Caribbean Weddings

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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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.

Photography: Sylvie Gil Photography | Wedding Planner: Strawberry Milk Events | Floral Design: East End Flowers | Wedding Dress: Monique Lhuillier | Shoes: Kate Spade | Hair & Makeup: Artistry By Kristina | Band: In The Sand Band | Bistro Lights, Uplighting, Dance Floor, Chairs: Jenn Events | Ritz Carlton St Thomas: Ritz Carlton St Thomas | Wallpaper On Tables: York Wallcoverings

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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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.

Photography: Crown Images | Wedding Dress: St. Pucchi | Catering: Passion Fruit Chefs | Hair and Makeup: Sugar and Spice Artistry | Wedding Venue: Sand Dollar Estate | Groom\'s Attire: Hugo Boss | Music: Chris Robbert | Planning: Island Bliss Weddings | Villa: Sand Dollar Estate

After my sister came back from a recent trip to St. Thomas gushing with enthusiasm, I made a mental note to add it to my travel list. And now this wedding has come along and sealed that deal. St. Thomas is officially moving up to my #1 must-see destination and it has everything to do with these gorgeous images by Clary Pfeiffer. We’re talking crystal clear water views and peony filled details crafted by Janelle Scott. St. Thomas, I think I love you. See it all right here.

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From the Bride…Jon and I were high school sweethearts, together for 10 years before he proposed on top of Old Rag Mountain. Jon insisted on going camping even though it was freezing and even snowed at night! We were supposed to go hiking with a couple friends the next morning but because of some bumps along the way, were two hours late meeting them. They had gone up thinking we left them and we raced up the steep 9 mile hike to try and catch them. Eventually we caught them, exhausted and numb from the cold. When we reached the summit, I saw my dog, Eden, running towards me. Very confused, I looked further and saw my sister, best friend, and other close friends and family. I still didn’t know what was happening and asked them why they would come here and not tell us! It was not until Jon removed the ring tied around Eden’s neck and got down on one knee, that I realized what was happening. It was the most perfect surprise.

We wanted our wedding day to be fun and relaxed, surrounded by our close friends and family, so what better way to do that then to get away to the beautiful island of St. Thomas! Through all our years together, some of our favorite memories are our vacations together, always to a different place. So this would be no different, we would choose a new destination once again. I knew this would be difficult, so having Janelle as our wedding planner was the peace of mind I would need throughout the planning to make it all happen.

I wish I could say I had a specific vision when planning my wedding, in fact I think my vision changed several times throughout the course. I would read wedding blogs all day and every time I saw a beautiful wedding I changed my mind again. I would worry and worry and second guess myself after every decision. One thing I knew was that I wanted my wedding to look like a dream. Of course, a very hard vision to explain to anyone but myself. When we found Clary, I knew that she would make this come true through her gorgeous photographs that always make me feel like I’m floating on a cloud. The Sand Dollar Estate was an amazing venue to make this dream come true, perfectly situated on the most beautiful Magens Bay Beach. We knew right away this was where we wanted our wedding to be. The view would be incredible from the ceremony on the private beach to the reception on the pool deck. A lot of the design was thanks to my amazing sister who had the patience to sift through my many, many ideas and create my invitations, signs, menus, and name cards. My husband’s passion is food, so we were so grateful to have Ched who went above and beyond to create a menu that we loved.

Now, one thing about me is that I wouldn’t take no for an answer when it came to achieving what I wanted (once I figured out what that was) and no matter how difficult it seemed to pull off, it just had to be. We found WoW Events to set up the lighting for us, which no one had ever done before at that venue. I bought the chandelier myself and shipped it down there. I rented the linens from home and lugged the 80 pounds of linens over there with me! Or, my husband did at least. That is one thing about him, is that he always just wants to make me happy. So no matter what hurdles seemed to stand in our way whether it be flight delays or storms before the wedding day, I knew that it would be perfect in the end because I have him to stand by me.

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Photography: Clary Pfeiffer | Wedding Coordination: Janelle Scott | Ceremony + Reception: Sand Dollar Estate | Cake: Cynthia Portillo | Catering: Ched Sharpless  | Cinematography: Andrew Orleans | Signs: The Primitive Barn | Wedding Dress: Watters | Veil: Maggie Sottero | Bridesmaids Dresses: Lela Rose

These amazing St. Thomas nuptials by Jules Bianchi Photography are the perfect example of why I l.o.v.e a destination wedding.  I can’t think of anything more romantic than running away together with close friends and family, tying the knot with the ocean as your backdrop and a tropical paradise surrounding you at every turn.  Yes, I think this bride and groom pretty much have it covered.  And with the pretty yellow and blue color palette, stunning bouquets by East End Flowers and a plethora of unique details all designed by the gorgeous bride and planned by Island Bliss Weddings, this is most definitely a destination wedding done oh so very right.  I’ll be in the gallery soaking up all of the lovely, so join me there for even more beachy goodness!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From the Bride… My fiancé and I got engaged on the cliffs of the Italian Rivera at sunset, and as we began describing our wedding day together, we knew that we had to follow suit to the engagement, hosting a wedding in another exotic location away from home.  Both of us are entranced by the ocean, love soft sandy beaches and wanted an intimate affair in a tropical relaxed location.  I grew up in LA where the ocean was always a huge part of my life and he has an undying love for the Caribbean and all that it encompasses.  We picked the Sand Dollar Estate in St. Thomas, USVI, known as the White House of St. Thomas for its view of the famous Magen’s Bay, but mostly for its ability to host a private small wedding with its own beach where the ceremony would take place. We also LOVE sunsets, and have very special moments throughout our relationship during sunset and watching the view from the estate over the water at sunset blew convinced us this was our spot.

Our inspirations morphed into what I was calling “Beach Chic” using more of a romantic, soft casual feel of Shabby Chic playing off the bright turquoise waters of the Caribbean and the “pop” of yellow sunshine. Special details from the day included Michigan “M” Sugar Cookies, as my Husband and friends are avid University of Michigan fans, a Russian Babushka doll next to the guest book in remembrance of my Grandmother and Russian heritage, Chinese parasol’s brought from our current city in San Francisco, Frank Family wine – a favorite of ours from Napa, custom burlap and lace runners made with love from my mother-in-law and other fun items I sourced on Etsy.  All these special items were flown down with us to the island in 6 checked bags!

The day before our wedding day was the first rainfall of the year on St. Thomas, and rare for May.  It poured, all night!  The morning of the wedding, with the storm still looming above us, brought in the tide hiding our private beach where the ceremony was scheduled.  However, we adjusted our plans, the rain held off and we were married outside on the patio overlooking the water.  Even with the beach unavailable for the ceremony, we were luckily able to snap a few shots down on the rocks (without getting an ounce of water on the dress).  Even with the threat of the rain, and the change in plans, it was an amazing day!  My husband too cute, our guests lovely as ever and everything just as we imagined, including a spectacular sunset.

Wedding Photography: Jules Bianchi Photography / Flowers: East End Flowers / Event Design: The Bride / Event Planning: Island Bliss Weddings / Wedding Ceremony + Reception Location: Sand Dollar Estate / Wedding Invitations: Etsy / Wedding Dress: Jenny Lee / Bridesmaid Dresses: Carol Hannah / Makeup + Hair: Sugar & Spice Artistry / Catering: Modern Saute / Wedding Cake: VI Dessert

Next up is a pretty fete sent to us by the always spectacular Jessica Claire. She shot this beauty down in St. Thomas at the Frenchman’s Reef Marriott and it is as breezy and beautiful as they come. Sun, sand, relaxation and a wedding. How amazing does that sound? See it all in the gallery.

find more dreamy destination details here!

from Jessica Claire…

Jenn & Peter were married in a beautiful, intimate ceremony at the Frenchman’s Reef Marriott in St. Thomas. As a doctor and a lawyer respectively, Jenn and Peter wanted their wedding to scream RELAXATION! As avid snorkelers and beach lovers, St. Thomas had the perfect combination of surf, sand, and sun to be the perfect backdrop for their wedding.

One fun thing that Jenn & Pete decided to do was shoot a Day After session following their wedding. Although the phrase “trash the dress” has become popular in recent years, I prefer to think of it as “dress irreverence” rather than an actual trashing. It’s more of a time not to worry about a little dirt or water, rather than the intent to destroy a beautiful gown! It’s also a wonderful time for the bride and groom to relax and enjoy one another in a way there often isn’t time for on the wedding day.

Photographer: Jessica Claire / Location, florals, and cake: Frenchman’s Reef Marriott, St. Thomas