Larissa + Adam

(September 26, 2023 in Tybee Island, Georgia)

Nestled along the picturesque shores of the Atlantic Ocean in Georgia, love found its perfect backdrop. Our real bride, adorned in an exquisite ivory, a-line wedding dress, radiated timeless elegance and grace. Against the backdrop of the ocean's gentle waves, this celebration unfolded as a testament to the beauty of love. Join us in reliving the romantic wedding day, where the coastal breeze whispered its wedding day well wishes and the sea echoed the joy of this magical day. 

By our real bride, Larissa:

What was the vision for your wedding?

We both grew up in wooded areas but wanted our wedding to be on the Atlantic Ocean, where we both have fond childhood memories. When we came together to plan the wedding, we knew we wanted vintage touches incorporated throughout the decor. With it being a beach wedding, we loved bohemian decor and natural light colors. We decided on dusty blue, white, cream, and sandy details. We decided to do an outdoor sheltered venue, which was more cost-effective and provided us flexibility. We knew that traveling to a destination would ensure that our closest people were beside us. We still invited all the guests that we loved, but it ended up being intimate with 40 people.

We had planned to have the pier as our aisle, but the weather changed and we ended up under the pavilion for the event. We are grateful that we got to be together. So many little details did not go as planned, our centerpieces were flying off the tables and framed signs were tipped over. Regardless of the hiccups, the intimacy of the speeches, the love on the dance floor, and the joy between everyone was what mattered. We ended the night by jumping into the ocean, changing into matching pajamas, and dancing in the moonlight with pizza and cupcakes in hand.

How did it go the day-of?

Our friends and family said we were so joyful and at peace. My three little sisters did my hair and makeup, and the groomsmen and family members helped shift the venue with the weather I was not even aware of. I was not facing any windows so I was oblivious to the wind and rain until we took pictures. I was grateful for the ways that everyone came beside us and ensured we were not affected by the things that in retrospect did not matter. We are so grateful that we had a photo booth attached to the venue and a Polaroid camera for guests. It is something that seems so simple and obvious, but looking back at our guest book makes us so happy. It was emotional to read everyone’s notes to us when we were already missing them. The weather caused our head table to move and destroyed one of our speakers, lol. But honestly, we all got really cozy for the speeches and the love was overwhelming. We decided to allow for an open mic and are so glad that we did. We gave our guests a heads-up that this would be the case. So many guests that we loved, that we did not expect to give a speech, shared memories and stories that were so special for us. We did the traditional dances with our family and we were grateful for it. Those moments honored our favorite people and gave them the spotlight for a moment. My dad and I slow danced and then the music changed to AC/DC, we got down on the dance floor and this was immediately followed by him and my sisters surprising us with a dance they choreographed. I am very detail-oriented and an artist, I love the decor, but the decor is not what I remember. It was the moment with everyone who could be present. I honestly wish I wouldn’t have worried about the details as much and that I would have soaked up extra days of being present with all of our people in the same place.

What is your #1 tip to future brides?

Focus on what will matter to you after the day is over. So many sweet details we tried to incorporate for guests were not what mattered, it was the simple obvious things like the guest book and speeches that stuck with us far beyond the event. Whatever matters most to both of you, focus more of your time and energy on that. It is easy to get caught up in the millions of to-do’s and inspiring ideas and DIY’s. But it is such a short time and it goes all too quickly.

Venue: Tybee Island Pier and Pavilion

Food: Bernie’s Oyster House Tybee Island

Dessert: Wicked Cakes of Savannah

Photographer: Dominique Phillips Photography