Caribbean Weddings

A Modern Cinco de Mayo Wedding (Margarita Bar Included!)

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From Julie Livingston… A filmy, dreamy boho chic Caribbean wedding on a tropical island.

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Hayley Paige

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There are few things in life better than a margarita bar – at least in my opinion. Pair that concept with a chic destination wedding held on Cinco de Mayo, and you’ve got all the makings for the Best. Day. Ever. Island Style Weddings came on board to coordinate, Erin McGinn (dear friend of the bride) photographed, and you can find your happy place waiting right here.

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This Week-Long Celebration in Paradise is Everything

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Destination Villa

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Modern

From Island Style Weddings…Joslin and Adam started off their island wedding week with a welcome party for their guests at Hawsknest beach. Delicious local food and tropical drinks were enjoyed in between snorkeling, lounging in the sand and floating in the crystal waters. A private sailing charter was the next event before their wedding day that all the guests savored together aboard Kekoa. By the time the wedding day came, all of the guests had shared in beautiful memories, making the wedding day all the more special and a perfect send off to their destination celebration.

The ceremony venue had stunning views and the perfect intimate setting without any distractions other than a warm breeze and a dreamy sunset. Simple white orchids complimented the space and island feel just perfectly while the guests were greeted with a guitar and violin duo. The guests were transported to another villa for the reception portion of the evening where breathtaking views, and appetizers were enjoyed by everyone as they arrived. White linens and tulle draped chairs continued the effortless feel for the reception setup. The white orchids were carried through to the reception decor and the gold accents sparkled under the strung bistro lights at dusk.

Dancing under the stars with all their loved ones finished off the celebration; it was truly a memorable week of celebrating for the beautifully happy couple!

From Erin McGinn…As a photographer, there is nothing more special than being asked to capture one of your closest friends’ weddings. That is unless they have worked in the event industry for years with you and have seen thousands of stunning weddings (and wedding photos) and still choose you to be the one to photograph their day.

Joslin and Adam invited their nearest and dearest to St. John in the US Virgin Islands from New England and beyond to spend a week of adventure, sun, sand, boats, and laughter with them in the most spectacular of locales. Beach days, a trip aboard the sailing charter Kekoa, and a locally inspired BBQ welcome party at Hawksnest Beach, were just some of the fun they had in store for their small group of family and friends. The wedding planned in the modern and sleek Villa Kalorama for Thursday May 5th – Cinco de Mayo, was purely their taste.

All white, with lots of glass and clean, contemporary architecture. When the weather decided not to cooperate earlier in the week, the most perfect Plan B was put into action by the amazing Mary Bartolucci of Island Style Weddings at Aqua Blu Villa. While the ceremony still took place at Kalorama under the cover of the villa’s open air living room in case of rain, guests were transported after a few glasses of bubbly to another spectacular villa with a completely different view and a Caribbean-elegant vibe.

The weather held out for us, and we were able to do our first look and couple portraits all around the grounds of Kalorama, and then after the ceremony, explore the rugged cliffside and lush surroundings of Aqua Blu for romantic golden hour photographs. Having the best of two locations, Joslin and Adam’s guests sipped their favorite Margarita recipes and dined on the most delicious Mexican-inspired feast to revel in the Cinco de Mayo holiday (after all, the couple did have their first date at a Mexican restaurant in Newport, Rhode Island, complete with tequila shots!). Joslin and Adam did it right, followed their hearts and created a full Caribbean experience for their guests- a personal and memorable event that we will all hold close to our hearts always.

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Badgley Mischka

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There’s nothing I love more than a fabulous party. And this darling duo? They celebrated their “I do’s” with a week-long celebration in paradise, all with the help of 50 of their nearest and dearest, plus the talents of Andrew and Elisha and Island Style Weddings. It was a fun-filled itinerary with a big ol’ side of beach wedding. See it all in THE VAULT right this way.

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Barefeet. Crystal Clear Water. Tropical Flowers. This is the Ultimate Beach Wedding

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Al Fresco Casual

From Andrew and Elisha… Josh and Tiffany and 50 loved ones had a week of celebrating. From island hopping to beach BBQ’s the week was spent making magical memories for all who traveled with them. Having recently relocated from Southern California to Colorado, this busy couple’s focus was on sharing time with their friends and family.

Their week started with a welcome get together at Dr!nk in Cruz Bay, St John. Guests enjoyed tropical beverages and mouthwatering appetizers from Queen of Tarts, while watching the sunset over St Thomas.

A trip to Jost Van Dyke, British Virgin Islands aboard the 50 ft catamaran “Daydreamer” entailed a full day of snorkeling, island hopping and exploring the “barefoot island”. The afternoon was spent in hammocks at the Soggy Dollar Bar, painkiller anyone?

Instead of a traditional rehearsal dinner, they chose to spend the day on Hawksnest beach with a BBQ provided by Local and Tasty. Paddle boards, kayak and snorkeling gave the guests opportunity to explore the clear waters of the Caribbean.

The wedding ceremony was held at Trunk bay followed by a their reception at the Waterfront Bistro. DJ Adonis Morton kept the group on the dance floor all night.

Close your eyes and picture a wedding in paradise. Chances are, it looks a lot like this gorgeous destination wedding in St. John from Island Style Weddings. With a ceremony in the sand, a tented reception with the sea breeze in the air and tropical flowers in vibrant hues, every detail of this wedding is absolute perfection. See it all from Elisha Orin in The Vault!

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Beach Weddings Outdoor Weddings

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Al Fresco

From Island Style Weddings…In November 2014, I designed Marilyn and Glen’s wedding. We bonded and had a great time speaking each week, getting to know each and planning a wedding that was 15 years in the making.

Marilyn’s daughter Meaghan attended the wedding however she was MIA a lot during the reception. As we all know, wedding can be an emotional time and I thought she was maybe she was feeling a little sad.

Little did I know that she was upstairs talking on the phone to a handsome gent she had just begun to date.

I was delighted to get a call from her asking me to design her wedding! What a celebration it was! I was thrilled that she had found such a kind and loving man in Brad.

Family and friends came together, went sailing, beaching and dancing the night away. I am only sorry that she is an only child…..maybe Marilyn can adopt someone so we can plan another wedding together.

Meghan and Brad, you are so in love and it radiated throughout the week. So much love and joy, isn’t that what weddings are all about? Thank you for choosing to work with us, we loved every minute.

Romantic St. John Destination Wedding

After putting planning on hold due to a deployment to Afghanistan, this beautiful couple picked back up where they left off, with the help of Mary Bartolucci of Island Style Weddings, and created a celebration truly fitting of their personalities and wedding wishes. Lindsay Vann captured both the sparkling sands and smiles and this gallery is bound to be an unburied treasure for years to come.

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Romantic St. John Destination Wedding

From the Bride… Getting to our wedding day was quite a journey for us. My husband proposed to me on Memorial Day 2013 on Catalina Island. We then started the process of deciding a wedding location. We threw out many ideas but kept coming back to St John, a place he and I both fell in love with after traveling there twice together. When the location was set, we then selected Mary and her team at Island Style Weddings to assist us with the planning and coordination. We were able to set a date the following May and started to sort through some of the details. During the fall of 2013, right before we gave the green light to print our save the dates, my husband (a pilot in the Marine Corps) found out he would be leaving at the beginning of the year for a deployment to Afghanistan which could be up to a year duration. Mary was extremely understanding when I contacted her to let her know what was going on and told me to give her a call when we were ready to pick back up on the planning. Thankfully, Ben did not have to be in Afghanistan for the full year and we were able to set a new date in February 2015. Though the journey to get to our wedding was longer than we initially had planned, having our friends and family there with us to experience the magic of St John was more fun than we could have dreamed it could be. Choosing to have a destination wedding allowed us to have more time and make more memories with our guests. Island Style Weddings helped to arrange a Welcome Party, a day sail to the British Virgin Island and a beach BBQ on the days leading up to the wedding. From saying our vows overlooking the beautiful blue waters to dancing the night away with our friends, the wedding is a day we will both remember forever. As I look back now, the only word I can think to describe our wedding is “perfect” and the wait was sure worth it.

From Island Style Weddings… As the daughter of a former Marine Captain, this couple holds a special place in my heart. Ben, a fighter pilot in the US Marine Corps was called for deployment to Afghanistan nine months prior to their wedding date. Everything went on hold as we all prayed for Ben’s safe return. I was delighted when Jen called to tell us he was coming home and we set a new wedding date.

Jen was a dream bride to work with. Easy going, with a strong sense of style, Jen made wedding planning easy. She had a clear vision of what she wanted and we helped her make her vision a reality. I am honored to have been part of their wedding celebration and thank both of them for the sacrifices they have made for our country.

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Jim Hjelm

Fall 2015

Spring 2016 Collection

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The Annaberg Ruins might be one of the most unique ceremony sites I’ve come upon in a while, and also one of the most beautiful. Enchanting and romantic, they added a whole other amazing element to this island wedding, and Elisha Orin captured every stunning view and special moment between these newlyweds. See it all, from sunup to last kiss, right here.

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Winter Weddings

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Casual

From the Bride… We chose a destination wedding because we wished to be surrounded by natural beauty as we celebrated the past, present and future. What better place than St. John! We hired a fantastic wedding planner to help make our vision come alive, which helped us stay focused on soaking up the sunshine and the love from our family and friends. We wanted to plan fun, casual activities leading up to the big day in order for everyone to hang out because having our two families get to know one another really meant a lot to both of us. Our first time to the US Virgin Islands was 72 hours before we said “I do” and that aspect made each wedding event even more special and memorable. We finally got to see an island that we always hoped to visit and now can look forward to anniversary trips – a huge perk! We have bonded over shared travel experiences; the journey has shaped us as a couple. “We travel not to escape life but for life not to escape us.”

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Sarah Seven

Signature Bridal

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Adrianna Papell

Spring 2015

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Elegant Island Wedding

I’ve said it before, but I think it’s worth repeating: we love destination weddings. So when a stunning St. John, USVI affair comes our way from the uber-talented Mary Bartolucci of Island Style Weddings, you better believe we’re going to share that beauty faster than you can say “non-stop pampering.” Think a sophisticated color palette meets breathtaking views meets all kinds of pretty. See it all captured by Lindsay Vann right here, and soak in the gorgeous film from Nazareth Roads Productions below.

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Winter Weddings

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Romantic Virgin Islands Destination Wedding

From the Bride… When we got engaged, we knew we wanted to have a destination wedding. We love to travel and one of our favorite places on earth is St. John, USVI. The pristine, white sandy beaches, and the natural beauty of the island was something that we wanted to share with our friends and family.

We hoped our guests would fall in love with this magical island as much as we have, so we planned a welcome party and day sail during our stay. To start the week of wedding festivities, we dined at Dr!nk overlooking the beach in Cruz Bay. The following day, we sailed to Jost Van Dyke on Kekoa, where we snorkeled and enjoyed the famous Painkiller drink at the Soggy Dollar Bar.

St. John is such a beautiful island with so many choices for a wedding venue, but Turtle Bay Point at Caneel Bay Resort was the perfect place to say ‘I do’. The grassy landscape overlooking the water is absolutely breathtaking. I could not have a dreamed of a more beautiful wedding! The memories we shared with our friends and family during that week is something that we will forever cherish.

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Jenny Yoo

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Jenny Yoo

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Hayley Paige

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This here is an instance where I need to re-read the info to see if this was an editorial shoot or an actual wedding. The photos of the Bride and Groom in the water look like something out of a magazine and have me considering some epic post-receptions pics myself. Closer to Love Photography worked their magic behind the lens and Zomei Film Stories captured the romance of this breathtaking celebration.

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Tropical and Glamorous Wedding at St. Thomas Ritz

From Closer to Love… There truly are no words to fully describe how beautiful the Virgin Islands are. Full of lush greenery and the most beautiful crystal clear turquoise water we’ve ever seen, it was like paradise on earth. Marci and David, along with their families became our very own family, and we built a lifetime of unforgettable memories. As photographers, we often times found ourselves speechless and in awe at all the amazingness that was before us. We had to come to grips that nothing could ever top this trip, and we just had to accept the reality that everything would be compared to the Virgin Islands – which would be a very tough location to follow! Marci and David’s St. John wedding was filled with detail and personal touches. They chose green as their main wedding color to honor David’s Irish background. To honor Marci’s Louisiana roots, the couple along with their guests had a traditional New Orleans Second Line, marching through the streets of St. John after their beautiful ceremony! We were truly honored to be part of it all and will forever treasure these memories (and more) in our hearts!

From the Bride… It wasn’t a difficult decision for us to choose the Virgin Islands as our wedding destination. It is after all where David and I met and fell in love ten years ago. We couldn’t wait to share our marriage with friends and family in such a magical place, and it was truly everything we dreamt of.

I was in shock when David got down on one knee in the middle of Rome, though I should’ve expected it, he’s such a romantic! I loved being engaged and tried to soak in every moment of the planning process. I’ve never been a “big wedding” bride, much to the dismay of my large southern family. However, my family didn’t mind the smaller wedding idea once they saw photos of our favorite islands.

The most important aspect of planning was ensuring all our wedding events were as personal and intimate as possible. From Australia to Germany, California to Rhode Island, our guests came from many places to celebrate, and we wanted them to feel at home. Our welcome party started off with a huge pot of my dad’s Louisiana crawfish étouffée, a sure hit amongst our southern and northern friends alike. We hosted beach parties, boating trips, and a sunset cruise after our rehearsal.

Since we were unable to visit our location prior to the wedding week, we took pleasure in the unknown and tried not to obsess over every detail. This worked to our advantaged as we were surprised and completely blown away with how perfect it all turned out. My mother’s cathedral length veil, a custom handkerchief made from my mother, grandmothers, and mother-in-law’s wedding dresses, and David’s grandfather’s tie pin set the tone for a ceremony filled with love and tradition. We chose green as our main wedding color to honor David’s Irish background. To honor my Louisiana roots, we had a traditional New Orleans Second Line through the streets of St. John after our ceremony.

Personalizing our wedding details was very special to me. I loved creating our invitations, party favors, and place cards. I took calligraphy and watercolor courses in order to prepare, and David and I stayed up late many nights hand embossing each invitation, water coloring our wedding map and menus, and putting together welcome bags. My most favorite detail was the stamps we used on our wedding envelopes. I found vintage stamps from every state we’ve lived. They were the first thing wedding guests saw when their invitation arrived and it showcased our love of our past and excitement for our future.

Our wedding could not have been more perfect. It was intimate, romantic, and relaxed, as well as hilarious and wild when we completed our night with an impromptu dance party with locals in the town square. The starlit boat ride home after our reception still gives me chills. David and I sat hand in hand as husband and wife, surrounded by our nearest and dearest in our favorite place on earth, on our now most favorite day.

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With a love story that began underwater, it only feels fitting that a Ritz Carlton St. Thomas ceremony followed suit. Strawberry Milk Events came alongside the couple to plan their dream seaside soiree bursting with East End Flowers. Subtle patterns of (real!) wallpaper – from paper cones to table runners – were a lovely ode to the Bride’s family business while Sylvie Gil was beautifully capturing all the tropical glamour here.

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Hotels + Resorts Weddings

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Elegant Island Wedding in St. John

From Julie at Strawberry Milk Events… An elegant fun destination wedding weekend, 100 of their nearest and dearest gathered to celebrate their wedding.The night before the wedding there was a colorful beach bash with a carnival theme. We embraced classic glamour in a tropical setting. The muted palette showcased gorgeous scenery. With shades of white, cream, and a pale aqua accented against gold and lucite. We honored the Bride’s family by incorporating their family business, York Wallcoverings, as a subtle pattern through the day. Using real wallpaper into the details of the day, paper cones, petal toss, menus, invitations, escort cards, and table runners. It was a beautiful celebration.

From the Bride… We met by accident at a cocktail party. William asked me if he could take me on a date. He had trouble remembering my name and called me “Allison” when he asked me out. We went on that date 4 years ago and the rest is history.

As a birthday present William got me scuba diving certification classes and to complete my certification I had one last dive in Cozumel, Mexico. When I was underwater my future husband showed me a shell and lifted it up from the ground and when he opened the shell there was a diamond.. He proposed right there on the spot UNDERWATER! Which was pretty smart, because he didn’t have to say anything, plus the diamond looked extra big underwater :)

What was special about our wedding was the idea of creating a vacation getaway for everyone. Originally we were going to have our wedding in his hometown, which was going to require a long commute for everyone, especially for those guests who were coming from outside the U.S. So, we decided to change our whole plan and choose a beautiful vacation destination-the Caribbean. We chose St. Thomas, USVI.

We wanted it to be easy and exotic all at the same time. A place people might not ever get a chance to visit. We wanted a smaller, more intimate feel but with enough options of things to do. The choice of resort was extremely important with the requirement that everyone stay at the resort. Since English was the native language, US currency and cell phone reception was everywhere. There was a built in convenience factor that helped us make our destination decision. The setting of the resort, while large enough to accommodate all of our guests, was still very intimate, creating the environment for our 125 guest to meet and get to know one another over the course of the long weekend. Also helpful was the shared experience of participating in daily activities we planned like group snorkeling, a sailing Regatta and Beach Olympics.

Since I work in the family business of manufacturing wall coverings, we used wallpaper to accent the wedding decor – from the invitations and table runner to programs and pocket squares for the groomsmen. My wedding dress was from Monique Lhuillier, style-Luminere bought in Washington, DC. My shoes were custom-made by Kate Spade.

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Monique Lhuillier

Monique Lhuillier Bridal Fall 2015

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Spring 2016

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This week has been insanely cold here in New England and with flurries swirling outside my window, I can’t even fathom the glory of summer days ahead. So when this wedding in St. John came my way, I took full advantage of a mental escape. With Island Style Weddings at the helm, this elegant affair was casual, yet chic, and I’ll be soaking up Lindsay Vann’s gorgeous photos as we brace for the cold weekend ahead.

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Glamorous Caribbean Inspiration

From Mary Bartolucci… Good tunes, breathtaking views, and creative minds are just some of the elements that helped make Natalie and Scott’s wedding day unforgettably harmonious. Literally. Musical theater is a big part of Natalie’s life, and with a wedding party that shared the same talents and love for performing they all joined in during the ceremony recessional playing percussion and dancing down the aisle to ‘I Choose You’ by Sara Bareilles. The joyous vibes from their ceremony at the historic Annaberg Ruins carried through to their reception at The Waterfront Bistro.

Soft peach and white roses with accents of mint and gold looked so elegant in all the flower arrangements. The dinner tables had subtle mint touches in the ribbon and menus while the ocean views remained the focal point. All the paper details were designed by Scott, who is a senior art director. Even the adorable welcome bags had Scott’s creative touch and the guests loved them! We look forward to seeing what the future holds for these talented, creative newlyweds!

Natalie and Scott’s wedding week started with beach days, boat trips and welcome parties and ended with a cheerful wedding celebration that left guests smiling and dancing all the way home. The evening was full of delicious food, surprise performances, tropical cocktails, and lots of dancing! Love was in the air and it was felt by all; simply beautiful.

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The Tie Bar

Spring 2015

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It’s no surprise that when a labor of love unites the photo talents of Lesley Castle with the event design and styling of Island Style Weddings every detail turns out to be perfectly vibrant and relaxed. Combining Caribbean flair with glamorous glitter, everything from the arrangements by Roses too to the hair stylings by Grapevine Salon captured to create a gallery fit for paradise.

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Villa

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Tropical Great St. James Weddingmoon Inspiration

From Mary Bartolucci…After months of brainstorming, pinning, and sharing collective inspiration, Island Style Weddings’ first styled photo shoot came to fruition in this labor of love! What a delight it was to work with such a talented group of island friends on this collaboration.Our creative juices were flowing with visions of romance, whimsical Caribbean colors and glamorous gold accents. We hit the ground at the crack of dawn to capture the morning light at Carolina Corral, on the east side of the island. Leah, our stunning model was a great sport in calming her horse to get just the right shot!

The cocktail hour shoot burst with colors and island flavors. MJ of Motu Bar, our mixologist nailed our vision right on the dot with the tropical garnishes and lush flavors. The cocktails, were not only lovely but quite tasty! A Caribbean inspired shoot wouldn’t be complete without coconuts…and rum of course! Loved these playful shots drinking from the coconuts. Colleen Kramper and Michelle Collins of Grapevine salon, used all the tricks of their trade to keep our models looking fresh and camera ready in the tropical heat.

There was no shortage of laughs…Lesley Castle Photography did an incredible job capturing all of the details throughout the weekend! Not a moment was missed with her attention to detail and creative eye. Based in Los Angeles, Lesley is no stranger to the islands. Having been raised on St John helped Lesley explore the essence of the island through her camera lens. Jessica, from Roses Too transformed our color inspirations and vision into stunning arrangements! The bouquets were a festive mix of textures, colors, and whimsy – absolutely breathtaking.

The table setting at Villa Rapture of St John Ultimate Villas continued with our vibrant color and gold accent theme. The gorgeous sun setting in the distance made the ‘golden hour’ beautifully romantic! A champagne toast was the perfect end to our busy day.

Although this dream team works together regularly on real weddings, this was our first inspired shoot. As long time island residents and wedding professionals, it was magical to see our vision come together. We hope that this shoot warms your heart as much as it did ours. Enjoy!

Happy Friday, SMPers! Around these parts, sprinkles of snow and wintry cold weather is the norm this time of year, but that doesn’t mean we don’t like to dream of sand between our toes and a soft ocean breeze. So when a bit of tropical goodness comes our way in the form of this lovely little shoot from Island Style Weddings, you won’t hear us complaining. And for those of you considering a weddingmoon? You might want to spend some extra time cozying up to the gallery from Sara Wight!

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Beach Weddings

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Romantic Wedding at Trunk Bay Beach

From Island Style Weddings…Leah and I toured Great St James, a privately owned island between St Thomas and St John, US Virgin Island as a future wedding and vacation venue. Once we stepped on the island, it was clear we had found the perfect location for Island Style Weddings’ styled photo shoot.

Inspiration came from “Gift from the Sea”, by Anne Morrow Lindbergh. I have always loved this book written in 1955 by Charles Lindbergh’s widow. Many of my couples have incorporated passages from the book for their wedding ceremonies. Mrs. Lindbergh’s love of the ocean is complimented with her poetic insight into relationships of all kinds.

The story begins with a couple traveling to Great St James to begin a new life together on their weddingmoon. Escaping from the rushed world left behind, our couple rediscover the beauty of simplicity and each other. The island’s 164 acres provided space for exploration, playfulness, relaxation and romance.

Our vision was to enhance the rustic nature of the island, without distraction from the natural beauty that surrounded us. The soft colors of mint and sea foam in the dresses looked gorgeous against the natural colors of the surrounding sand and crystal waters. Accents of purple flowers in all shades helped bring vibrancy to the location. Subtle hints of ombré and various textures helped create the effortless feeling we were after.

One of my favorite parts of working on a styled shoot is collaborating with such a talented group of wedding professional. As wedding designers, photographers, stylists, pastry chefs, caterers, florists and mixologists our usual focus is translating our clients visions for their perfect Caribbean celebration. I love to team up with this group to share ideas and allow our creative juices to flow.

A huge thank you to Leah of Island Style Weddings, Sara of Sara Wight Photography, Jessica of Roses Too, Liz of Queen of Tarts, MJ of Motu Bar, The gang at Rent the Runway, Thea of Hushed Commotion, Kalee of Sholdt Design, Missy of The Nest St John, Models Grace Bartolucci & Gabriel Stephen, Karl of Virgin Magic Charters, Mike and Crystal Gillich managers of Great St James, Rani of Ranifly Bikinis, Karl of Virgin Magic Charters and of course DD, the Dumpster Diva Dog of Great St James.

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I’m crossing my fingers that a friend will do a destination wedding. Witnessing “I do’s” combined with a vacation seems like the best arrangement ever. Seeing the pure joy on this bride’s face, you can tell just how relaxed she was, loving every beautiful moment. Elisha Orin and Nazareth Road Productions joined the party, capturing every sunny smile and beach sunset, all available to feed our wanderlust here.

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From The Bride… After meeting in Italy 4 years ago, living in separate cities (Chicago and Dallas), it only seemed fair to have a destination wedding. Marco proposed at the Art Institute of Chicago, which was beautiful and sentimental. I majored in Art History in college and it was one of our favorite places to go. In front of beautiful Renoir paintings, I said yes! He presented my great grandmothers diamond in a beautiful halo setting, and later we both selected David Yurman wedding bands with matching cables.

Our wedding was mostly homemade with coordination help on the island by Island Bliss Weddings. Our style was filled with DIY decor, soft and flowing fabrics, destination travel, Italian and Southern roots, salty air you can almost smell from here, and a gorgeous background that will make your jaw drop. The guests and bridal party spent a week in paradise leading up to the wedding. Going on snorkel trips and hiking the national park trails, new friendships were made that will last a lifetime.

All of the reception and ceremony decorations were made in the states at our small apartment and shipped to the islands to wait for the big day. Our coordinator did a phenomenal job in setting everything up exactly as we wanted. It is very rare, I am sure, that weddings go off without a hitch, however ours went by effortlessly thanks to all our wonderful vendors who helped. Our favorite part of the planning process was the invitation design, which we selected to be a boarding pass complete with map of the island. Guest tore off the RSVP portion and mailed it back to insure a checkmark next to their name! The colors we selected were deep teal, navy, and coral with hints of grey and green. We wanted to enhance the beautiful colors of the island but still select something deep since we were having the wedding in the middle of January. Our flowers were small due to our budget but we were able to get creative with their usage. Detachable arch flowers doubled as flowers for main tables at the reception, and the bridesmaid bouquets were placed in small vases around the reception to add a fresh scent. Most of the other flowers at the reception and ceremony were burlap with lace and netting complements. The programs, welcome letters, and other paper items were all designed by me in my studio and carried the island travel theme.

We are so proud to have had the opportunity to for an intimate surf side ceremony with our closest friends and family. Please accept the following images and details for this submission and I throughly hope you enjoy our wedding.

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Bridesmaid

Jenny Yoo

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Jenny Yoo

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Laid Back Romance in St. John

My fiancé and I had the toughest time deciding between a local or destination wedding. Ultimately, we chose a local wedding to involve more family and friends, but destination weddings will forever tug at my heart strings. Enter this laid back beach fete planned to perfection by Mary Bartolucci. A tropical breeze, soft sand grazing your feet and palms fanning your every move

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Dreamy St Thomas Destination Day After Session

Day after sessions are pure genius to me. All the wedding day stress is gone, it’s another amazing opportunity to snap a few timeless shots, and I don’t think anyone would complain about an excuse to slip on their wedding gown again. This beauty of a session from Kristin La Voie Photography proves that day after sessions are just the prettiest, and there is even more to see here.

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St. Thomas Destination Wedding

From Kristin La Voie Photography…I have a goodie for you! This is a gorgeous Day After session of Liana & Leo at the popular Magen’s Bay in Charlotte Amalie, St Thomas. This beach is one of the top 10 beaches in the world, for obvious reasons I could tell as soon as I stepped foot on the white sand. The blue and turquoise crystal water was nestled in the bay of perfection with the most spectacular views. Liana & Leo wed the day before aboard the Oasis of the Seas, and opted for a private day after session at this popular locale (you may recognize it from the recent appearance of Edward and Bella’s honeymoon in Twilight). The beach was extraordinary and I could not load the film fast enough!

Photography: Kristin La Voie Photography | Venue: Magen's Bay

If ever there was a place primed for a perfect destination wedding…I’m pretty sure St. Thomas would be it. Because you need next to nothing to make your celebration spectacular. And while this bride layered on the turquoise and coral touches – inspired from the beaches themselves – the backdrop alone was enough for us to fall in love. Even more photos from Crown Images right here!

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From the bride…We were going for a vintagey-beachy, relaxed elegance kind of vibe. We went with a lot of turquoise blue (bridesmaid dresses, mason jars for the ceremony aisle & the centerpieces, mother of the bride dress & turquoise gingham cocktail umbrellas I got from France) and coral (my shoes, troy’s socks & tie, the flowers, the ringbearers ties, the flower girls flower crowns, cocktail straws, matchbooks, the lace & burlap table runners and really pale peachy flowers on my dress). Basically, I went crazy on etsy. I actually didn’t realize how vintage-y my dress and hair looked until I saw your pictures. I loved how it all came together! It was a last minute to decision to have the flower girls & ringbearers barefoot for the wedding. I loved the kids playing in the water during & right after the wedding.

Music is also really important to me so that’s why we had the guitar player for the wedding (I walked down the aisle to “Lovely Day” by Bill Withers). We also had a steal drum player for the cocktail hour & dj for the reception. Our wedding song was “I Got You” by Jack Johnson.

Since my guests were coming a long way & using up vacation time to come to my wedding, I wanted them to have as great a time as possible. So that’s why we also had a welcome party the night before and a beach party the day after the wedding. Lots of great food & great drinks by Passion Fruit caterers for all 3 events.

St. John Destination Wedding from Carina Skrobecki Photography

Is there anything better than celebrating your “I do’s” in paradise? I think not. Especially when that paradise happens to be the ever-wonderful St. John and those “I do’s” happen to be sprinkled with pretty pink hues, fab paper goods from Carina Skrobecki Design and drop-dead gorgeous blooms from Roses Too, Inc.. That’s what we call a love-filled wonderland with crystal blue waters and acres upon acres of glistening sand. See it all captured by Carina Skrobecki right here.

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