A Lovely Bahamian Wedding

Words by Kate Darnell
Photos courtesy of La Dolce Vita Studio

It’s not every day someone gets a second chance at love. And as luck would have it, this became the case for Janelle and Warren. Passing each other in the halls at work, they overlooked one another until some friends decided they would take matters into their own hands. “Unbeknownst to us, friends invited us for a casual outing with the intention of making a love connection. The chemistry was instant,” says Janelle…as was their decision to have a destination wedding.

The location was a logical choice for them due to the fact that there were several people on their guest list in desperate need of a vacation. “The Bahamas is a beautiful archipelago of more than 700 islands and cays and we really wanted to give our friends and family a unique and fun destination experience,” says Janelle.

A perfect combination of old-world style, a rooftop terrace overlooking the ocean and an indoor pavilion created the ultimate location for the couple to exchange their destination “I do’s.” And with the help of Island Destination Services who specialize in destination weddings, the couple found it easy to plan their wedding away. “They guided us through the process and made it such a delightful experience,” says Janelle.

Rather than going for a traditional wedding reception, they opted for a relaxed vibe in which guests could really get to know one another. "Instead of the typical dinner tables, we had cabanas, lounge seating and poolside cocktail tables with lots of places for guests to roam. We made the club’s pavilion an all white night club with live reggae and hip hop music for our friends to enjoy. The rooftop terrace was transformed into a Latin lounge with a cigar roller and incredible island music. It was the perfect combination. To this day, our friends and family are still talking about how much fun they had at our wedding!” recalls Janelle.

Janelle got the ultimate gift on her wedding day (aside from the groom of course), “My husband surprised me with Grammy award-winning artist Miri Ben Ari. I couldn’t believe such a huge surprise was kept secret. It was a special treat for everyone…very surreal.”

Vendors: Photographer: La Dolce Vita Studio, ladolcevitastudio.com, Wedding Planner/Florist/Decor: Island Destination Services, islanddmc.com, Reception/Ceremony Site: Old Fort Bay Club, Nassau, Bahamas, oldfortbay.com, Wedding Cake: Venenciah Hall, Wedding Gown: Badgley Mischka, badgleymischka.com, Bride’s Shoes: Jimmy Choo, jimmychoo.com, Groom’s Attire: Jacket (Paul Smith London) & Shirt (Pink); Slacks (Hugo Boss), Shoes (Gucci). Paulsmith.co.uk, hugoboss.com & Gucci.com