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Real Wedding: Genelle & Forrest

posted on 2/12/2009

I could have stayed on that beach forever, if the tide wasn't coming in...
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Special thanks to Kristine Dittmer Photography and Acorn Photography for our featured Outer Banks wedding photos

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Lydia & Ryan in Duck, NC

Lydia & Ryan in Duck, NC
Chocolate-brown and pale blue dressed up Lydia and Ryan's sophisticated yet carefree beach wedding in Duck, North Carolina.
Photos By: Mary Basnight Photography, Manteo, NV
Event Planning: Belinda Anderson, The Sanderling Resort & Spa
Location: The Sanderling Resort & Spa
Each setting had blue and brown M&Ms as a favor for the guests.
The outdoor ceremony took place on the resort deck, with the bridal party walking down the aisle to island music provided by a steel drum player. “There wasn’t a lot of decoration on the deck because we wanted it to look natural,” says Lydia. “The gazebo where we stood was decorated in natural branches, while at the end of the aisle were two urns with huge flower balls of white spider mums.”
Lydia‘s bouquet was a mix of creamy textures including calla lilies, roses, and hydrangeas.
Lydia‘s bridesmaids carried blue hydrangea ball bouquets.
Lydia’s six bridesmaids wore sleeveless, mink-colored satin dresses with a small train. Ryan and his six groomsmen wore chocolate-brown, pinstripe Ralph Lauren suits with light blue, button-down shirts and ties with light blue polka dots.
The three-tiered cake consisted of a chocolate bottom layer soaked in Godiva chocolate liqueur and two layers of almond cake soaked in Frangelico.
Lydia chose a strapless, beaded, crinkle silk chiffon gown with a modified trumpet skirt. She also wore ballet slipper shoes so she didn‘t appear taller than the groom.
While the ceremony had a laid-back atmosphere, the reception was a more lavish affair held under a tent draped with light blue fabric from the ceiling to the floor. Tables featured upside-down vases with a ball bouquet of white flowers.
Lydia and Ryan’s romance blossomed on the beach during the summer of 2003. She was in town for an internship at the local aquarium, while he was working as an ocean rescue lifeguard. So it’s only fitting that after Ryan proposed two years later, the two would decide to get married near the very same beach. The Bride Lydia Pleasants, 23, assistant instructor The Groom Ryan Stickel, 31, U.S. Navy officer The Date November 26 The couple chose to hold their wedding at The Sanderling Resort and opted for a light blue and chocolate brown color scheme. “We didn’t really have a theme in mind -- the scenery did all the work for us,” explains Lydia. Custom save-the-dates and invitations in the wedding's signature colors set the mood for the wedding. “We did it to set a classic feel to the wedding,” says Lydia. “Since it was being set at a beach, we didn’t want everyone to feel too dressy, but we did want it to still be classy.”

-- Linda DiProperzio

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