Dreams Macao Beach Punta Cana Wedding

Dreams Macao Beach Punta Cana Wedding

Lauren + Peter’s love story started in Germany where they were stationed for their jobs in the military. Years of long distance ended with the two of them tying the knot at Dreams Macao Beach Punta Cana Dominican Republic.

They said their vows under the pergola overlooking the ocean with 40 of their closest loved ones watching. 

Lauren + Peter actually found me on Tiktok where our new found friendship began. After our first consult call I knew this was a perfect fit. Lauren had so many amazing details planned, honestly it was a photographers and pinterest dream not to mention April is a fabulous month to get married.

I had never been to the Dominican Republic and they could not have chosen a better venue. People don’t realize just how lovely all inclusive destination weddings are so I am here to tell you that so much is taken care of for you. I have never been around a more laid back getting ready energy. Ceremony was set, flowers delivered to the rooms, hair and makeup done early, honestly it made the day so relaxed.

Congratulations Lauren + Peter! I LOVED celebrating with you and your families. xx

venue :: Dreams Macao Beach

hair+makeup :: dream macao beach

florals :: passion flowers

wedding dress :: wilderly bride

stationary :: here and there weddings

suit :: something new boutique

rings :: cartier/brilliant earth

earings :: james avery

photography :: @mariescholzphoto

dream macao beach punta cana wedding
dream macao beach punta cana wedding
dream macao beach punta cana wedding
dream macao beach punta cana wedding
dream macao beach punta cana wedding
 dream macao beach punta cana wedding
dream macao beach punta cana wedding
dream macao beach punta cana wedding
dream macao beach punta cana wedding
dream macao beach punta cana wedding
dream macao beach punta cana wedding
dream macao beach punta cana wedding
dream macao beach punta cana wedding
dream macao beach punta cana wedding
dream macao beach punta cana wedding
dream macao beach punta cana wedding
dream macao beach punta cana wedding
dream macao beach punta cana wedding
dream macao beach punta cana wedding
dream macao beach punta cana wedding
dream macao beach punta cana wedding
dream macao beach punta cana wedding
dream macao beach punta cana wedding
dream macao beach punta cana wedding
dream macao beach punta cana wedding
dream macao beach punta cana wedding
dream macao beach punta cana wedding
dream macao beach punta cana wedding
dream macao beach punta cana wedding
dream macao beach punta cana wedding
dreams macao beach punta cana wedding
dreams macao beach punta cana wedding
dreams macao beach punta cana wedding
dreams macao beach punta cana wedding
dreams macao beach punta cana wedding
dreams macao beach punta cana wedding
dreams macao beach punta cana wedding
dreams macao beach punta cana wedding
dreams macao beach punta cana wedding
dreams macao beach punta cana wedding

like what you see?

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dreams macao beach punta cana wedding
punta cana wedding
punta cana wedding
punta cana wedding
punta cana wedding
punta cana wedding
punta cana wedding
punta cana wedding
punta cana wedding
punta cana wedding
punta cana wedding

PLANNING A WEDDING IN CANADA?

I’m ready to help you plan the elopement or intimate wedding of your dreams. Take it from the girl who has been around the country and knows all the best spots. You deserve to have the best adventure guide & photographer for your wedding or elopement!
The Best Sunset in Greece – A Mini Guide to Milos

The Best Sunset in Greece – A Mini Guide to Milos

Greece is home to some of the most iconic sunset spots in the world. I mean, have you seen Oia? Of course you have. This blog post isn’t about that location. It’s about one lesser known island. This is where you will find the best sunset in Greece.

Back in May, Will and I planned an impromptu trip to Greece. We were taken in by the photos of Santorini. The all-white backdrop with little blue domed churches on cliffs. Me, being the adventurer I am, wanted to explore the less frequented areas which meant that we’d have to get on some boats and island hop. Boy am I glad we did. The islands we hopped to were Santorini, Ios, and Milos.

 

Warning: May is the early season. Our hostel in Ios didn’t even have their pool filled yet and we walked the whole island without seeing a single person. We walked right into luxury resorts and sipped on complimentary cappuccinos because they didn’t have their tills ready. Surprisingly, Santorini was still insane. It was flooded with tourists and people were literally crawling on top of us to get to the prettiest spots of the island for sunset. Little did they know, the best sunset in Greece was elsewhere. There are tons of blogs written about Santorini and Ios so I won’t dive in. In a nutshell, Santorini is for sightseers, and Ios is for partiers.

 

But Milos was heaven.

 

We took a 1.5 hour Super Jet from Ios to Milos and it was the worst ferry ride I’d ever experienced. Superjets are fast boats that cannot handle waves and these are deep sea waves. We were basically on a rollercoaster for an hour. At one point the attendants were throwing barf bags into the seats of people to get them out fast enough. I’ll spare you the details.

Milos is a large island so generally, you’ll have to taxi to places or rent a car/ATV. Since we didn’t have international licenses we weren’t able to rent a car or an ATV so we befriended a taxi driver who agreed to pick up and drop off at all the locations we wanted to see. We got into our taxi and set off for our small resort.

We pulled up to the edge of a small cliff where we saw the pristine white oasis.

We stayed at Salt Suites, Milos and it truly is the best sunset spot in Greece.

The staff were delightful and gave us complimentary raki which I happily denied after what I just experienced on the ferry. They showed us to our room, Mandrakia and my jaw hit the floor. White everything. Flowing transparent drapes separated the room from the entryway and the room from the balcony. The view was completely unobstructed and looked out to the opposing cliff which had no buildings or structures. You can see a walkthrough on my Instagram Highlights.

 

Milos is fairly quiet but since Salt Suites is located away from other resorts we’d see people hanging out having small apps and bevies every night we were there. Some of the rooms even had hot tubs on their balconies and the staff would go over and serve drinks right to the tub. Salt Suites is a walkable distance to the town where the seafood options were insane. Will ordered grilled calamari and they brought out an uncut grilled squid. The entire squid!

Every evening we wrote down what we wanted for breakfast in the morning and the staff delivered it to us in our room. Coffee and croissants on the balcony were HEAVENLY.

Every night we set up shop in the little day beds and couches on the cliffs of Salt Suites with a glass of vino and margarita pizzas to watch the best sunset in Greece. 

If you’re looking for other lovely places to check out in Milos here were our favourites:

Sarakiniko Beach. 

Sarakiniko is about a 20 min drive from Salt Suites and is composed of exposed white rock that looks out of this world. There are hoodoos everywhere you can climb on around a cove that the water seems to have carved out of the earth. 

Cliff jumping paradise.

Tsigrado.

Tsigrado is a small beach that you have to scale a series of cliffs and ladders to get to. It is very small so few people can hang out on it, which makes it perfect for people like Will and I. No tourists? Yes, please. The cliffs tower over the beach so sun exposure can be tricky.

Papafragus.

Next up is a cove called Papafragus. Any local should know where this is. From above the cove it’s ultra stunning. The water is completely clear and turquoise like you wouldn’t believe. There is a path all the way around it which makes a nice walk. There’s also a path down into the cove that’s pretty sketchy so running shoes are necessary. Once below, kick back and relax. Go for a swim all the way out and around the coves beside it. You will be able to see the bottom the entire way.

Warning: Since we went there it has been largely blocked off with signs so getting to the beach below has been made difficult. Use at your own risk.

 

Planning an Elopement in Greece?

Looking to elope or plan an intimate wedding in Greece? I know all the best spots! I’m Marie, my clients call me their adventure guide, their wedding photographer and after the party is over, their best bud! Into it? Let’s chat!

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Lessons Learned: 5 months in South East Asia

Lessons Learned: 5 months in South East Asia

Bali Ridgewalk

 

If you’re thinking about going to South East Asia, do it. Just go and don’t look back. Once you step off the plane and you’re hit with the humidity you won’t want to, trust me.

I went to South East Asia on a student exchange and stayed until my money ran out. I covered Thailand, Singapore, Cambodia, Bali, and Malaysia. I learned more about myself during those 5 months than I had my whole life. I mean DEEP things, the things that changed my heart. At the expense of a relationship, arguably two of them, I found that being alone wasn’t all that bad. In fact, I was in love with it. Looking back, here are the personal lessons I learned in South East Asia and that I encourage you to find out for yourself.

  1. I can do this thing.

    When you are forced to navigate a foreign world by yourself, you will do it! In order to travel solo or travel to a new place with another person for that matter, you have to get comfortable with being uncomfortable. I was suddenly aware of what made me jump for joy and what I really hated. It was finally possible for me to shape my world into exactly what I wanted it to be, every day. 

  2. No one cares what you do and that’s the truth.

    If you’re like me, Asia is a long way from home. So all that matters is how you feel when you do things each day. When you realize that you never have to do anything that makes you feel like shit it’s kind of powerful. That includes the companies you choose to work for and where you choose to spend your time and money. I said a hard no to the Tiger Temple, I said no to the Killing Fields and I happily said no to elephant riding. I am sure I will exercise the right to deny things I don’t agree with many times in my life because of this experience.

  3. What other people think doesn’t matter at all. Ever.

    This was a huge revelation for me. Before I left for Asia, I always compared myself to others and I always came up short. Instead of letting those comparisons motivate me, I judged myself harshly. It destroyed a relationship and only increased my anxiety x10,000. In Asia, a triumph wasn’t getting an A on a paper or 1000 likes on Instagram. It was successfully communicating the location of your hostel to a cab driver. It was walking through the Mossy Forest in Malaysia in the rain and fog, knee deep in mud because you only have a weekend and you really really want to make the most of it. It was getting to your bus on time when you’re hitchhiking with two other people and luggage. I wasn’t comparing myself to my peers anymore. I was confident in what I was doing and frankly, I was having too much fun to think about anyone else.

  4. People are amazing, show them a little grace.

    Be a good human and you will get goodness back. Try to communicate even if you think you can’t. Toss a smile, give high fives to the locals, talk to people in your hostel and say THANK YOU a lot. I am forever indebted to the local communities that welcomed my friends and I into their homes, ceremonies, and cars (yes, we hitchhiked a lot).

  5. Working and travelling is way easier than you think.

    I came so close to snagging a job at one of the hostels. Hostels are hiring all the time. The cool thing about Asia is that it is dirt cheap. The initial flight there may be a doozy but once you’re there you can survive on 200 Baht a day. That’s 8 CAD. Working at a hostel for a few months on the most beautiful island in Thailand sounds like a pretty good gig and people do it all the time jumping from hostel to hostel until their life calls them elsewhere. Not to mention, it’s the tech age. If a life of travel is calling to you, get on your computer and find a remote job already.

Ready to start planning? See my Quick Guide to Thailand for everything you need to know about island hopping on a budget!