Caribbean Weddings

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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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.

Photography: Erin McGinn | Coordination: Island Style Weddings | Floral Design: Roses Too | Wedding Dress: Romona Keveza Legends | Cake: Queen Of Tarts | Invitations: Folia Stationers | Ceremony Venue: Villa Kalorama | Reception Venue: Acqua Blu Villa | Bride's Shoes: Badgley Mischka | Jewelry: BHLDN | Rings: Mullen Brothers Jewelers | Catering: Ocean 362 | Hair + Makeup: Grapevine Salon | Calligraphy: Jessie Rae | DJ: Adonis Morton | Groom's Attire: Hugo Boss | Officiant: Ray Conover | Ceremony Music: Chris Robbert | Bridal Boutique: Musette Bridal | Signage: New England Invitations | Welcome Party Catering: Local and Tasty | Welcome Party Venue: Hawksnest Beach

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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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.

Photography: Andrew and Elisha | Event Planning + Design: Island Style Weddings | Floral Design: Roses Too | Ceremony Venue: Trunk Bay | Reception Venue: The Waterfront Bistro | Catering: The Waterfront Bistro | Catering: Local and Tasty | Catering: Queen Of Tarts | DJ: Adonis Morton | Officiant: Island Style Weddings | Accomodations: Gallows Point Resort | Beverage Services: Dr!nk | Sailing Day: Daydreamer

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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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.

Photography: Andrew and Elisha | Floral Design: Roses Too | Cake: Queen Of Tarts | Ceremony Venue: Trunk Bay Beach | Reception Venue: Gallows Point Resort | Catering: Mat Vachart | Band: In The Sand Band | Officiant: Island Style Weddings | Ceremony Music: Chris Robbert | Coordination + Design: Island Style Weddings

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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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.

Photography: Lindsay Vann | Event Coordination: Island Style Weddings | Event Design: Island Style Weddings | Floral Design: Roses Too | Wedding Dress: JLM Couture, Inc | Wedding Cake: Queen Of Tarts | Invitations: Inspirations By Amie Lee | Ceremony Venue: Annaberg Ruins | Reception Venue: Ocean Grill | Hair And Makeup: Sugar and Spice Artistry | DJ: Adonis Morton | Groom's Attire: Mercy Streams | Officiant: Island Style Weddings | Day Sail: Daydreamer | Musician: Chris Robbert | Save The Dates: Serendipity Beyond Design | Wedding Rings: Charles Koll | Welcome Party Venue: High Tide Bar And Grill

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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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.”

Photography: Elisha Orin | Videography: Nazareth Road Productions | Coordination: Island Style Weddings | Event Design: Island Style Weddings | Floral Design: Roses Too | Wedding Dress: Sarah Seven | Cake: Queen Of Tarts | Ceremony Venue: Annaberg Ruins | Reception Venue: The Waterfront Bistro | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Adrianna Papell | Hair And Makeup: Grapevine Salon | Grooms Attire: Alton Lane | Groomsmen's Attire: Vineyard Vines | Cake Topper: Danielle Lechuga | Officiate: Island Style Weddings | Sailing Charters: Kekoa | Welcome Party: Dr!nk

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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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.

Photography: Lindsay Vann | Videography: Nazareth Road Productions | Coordination: Island Style Weddings | Event Design: Island Style Weddings | Floral Design: Roses Too | Wedding Dress: Hayley Paige | Cake: Queen Of Tarts | Ceremony Venue: Caneel Bay Resort | Reception Venue: Villa Kalorama | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Jenny Yoo | Hair And Makeup: Sugar and Spice Artistry | DJ: Adonis Morton | Grooms Attire: Men's Wearhouse | Groomsmen's Attire: Egara | Day Sail: Kekoa | Steel Panist: Albion Sewer | Welcome Party: Dr!nk

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Bridesmaid

Jenny Yoo

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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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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.

Photography: Closer to Love Photography | Videography: Zomei Film Stories | Wedding Coordinator: Angela Berry | Florist: Passion Flowers Of St John | Wedding Dress: Watters - Jacinda Gown | Wedding Cake: VI Desserts | Invitations: Doucet Lettering | Church: Our Lady Of Mount Carmel, St. John | Reception Venue: Asolare | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Watters | Hair + Makeup: Artistry By Kristina | Groom's Attire: Cubavera | Boutique: Lovely Bridal Shop | Bridal Veil: Bride’s Mother’s Veil | Cake Topper: Milk Tea | Headband: BHLDN | Welcome Bags, Custom Luggage Tags, Menus, Place Cards: Doucet Lettering

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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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.

Photography: Lindsay Vann | Videography: Refractive Films | Coordination: Island Style Weddings | Floral Design: Roses Too | Wedding Cake: Queen Of Tarts | Ceremony Venue: Annaberg Ruins | Reception Venue: The Waterfront Bistro | Hair And Makeup: Grapevine Salon | DJ: DJ Adonis | Groom's Suit: J.Crew | Groomsmen Suits: Calvin Klein | Boating Day: Cinnamon Bay Charters | Bridal Belt: Birnbaum and Bullock | Bridal Gown: Birnbaum and Bullock | Bridal Shoes: Apple Dance Shoes | Bridemaid Dresses: Weddington Way | Bridemaid Jewelry: Nina Kuna, Kea Loho Jewelry | Bridesmaid Belts: Lovelikestyle | Cake Topper: Better Off Wed | Flower Girl Dress: ANKO Design | Groom's Shoes: Banana Republic | Groom's Tie: The Tie Bar | Invitation Caligraphy: TucciCursive | Invitation Letterpress: Bowne And Co Stationers | Welcome Party: Motu Bar

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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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!

Photography: Lesley Castle | Event Design: Island Style Weddings | Event Design: Island Style Weddings | Event Planning: Island Style Weddings | Event Stylist: Island Style Weddings | Floral Design: Roses Too | Hair and Makeup: Grapevine Salon | Beach: VI National Park- Honeymoon Beach | Decor: Island Style Weddings | Luxury Villa: Villa Kalorama | Mixologist: Motu Bar | Model: Island Style Weddings | Model: Roses Too | Model: Jessie Ludwig | Stables: Carolina Corral | Styist: Island Style Weddings

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.

Photography: Elisha Orin | Videography: Nazareth Road Productions | Coordination: Island Bliss Weddings | Event Design: Gold Anchor Weddings + Design | Wedding Dress: Stella's Bridal | Cake: Cakes VI - Shelly Berry | Invitations: Gold Anchor Weddings + Design | Ceremony Venue: Trunk Bay Beach | Reception Venue: High Tide Bar And Grill | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Jenny Yoo | Catering: High Tide Bar And Grill | Men's Attire: Jos. A. Bank | Bridal Jewelry: Kendra Scott Jewelry | Hair Styling Bride And Bridesmaids: Sugar and Spice Artistry | Rehearsal Dinner Venue: Tap Room St John Brewers

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Bridesmaid

Jenny Yoo

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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

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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From Carina Skrobecki Photography… Amy and Kenn were married on the beautiful island of St. John in the US Virgin Islands at the Caneel Bay Resort. The venue was beyond picturesque and left us no shortage of amazing places for photos. All guests were invited to come a couple of days early to enjoy a welcome dinner and cocktails as well as a rehearsal dinner at breathtaking restaurant nestled into the side of a cliff overlooking Cruz Bay. Guests came from all over the country and made the entire week an enjoyable celebration.

Being from the Pacific Northwest myself, it was amazing to see how lush the island was, and how it’s wet atmosphere reminded me of home. The two of them decided to keep decor pretty simple, letting the natural landscape do most of the work with “decorating”. The wedding itself incorporated some tropical details, but also felt fresh and unique to Amy & Kenn. A palette of corals, oranges, and blues were present in paper materials as well as floral arrangements, and small anchors and nautical details were dotted throughout the scenery. The bride wore a simple lace dress accented with pearl and diamond jewelry, and bridesmaids wore an assortment of dresses varying from purples & pinks to corals and fuchsias. The groomsmen were sharp in navy sport coats with a touch of tropical, Tommy Bahama dress shirts.

The best part was getting to document Amy slipping into her reception dress at the end of the evening to make dancing a bit more fun. Even the groom was surprised and the little feathered number was totally a hit!

From the Bride… We loved that we did a destination wedding! Kenn had previously taken me on a trip to St. John and we instantly fell in love with the small, quaint, beautiful island. When we were inviting guests, we knew they were coming from all over the country, so we wanted to make sure that they felt taken care of and could relax. I have to say, my favorite memory from the wedding was seeing all of our guests during the cocktail hour of reception they had all made friends with one another during the days leading up to the wedding and it was great seeing everyone happy for us and mingling.

We also planned a few activities for guests through the week to opt into or opt out of…. like a welcome dinner, island tours, and cocktails on the beach. It was also nice to have our parents arrive a day earlier then friends, so we could have a nice dinner with them prior to the festivities. We loved having our wedding on St. John.

Photography: Carina Skrobecki Design | Floral Design: Roses Too | Wedding Dresses: Tulle New York | Jewelry: Debra Moreland | Make-up: Grapevine Salon | Hair: Bumble and Bumble | Grooms Attire: Robert Graham | Grooms Attire: Tommy Bahama | Groomsmen Attire: Tommy Bahama | Venue: Caneel Bay, A Rosewood Resort | Reception Dress Style: Tulle New York | Stationery + Design: Carina Skrobecki Design | Wedding Dress Style: Tulle New York

A weeklong celebration of love in St. John? That sounds pretty darn dreamy to me. And thanks to Pat Furey Photography, it looks pretty darn dreamy too. Gorgeous actually. With its subtle yet stylish vibe and stunning vistas, it will be hard to deny the prettiness in this post. And really, why would you ever want to? See all the pretty here.

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From Pat Furey Photography…Jess and Dave’s wedding was a weeklong celebration on the small island of St John located in the US Virgin Islands. They got married and celebrated at Villa Kalorama; they rented the private mid-century modern villa for week to spend amongst family and friends. For portraits we headed to what Conde Nast Traveler named as one of the 10 most beautiful beaches in the world, Trunk Bay. I think it more than lived up to it’s reputation. We found a cool private beach with a cove and tons of rocks for portraits.

From the Bride…Our destination wedding began as the perfect compromise between eloping and having a traditional soiree, but ended up being more than we could have ever imagined.

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Photography: Pat Furey Photography | Floral + Event Design: DIY by bride and mother-of-bride | Event Planning: Laurie Crandall | Ceremony + Reception Location: Villa Kalorama | Invitations: Powerhouse Paper  | Catering: Local & Tasty | Program Fans: DIY by Bride | Cupcakes: Island Sweet Stuff | Table Runners: DIY Bride & Mother-of-Groom| Shoes: Badgley Mischka | Dress: Oscar De La Renta | Grooms Suit: J.Crew

I kind of have an obsession with this bride and groom.  I’m just going to put that out there from the get-go.  Because, not only did they completely rock my world with their fabulous St. John USVI wedding, they’ve captured my heart in a BIG way with their equally as amazing e-session snapped up by Rebekah Westover Photography.  One uber-lovely moment after another, it’s sandy beaches meets crystal blue waters meets some seriously stylish ensembles – and I’m loving every minute.  Join me in the gallery for sooo much more.

Click here for the FULL engagement session!

From the Bride… There is a saying, “If you are lucky enough to be at the beach, you’re lucky enough!” And I couldn’t agree more! St. John USVI was not only the setting for our wedding day but was also the backdrop for our engagement photos. The ever so talented Rebekah Westover captured yet again another special day for us in a location that is dear in our hearts. You know you have an AWESOME photographer when she voluntarily jumps in a small old dingy just to capture the perfect shot! We will always look at these photos and not only remember this day but the friendships created by chance. For me being a personal style blogger, the outfits were harder to decide on than the great guy I was lucky enough to marry! In the end I think It was a win-win. 

Photography: Rebekah Westover Photography / Locations: Cruz Bay Town Center + Leinster Bay, Both in St. John, US Virgin Islands / Boat Rental: Charter Yacht Cimarron

Happy Friday, lovelies! Let’s take a break from the smoldering summer heat and escape to the breezy beaches of St. John!  Simple, small and understated, what we’ve got here is an example of destination done right. I’m absolutely loving the bride’s (preowned!) Monique Lhuiller gown as well as her maid’s peachy-numbers by Nicole Miller from Rent the Runway. Rebekah Westover Photography outdid herself capturing this beachside beauty, and there is so much more to soak in right here!

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From the Bride… Our wedding day was even better than we could ever have dreamed. Everything came together beautifully. We wanted our wedding to be simple, relaxed, intimate and about our love for one another. Gray and I always knew we would have a destination wedding. Our first vacation as a couple was spent in St. John. Our love of travel flourished from there, and we are so grateful to have experienced so many places and countries together. We knew St. John would be perfect for our wedding because it held such a special place in our hearts.

I love DIY projects and have a huge passion for photography, so planning a wedding on my own came very naturally to me. Weddings can be expensive, but there are a million ways to save money and still get your must-haves. My wedding dress was my dream dress but not my ideal price. I pre-sold my dress to a fabulous girl who felt the same way, and in the end, we were both married in the dress we loved for a fraction of the cost. I choose my bridesmaids’ dresses from Rent the Runway because you can rent amazing gowns from them for reasonable prices. Why add another bridesmaid dress to your collection that you will never wear again? I was lucky to find a guy who also had an amazing sense of style. Gray choose the full attire for the guys, all the way down to the cute anchor J.Crew socks and the wingtip shoes. When searching many of the beautiful beaches in St. John, my one request was I must have palm trees! When I saw Maho Bay, I knew without a question that this was the place we would say ” I do.” With such a beautiful backdrop, there was no need for any other decor. We had a total of 16 guests, immediate family and our best friends included in our bridal party. Standing hand in hand on the beach, Sharing our love with the people who meant the most to us, we knew we had made the right choice about our destination wedding.

Rebekah Westover, a remarkable photographer from Utah, came to St. John to shoot our wedding. Being the photography blog stalker that I am, I have admired her work for many years. I knew I wouldn’t want anyone but her to capture our special day. Finding someone who is so passionate about their work is a breath of fresh air. I can honestly say she might have been more excited about our wedding than we were, and I think her photographs are proof. Not only do we have photographs we will cherish for a lifetime, we gained a life-long friend as well. Looking back on our wedding day, we light up with smiles, and our hearts are filled with love and memories were made that will last forever — it was truly the best day. If you get a chance, take it. If it changes your life, let it. Love really is worth it.

Wedding Photography: Rebekah Westover Photography / Ceremony: Maho Bay on St. John, United States Virgin Islands / Reception: Ocean Grill on St. John, United States Virgin Islands / Flowers + Table Decor: DIY / Officiant: Stu Scott / Calligraphy: The Butler’s Pantry / Wedding Dress: Monique Lhuillier via PreOwnedWeddingDresses.com / Bride’s Shoes: Jimmy Choo / Bride’s Jewelry: J.Crew / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Nicole Miller via Rent the Runway / Bridesmaids’ Jewelry: Forever 21 / Groom’s Suit: J.Crew / Groomsmen’s Attire: J.Crew

Simple + sweet is the name of the game for this St. John stunner held at Caneel Bay and shot by Katelyn James Photography. This cute-as-can-be couple was married in front of twelve of their family and friends in a beachside ceremony that celebrated the natural beauty of the island. Lovelies, there is so much more where this came from and you can see it all right here!

From Katelyn James Photography… Clint and Cary are a simple couple. So naturally, they planned a simple wedding. Caneel Bay Resort has been a family vacation destination for over 15 years, so they decided it would be the perfect spot for their tropical wedding. 12 family members gathered on Turtle Bay Point on St. John in the Virgin Islands. As the sun set and sail boats glided past, Clint and Cary promised their love for one another! It was the most beautiful setting — I was in awe! 

Wedding Photography: Katelyn James Photography / Wedding Venue, Floral Design, Wedding Cake + Officiant: Caneel Bay at Turtle Bay Point in St. John, Virgin Islands / Wedding Dress: J.Crew / Bride’s Jewelry: Kate Spade / Hair + Makeup: The Beauty Lounge Salon and Spa / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Banana Republic

Sometimes all you need for the perfect wedding is a gorgeous view, a pretty white dress and some killer heels. Oh, and the talents of Buffy Dekmar Photography to capture all these elements just so. If the thought of a huge wedding stresses you out, just do as this adorable couple did and tie the knot on the beach at sunset with your closest friends and family, and we guarantee you’ll be one happy bride. Click here for even more gorgeousness.

Click here for the FULL wedding!

Take a moment to check out this amazing super 8mm film by Dekmar Films!
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From Buffy of Buffy Dekmar Photography… We love destination weddings! Cathy and Corey decided to have a small, intimate beach ceremony for their November wedding… and St. John, USVI, was the perfect spot! The ceremony was held on Cinnamon Bay just before sunset. The blue-green caribbean surf was a natural background that didn’t require much man-made enhancement. Cathy’s wine-colored shoes brought out the subtle purples in her beautiful bouquet of white lilies, and her lovely Casablanca gown added the perfect touch of elegance to the affair! The wedding was sweet and simple, with just enough personal touches for an intimate destination wedding. Dinner and drinks followed, and an amazing cake from Katilady Catering topped off the evening. It was a beautiful day!

Photography: Buffy Dekmar Photography / Cinematography: Dekmar Films / Bride’s Dress: Casablanca / Bride’s Shoes: Mootsies Tootsies / Groom’s Suit: JoS. A. Bank / Location: Cinnamon Bay, St. John, United States Virgin Islands / Minister: Robert Nelson / Flowers: Gayle of Bou-Quet / Cake: Kati Lady Catering / Dinner: Asolare

Sometimes all you need is a girl, a boy and a beach.  It doesn’t get much more romantic than a dreamy getaway to a beautiful island like  St. John especially when that rendezvous involves a sweet proposal followed by a resounding YES!  Lovely Leaf Studio captured the love and excitement as these two cuties plan their next big adventure!  Read their sweet proposal story below and see the entire enchanting island shoot in the full gallery!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From Lovely Leaf Studio… Ming & Travis vacationed in St. John after she completed her 3rd yr of medical school. On the first day after arrival, Travis was really protective and watchful of his backpack while swimming at Hawksnest. On the second day, just before heading to dinner after a wonderful day at Honeymoon Beach, Travis suggested a leisurely walk along an overlook. Because Travis was acting funny, Ming got suspicious and nervous too. At the top of the hill by a bench, they looked out over ocean and saw a beautiful rainbow. They finally got into the car and while turning the car around, Travis abruptly stopped. He had stalled 3 times already – at two gorgeous beaches and with a rainbow backdrop overlooking a sunset. He knew that no matter how many times he stalled, he would be just as nervous.  He got out, opened Ming’s door, knelt down on one knee, and presented the ring he had been closely guarding the whole trip. SHE SAID YES! She was shocked, he was in shock, and it was really quiet for a few moments. Eventually they made it to dinner and started celebrating!

Photography: Lovely Leaf Studio