Real Bride

#EnzoaniRealBride: Jenessa + Nihad

Love in Paradise

Grab your passports and swimsuits, we're headed to Punta Cana with #EnzoaniRealBride Jenessa. White sand, turqouise waters and lush greenery makes this one of our favorite destination weddings. Jenessa and her husband Nihad had known each other since their teen years and dated for some time. The couple called it quits and found their way back to each other years later. High school sweethearts still counts even with a break right?

Pictured above: LEXI | Enzoani 2017 Collection

Nihad and I met in 2008 during our sophomore year of high school. We started dated junior year and even went to prom together! After high school due to circumstances we went our separate ways, but Nihad promised that we would one day get married and we always stayed in touch. A couple of years later we found our way back together.

Pictured above: LEXI | Enzoani 2017 Collection

In 2016, after I completed graduate school we went on a vacation to celebrate in Mexico. Nihad proposed on the beach and even had a photographer to capture our special moment. It was so unexpected and completely us. Throughout the rest of our trip we decided we wanted to have a beach destination wedding; however we know that we wanted to buy a condo and move in together first. We came back home and shared our exciting plans with family and friends and begin to make things happen!

Having a two year engagement was perfect for us to accomplish the things we wanted to have in place and give our guest enough time to prepare for our destination wedding. It also gave me plenty of time to do research and discover our absolutely dreamy wedding venue! (I never knew that you could get married off resort in Punta Cana!)

I was engaged for about a year prior to booking our date and starting to officially plan our wedding. I spent so much time creating Pinterest vision boards and saving beautiful dresses on my "Knot" app. I had my heart set on one gown and found a little boutique that carried it. It was the first wedding dress I tried on. While beautiful, it wasn't for me. It didn't compliment my body and was surely too heavy of a material for the beach.

Pictured above: LEXI | Enzoani 2017 Collection

I must have tried on 15 dresses within that hour and my family got very excited about one. I had 5 minutes left to say “yes." I couldn't do it, but rescheduled to come back. That night I tossed and turned and decided to book an appointment somewhere else the next day with hopes I would hate every dress and convince myself that was the one. I found a last minute opening at another boutique. I tried on another 12 or so dresses and none caught my attention. Nearing the end of the appointment, I tried on one that was pretty, but didn't feel bridal.

All of the sudden the lady helping me said "I got it!” She came out with Lexi and that was my dress! I immediately fell in love and didn't want to take it off. It fit like a glove and the material was perfect for the beach! She let me walk around the boutique with it on for 30 minutes while I tried on veils and other accessories. It was meant to be because it was the last day Lexi was there as a part of an Enzoani trunk show!

Pictured above: LEXI | Enzoani 2017 Collection

I think it’s tough to ask a bride her favourite wedding day memory; at least it is for me! When I think of my wedding day and week I feel so overjoyed and definitely have the butterflies all over again.

My top moments have to be our first look and seeing how emotional my husband was, exchanging our personalized vows, the delaying of actually cutting our cake because everyone couldn't stop screaming and dancing to "Cake by the Ocean", the amazing speeches given, and "crazy hour" during our reception where we had a carnival themed dance experience; EVERYONE was on the dance floor!

I know not every bride will agree, but don't get caught up in the little details! Planning a destination wedding forced me to let go of certain things, which I couldn't be more grateful for. It allowed me to focus on the moment, be laid back, and celebrate our love. With that being said of course, you have to research and trust you vendors!

Pictured above: LEXI | Enzoani 2017 Collection

My next big piece of advice, which personally would be difficult for me to take in looking back, is that you cannot control the weather! The morning of my wedding it poured so badly. At first I wasn't concerned because it is typical in the Caribbean for it to rain and then completely clear up. As we got closer to the time that I needed to get dressed, it was still pouring and it finally got to me.

Pictured above: LEXI | Enzoani 2017 Collection

I started to tear up and everyone including my vendors tried to keep me calm. I took a minute to breathe and accept that I couldn't change this. I realized that we are getting married regardless of the downpour and I didn't want my memories to reflect my upset feelings.

Luckily after getting dressed and minutes before it was time for our first look it completely stopped! The day cleared, the sun came out, and it did not rain again for the rest of our day! Rain on your wedding is supposed to be good luck anyhow, right?!