A Casual Beachfront Destination Wedding in St. Barts

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Damita and Dylan

After taking a brief relationship hiatus, Damita and Dylan took a "give-it-another-try" vacation in St. Barts and quickly rekindled their romance. They realized they wanted to wed, and the decision to marry on the island was an easy one. So after officially tying the knot in Hong Kong, the couple hosted a more relaxed celebration on St. Barts with close friends and family, full of sandy beaches, unique Caribbean culture, and crystal clear water.

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The Destination

The Caribbean island of St. Barthelemy, a.k.a. St Barth's, is officially a French territory, and includes a few satellite islands such as Ile Fourchue.

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The Welcome Bag

Arriving guests found welcome bags filled with hand-painted tissue paper, useful local info, and a beach towel for use on the island's celebrated shores.

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A Personal Touch

Among the welcome bag's info was this map, hand-drawn by Yellow Owl Workshop, which highlighted Damita, Dylan, and Dash's favorite spots on the island.

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The Bouquet

Damita's bridal bouquet, designed by florist and event planner Mindy Rice, of live white peonies, antique fabric flowers, and greenery native to the island was cinched with a bright yellow ribbon.

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The Boutonnieres

For boutonnieres in tune with the rest of the floral decor, tiny arrangements of vintage millinery flowers and fresh greenery were finished with silk trim.

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The Ring Pillow

Instead of a traditional pillow, the ring bearer -- the couple's son, Dash -- carried a leaf from a Coccoloba tree adorned with a handmade fabric blossom.

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Father-Daughter Time

Damita and her father shared a lighthearted moment before he walked her down the aisle. "We were laughing that he was going to trip on my dress," she recalls, and while they were talking, he ended up stepping on the hem.

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The Ceremony

The couple exchanged vows in this beachfront structure called a "paillote." "I wanted to use as much native greenery as possible," says Damita. To create a vibrant setting, rattan runners attached to the back of the paillote were enlivened with alamanda vines and yellow and coral faux blooms. For a finishing touch, Coccoloba leaves were scattered over the sand-covered floor.

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The Programs

Custom stamps created by Yellow Owl Workshop adorned all the paper goods used in the wedding, from the order-of-service booklet to thank-you notes, shown here.

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A Family Moment

The family enjoyed a loving moment during the nuptials. Dash surprised everyone by getting up during the ceremony, standing between his parents, and grabbing their hands as they said their I do's. "It was really sweet," says Damita, who wore a lace Delphine Manivet gown and a crown of vintage cotton flowers and fresh peonies.

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Petal Toss

Rolled Coccoloba leaves were filled with rose petals for guests to toss at the newlyweds.

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Refreshing Beverages

To kick off the reception, revelers were handed a refreshing treat: coconut water served in its shell.

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The Reception

This legendary villa, once owned by a Parisian nightclub impresario, was both the reception site and the accommodation for the bride, groom, and some guests.

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Tropical Flair

A stuffed teal parrot added tropical flair to the communal dinner table at La Banane, the villa where the reception took place.

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The Menu

Yellow Owl Workshop printed menus describing the reception dinner. The culinary highlight? "Lots of ceviche!" says Damita. Also on the menu were sauteed jumbo sea scallops and rack of lamb catered by Bonito, the couple's favorite local restaurant.

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The Guest Book

The couple asked friends to write well-wishes on cards displayed in a bowl of sand.

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The Cake

"We were having so much fun, we forgot to cut the cake," Damita says of the carrot-coconut confection, which was topped by antique fabric blossoms, red hibiscus flowers, lime slices, and greenery. They ate the coconut-frosted delicacy later.

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Beachy Favors

Friends and family picked up beach-friendly flip-flops in muslin bags that were hand-stamped with motifs that matched the couple's stationery suite.

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The Getaway

Damita and Dylan kissed in the rented Moke buggy they drove to the reception. A hand-painted sign read "Just Married" in French, the language of St. Barts.

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Late Night Pool Party

The good times kept rolling even after the DJ went home for the night. Many of the guests even jumped into the pool, fully clothed. "It was raucous," says Dylan of the late-night pool party.

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