Perfectly Romantic at The Ritz-Carlton, Aruba
Story by Tina Causey-Bislick
Veronica Garzon-Kashani and John Kashani have been coming to Aruba from their home in New Jersey since 2013. “Every single time we have been to Aruba, we have loved the happy people and the Happy Island. We knew we always wanted a destination wedding, and Aruba was our first and only choice,” they said. The couple wanted their wedding on the beach and knew they could count on Aruba’s reliably sunny weather. “Having our friends and family was important, and we knew Aruba was a close destination with a flight of less than five hours. We knew our friends and family would love the island as much as we do!”
The Attire
Veronica chose a dress by Lazaro. “I wanted a light, flowy dress for the windy sunset by the beach. The combination of the lace, the layers of tulle, the sweetheart neck, and the crystal details on the waist was perfect. I loved every single detail of my dress,” shared the bride, who opted for a pair of silver Jimmy Choo shoes to complete the look. “For hair and makeup, I used Bruce Stamper. He was great; he understood what I wanted, and after a trial, I knew I would have him help me with my hair and makeup.” The groom wore a heather-gray Hugo Boss suit with a crisp, white Hugo Boss shirt and a metallic tie with hues of pink to complement the overall color scheme.
The Décor
Veronica and John didn’t have an overall theme, simply wanting to embrace the setting at The Ritz-Carlton, Aruba. They used a color scheme of soft whites, blush, and soft gold to create an ambiance that was both romantic and elegant. “I wanted our day to be remembered by the soft tones and the amazing sunset during our ceremony,” shared Veronica.
The altar was draped in sheer white and accented with a garland that combined white hydrangeas with pink and creamy-white roses. Gold Chiavari chairs for guests were also complemented with sheer white draping.
The Reception
After the ceremony, an extended cocktail party, held on the resort’s scenic Van Gogh Terrace and featuring heavy hors d’oeuvres, helped kick off the festivities. “We definitely wanted to do things differently. We wanted our guests to eat and enjoy all the food before the reception (held in the resort’s ballroom) so that they could dance and party longer. It worked great!” The couple chose to feature a “Taste of The Ritz-Carlton,” with tasty bites of signature menu items from various restaurants at the resort. The spread included a farmer’s-market-style salad station; sushi from Divi Lounge; several Italian specialties from Solanio, including wild mushroom ravioli, grilled jumbo shrimp, and meatballs; mini popovers and carved prime tenderloin from BLT Steak; mahi mahi tacos, chicken tacos, and snapper ceviche from Madero; fresh shucked oysters; and passed hors d’oeuvres like tandoori chicken, empanadas, and coconut-crusted shrimp.
The couple and their guests then danced the night away in the ballroom of The Ritz-Carlton, Aruba, snacking on a buffet of late-night munchies and a dessert buffet, as well as the red-velvet wedding cake.
The Details
Ceremony location: Beachfront at The Ritz-Carlton, Aruba
Reception location: Ballroom of The Ritz-Carlton, Aruba
Décor: Letz Aruba and House of Mosaic
Flowers: Shar’s Flowers
Officiant: Geoffrey Banfield
Hair & makeup: Bruce Stamper
Photography: Crooze Photography
Videography: Iluzzion Studios
Entertainment: Sunny Ray, featuring Lucre Woutman
Notes from the Couple
We had the wedding we always dreamed about! Aurienne, our wedding planner, was amazing—she made everything easier—and of course, The Ritz-Carlton, Aruba and all of its employees being so welcoming made the entire experience for us and our guests perfect. Our guests loved the experience, and months later they are still talking about our wedding, and that’s priceless!