Get ready to have your wanderlust ignited, loves, because these gorgeous, intimate nuptials on a private beach in Thailand are so Pinterest-worthy, you may have your bags halfway packed by the end. Thanks to Pure Bliss (sister company of The Wedding Bliss Thailand), this darling duo was able to plan their dream wedding from halfway around the world, and, lucky for us, we’ve got all the waterfront bliss in the gallery right here!
We were able to ask Sterling and Ron few questions about how their love story started and how they end up having their wedding in Phuket, Thailand.
Pure Bliss Team: How did you both meet each other?
Sterling: My little brother had been telling me about this guy for months – he said I needed to meet him. Well, at his medical school graduation, my little brother finally introduced us. I had seen him earlier and thought, “WOW!”, and when my brother brought him over, I was speechless. We hit if off right away, but started off as friends. We emailed back and forth (I lived in Seattle and he lived in Virginia – opposite sides of the US), and after a lot of plane flights and quick weekends, we fell deeply in love.
Pure Bliss Team: How did you both feel when you met each other the first time?
Sterling: I don’t think I am allowed to say what I was really thinking, so I will give the nice version: My heart leapt, and I was giddy. It was like I had known him forever, and I just found him again. I had to get to know him more. I was like a little a nervous little kid.
Pure Bliss Team: May we ask how your love has grown until the wedding day?
Ron: Neither of us were “out”, so we walked around the issue for quite a while, and the whole coming out to each other was very special. I was actually hiding in a closet when I told him I thought I was gay. Having someone going through the same thing was huge for me. His family was much more accepting than mine (they still are), and they were so patient with me as I started to accept who I was. Every time I saw him, I thought, I couldn’t love him any more – but then I found out that it just keeps growing and changing with time. He started off as my best friend, and now I am married to my best friend. I couldn’t have asked for anything more.
Pure Bliss Team: Why and how did you choose Phuket, Thailand, as your wedding destination?
Sterling: We had been planning the wedding for months – originally scheduled for Seattle. Coordination, suits, colors, food, travel, venues…it was overwhelming. Especially since we lived on opposite sides of the country. So, one night we just decided to get married somewhere else, without all of the drama. We randomly picked Thailand. Ronnie had sent me a Youtube video from some company called Pure Bliss. I contacted the team on a whim, and Nanya got back to me the next day. I explained that we were on a budget. In under a month, she coordinated everything from across the globe!!!!
Pure Bliss Team: How did you find the wedding?
Ron: IT WAS EVERYTHING WE HAD IMAGINED! Pure Bliss Wedding team found us a venue and a private beach. We walked out on the warm sand, and I was holding my best friend’s hand. I am not emotional, but I started to tear up as I looked at everything that had been set up for us. The beach was groomed, there were flower petals, there was a simple canopy where our officiator awaited us. The whole team was there, and the music was surreal. They had Cannon in D playing for us, with the waves crashing in the background. Simple elegance. Everything was planned! The flowers, coordinators, photographers…everything went smoothly! They even added a small surprise for my husband – his favorite animal is an elephant, and the look on his face when they brought a happy baby elephant out was PRICELESS!! We spent time together laughing like little kids, playing with the elephant. The dinner was then set up for us on the beach. We had enjoyed our first dance together, and then got ready for dinner. We had a private chef and servers wait on us, as we enjoyed our first dinner as a married couple. It was a perfect day. I can’t thank the team enough for making our day…perfect.
Photography: Mildly The Film | Wedding Planner: Pure Bliss Wedding | Rings: Jared | Venue: Cape Panwa Hotel | Belts: J.Crew | Groom Suits : J.Crew | Makeup And Hair Stylist: Top Phuket Makeup Artist