destination, their guests had made their travel arrangements, and we were counting down to what was supposed to be an incredible week celebrating their love in the Caribbean. Then Hurricane Melissa devastated Jamaica. With departure just three weeks away, we were faced with a situation no couple ever imagines when planning their wedding. The resort and airport suffered immense damage making the original plans no longer an option. It was time to pivot. And quickly.
As both their wedding planner and travel agent, my role went far beyond changing a few details on a wedding timeline. I needed to cancel the group's original travel arrangements, find a suitable replacement resort that had availability for a wedding as well as the number of rooms they required, coordinate new bookings for their guests and completely replan the wedding itself, all while navigating an incredibly stressful and emotional situation for the couple.
Destination wedding planning is often portrayed as beautiful beaches, tropical flowers and sunset ceremonies. And while those things are certainly part of the magic, there is another side to this job that doesn't always make it into the photographs. It's the problem-solving, the late-night emails, the constant communication, the backup plans and the ability to stay calm when everything changes. This was one of those moments when all of that mattered.
A New Destination, A New Beginning: Secrets Tides Punta Cana
After working through the cancellations and travel logistics, we found a new home for Cyann and Mason's wedding at Secrets Tides Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic, a new adults-only resort that offered a beautiful setting for their celebration.
Every destination wedding has its own personality, and this one needed a fresh start. We weren't simply transferring an existing wedding from one resort to another. We were building an entirely new experience, with a new venue, a new wedding setup and a new itinerary for the couple and their guests. I worked to rebook the guests and coordinate the replacement wedding plans, ensuring everyone had the information they needed for the updated trip. There were a lot of moving pieces, and the timeline was tight. But slowly, the pieces came together.
And on April 20, 2026, Cyann and Mason finally got their wedding day. A Beachfront Ceremony at Oceana Beach. There is something special about a destination wedding ceremony with the ocean as your backdrop. The sound of the waves, the warm Caribbean air and the feeling of having your favourite people gathered together somewhere beautiful create an atmosphere that is difficult to replicate.
Cyann and Mason exchanged vows at Oceana Beach, surrounded by their closest family and friends. The ceremony began at 6:00 p.m., with golden-hour photographs following shortly after. As the sun began to set over the water, the newlyweds had time to soak in the moment and capture those just-married photographs that become treasured memories for years to come.
After everything they had been through to get there, seeing them finally standing together as they said their vows made the day all the more meaningful. The original plan may have changed, but the reason everyone had travelled to celebrate never did.
Following the ceremony, guests made their way to Marea Garden for cocktail hour and the wedding reception. This is where the celebration became part of the resort's history. Cyann and Mason's reception was the very first wedding reception ever held in the new Marea Garden space at Secrets Tides Punta Cana. How special is that? Not only did the couple get to celebrate their wedding in a brand-new destination, but they also became the first couple to host their reception in this exciting new space.
The setting provided a beautiful backdrop for an evening of dinner, heartfelt speeches, their first dance and plenty of time on the dance floor. From the first dance to the opening of the dance floor, the reception was a chance for everyone to relax, celebrate and enjoy the reason they had all come together.
One of my favourite things about destination weddings is that the celebration doesn't begin when the bride walks down the aisle, and it certainly doesn't end when the reception is over. A destination wedding is an entire experience shared with the people you love.
For Cyann and Mason, the week included a welcome get-together at the lobby bar, a rehearsal and rehearsal dinner, time to enjoy the resort and, of course, the wedding itself. We also planned a catamaran excursion for the last day, giving the guests one final opportunity to spend time together before heading home. I love incorporating experiences like this into a destination wedding itinerary. After all the excitement of the wedding day, a group excursion offers a more relaxed way to enjoy the destination, laugh about the week's highlights and make a few more memories together. Because when you bring your favourite people to the Caribbean, why limit the celebration to just one day?
After 15 years in the wedding industry, I've learned that even the most carefully planned wedding can face circumstances beyond anyone's control. Weather events, travel disruptions, resort changes and unexpected challenges can all affect destination weddings. And when you're planning a wedding abroad, those changes can impact not only the couple but also every guest who has booked flights, arranged time off work and invested in being there.
That's why having a wedding planner who also understands the travel side of things can make such a difference.
For Cyann and Mason, having both services coordinated through A Divine Affair meant I could manage the wedding changes and guest travel arrangements together, rather than leaving the couple to navigate two separate sets of logistics during an already stressful time. My priority was to help protect the experience they had envisioned as much as possible, while making the necessary changes to ensure their celebration could move forward.
Was it the wedding we originally planned? No.
Did it require a lot of quick thinking, coordination and flexibility? Absolutely.
But did Cyann and Mason get to celebrate their marriage surrounded by the people they love, in a beautiful Caribbean setting? They did.
And that is what matters most.
Cyann and Mason's wedding is a reminder that a destination wedding is about so much more than a resort, a ceremony location or a perfectly executed timeline. It's about the people who show up for you. The moments you share. The memories you make together. And sometimes, it's about discovering that a different path can lead to an equally beautiful destination.
From the unexpected cancellation of their original Jamaica wedding to a last-minute move to Secrets Tides Punta Cana, a completely replanned wedding and the very first reception at Marea Garden, their journey was certainly one we won't forget.
Cyann and Mason, thank you for trusting me to help you navigate such an unexpected turn in your wedding journey. It was an honour to work alongside you, your families and your guests to bring everything together.
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