Real Stella York bride Megan’s Bahamas elopement is seriously so gorgeous, it has us packing our bags for the beach! Under tropical skies and with white sand beach between their toes, Megan and her groom Cody exchanged personal and heartfelt vows, promising each other a forever kind of love. For the big day, Megan wore a vintage-inspired ivory lace wedding dress that capped off her romantic beach elopement perfectly.
From the bride: We were wed in an intimate, sunset beach ceremony attended solely by our photographer and her husband. We chose to elope for the ceremony simply to experience a wedding day away from the stresses of a traditional wedding. We wanted a day of simplicity, where the only thing to focus on was each other and the promise we were about to make in front of God. At the end of June, we celebrated with our loved ones at a bonfire reception on a beautiful farm and vineyard in southern West Virginia. Inspired by rustic and elegant elements, and SO much white, we created a reception that was truly “us.” The lanterns we scattered on the beach during our ceremony served as centerpieces on the farm. Everything about our wedding was elegant yet simple, which is exactly how I picture our “old-soul” kind of love. My Stella York dress was one of the key pieces that satisfied both of those traits-it’s a timeless dress that I cherish. Looking back I realize that the big picture is only made beautiful if you focus your attention on the small details, everything will fall into place.
The most special part of our wedding were the vows. Our ceremony took place on a beach in Nassau during a thunderstorm. Although beautiful, with clear beaches and lightning across the sky, it was not how I pictured my wedding day. Yet when I walked down that beach to Cody, he smiled just as I had imagined, seeing me for the first time as his bride. In that moment, everything else around us, including the beads of rain on his suit and the raindrops attempting to wash away our vows I had delicately written down, were so insignificant. I was only focused on his smile and the words he spoke to me and was sweetly reminded that I was marrying a man that would forever be my sunshine through the storm.
Photography by Kelli Carrico Photography