How have you two met?

Melissa and Edwin met in 2008. Edwin would be a second-grade teacher in the school where Melissa has been hired to show Kindergarten. It all started with some hellos within the hallway, then a string of after-school happy hours with many different school staff. The chemistry between Edwin and Melissa was undeniable. They laughed and joked around also it always appeared like there was no one else within the room once they were together. Edwin says he knew from the beginning, Melissa needed a bit more convincing. After knowing one another for about annually, everything changed with one fateful kiss within an elevator.

Details around the proposal!

It was Melissa's 30th birthday. She was freaking out concerning the milestone birthday. All of Melissa and Edwin's closest friends had gathered to have an afternoon birthday brunch for Melissa. Everyone was having a great time but Edwin was sweating more than usual and appeared to nervously circle the area and mingle. He kept commenting on how beautiful Melissa looked. When the wedding cake came out, everyone got their phones and started recording which Melissa discovered to be odd. Edwin started speaking after which he got recorded on one knee. Melissa's initial reaction was "are you serious?". The room erupted with joy and clapping. It was perfect!

Location, location, location! How have you chosen your venue? What type of venue had you been looking for?

We attended a friend's destination wedding in Jamaica a couple of years before we've got engaged and loved the thought of getting married and achieving a vacation wonderful for our family and friends at the same time. Both of our families are in the Dominican Republic so it would be a no-brainer for all of us! We visited Punta Cana right after we've got engaged and set down the first deposit right away. We couldn't wait to obtain married in paradise and then incorporate many elements into our Dominican culture. Jellyfish, Punta Cana, was an ideal venue for all of us. It combined the ocean, sand, and stars! We got married around the beach using the ocean as our backdrop, were built with a beautiful reception within the seashell-covered restaurant, and danced the night time away on our outdoor starlight party area.

Who designed your beautiful gown? Where have you got it?

I wore a wedding dress from feeltimes. It was an ideal dress for me and I knew the moment I use it that it was the main one.

Describe the marriage. The look, theme, style, colors, etc.

Our theme was tropical Dominican elegance. We wanted bright tropical colors that enhanced the natural great thing about the Dominican Republic and our venue but was elegant and felt just like a wedding. Our colors were coral and deep blue with a touch of gold. We incorporated the color scheme throughout our day in the flowers and reception setup to the getting-ready robes. For entertainment, we were built with a band that played Dominican music and our crazy hour would be a "Dominican Carnival" that incorporated many traditions and music in the Dominican Republic. We also included many personal touches. Each guest was handed a mini beach ball upon arrival to the venue and expected to keep it until following the ceremony. Our family and friends threw the mini beach balls into the air once we walked down again the aisle as a couple. We did a unity sand ceremony using sand that matched our wedding colors to symbolize us joining our way of life as one. Each table for the reception was named following a place that held significance for all of us and our relationship. There would be a frame each table with details around the location, a roadmap, and why it had been special to us on our journey like a couple. Edwin also helped me with a beautiful personalized book "The story in our love" as my wedding gift which had all the things he loves about me. I gifted him a customized watch box having a brand new watch that he had been eyeing for a long time and never purchased. We also honored our close members of the family that have passed having a collage frame on our welcome table having said that "Share a toast with…" coupled with all of their pictures.

Tell us about your bridesmaid gowns!

I fell in love using the FeelTimes convertible dress and knew it was ideal for my number of girls. I had 6 bridesmaids and every one of them was different sizes and shapes but the dress fit beautifully on each girl. I decided to possess my Maid of Honor to wear deep blue and the remaining girls wore blush pink bridesmaid dresses to complement our colors. The colors blended beautifully and were gorgeous within the tropical setting around the beach. Each girl reached decided which style worked perfect for them and I got all of the brooches for any final touch that added the perfect amount of bling.

Any most important items, must-dos, or can't live without them? Anything you'd do differently?

For me, this guitar rock band, starlight party area, and also the crazy hour entertainers were the most important items. They tied in most of the elements in our theme coupled with our guests dancing through the night.

Favorite memory in the day!

Our first dance as a couple. We did a three-song medley of "Never Felt This Way" by Alicia Keys, "Mi Corazoncito" by Aventura, and "Poison" by Bell Biv DeVoe. No one knew that we'd choreographed moves and that people were mixing different songs. It was an ideal mix of emotion, Dominican culture, and fun! The first dance ended with cold fire sparklers illuminating the party area and our guests were wowed!