Tyler and Vee were after an un-complicated, relaxed wedding, and after visiting St Lucia the couple fell in love with everything it had to offer and started planning their St. Lucia destination wedding!

St. Lucia was a perfect destination for this couple. It was uncommon making it unique, but not too difficult to get to and offered a small lush island with beautiful water and mountain views.

Planning was also a relaxed endeavor, which suited Tyler and Vee just fine. After choosing their venue, they did what they could at home such as attire, place cards and centerpieces. Other than that, they knew that most of the details would be handled once they arrived before the wedding and chose not to sweat what they couldn’t control.

When they arrived three days before the wedding , they were able to coordinate with their vendors at that time. Many of the vendors had already had an idea of what the couple was looking for thanks to their wedding planners, but the couple easily finalized the details on resort.

The wedding was also affordable, in part due to the clever DIY projects the couple incorporated. One affordable project was where the bridesmaids created their own bouquets for $20 and brought them to St Lucia. The result was beautiful bouquets that didn’t cost an extravagant amount.

The bride was also able to create the centerpieces, and one would never guess that they were from the dollar store. She filled glass vases with sand and put in the bridesmaid’s bouquets after the ceremony. She also purchased a few white candles for the tables. The cost was so insignificant that while they were the perfect touch for the wedding day, they were able to leave them in St Lucia with minimal loss.

Everything came together when their guests arrived on the island. The couple wanted the event to be memorable and what they got was a week-long vacation that their guests are sure to never forget. While the couple admits it isn’t cheap to travel, the resort they chose was all-inclusive for all the properties on the island, not just the one they stayed at, which includes food, drinks, watersports and unlimited scuba diving.

While the couple believes they spent probably as much as they would have with a hometown wedding, they also believe that they got so much more for what they spent. Rather than a one day celebration, they had a 10-day vacation that included their honeymoon and almost all their immediate family members and closest friends were able to make it.

When they announced the wedding was going to be a destination wedding, not all the reactions were positive. The couple says they resolved any complaints by making sure it was clear that while they would love if everyone could come, it was just an invitation and it was okay to decline.

Luckily, most reactions were positive, with friends and family looking forward to the vacation. The wedding turned out how the bride and groom dreamed it would, and the bride encourages destination couples to not sweat the small stuff or fret over the details!

She says when your guests look back at your wedding day, all they will remember is the laughter, tears and love, so all you have to worry about is enjoying your celebration.

Vendors: Photographer: Whims and Joy, Wedding Planner: Sandals Wedding Team, Ceremony/Reception Site: Sandals La Toc, Florist: Sandals, Stationery: Minted Wedding, Cake: Sandals, Hair & Makeup: Vee Vu, Gown Designer: Rebecca Ingram, Groom’s Clothing Designer: Custom Made in Saigon, Vietnam