Megan’s love for Belize is the culmination of years of vacationing on this gorgeous little Caribbean island, and she knew it was the destination where she’d one day say “I do.” As Megan and Steven built their relationship they too began to build memories in Belize. It didn’t take long for Steven to fall in love with the clear blue waters and friendly island vibes. When it came time to plan their wedding, Belize was the only location they could imagine for their nuptials. And so the planning of a beautiful, tropical Belize destination wedding began! Megan and Steven’s wedding weekend was filled with whimsical, beach vibes and a backdrop of perfectly clear blue waters. All of it was captured perfectly by the lens of Paul and Grace Photography.
Interview with the Bride about their Belize Destination Wedding
How did you meet?
Steven and I met in college at Oklahoma State University. We’re both Texans at heart but connected on our love for Oklahoma State football.
What is your proposal story?
Steven proposed at Herman Park in Houston, Texas. We had our first “real date” at the Houston Zoo and spent some time walking around the park after. He actually tricked me and told me we were meeting friends for Zoo Lights (an annual winter event at the zoo). When we arrived, my friend texted me saying she couldn’t make it and Steven asked if I wanted to walk around the park for a bit…thank goodness I said yes! He proposed and I remember immediately crying. We then headed back to our house where he had all our friends and family waiting to surprise me. It was absolutely perfect.
Tell us a little bit about your Belize Destination Wedding vision.
When planning a wedding, I knew the last thing I wanted was to be stressed out. I wanted a laid back day with family and friends. I’d always dreamed of getting married on the beach. When it was time to start planning, I convinced Steven that Belize was the perfect place to say I do. Thankfully, he agreed! After stalking lots of Pinterest, I knew I wanted minimal decorations and to stick to simple colors. I chose navy dresses for my bridesmaids and the guys wore navy as well. To go with the simplicity of it all, I chose white flowers. Melody, our planner with Dulce Belize Weddings was amazing. We had a handful of phone calls to discuss my vision and she made it all come to life.
Tell us about your attire choices.
With it being a beach Belize destination wedding, I wanted a simple dress. Once I started trying dresses on, I fell in love with the more bridal look. I actually found my dress on my first day of looking. But because I knew the sand was going to make it very dirty, I decided to keep looking. I ended up finding the exact dress second-hand. I saved some money and it had already been hemmed to my height.
What was most important to the two of you while planning your destination wedding in Belize?
One thing we spent a lot of time on was our music. We spent way too many hours playing music on youtube and listening to songs. We really wanted our guests to enjoy the music we were picking for the day. I walked down the aisle to here comes the sun. And now whenever I hear that song, I think of our wedding day. By having a destination beach wedding, I feel like we skipped on a lot, but we really didn’t need a ton of decorations or flowers. We did splurge on little wooden placeholders for the reception. They were simple but added a nice personalized touch.
What were your favorite parts of the day?
The whole day was perfect, but I think my favorite part was toward the end of the reception. Closing Time was playing, which is a throwback to my husband and I’s college days. It’s what all the bars would play as they were closing. When that started playing, I teared up and just hugged my now husband. It just made me think back to how far we’ve come. My husbands favorite part of the day was the time we spent together after the wedding, but before the reception. We drove our little golf cart around the island for about 15 minutes and just talked. It was such a sweet moment to have together after a day of not talking at all.
Tell us about your wedding flowers.
Because we were getting married on the beach and our reception was also on the beach, I kept with simple white flowers and greenery.
What did you do for favors?
We wanted our guests to get a little “taste of Belize” in their welcome bags (which were also their favors). We included local Belizean chocolate and rum, along with snacks, a map and a welcome letter listing all our favorite things on the island.
Did you include any family heirlooms or special traditions?
I decided to wear my mom’s pearl earrings for the wedding. Once again, I wanted to keep it simple. During the wedding, we literally tied a lover’s knot, as part of our ceremony. It was a special tradition and something different.
Do you have any advice for couples planning their Belize destination weddings now?
If you know you get stressed easily, hire someone to do it for you 🙂 Having a planner and doing a destination wedding made the whole process practically stress free. I highly recommend it to any couple!
What was the biggest challenge when planning your destination wedding?
The biggest challenge was letting go during the planning process and going with the flow.
What was the best part of having a Belize destination wedding?
The best part was having all our friends and family in an amazing destination for the weekend. It was great because it was like our wedding lasted a full weekend!
Vendors
Photography: Paul and Grace Photography | Ceremony Venue: Akbol Yoga Retreat & Spa | Reception Venue: Aji Tapas | Event Planning: Dulce Belize Weddings | Wedding Dress: David’s Bridal | Groom’s Attire: Jos. A. Bank
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