If you’re on the fence as to whether a destination fete is in the cards, well, we’re about to seriously sway the decision. Snapped by the fabulous Smitten Photography, this Bahamian number is about as beautiful as you can possibly get with a bride that is jaw droppingly gorg (and seriously has the best hair I’ve ever seen which is completely irrelevant) and a groom, NFL player Britton Colquitt, that is absolutely in love. Reason enough to share some serious eye candy with you guys here on SMP. Plus, it’s a wedding that gives proof to the idea that if you find yourself a crazy gorgeous backdrop, the rest will follow. Oh and a fun little tidbit before we set Pinterest on fire…the couple had a tiny guest list and opted to have their reception at a local restaurant in town. So romantic. So so intimate. Love that.
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From the Bride…Britton and I are both Tennessee natives and are close to our southern roots but moved to Denver when Britton got a job punting for the Denver Broncos. We fell in love with the mountains of Colorado and spend much of our free time exploring the Rocky Mountain National Park. Britton popped the question there on a snowy rock on December 20th 2010. We quickly decided because of the football season, we would plan our wedding for March. Three months is a narrow window to see a girl’s dream come to fruition! Needless to say, there was much work to be done. Our vision of the perfect wedding combined Britton’s love of the islands and my dream of a traditional elegant wedding. We were amazed to find the jewel that is the One and Only Ocean Club on Paradise Island in the Bahamas. This venue combined our desire to have a sophisticated and unique island wedding with the charm of an exclusive plantation-style country club. We chose the Cloisters in the gardens of the resort for our ceremony. The beautiful ruins are definitely what sold us on this location because they are truly breath-taking and unmatchable. Next, I found a traditional wedding gown designed by Ramona Keveza at Ana Be’ in Denver and had a lace belt custom made by my seamstress to mirror a Monique Lhullieur design. Britton was referred to Astor and Black by a teammate when he asked around about a custom tailor to create a one of a kind linen suit.
We arrived in the Bahamas 4 days prior to the wedding and our guests also got a vacation out of the trip. Everyone had such a great time reuniting and unwinding on the beach the days leading up to the wedding. On the big day, my mom helped me get ready for the ceremony in a private bungalow onsite. It was such a relaxing experience to share with my mother the final moments before the wedding. My something borrowed and blue was a ring passed down to me that day by my mom. Our bridal party consisted of only us, we just felt like that was right for us. And much more romantic. We hired a local Bahamian bishop, Lester Cox, to perform the ceremony and could not have been more thrilled with the authentic island feel he brought to our day. To add to the authenticity of our Bahamian wedding, Francis Henry played Canon in D on the steel drum for the bride’s procession. Guests sipped on key lime pink lemonade as they arrived, and were graciously passed pink champagne after our announcement. With only 30 guests in attendance we decided to have a casual dinner reception dining on local fare in town.
In less than 100 days, with the help of many, Britton and I were able to plan and experience the best day of our life. Immeasurable thanks to Sharon Clark our photographer who documented the day and delivered the most amazing wedding photos we have ever seen! We still have to catch our breath when we look at them.
Wedding Photography: Smitten Photography / Location: One & Only Ocean Club / Wedding Gown: Romona Keveza / Bride’s Shoes: Betsey Johnson / Bride’s Veil: Anna Bé Bridal Boutique / Groom’s Suit: Custom by Astor & Black / Groom’s Shirt: Astor & Black / Groom’s Shoes: Cole Haan / Flowers: Floral Arts / Rings: Trice Jewelers / Steel Drum: Francis Henry / Coordinator: Cara Deveaux / Officiant: Bishop Lester Cox