A Romantic Destination Wedding at Now Larimar in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic

During their time as undergrads at the University of Oklahoma, Jordan Dixon and Corey Nelson were introduced through mutual friends.

“I initially wasn’t interested in Corey, because I didn’t want to involve myself with an athlete,” says Jordan. “However, the day after we met, he sent me a Facebook message expressing how beautiful I was, and that he was interested in getting to know me. After playing hard to get for about a month, I finally gave him a chance.”

With Corey playing football for the Denver Broncos and Jordan living in Oklahoma, Corey used a bye week after the Broncos made the playoffs to plan a special surprise. First, Jordan’s mother sent her to the airport to pick up her “aunt” – but when she arrived, she found Corey waiting instead. The next day, for Jordan’s birthday, the couple went to the Festival of Lights in Galveston, followed by dinner at the Rainforest Café (Jordan’s favorite childhood restaurant).

“At the end of dinner, the restaurant brought a cheesecake out and sang ‘Happy Birthday’ to me,” Jordan describes. “Corey flipped the cheesecake around and there it was – my dream ring! A canary diamond, just like I told him I wanted during freshman year in college.”

Three weeks after their engagement, Jane Deux Event Management and Consulting came on board for the wedding planning process, making the entire experience very stress-free for bride and groom-to-be. The couple even left about 80% of the wedding details up to their planners, so they had no idea how their destination wedding in the Dominican Republic would look.

The big day was met with perfect weather and a feeling of relaxation. For the bride, it was extra special for her dad to walk her down the aisle and give her away. The ceremony was conducted by their family pastor from Oklahoma, and the bride and groom incorporated a sentimental touch by having their daughter dedicated.

The décor succeeded in setting the tone for a romantic mood with a flirtatious edge. Fresh flowers were arranged into breathtaking centerpieces, and the bride was especially pleased with the sweetheart table design.

“I was a little nervous about the food, because we were in a different country; but it was amazing,” she adds. “My absolute favorite thing was the cake. The cake was the best cake I have ever tasted. It was so good that I snuck two pieces back to the U.S. There was no way you could eat just one piece.”

The newlyweds and their guests spent the rest of the night partying to a DJ, who played their favorite songs and kept everyone on the dance floor. Another big hit was when the planners brought out live cigar rollers, adding another fantastic element to a perfect reception.

“I thought the night couldn’t get any better, until our wedding planners surprised us with a circus,” Jordan says. “It was like a dream. My biggest request was that the reception be a party, and it was the best party I had ever been to.”