Destination Wedding: Bethany & JD – Elephant Walk at Sandestin – Miramar Beach (Destin), Florida

She wasn’t very particular about the details, but the one thing Bethany knew she wanted was to get married on the beach.  During the planning process, her mom told me they checked the weather data for that particular weekend, and historically, the temperature had been warm but comfortable.  We all hoped that rain would stay far, far away.  When the big day came at the Sandestin Golf & Beach Resort, what we got was BLAZING HEAT.  And I don’t mean Southern “I do declare, I am glistening” kind of heat.  I’m talking “I’m sweating buckets in places a proper Southern woman would never mention” kind of heat.  I probably could have dug a hole in the sand and roasted a pig in it like they do in Hawaii.  No hot lava rocks required.  That said, I knew these families were the types to find a way to make the day as fun as possible regardless of the temperature, and that’s exactly what happened.  I mean, they had dogs at the wedding.  How can you not like dog people???

Bethany’s dress wasn’t your typical off the rack gown.  Light and airy, the dress was made using her mom’s wedding gown.  The veil was even taken off her mom’s wedding hat (yes, I said HAT – giggle if you must, but hats were everything back in the day).  Bethany was a florist’s dream – she wanted white hydrangeas, and the rest was “do whatever you want!”  So they added succulents, which were also used for the boutonnieres.

They kept the ceremony simple with a monogrammed burlap aisle runner and beach appropriate starfish/rope decor at the end of each row of chairs.  The ceremony was definitely a family affair, with Bethany’s brother serving as the officiant/best man and the family dog (in a tiny green tutu, mind you) accompanying the bride and her dad down the aisle.

The reception was held in the upper level of the Elephant Walk, which was decorated with more splashes of green and white.  Guests were invited to take a monogrammed mason jar glass (DIY’d by Bethany, her matron of honor, and bridesmaids) to use for the night and to take home afterward.  Great food was a priority, so the filling dinner buffet included Elephant Walk favorites like Grouper Elizabeth.  Family friend Ivy (who happens to own Liger’s Bakery/Icing Illusions), handled the sweets.  She decked out a candy table for more take-home favors, and since the newlyweds weren’t really “cake people”, she made a small cake for the traditional cake cutting and set it up alongside multiple flavors of cupcakes, as well as cheesecakes with a variety of toppings.

We had planned to take their portraits immediately following the ceremony, but since it was so hot and incredibly bright outside, I asked Bethany and JD if they’d be willing to wait a bit for better lighting.  They agreed, and I’m SO glad they did.  Even if you’ve never been to this part of the Gulf Coast, you can see in the pictures how white the sand is.  Now imagine when it’s really sunny out, how the sunlight bounces off that white surface.  That combined with sweat running into your eyes is blinding.  Earlier in the day, JD could barely keep his eyes open – by waiting just an hour or two, it was much more comfortable for everyone AND we got a pretty, soft pastel sunset for our background.

Back to the reception – remember when I said these families were the types to make the day as fun as possible?  Well how many family members do you have that do Elvis impersonations?

Before the newlyweds made their exit in a golf cart decorated in Auburn colors (complete with strings of orange Fanta cans trailing behind it), JD came over, gave me a big hug and a bigger thank you.  Bethany’s mom (who was standing next to me) and I looked at each other and she said, “I got a good son-in-law, huh?”  Yep, you sure did. 🙂

Bethany & JD: Thanks so much for letting me melt with you.  I’d tell you to keep in touch, but you know I’ll get all the dirt from your mom and Diane even if you don’t. 😉