What does it take to turn a vision into a breathtaking reality? For Allie & Juan, their destination wedding wasn’t just about celebrating love—it was about creating an immersive experience where two worlds collided: the sleek sophistication of New York City and the untamed beauty of the Caribbean. This wasn’t just a wedding setup; it was a week-long transformation of an oceanfront villa, a feat of design, engineering, architecture, and meticulous planning. From custom-built structures to reimagining the landscape itself, here’s how we made magic happen.

See this wedding featured in Style Me Pretty.

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The Concept: A Bold Contrast of Urban and Natural

The vision was clear from the start—bring together the structured modernism of New York City with the organic vibrancy of the Caribbean in this destination wedding. Allie & Juan wanted their wedding to feel intentional and immersive, filled with textures, movement, and layers of design.

• The ceremony took place in Altos de Chavón’s St. Stanislaus Church, an old-world Mediterranean-inspired setting. We kept the design here elegant, timeless, and intimate.
• For the reception, we set out to completely transform a private oceanfront villa at Casa de Campo’s Punta Aguila neighborhood, crafting a unique experience for the couple and their guests.
  —See the details on our previous blog here.

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The Build-Up: Engineering a Dream

To achieve this transformation, we spent over a week constructing the wedding’s architectural framework with the expertise of @gbsoundsrd, which provided the flooring, tent, lighting, and sound design.

• The Pool Disappears: One of the most complex structural challenges was covering the villa’s pool. Instead of treating it as an obstacle, we extended the reception layout over it, creating a seamless flow that made the space feel as if the pool had never existed, and provided the additional square footage we needed to fit the set up.
• A Transparent, Living Structure: A clear-roof tent was designed to blend natural beauty with a modern industrial aesthetic. The structure was draped with lush greenery and custom cage-like metal beams, grounding the design in both raw and refined textures.
• Custom-Designed Elements: From the curved entryway sculptures to the statement bar and stage, custom fabrications were uniquely built by @eccentricostudio to bring our design and the couple’s vision to life.

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The Details: Textures, Colors & Sensory Experiences

Every wedding has its moments, but for A+J, every corner of this celebration was an experience.

➤ The Grand Entrance: A Gateway to the Unexpected

The reception began with a striking architectural entryway, featuring sculptural black curved structures that resembled the bird of paradise’s flower shape, the bride’s favorite, and a design element that came subtly in different items. These columns, lined with soft lighting—an invitation to step into another world. To further complement the existing vegetation, we brought in a vast number of plants to create ephemeral gardens, including foam boulders that no one could have known were not real.

➤ The Bar: A Statement of Modern Luxury

The arched bar installation was more than just a functional space—it was a sculptural masterpiece. Featuring a textured copper backdrop, illuminated shelving, and sculptural metallic vases, this area exuded warmth, richness, and sophistication. Rentals and linens from @nuagedesignsinc, @eventosdelcibao, and @divano_rd allowed us to create a unique dinning experience that felt like an extension of our clients’ style.

➤ The Seating Chart: Playful Yet Elevated

Designed with graphic, abstract elements in deep greens and burnt oranges, the seating chart made a bold, artistic statement. The cheeky message? “You’ll barely use it, but here’s your seat!” A playful nod to the lively energy of the evening.

➤ The Reception: A Jungle Under Glass

Underneath the transparent roof, we created a lush, jungle-inspired oasis intertwined with structured elements. Every layer of the design was meant to evoke contrast and depth:

• Dramatic Overhead Installations: Hanging golden palm chandeliers, woven lanterns, and floating disco balls reflected both bohemian charm and city glamour.
• Lush Tropical Greenery: Carefully curated by @nab.rd, florals and greenery seamlessly integrated with the villa’s natural surroundings. Complementing this, @argenibargas created ephemeral gardens that gave the illusion of a venue built entirely within nature itself.
• Mixed-Material Tablescapes: Tables featured green marbled plates, mirrored surfaces, black and gold cutlery, and raw-textured linens—a juxtaposition of earthy and urban.

➤ The Stage: A Sunset Dream

The stage was designed to be an immersive visual experience. Set against a backdrop of mirrored panels and a digital sunset projection, it created a hypnotic effect—blurring the lines between reality and art. With expert sound and lighting by @gbsoundsrd, and scenography by @eccentricostudio the energy of the night was electric.

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The Final Result: A Wedding That Moved

This wedding was about creating movement—visually, emotionally, and physically. Every design choice, from the fluid entry arches to the play of textures in every element, made this celebration feel like a work of art in motion.

A+J’s wedding was dynamic, stylish, and unforgettable—just like the couple themselves.

➤ And now, let the result & the couple’s reaction express the real deal:

"Particuraly we wanted to give an even bigger thank you to Claire, Maja, Eli, Rafa... The amount of love, attention and care, and whole heart and soul that they poured into tonight, which you're seeing on display, is beyond our wildest dreams, and for that we're eternally grateful. I think you guys have captured us as a couple beyond, and we love you truly, you are family to us now. "
- Allie & Juan (mentioned at the reception)

Juan (the groom) wrote:
“I personally promise you that you will never find a more dedicated, tireless, caring, committed, and talented team than Claire Duran Weddings and Events – her whole team, Maja, Rafa, Eli and of course, Claire pour their heart and souls into their work to ensure your wedding is beyond your wildest dreams.
During our wedding, instead of thanking our guests for coming, we started first and foremost with Claire and her team. Our wedding day turned out to be something we couldn’t even fathom despite the year plus we spent planning it. You truly could NOT be in better hands than this team. We are forever indebted to Claire and her team, and grateful to know we now have true lifelong friends after this experience. We planned a full 3-day event with a boat party to an island, welcome party and wedding that had EVERY detail perfectly thought out thanks to Claire and team. We would not have changed a thing! Again… STOP LOOKING AND HIRE CLAIRE!! It’ll be the best decision you’ll ever make, aside from your significant other of course.”

Thank you for reading! We invite you to check out

• A+J’s Colorful and Tropical Beachfront Welcome Party in Minitas Beach Club
• A+J’ Bold Wedding in Private Villa (the wedding day)
• As well as other “Making Of” blogs or other weddings in Casa de Campo

Credits

Photos by @sammblake
Planning / Design by @claireduranweddingsandevents
Video by @riceandrosesfilm
Tent, Lighting and Sound by @gbsoundsrd
Venue, Catering and Private Villa at @casadecampodr
Flowers by @nab.rd
Custom Installations by @eccentricostudio
DJs @djcuatronyc (the groom himself!) @patlokmusic and @saluteaut
Band @glambandrd
Groom’s hair by @tomoyasu_hair
Hair and Makeup by @artistrybyfjorela and @michelleflaz
Rentals by @nuagedesignsinc @eventosdelcibao and @divano_rd
Catering by @casadecampodr
Setup and Tear Down Support by @activemontajes
Ephemeral Gardens by @argenibargas
BTS video coverage by @aldryjoelphoto