Matt: SO – the whole COVID wedding cancellation then being selected for our giveaway then living the experience was a rollercoaster experience!
“Prior to the giveaway, I was on an emotional rollercoaster. Damien wasn’t working as much and he’s our main provider. My businesses were slow. Then COVID – Sigh. Damien who’s gone typically 80-90% of the year out of state was home for 3 straight months and my businesses were dead. I was literally in the planning stages of the wedding and had to stop.”
“I had followed Del Sol Photography for almost 2 years and I saw the post close to the end of the entry date, I think I entered the last week. I just went in, I mean what could I possibly lose at that point.” – Lindsay
“I spilled our story without even telling Damien. I received an email that we entered the second phase and needed to do a Zoom call with Matt and Claudia, the wedding manager of Dreams Vista. It was a Monday, my busy day, but again, what do I have to lose. I just went for it.”
“I remember Claudia telling the kids about the waterpark and Matt saying “you guys got it, you won!” I was like wait what! LOL! It seemed so unreal.”
Matt: You have a tattoo with the word “Blessed” on your wrist. I feel like we are all lucky in this life to have what we have.
“My tattoo is Bryce’s birthday. I have yet to get any ink for Khloie…she was 10 1/2 pounds and 12 1/2 hours of labor, we have a different experience!”
“Khloie is actually our rainbow baby. We miscarried the same year we got pregnant with her. We ended up going on our annual vacation, and she was the souvenir we brought back.” – Lindsay
“Damien and I have been blessed to have businesses (in California) that we can still afford to take our kids on trips and I don’t have to go into work. I am a stay-at-home mom that decided to make a baking business from what I do for my kid’s birthdays. We have been blessed to overcome MANY obstacles and stay together. We have grown a lot in the years and are different people for the better because of one another. We were truly blessed to actually say we were married in 2020 when our plans took a turn for the worse.”
Matt: Lindsay effectively BANNED Damian from writing his own vows as she was worried about what he would say! We surprised them by organizing a first look just before the wedding ceremony and giving them a chance to speak from the heart. We were blown away by what Damian had to say.
Matt: You’ve been together for over a decade. After all that time, you finally set your plans to get married – then COVID shut you down. Tell me about what it is like to have your children wishing for their parents to be married.
“So let’s begin with how long a long relationship could possibly be before getting married! Damien and I met in 2008. A year of dating… New Year’s Eve happens and I get pregnant with our son! Life happens and we were “just together.” We decided to have another baby, but couldn’t get pregnant. Maybe 2 years of trying, our son is 5 – I miscarry. By this time I’m over it, we plan a vacation to the Dominican Republic, and bring back a souvenir, I’m pregnant with our daughter.”
“Damien asked me to marry him at our daughter’s baby shower. He did everything that he should. He asked my mom, aunt and uncle for my hand in marriage. It was perfect, but I told him I wanted to wait since I was pregnant. The wait turned into a year, then another. 3 years later I’m like “life has gotten the best of us I think it’s time. So we plan! Set a wedding date in January 2018 for May 10th, 2020.”
“I have guests booked, I’m picking decor and….a travel ban! I was devastated, our kids were so sad.”
“Our son is supposed to walk me down the aisle (I was surprising him when we got to the resort), my dad passed and he’s my favorite boy. Not only was our wedding to happen, but my daughter’s 5th birthday we were celebrating as well. My kids haven’t been on vacation in over a year because we were “saving for the wedding.”
As a bride, I’ve dreamed of my wedding my entire life. But to see my kids so upset really hurts, especially our son – he has been my little best friend for 9 1/2 years.
“I never realized it mattered to Bryce until he said something at his last school. I guess one of the kids made fun of him about it because he mentioned it in class and was excited. Bryce was in private school and most of the kids have 2 married parents. Even now at his new school, his friends have 2 parents. Over the years we just never thought it affected him, but the day I had my engagement ring we realized how much it did. Now that we are married Khloie sings “mommy and daddy sitting in a tree!” It was time, it was long overdue. I am so glad we could show them a better ending for 2020″
Matt: Everything about your Dreams Vista wedding was a surprise! You had no idea where your wedding ceremony would be or what the decor would look like, what did you think about what the Dreams Vista wedding team and Essenza Florals came up with for you?
Lindsay: “I am extremely educated in florals because of my family. My mom and dad met in a florist, they later eloped, since mixing races wasn’t really a thing in the ’70s. My dad was a licensed contractor and had his own landscaping business until he passed in October 1997. My mom worked as a bank manager until she retired and then went back to the same florist to work until she moved to Hawaii in 2015. My great aunt, uncle, and other family members worked at the same florist. My dad, uncle, and grandfather were all in the landscaping business.”
“Essenza executed every detail of floral design I could ever have imagined! I sent a few photo ideas of things I liked. Everything was done! Including the candles! My florals were so beautiful. I have sent photos to other Dreams brides. Essenza is by far the best I’ve seen! The quality was superb. They even treated the bouquets so they wouldn’t wilt because of the humidity.”
Matt: “Vacations” and traveling for love have been part of your family, a vacation even blessed you with Khloie! It’s so fitting that you had a destination wedding and we were so happy to be on that journey with you.
Lindsay: “I love that! We haven’t traveled far because of the wedding that was postponed. We had been waiting to go and take the kids to Xcaret to celebrate Khloie’s birthday. Our flight to come to see you kept changing. It started at 6 hours and ended up at around 12 hours. It was worth every minute. Even the flights being canceled on the way home.”
“This “vacation” was absolutely the best memory! My kids were able to see things they would have never seen and we were able to be married in 2020. You have truly been an amazing soul! I appreciate you so much!” – Lindsay
You were together for many years raising beautiful children. Now that you are officially married, what is that feeling like? Is it any different or is there a special glow in the air?
“We definitely have more patience for one another. Seriously. Even after 12 years, we could snap about little things, but now we seem to just click and understand each other. We’re in this 4 life!”
Matt: Another surprise in your Dreams Vista Wedding was the Pre Hispanic Ceremony from Spirituality.
Lindsay: “Such a beautiful surprise! I honestly looked into a traditional Mayan Ceremony before. The words spoken and the meaning behind them. It’s so simple and such a beautiful ceremony. Everything has a meaning, the elements are all stated and it makes love so simple.”
“Life is so less stressful when you listen to their words. It was an honor to have experienced such a beautiful tradition.”
Matt: We were very impressed with the Dreams Vista rooftop terrace wedding reception venue for the reception!
Lindsay: “Dreams Vista went completely above and beyond my expectations. I completely loved the decor! I am extremely detail-oriented and could not believe how well they executed my dreams and vision. I remember telling Damien “look at the charger plates, I love them!” He was like “charger plate?” LOL”
Matt: Dreams Vista had a lot to do with all the details, any words you can say about the Dreams Vista Cancun Wedding Giveaway team?
Lindsay: Dreams Vista Cancun went above and beyond! Not only did they have amazing accommodations, but our flights were cancelled and they honored the same pricing we had to extend our days until we could get onto the next flights. The wedding manager Claudia made all of the arrangements and we never had any issues with them, they immediately accommodated us.”
“I see brides comment about the beach being small, first – the pier – UTILIZE IT! Matt did! Get a catamaran, go on a whale shark excursion. Not all of the resorts have the pier as an option, if you don’t use it for a ceremony or event, use it for what it is actually there for!
“The rooms were spacious, clean and amazing! There is a steamer in the room! (Brides want to know this) Full size shampoo, sunscreen, bath wash, razors, sanitizer, toothpaste… They think of everything and it’s in your room. FOOD! 24 hour room service! I cannot stress this enough, this is important and it’s good! The restaurants were ALL amazing! Food is served at the pool!”
“Wedding food, I had a plated meal (I did not pick my meal, I let Claudia do it for me), the food was absolutely amazing! We had a 3-course dinner service; salad, soup, and dinner, plus dessert. Claudia went above and beyond and will always be grateful for her. Then we had a 2 tier chocolate cake. The cake was like chocolate fudge with whipped cream, it was amazing.”
“The Dreams Vista staff was excellent! From bell service, front desk, concierge, all of the room service. Everyone I walked past on my wedding day told me to “congratulations” and I had regular clothes on. So the staff took the time to know who we were. I really admire that.”
“SPA – This spa is to die for! It’s gorgeous! The layout and ambiance are exceptional. I had my hair and makeup done as a surprise from Claudia and I was so happy with it. I brought my own hair extensions and had regular makeup application. IT LASTED THE ENTIRE NIGHT! I even had my airbrush in my room and didn’t use it. The bridal suite was set up with champagne and snacks and it was beautiful as well as spacious.”
“As for the Dreams Vista Wedding Department – Claudia was my contact and I love her dearly. I am still in contact with her and hoping I will be able to see her again. Ana Ralph went above on beyond as well! Ana not only assisted Claudia the entire time, she carried my shoes for over an hour. She literally had my shoes in her hand for over an hour.”
Matt: We were blown away by Damian’s impromptu speech during your wedding reception
We have been together for 12 + years and I was having problems with commitment. I want to break the cycle and show my kids exactly how a man is supposed to love a woman and how a family is supposed to stay together. Regardless of what is going on here in the community and out there in the world they will know that there is love here at home. – Damien
Matt: Lindsay, in your speech you talked about the excursion we went on together. Can you talk about conquering your fears and swimming with whale sharks? Thanks for going for it!
“The Whaleshark tour was the BEST EXPERIENCE EVER! We still talk about it! By far I cannot thank you enough for the experience.”
“I was terrified of the ocean. So weird because my dad loved to scuba dive, but I just can’t get past the darkness and you can’t touch the bottom. I never was scared of the sharks, they weren’t my fear. I do watch Shark Week on TV annually. But life vests really do make you float. LOL! The whale sharks could care less that we were even there. The manta rays were amazing! And the dolphins! OMG! We even saw the crystal clear turquoise water. We literally had the best ocean experience!
Matt: Can you sum up your experience with the Del Sol team durng your Dreams Vista Wedding?
“The Del Sol Photography Team make memories last a lifetime. When you can see a photo and feel how someone is feeling in that moment, the photographer has captured a memory. I had the best of the best!”
“I say this because most of my shots were candid, I remember seeing Polly in the water taking photos. She was literally in a small pool of water on the Preferred Deck! The photo posted of Bryce and I during the Mayan Ceremony thru the feathers, that is something you cannot plan for. It was a captured moment that was a blink of an eye and I say this because we changed positions throughout the service. We did have some posed looks as well.”
“Let’s not forget how fun Del Sol can be! They have a new assistant (he just had a birthday) he’s now 10, his name is Bryce! LOL! You let him have a camera for water slide footage. Nobody does that. You have fun and get to know your client. I love that!”
“The entire experience was like a dream come true. I couldn’t have imagined such a wonderful vacation, wedding day, decor, resort and experience…but the people we met and connected with have made lifetime changes for us. We don’t even think of them as photographers, resort employees, or travel agents – they became our friends. They’re in a lifetime memory.” – Lindsay
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