We are so excited to share our first wedding of 2021! Suehaze & Martin originally planned to tie the knot in 2020 but had to change their plans due to the pandemic. They started off with a clean slate and moved their wedding to the stunning Kukua Beach Club in Punta Cana!

When they returned from their Wedding in Punta Cana, we asked the couple to share a little bit more about themselves and what it wsas like to plan a wedding during a global pandemic. Read on fir what they had to say and to admire the lovely photos captured by Love & Sea Photography!

About the Couple

Astrological signs: Leo (hers) and Cancer (his)

Suehaze: I’m a 5’3” feisty Puerto Rican who was born and raised in New York City. During my youth I worked at the Statue of Liberty gift shop and worked hard to keep my grades up in college as I was pursuing a degree in Aeronautical Engineering. This all changed at the age of 20 when I decided it was time to do something different with my life.

I joined the Air Force to help pay for school and it also gave me the opportunity to travel the world. I was fortunate enough to get a job that allowed me to work with my hands and picked up a trade that I had only dreamed of doing that was also in my field of study. So far it’s been one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever made, but I do not regret it one bit. I’ve been able to travel, make the best of friends and meet the love of my life.

Martin:  I was born in San Jose, California, but lived most of his life in Chicago, Illinois. At the age of 23, I decided to leave home to enlist in the United States Air Force so I could go to school and see the world. Throughout my time in the military I’ve been fortunate enough to visit several countries and attend school. I was also lucky enough to meet the woman of my dreams who has turned my life into an amazing adventure.

Occupations:  Military

How they met:  We met at our first duty station at Barksdale Air Force Base based in Louisiana. Since we have the same job in the Air Force we were scheduled to work together numerous times.

What attracted him to her: Her wild and lively spirit.

What attracted her to him:  His smile and the fact that he was very smart, polite and funny.

Engagement story:  In 2016 Martin was stationed in Korea while I was in Japan. He received orders to go back to the U.S and since we didn’t want to do the long distance thing, he flew out to Japan to visit me for a few days. During his trip, we spent most of our days sightseeing. On Sunday, June 19 2016, Martin and I decided to visit the Tokyo Tower which is Japan’s version of the Eiffel Tower. There were three floors with large glass windows that offered panoramic views of Tokyo at night and we were on the top floor. As we waited in line for the elevator, it was at that moment that Martin dropped down on one knee and proposed!

Best advice you received as a bride and groom?  Our wedding officiant said a lot of meaningful words, but one thing that stood out to us the most was, “Just as your rings will go through some wear and tear over the years, so will your relationship. You just have to remember that it’s a symbol of your bond and love for one another.”

The Wedding Day

Wedding date:  February 12, 2021

Number of guests:  14

Wedding colours:  Navy, blush and ivory

Her most memorable moment: When I made it to the altar and he looked at me with tears in his eyes and in a scratchy voice said “Hey”. It made everyone laugh and I immediately felt calm.

His most memorable moment: Standing at the altar while holding hands and staring into each other’s eyes.

Advice to others: Just breathe. Try to remain calm and just know that the best is yet to come.

Favourite wedding detail:  This is a really hard choice since we loved everything, but our favorite detail would be the reception area décor that was set up in the Main Salon.

Most unexpected moment:  Martin’s garter removal dance

Most romantic moment:  The first dance

Did you include any traditions in your wedding?  Wedding lasso tradition

Honeymoon:  Punta Cana, Dominican Republic

The day in three words: Worth the wait.

Wedding Details

Ceremony location: Kukua Beach Club Palapa

Reception location:  Kukua Beach Club Main Salon & Pool Deck

Why did you choose this location for your wedding?  We chose Kukua Beach Club because it’s such a beautiful venue that provided both indoor and outdoor options. Even though we didn’t want to be on the beach, having the option to have it as a backdrop was perfect for us. The pictures on their social media was what made us fall in love with the venue and on our wedding day the food and décor exceeded our expectations.

Bride’s gown:  Off-the-shoulder floral embroidered wedding dress (Essence of Australia D2642)

Bride’s shoes:  Gianni Bini

Groom’s outfit:  Navy suit, white shirt, blush tie, brown belt and brown shoes

Jewelry: Necklace, matching studs and hair piece

Wedding song:  I was Made for Loving You– Tori Kelly & Ed Sheeran

Signature drink:  Passion Fruit Mojito

Favours:  Custom luggage tags

Music:  The DJ at Kukua was awesome. The music ranged from R&B, to salsa, reggae, and so on from the early 90’s to now. Our guests loved the versatility.

Flowers:  Calla lilies and roses

Photographer: Love & Sea Photography

Hair: Anna Nuet

Makeup: Anna Nuet

Stationery/Invitations: Custom boarding pass invitation (Etsy)

Catering: Kukua Beach Club

Tell us about your experience working with LUXE:  Working with LUXE has been a great experience from start to finish. The options of destinations, resort and hotels that you can travel to are beautiful. And the fact that you have your travel manager and wedding planner in one location is just perfect and hassle free. The staff in all departments were professional and really worked hard to make our wedding dreams come true.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we had to postpone our initial wedding date, but our LUXE team was with us all the way to the end, providing us and our guests with updated information on travel restrictions, hotel info and always ensuring our safety. When it came to making changes to wedding details (whether big or small) we always felt supported and everything was done in a timely manner. I couldn’t ask for a better company to have used for my destination wedding. Highly recommend! And a huge THANK YOU for making it all possible. 

Hotel: Riu Palace Punta Cana

Wedding Venue: Kukua Beach Club

Photography: Love & Sea Photography

Wedding Planning: Tiffany from LUXE

Travel Planning: Nirali from Luxe

Congratulations again to the stunning couple!