"A 2 Month Sprint to Forever" - Aekta and Samir's Wedding in Cap Cana
When Portugal wasn’t in the cards, Cap Cana proved to be a royal flush
Having been to her own brother’s Shaadi Destinations wedding in 2019, Aekta knew that we could pull off the wedding of her dreams in just a few months when her original Portuguese wedding plans fell through due to COVID. Picking a brand new resort, Hyatt Ziva Cap Cana, Aekta overcame the expectations and created the most magnificent wedding Punta Cana has ever seen!
Author - Aekta Patel, Bride
An annual connection at the BBQ turns into ‘happily ever after’
We originally met when I was a senior in high school and Samir was in college. I didn’t know he liked me at the time, but we'd see each other every year at my friends annual BBQ. After I graduated from college, we reconnected, and I asked him out on a date. It's been the best 6 years :)
We got engaged in Nov 2018. Samir planned a scavenger hunt to all our most memorable places. My closest friends and family were waiting at each place to deliver the next clue. He proposed at our favorite local hiking trail, the Giant Stairs at Palisades Park. After the proposal, we waited about 5-6 months to start planning our wedding.
Travel restrictions couldn’t get in the way of these two and their love
Our original wedding was supposed to be in Portugal. Unfortunately, because of the travel restrictions, we had to cancel our wedding there which was a huge bummer. We weren't motivated to do a wedding after that but my mom kept insisting and started a lot of the initial research process on our behalf. My brother had worked with Shaadi Destinations so that’s where we started. There were only 2 hotel options for us given the short notice and the vibe I was looking for, Hyatt was one. The more concerning part was there were only 2 potential date options. It was late February at the time and the date they gave us was Memorial Day weekend. We were skeptical at the time but Milan and Shree insisted we go towards Hyatt and so we did! We only had 2 months so we signed the contract before we even saw the place so we could start the process. I guess you could say that our confidence was on the Shaadi Destinations team.
An experience worth recreating
My brother had a destination wedding in Cancun in 2019 and they loved working with Milan and Shree, so it was a no brainer. Planning a wedding in 2 short months was not an easy journey but Shaadi Destinations really made it possible. They blended in with our family so seamlessly and made the whole experience so comfortable for us! From the moment we met to the last day, they were such an incredible team to work with. Through all the last-minute changes we had, they remained flexible and ready to help no matter what! This was the most memorable day of our lives and they made it come true of us. For that, we are forever grateful for Milan and Shree.
Going with the Pros can save you from the Woes
I'm pretty sure we still wouldn't have gotten married if it wasn’t for them, so choosing Shaadi Destinations completely changed our experience. We barely had 2 months to plan a destination wedding and without their guidance and help, it really wouldn’t have been possible. They assisted in every part from décor suggestions to travel and working through details with the Hyatt team. As you can guess, with a last-minute wedding we had constant last second changes and the team were so accommodating through all of them. 3 of my family members were waiting on getting their new passports and couldn’t book until the week we were supposed to fly out for the event, and Milan and Shree worked their magic so that my family could attend even when the resort was sold out.
When people ask me about planning a wedding in 2 months, it takes me back to by far the most difficult moment of wedding planning hahaha.
Milan called me one morning mid-April (T-1.5 months), sent me the list of people that booked and at the same time told me the hotel is almost sold out. Most, if not all, of my husband's family hadn't booked. Every couple that goes through wedding planning has their moments; this was definitely ours. Once again, Milan came to the rescue, he kept me calm and but was also very realistic about the options. Him and I were on the phone for hours switching people around and calling family to see if they'd share rooms. In the end, it all worked out but that day, I was so thankful that we had the Shaadi team to lean on.
Can’t go wrong when you are prepared!
Pick Shaadi Destinations LOL
Go into it knowing that you're choosing a destination wedding but not everyone that you may want to be there will be able to attend. For your own mental sanity, you have to be okay with that. This was a hard reality that we had to come to terms with which was especially important during covid times. Regardless, that day, you'll be happy no matter what!
It goes by in a blink of an eye so enjoy the ride with all its ups and downs!
A sit-down, post-wedding dinner can be dynamic and intimate
I've rarely experienced an intimate sit-down dinner at an Indian wedding, and this was something we were adamant on doing. This event was a definitely a worthwhile splurge and a fun way to unwind after a long day. We also paid for shuttle services for our wedding guests. Making sure our guests were taken care of from the moment they landed in DR was a priority for us.
1000% would recommend adding a post-wedding dinner and do the official reception the next day! The biggest factor that played into that decision was us wanting to do a late afternoon wedding and not wanting to jam pack a lot of events in 1 day. This was mostly because we didn’t want anyone in the bridal party to have to wake up early to do hair and makeup. We knew the previous night was going to be a late night and wanted everyone to be well rested and not be cranky so they could have a good time. Typically, a meal is served after an Indian ceremony and so based on timings, we had to do a dinner. It ended up being the most perfect evening, especially as the bride and groom we were able to relax and unwind. Breaking up the wedding and reception made it so that everyone could enjoy the mornings and afternoons pool or beachside so that was a bonus that we know everyone
It doesn’t have to end after the reception!!
Our wedding festivities ended on Sunday but most of our family and friends stayed longer so my family insisted we do a booze cruise on Monday. At the time, it didn’t seem like a great idea to go on a boat with a large group the day after the reception but we're so happy we went forward with it. It forced everyone to get up and make the most of the day rather than going to sleep after a long weekend of partying. Since the wedding was over, we were stress free and it ended up being the best recovery day. Not romantic but we spent with the friends and family we love.
The first Indian wedding at the brand new Hyatt Ziva Cap Cana
There was DEFINITELY pressure to be the first Indian wedding at a brand new resort like Hyatt Ziva Cap Cana. South Asian weddings are really like no other. Food was the biggest opportunity and challenge for us given how new the resort was. While they had an Indian restaurant and an Indian chef already, a lot of the spices used in Indian cooking weren't yet available for our chef, so we packed 5 full suitcases of all the 'masalas' needed for food!
Almost all our guests stayed additional days which is really hard to plan for and a testament to how much they loved the Hyatt Ziva Cap Cana. As much of an estimate as you can get from your guests on what nights they can come, the easier it'll be and keeping close contact with the hotel on availability. While it’s easy to think guests can’t get time off and will just fly in and out for 3-4 nights, so many will want to stay 6-7 nights and enjoy the moment with friends and family.
Designing decor that meets your individual needs is an important task before wedding day!
Our layout at each event was really determined by our family dynamic. Everyone loves to dance and drink so we wanted to keep the bar at a central point rather than tucked away in a corner at every event. That kept everyone in a tighter space between the dance floor and bar. The design was a blend of our taste, what the design team had available, and what would fit in our budget.
Fun fact - Samir had a super unique liner on the inside of his suit! He loves everything to do with outer space. He got his wedding suit made at Indochino and it was one of the liner options. The moment he saw it, we both knew that was going to be it.
Our list of vendors:
Destination Wedding Agency - Shaadi Destinations (Website - Instagram - Email)
Videographer - Dreamcatcher Films (Website - Instagram - Email)
Hair and Makeup / Mehndi - Lemons and Mehndi / Styling Trio (Website - Instagram - Email)
Our honeymoon to come
Portugal - because we had to go, even if it wasn’t in the way we intended!
Special thanks to Take It Photo for these fabulous pictures! Contact Take It Photo for your destination photography needs.
Shaadi Destinations is the premier, award winning, modern-day destination wedding travel agency for South Asian couples seeking a streamlined process, incredible experiences, and a party friends and family will never forget! We save our couples thousands of dollars while throwing them the wedding festivities dreams are made of.
We live and breathe destination weddings - with just one consultation, you will be light years ahead in your destination wedding planning process. In less than one week, Shaadi Destinations will find you the most perfect resort that meets your needs, your budget, and your desires. With our vendor relationships and pre-negotiated exclusive perks at resorts across Mexico and the Caribbean, we are confident we can find exactly what you are looking for. You'll find we have the best rates, best incentives, and best booking experience.
