I told you. This wedding is pure bliss…and in the most steal-worthy way possible. Photographed by the ridiculously talented Kristin Vining and designed by the fab Lindsey Regan Thorne at Weddings and the City, it’s one of those weddings that you can stare at for literally hours and still be just as enamored as the moment you first laid eyes on it. And you know what? There is SO much we didn’t include in the spreads tucked neatly inside our gallery and over on the WATC blog. Click here to see even more gorgeousness.
click here to see the full wedding gallery!
From Dustee, the beautiful bride…Planning a destination wedding requires a great deal of organization and clear direction but first you have to know where you are going. My mind went into overdrive with all the wedding eye candy! Each time I logged on to Style Me Pretty or flipped through a wedding magazine, I found something new I couldn’t live without. For that reason, it is important to have someone (friends, fiancée, mom or your wedding planner…or for me all of the above) to keep you focused. At precisely that hair pulling moment, Kristin Vining entered our life.
We actually found Kristin on Style Me Pretty (thanks Abby!!) and instantly felt a connection to her work. Pictures are important and we wanted to bring our own photographer to the Bahamas for the big day. We met Kristin for the first time in New Orleans to do our engagement photo shoot and it was love in an instant. I shared my frustration and she offered me the perfect solution — Weddings And The City.
Through a few web chats and a few phone calls, Weddings And The City took all my ideas and tied them together in an inspiration book that gave me a step by step guide to the design and décor for our big day. We said we wanted it to be whimsical but timeless, playful but romantic and intimate yet a little over the top. I don’t know how they did it but all of the ahh-ma-zing details made our day so unforgettable and captured all of those feelings. Having a design book also made it much easier to communicate exactly what we wanted to our vendors thousands of miles away; it’s like having a play book for your big day.
Our guests were greeted with welcome boxes upon arrival chalked full of fun snacks and personalized momentos. This was a huge DIY effort and I must warn you, not necessarily an easy one if you are getting married outside of the US. However, my mom took on the challenge with gusto and the end result was so much fun.
Peacock feathers were woven into the various elements of our wedding. From the cake topper to my bouquet, we found ways to use them as a playful accent. I also found the fantastic peacock feather boutonnieres on Etsy. Though, I would have to say that of all the incredible décor, the escort table was my most favorite. It was the playful part of our evening and by far the most talked about. The guests loved the feather masks and the mismatched frames. Who knew that finding your seat could be so much fun?!? Another great Weddings And The City idea.
We wanted our guests to really experience the Bahamas and we tried to incorporate the unique elements of the island into our weekend. From conch fritters to steel drum bands and hand rolled cigars, it was an authentic Bahamian event. Our big surprise for the evening was a rush by a local Junkanoo band immediately after our first dance. The guests were so excited and it was one more taste of the Bahamas.
All of our vendors were fantastic. We had an amazing Bahamian wedding coordinator, Anne Marie Williams of Weddings In the Bahamas, who helped us navigate through the complexities of getting married outside of the US. She also identified all the right local vendors and coordinated all of our day of details. We worked with Natalie of Wildflowers who used lots of peonies and roses and gorgeous hydrangeas to create beautiful arrangements everywhere you looked. Our invitations and programs were also gorgeous thanks to Alyssa Reeves of Paradise Design Company.
On our wedding day my husband and I felt so many different emotions but above all else, we felt love. Love for each other, love for those who took the journey with us, and lots of la-la- love for all those little moments that played out under the most perfect backdrop imaginable.
Wedding Coordinator: Weddings in the Bahamas / Photographer: Kristin Vining / Wedding Design Team: Weddings And The City / Florist: Wildflowers / Location: One & Only Ocean Club in Paradise Island, Bahamas / Invitations and Programs: Alyssa Reeves, Paradise Design Company / Wedding Dress: Monique Lhuillier / Clutch: Judith Leiber / Bridesmaids Dresses: Lela Rose / Groomsmen Suits: Brooks Brothers