Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Destination Wedding Bahamas: A Harbour Island Stunner

Words by Courtney Kellar
Photos courtesy of Zorn Photography

Anne and Brent are a Colorado couple who chose a destination wedding for a lot of the common reasons. However, their resulting Harbour Islands, Bahamas event was anything but run-of-the-mill. “We chose to do a destination wedding because we have friends and family all over the country as well as overseas and decided if everyone would be traveling to attend our wedding we should have it in an amazing place,” says Anne. “We also thought that by doing a destination wedding we would have an opportunity to spend some quality time with those who attended. You don’t feel so rushed to see everyone on the night of the wedding when you can spend the whole week with them.”

Conveniently enough, once the couple decided a destination wedding was in store, it didn’t take much effort to settle on a destination. “We chose Harbour Island as our destination because it was a sentimental place for my family,” recalls Anne. “My father originally went there in 1962 as a kid with his family before it was a known vacation spot and then vacationed there with my family growing up. I brought Brent there after we got engaged and he was sold! It is a beautiful setting for a wedding with plenty for guests to do while taking a vacation. You can only get [to Harbour Island] by boat and the beaches are practically empty. This created a really relaxing atmosphere for attendees.”

The couple’s 55 guests received their “Save the Dates” a full year in advance so they could begin planning and saving for Anne and Brent’s Bahamas soirée. There’s no question the guests approved of the couple’s chosen spot – they’re already asking for a return trip for the couple’s five-year anniversary! What a trip it was…while it took some effort to get there, it was well worth it for everyone involved. “The trip to Harbour Island takes a whole day,” says the couple. “All the guests had to make a stop in Florida before taking a smaller plane to the Bahamas and then a boat to the island. There were a few airline delays and on case of lost luggage (which was unfortunately the groomsman), but luckily [everyone] got there in time.”

Thanks to the wedding planning staff at their venue, PinkSands Resort, the couple found the planning process pretty stress-free. The people on-site in the Bahamas did most of the communication between vendors which really simplified things for Anne and Brent. When it came to their photographers, this couple made a smart decision. “We coordinated with our photographers, Jody and Zach Zorn, since they are local to Colorado where we live and they traveled [to Harbour Island] with us,” says Anne. “If you find a great photographer, it is worth it to have them travel to the destination with you. If you are going to have a wedding in a beautiful place you want to make sure you have a photographer who can capture it!”

The couple’s destination wedding was not only an opportunity for their guests to get to know each other better, but also the bride and groom. “For our table numbers we found vintage postcards of various locations which had meaning to us as a couple (places we had gone on trips, where we got engaged, our hometowns, etc.),” says the bride. “We then created a backing with a table number and story about the meaning of the place on the back.”

These happy newlyweds have some final words of advice for other couples planning the destination wedding of their dreams, “There may be details you can’t plan out perfectly because you aren’t in the location, but in the end, the most important thing is to have fun and remember how wonderful it is to have all the people that mean so much to you travel to a great destination for your wedding!”

Vendors:
Photographers: Zorn Photography
Destination: Harbour Island, Bahamas
Ceremony/Reception Site: Pink Sands Resort
Florist: Wildflowers Events
Cake: Arthur’s Bakery
Hair: Island Spa
Make-up: Patrice Langford
DJ: Daddy D
Reception Music: Rocky & Ersly
Rehearsal Dinner Venue: Ocean View Club
Rehearsal Dinner Planner: Ben Simmons with Little Island Design
Gown Designer: Ulla-Maija
Groom’s Clothing Designer: Banana Republic
Bridesmaid's Clothing Designer: Simple Silhouettes