The Glory of a Morning Wedding at Beaches

The phrase "it was meant to be" doesn't begin to do justice to Lindsay and Michael's wedding at Beaches Turks and Caicos. Anyone with a view of the altar could see the turquoise water and wedding guests digging their bare feet into the brilliant white sand. Lindsay and Michael, however, saw it years ago.

Long before Lindsay even met Michael, she daydreamed about being the bride in a beach wedding. The ocean would be to her left. Loved ones would be to her right. And the sand would be the magic carpet underneath her.

"I was born in Maui," Lindsay says, "so love for the water and beach is instilled in me."

Long before Michael met Lindsay, he daydreamed about being the groom in a beach wedding. He didn't just see it, he felt it.

"I'd say my vows with my toes submerged in the sand," he says. "My bride would be an island girl who loves the ocean and beach as much as I do."

Separately, Lindsay and Michael carried these visions in the corners of their minds through college, into careers, and eventually to a gym in Scottsdale, Arizona, where Michael saw Lindsay from a distance and tried not to stare.

"I noticed him, too," Lindsay says, "and I waited patiently for him to say something."

It took three months before Michael worked up the nerve to ask the leading question to their soon-to-be romance: "What are you training for?"

"Nothing," Lindsay said. "I'm just … training."

It took another two weeks for Michael to regather enough confidence to pop the next question:

"Would you like to grab some lunch?"

The lunch date started a three-year relationship, culminating with Michael asking THE question. With an engagement ring tucked into his swimsuit pocket, he and Lindsay rode out to the private island at Sandals Royal Bahamian during what was supposed to be a birthday celebration for him. To Lindsay's shock, Michael dropped to a knee on the flawless sand — the same kind of sand the two of them had seen and felt in their wedding fantasies.

Photo Credit: Marie Scholz Photography

Finding the Most Perfect Sand

Lindsay and Michael had one more question to ask: Which sand? They'd traveled to gorgeous beaches from Atlantic to Pacific, but for their wedding they wanted to stand on new sand so they'd always link the destination to the most special day of their lives. Ideally, it would be on an island with a tropical vibe, fun people, and a rhythmic name.

"Turks and Caicos seemed to fit everything we wanted," Lindsay says. "When you're there, you know you're there. You don't mistake it for anywhere else."

The online pictures of Beaches Turks and Caicos looked almost too wedding-week perfect to be real. Lindsay and Michael needed to experience it for themselves, so they booked a test drive. Exactly one year before their wedding, and with expectations as high as the deep-blue sky, they landed on the island and walked across the Beaches property until their feet were exactly where they'd be during the wedding ceremony.

"This is where we can dig our heels in and say, 'I do.'"

During breakfast on the rooftop of Sky Restaurant, they envisioned wedding guests having space to enjoy their vacations however they chose — separately or together. That evening, they stood on the boardwalk and saw the Beaches staff choreograph a bride's impossible dream wedding: on the beach, with her wheelchair and her prince. Any remaining doubt or anxiety for Lindsay was washed away in a stream of tears.

How They Turned their Best Day into the Longest Day

Photo Credit: Marie Scholz Photography

Lindsay describes Michael as a "morning person." He says the same about her. They're partially correct. Both of them squeeze as much fun as possible from every blessed day. This would never be truer than on their wedding day along Grace Bay Beach.

Instead of a traditional sunset ceremony, this one would commence at 11 a.m. when the hues of the ocean and island are on full display. Lindsay arose at 4:15 not because she had to, but because she wanted to hit the gym, finish her hair, and witness her dream day blossom.

"Thanks to God," Michael says, "we were given a beautiful day."

After their separate workouts and separate breakfasts, the bride and groom met on the beach for their shoes-optional 15-minute ceremony, the ideal blend of casual and chic.

"We knew the natural setting would be special, but the staff took the setup over the top," Lindsay says. "And then, after our vows, we had all this space and time to enjoy."

Photo Credit: Marie Scholz Photography

While the 45 guests strolled over to a poolside cocktail hour, the newest of newlyweds veered off to a quiet spot on the veranda at Key West Village, alone.

"I can't believe this day is happening," Lindsay said.

It was just starting. During the reception at their favorite spot on earth (the rooftop at Sky), Lindsay and Michael made an announcement: "We're taking all of you on a sunset cruise at 4:30."

That meant everyone had hours to sample the rum bar, swim in the ocean, take naps in the breeze, and stretch the day from sunrise to moonrise.

"There was never any rush," Michael says. "We just kept the celebration going."

Photo Credit: Marie Scholz Photography

Photo Credit: Marie Scholz Photography

Photo Credit: Marie Scholz Photography

A Special Gift from Above

Photo Credit: Marie Scholz Photography

He and Lindsay kept the celebration going for almost another week. Two days after the wedding, they received a gift of sorts when the new Treasure Beach Village opened at Beaches. While the two of them escaped on a catamaran to snorkel and explore, the Beaches staff moved their belongings to a fresh penthouse suite with three bedrooms, two levels, and one unforgettable view of the same sand where they had anchored their feet and their marriage.

"We'll always be in awe," Lindsay says, "and we'll always think of that spot as ours."

Start planning your Beaches wedding

Whether you're dreaming of barefoot vows on Grace Bay Beach or a rooftop celebration under the Caribbean sky, the Beaches team is ready to help you plan every detail, visit our inquiry and make your dream a reality.