And if you’re planning a Caribbean destination wedding, you can tap into all of these hot trends at the Golden Dolphin Villa. Here’s a look at the first three (for the other five, check out the full article):

1. BUYING OUT RESORTS “For reception venues, the latest trend is to reserve private, secluded areas…Also hot are resort takeovers, where the wedding party and guests have exclusive access to everything — be it a private villa suitable for multiple couples or an entire small resort. Makes for a very memorable and unique reception!” (Quentin “Bud” Carmichael, destinationweddings.com)

At Golden Dolphin Villa, you and your guests have our entire 100-acre property, including all our amenities, to yourself, so you can enjoy quality time with your friends and family in total privacy.

2. PLANNING GROUP ADVENTURES “I see a lot of couples wanting to do adventure activities with their guests. Surfing is great for group bonding. Pay for the first hour for everyone, and then they’ll be sure to go! Or you can rent bikes and do a wine-tasting tour, take a canoe trip down a river or plan a snorkel trip.” (Alison Hotchkiss, Alison Events)

The Dominican Republic’s scenic north coast offers a world of adventure, from horseback riding on the beach to cliff diving at the national preserves to deep-sea fishing to golf at the Caribbean’s most beautiful golf courses to a fun baseball game with a local team right on our property. Our dedicated, English-speaking concierge can coordinate any number of activities and excursions for you and your party.

3. CHOOSING UNIQUE SETTINGS “Couples are moving away from beach weddings and instead drawing from natural surroundings and local culture for unique location ideas. In Mexico, I’ve seen couples marry in cenotes and haciendas. Guests are also taking a more interactive role in the ceremony.” (Tara Soloway, Luxe Destination Weddings)

The Golden Dolphin’s expansive property offers you a variety of unique locations for your cocktail hour, ceremony, and reception. From the elegant villa mezzanine with sparkling ocean views to our lush gardens, bursting with colorful local flora, to our private stretch of Caribbean coastline. You’ll find the perfect setting for all your celebrations.

With so much to offer, it’s no wonder that the Golden Dolphin Villa was recently named one of the Top 50 Destination Wedding Locations in the World by Brides UK – the only location in the Dominican Republic.

For more information about weddings at the Golden Dolphin Villa, visit our Weddings page or contact our wedding coordinator at 866-591-7791 Ext. 2.

Book a six-night trip to the Golden Dolphin Villa and receive a seventh night free—savings of up to $2,600.

or

Book a shorter stay and receive a 10% discount off the regular rates.

This special Spring Savings offer is valid on all trips booked by April 30th. Travel may be completed at any time of year (excluding holidays).

Check availability and reserve your spot today!

INCLUDES:

• 7 nights lodging for up to 18 people
• Full access to Villa Pool, Gardens, Tennis Court, Driving Range
• Baseball / Softball Game
• Private Beach Access
• In-town transportation to beaches and shopping
• English-speaking host/concierge
• Housekeeping, laundry services

If baseball is America’s past time, it is the Dominican Republic’s passion and the Golden Dolphin Villa celebrates this passion with a regulation-size baseball field located right on the property. Because of the Golden Dolphin’s ties to baseball and the owner’s love of the game, the villa was the perfect setting for writer Robert Stephens’ telling article about the important role baseball plays in the lives of all Dominicans.

In the article, the writer uses the 100-acre Golden Dolphin Villa as his home base as he travels throughout the country in search of men and women that the sport of baseball has touched. The Villa becomes the writer’s home away from home as he befriends the staff of the Villa and even plays a game of pick-up baseball with them right on the property. The staff even carved Stephens his very own “Dominican baseball batt,” from a local tree branch, which many of the young boys grow up using.

“Staying at the Golden Dolphin was an experience I will never forget,” says Stephens who is the Executive Editor of ISLANDS and a world traveler. “The staff went above and beyond the call of duty to make sure every possible need we had was taken care of. Playing ball with Charlie Torres, the Golden Dolphin Villa manager, and the rest of the staff was a true highlight to punctuate our entire experience in the Dominican Republic.”

Stephens admitted that he wasn’t sure what to expect when he landed in the Dominican Republic in search of baseball players, and he was amazed with what he found.

“Through all of the contacts and friends of Mike Siemer [owner of the Golden Dolphin] we really created a full picture of the sport and how the Dominican people live to play baseball and enjoy it,” Stephens says.

It’s no wonder that young boys dream of becoming the next Albert Pujols. But it’s not the money or the fame that pushes them play the game. They play ball because it’s a part of their culture. Because they love it, or as Tony, the Golden Dolphin’s bartender is quoted as saying, “It’s in my hair…” Baseball is everywhere and the Golden Dolphin Villa is right in the heart of it.

To read the entire ISLANDS article, visit the Press Page. Better yet, reserve your own Caribbean villa vacation at the Golden Dolphin and experience a game of baseball on our hilltop property. Few travel experiences compare to the thrill of playing ball on your very own field in the heart of the Dominican countryside.

The Golden Dolphin Villa isn’t just a luxurious home set atop a hill overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, it’s also a working farm with acres of exotic fruit trees situated across the property. All of the produce is grown organically, and the staff uses the range of exotic flavors in the meals prepared in the kitchen each day.

Every morning the chef creates fresh juices to serve at breakfast or mix up in a rum punch. Guests can choose to start their day with a glass of freshly squeezed star fruit, orange, pineapple or guanabana juice. You’ll never get a fresher glass of a juice in your life.

If you’d like, you can even take a walk and pick some fruit yourself. There are 100 acres of lush grounds to explore and a mix of fruit trees and vegetable gardens to find yourself the perfect snack. Banana trees are probably the most abundant of all of the fruit on the farm. However, the staff has recently planted more guanabana trees. Also known as soursop, guanabana is prickly in appearance, but the taste is pure heaven. The fruit has a white creamy texture and tastes somewhat like a combination of strawberry and coconut, with a bit of citris. It’s delicious in a smoothie. The guanabana has also gained much notoriety for its health properties. The fruit has high levels of vitamin C and B, and has been used to treat cancer and Parkinson’s disease.

Some of the other fresh produce grown on the property includes avocado, chayote squash, cacao, coconut, watermelon, sugar cane, papaya and passion fruit. The on-site chef is a master at using the locally grown fruits and veggies in every meal. The farm also grows fresh herbs to spice up every course.

During a stay at the Golden Dolphin Villa, guests can expect to taste a range of locally caught seafood, including fresh fish, shrimp and lobster. The chef also prepares lamb, chicken and delectable cuts of steak that the villa obtains from its neighboring ranchers. The fresh, organic foods will leave you feeling plenty full, but hungry for more.

Before you plan your dream wedding, however, you’ll want to consider these five things that you need to get just right on your big day.

1. The Location

When it comes to picking the perfect spot for your destination wedding, there’s much to consider. You don’t want to choose the wrong location. Follow your heart. If you’ve longed for a beach wedding, there are few better places to consider than the Dominican Republic in the heart of the Caribbean. But there are still other decisions to be made. Do you want a casual wedding or a black-tie affair? An outdoor barbecue or a four-course experience. Your best bet is to find a special location such as the Golden Dolphin Villa that offers a bit of everything to meet any need you might have.

 2. The Accommodations

Every bride dreams of creating a wedding trip that her guests will talk about for years. The key to impressing your guests is putting them up in a property that is truly unforgettable. Flowers on the pillows, ocean views, a world-class spa, 24-hour concierge service and incredible meals will leave a lasting impression on your guests. Destination weddings are also a great way to bring together family and friends in one location. We recommend you consider a villa such as the Golden Dolphin that has plenty of rooms to keep all of your guests together on one property, and all of the amenities to make for a memorable trip.

 3. The Ceremony

This is your special day, and you deserve the ceremony you’ve always dreamt about. If you’ve always pictured yourself riding horseback up to the alter, then that’s what you should do. If you want to get married barefoot in the sand, then toss your shoes aside. But when getting married in a foreign country, there are several important things to consider. You want to make sure the officiate is legally recognized and all of the paperwork is in order. So choose wisely and work with an organized wedding planner such as those employed by the Golden Dolphin Villa. Don’t let anything get in the way of your perfect day.

4. The Festivities

From the ceremony to the centerpieces to the cake and the music — a wedding should take on a tone and mood that tells the story of the bride and groom. This is the most fun part of putting together a wedding. To make the process as painless as possible, it’s best to work with a staff that you feel comfortable with and one that has all of the vendors to make any request a reality.

5. The Wedding Planner

The wedding planner is the most important piece to the puzzle. Work with the right wedding planner and you won’t have to worry about a thing. Just show up, look beautiful and enjoy yourself. That’s exactly what we provide at the Golden Dolphin. All of the wedding planners we work with speak fluent English and will work with you every step of the way to insure that all of your dreams come true.