Bridgette and Chandler first met while working at a restaurant in Texas. In fact, Bridgette was Chandler’s boss. And back then, their biggest shared dream was getting the Friday night shift off. But when their friendship blossomed into a relationship, those shared dreams began to flourish. Fast forward a few years, and they got to filfill possibly their biggest shared dream of all: getting married. And not just that, but exchanging vows above the Aegean Sea in Santorini, Greece, celebrating with their closest friends, and jumping off a yacht in full wedding glam! Some stories really do come full circle.

The pair skipped the stress of a big guest list and traded it for an elopement in Santorini that doubled as a group vacation. “We wanted something very small and intimate with a gorgeous backdrop and a place we had never been. Greece was perfect,” Bridgette says.

Their home base: Cycladica, a cliffside villa with room for all ten of their guests. Mornings started with Greek coffee and the sound of church bells. Days were spent cliff-jumping at Ammoudi Bay, hiking from Fira to Oia, and lingering over long seaside lunches that blurred into sunset.

And because Bridgette and Chandler have a flair for the cinematic, their “rehearsal dinner” wasn’t a dinner at all — it was a private yacht cruise with Santo Sails. There were heartfelt toasts, spontaneous dives into the sea, and that kind of salt-air joy you can’t fake.

When wedding morning arrived, the island felt still — all white walls and blue horizon. Bridgette slipped into a gown bought at LeAnn’s Bridal and a custom veil embroidered with Chandler’s handwritten lyrics from his proposal (“love you forever”). Chandler laced up his custom Air Jordans — because, as any sneakerhead will tell you, there are no off-days for the kicks.

Their best friend officiated the ceremony, and it set the tone: emotional, relaxed, and deeply personal. “We also brought a framed photo of my dad, who has passed away, to honor him,” Bridgette shares. “It made it feel like he was with us.”

Surrounded by lush blooms from Betty-Betty Flowers, the two exchanged vows on a terrace overlooking the caldera. It was the kind of view that makes you forget to breathe for a second.

Back at the villa, dinner by Spicy Bites unfolded under a canopy of string lights. Chandler played bartender, mixing custom cocktails for the group. One by one, shoes came off, the music turned up, and soon everyone was dancing barefoot under the stars.

It wasn’t extravagant. It wasn’t overly planned. It was real — and that’s exactly how they wanted it.

Planning a wedding halfway across the world isn’t for the faint of heart, but for Bridgette, it was easier than expected. “We didn’t do any pre-wedding visits, and I couldn’t have achieved it without our planner,” she says. “The main thing I learned? Make it about you and your spouse, not everyone or everything else. That day should make you feel connected to each other, not pulled in so many directions.”

Bridgette, we wholeheartedly agree!

Vendors: Photographer: Meg Layman Photography; Planner: Julia and Evita; Venue: Cycladica; Florals: Betty’s Flowers; Videographer: Transform Visuals; Rentals: Weddings & Whimsy; Lighting: Events in Santorini; Catering: Spicy Bites; Dress: LeAnn’s Bridal; Veil: Etsy; Yacht Rehearsal Dinner: Santo Sails; Welcome Dinner: Cavo Tagoo; Rings: True Gem