Graham and Holly wanted nothing more out of their wedding but to have a lot of fun in a beautiful place. Living in Florida, they made the decision to have a destination wedding in the Bahamas via a cruise.

The couple worried guests would not be on board with the idea, but their family and friends jumped right on board the SS destination wedding. Only one challenge stood in the way, according to Bahamian law and marriage, you must be in Bahamian waters for 24 hours to legally marry on any of their inhabited islands.

Thankfully, day two of the Norwegian Sky Caribbean Cruise docked in Nassau, where the couple planned to say “I do” at their beloved Compass Point Beach Resort.

“The staff at Compass Point Beach Resort was very accommodating…there were stressful moments as a bride (as there is), but overall we couldn’t have been happier with our vendors and coordinator,” says Holly.

The couple used a wedding website, Wedding Wire, to keep their wedding party updated. On the site they included all cruise details, parking options and flight searches on the site. Once guests arrived on the ship, they were greeted with a welcome bag that included an itinerary for the week and wedding day details.

For everything else, they relied on word of mouth references. A family friend, local to the Bahamas, referred them to Paulette Davis with Amour Affairs to coordinate their big day.

Holly says Paulette did an amazing job capturing her intimate sea-side wedding vision. “Paulette arranged our wedding day at Compass Point Beach Resort and our photos at the French Cloisters… she saw exactly what we wanted and made it happen!”

When it came down to it, Graham and Holly’s expenses for their tropical wedding day were drastically lowered by going to the Bahamas compared to staying local. Even better, the most expensive part of their wedding was taken care of by the cruise line.

“The ship we chose also included unlimited free alcohol, which played a part in the decision too,” says the bride.

At the end of the day, the duo learned it’s best to do what makes the two of you happy as a couple and let go of trying to please everyone. After all, it’s about highlighting what the both of you are all about.

Vendors: Photographer: Eboni Robyn Photography, Wedding Planner: Paulette Davis at Amour Affairs, Pre-wedding Photo Setting: One and Only Ocean Club, Ceremony/Reception Site: Compass Point Beach Resort , Florist: Wildflowers Events & Occasions, Stationery: Valerie Freeman at Betty Lu Paperie, Hair/Makeup: Lucena Sawyer, Dress: Martina Liana, Shoes: Jessica Simpson Ballet Flat  at Macy’s, Garter: The Ragged Diamond, Hair accessories: Lottie La Designs, Bridal Belt Designer: Sara Gabriel, Groom’s Suit: Calvin Klein at Macy’s, Tie and pocket square: Hayden Harlow, Shoes: Tommy Bahama, Cuff Links: Tiffany and Co.