A romantic beach wedding in St Lucia

real wedding:

A romantic beach wedding in St Lucia

25th August 2023
Sandals Halcyon Beach Resort
Photography by Epix professional imaging by Sandals Resorts

High School Romance

Rachel and Matthew first met at school, but it was a few years until they started dating.

“I first laid eyes on Matt in 2010, when I was in year 10 at secondary school and Matt was in year 11, I was instantly attracted to him, but at the time he had a girlfriend,” Rachel tells us. “A few years later in May 2012, when we were both single, I sent Matt a friend request on Facebook and we started messaging. From then on we spoke every day and a few weeks later we finally met up again. The rest, as they say, is history.”

Wedding Wardrobe

Although she tried on five other gowns, Rachel couldn’t get the first dress she had tried on out of her mind. A pretty, plunging v-neck gown with scalloped lace around the neckline and over the bodice, Rachel felt a million dollars and headed back to Veils of Berkeley to buy her dream dress.

“I loved the lace and the button detail at the back of the dress. It was the sort of detail I had dreamed about. I also adored the lace pattern on the front of the dress, and the way it blended with the back.”

Rachel confessed she had always imagined wearing a dress with long sleeves but planning to get married at their beach wedding in a hot country changed her mind, and with average temperatures of 31 degrees Celsius in August, we can see why!

“I felt full of joy and excitement as I walked down the aisle,” Rachel beams. “I dreamed of having this moment for as long as I can remember, and I knew Matt was the one, so I didn’t feel nervous. I was excited to see him, and for him to see me looking my best and finally seeing my dress!”

Beautiful Beach Wedding

Rachel and Matthew jetted off to St Lucia for their destination wedding at Sandals Halcyon Beach Resort. The couple said ‘I do’ in a dreamy gazebo set amidst lush tropical gardens overlooking the sea.

“One of my favourite moments of the entire day was walking down the aisle to Matthew with Beyoncé’s Ave Maria playing. This song means a lot to Matt’s family, as his grandmother was often heard singing the traditional version in Italian,” reflects Rachel.

For their beach wedding reception, Rachel, Matthew and their eight guests headed to Kelly’s Dockside Restaurant for a private party.

“The views of the sea were stunning, and the restaurant is located on a jetty over the water, which made for a beautiful backdrop while we enjoyed our first dance, cutting of the cake and three-course lunch. It was great to have the privacy of this space during an intimate dinner in the evening.”

Pop of Pink

This couple let their beach wedding setting take centre stage, avoiding adding any decorations to the venue. They chose to keep everything simple, adding only a pop of fuchsia pink – Rachel’s favourite colour – through their wedding bouquets and buttonholes.

“We chose not to add decorations because the lush green gardens and view of the beach were so beautiful we felt we didn’t need to add anything.”

The two-tier wedding cake was decorated in white fondant icing and finished with fuchsia Dendrobium Orchids to match the wedding flowers. The couple saved the top tier, taking it home to enjoy with family members who could couldn’t be there on the day.

Island Life

After their destination wedding, the couple extended their stay and honeymooned at Sandals Halcyon Beach Resort.

“Our best decision was choosing to get married at Sandals Halcyon Beach. I don’t think we could have picked a better location. We really like simple, relaxing vibes and being surrounded by nature, so it was perfect,” the couple smile. “The staff at Sandals Halcyon Beach made us feel so special and the food was incredible throughout our stay, not just on the wedding day. We will never forget how stunning our honeymoon suite was. We upgraded to one of the resort’s brand-new rooms – we talk about it weekly and dream of being back there!”

The Details

Venue: Sandals Halcyon Beach Resort
Planning: Sandals Weddings
Photographer: Epix professional imaging by Sandals Resorts
Dress: Sincerity Bridal at Veils of Berkeley
Shoes: Asos
Accessories: Lace and Favour and Accessorize