As a destination wedding photographer, I’m drawn to places that bring a distinct sense of character to a wedding day. St. Thomas, in the US Virgin Islands, offers just that, with bright Caribbean colors, lush tropical landscapes, and an unhurried approach to celebrating. Elise and Ray’s wedding at The Hideaway at Hull Bay was a beautiful reflection of what makes destination weddings so special, from a week spent with their closest friends and family to deeply personal details inspired by their life on the water.

With a handmade silk wedding gown, a custom green suit, mermaid-inspired details, and a sunrise swim the morning after their wedding, every part of their celebration felt unique to them.

A Waterfront Rehearsal Dinner at Enkai Sushi in St. Thomas

The wedding weekend began at Enkai Sushi, the waterfront restaurant where Elise and Ray had their first date. Overlooking the yachts in the harbor, it was a fitting place to gather their friends and family before the wedding day.

The evening carried the same thoughtful approach to personal style that would continue throughout the wedding. Ray wore her captain’s epaulettes and bosun’s whistle, a nod to her life as a captain on the water, while Elise chose a sleek, backless silk gown paired with a long strand of pearls trailing down her back. Together, their looks felt timeless, with subtle nautical details woven throughout.

As a destination wedding photographer, I love when couples make the entire wedding weekend part of their story. The rehearsal dinner offered a more relaxed opportunity to document the people, conversations, and anticipation surrounding the celebration, before the pace of the wedding day began. Returning to the restaurant where their relationship started made the evening especially meaningful, setting the tone for a week centered on the places they love and the people they wanted beside them.

A Weeklong Caribbean Wedding at The Hideaway at Hull Bay

Elise and Ray’s wedding was never meant to be just one day. As a yacht chef and charter boat captain, respectively, their lives have always been shaped by the water, making the Caribbean a fitting place to gather their favorite people and celebrate their marriage.

The week brought together beach days, pool parties, dinners, brunches, and time spent exploring the surrounding islands by boat. By the time the wedding day arrived, everyone had settled into the rhythm of island life, creating space for the kind of candid, unhurried moments that make destination weddings so special.

The Hideaway at Hull Bay provided a beautiful setting for the celebration, surrounded by tropical greenery and the natural beauty of St. Thomas. The atmosphere felt intimate and personal, with thoughtful details that reflected the couple’s shared love of the sea, vintage fashion, and the places they call home.

Caribbean coastal landscape captured on medium format film by a St. Thomas wedding photographer.

A Mermaid-Inspired Wedding Filled With Personal Details

The inspiration for the wedding brought together the islands, life on the water, vintage fashion, mermaids, fairies, and the romance of 18th-century clothing. Antique heirlooms, intricate textures, and details inspired by the movement of the sea created a cohesive vision that felt imaginative without losing sight of what mattered most.

A Handmade Silk Wedding Dress

One of the most extraordinary details of the day was Elise’s wedding dress, which she designed and made herself over the course of more than a year. Crafted from pure silk, the gown was constructed entirely from scratch, complete with carefully built corset boning and hand-sewn beading inspired by mermaids.

The fabric itself carried a personal meaning, measuring 88 yards, it was a subtle nod to their August 8th wedding date.

Before choosing the fabric, Elise asked both families to anonymously vote on their favorite swatches. Every person selected the same soft shade of off-white, making the final choice all the more meaningful. She paired the finished gown with her mother’s vintage wedding veil, adding another generation of history to an already sentimental look.

Her sister Emma also made her getting-ready robe, making the morning feel especially personal.

A Custom Green Suit and Vintage Heirlooms

Ray’s wedding attire was equally thoughtful. She wore a custom tailored green suit by Sharpe Suiting, finished with abalone shell buttons that nodded to the ocean and a hidden detail commemorating their wedding date. A vintage 19th-century lace pocket square completed the look, adding a romantic, historic element.

The rich green fabric felt right at home against the tropical landscape, while the shell buttons and antique lace rewarded a closer look.

Bride in a handmade silk gown and bride in a green suit during their first look.

Queer destination wedding photography in a secluded tropical banana grove.

A Meaningful Ceremony at The Hideaway at Hull Bay

The ceremony brought together the many threads that made the celebration feel so distinctly theirs. One of the most meaningful traditions was a handfasting ceremony, with a cord wrapped around their joined hands as they exchanged vows.

Later in the celebration, they surprised their guests with the reveal of their new shared last name, chosen for its connection to a meaningful place in their love story. It was a lovely reminder that the smallest details can carry some of the greatest significance.

As a photographer who welcomes and celebrates LGBTQ+ couples, I love documenting weddings where couples have the freedom to build traditions that feel authentic to their relationship. Elise and Ray’s day was full of these moments, thoughtful choices that reflected who they are rather than what a wedding is expected to look like.

Wedding ceremony details at The Hideaway at Hull Bay in St. Thomas.

Two brides exchanging vows at The Hideaway at Hull Bay in St. Thomas.

Two brides holding hands during their tropical destination wedding ceremony.

Wedding vows exchanged at a Caribbean wedding venue in St. Thomas.

Documentary wedding photography of an intimate queer wedding ceremony in St. Thomas.

A Love Story Written Across the Water

It was fitting that the ocean played such a central role in Elise and Ray’s story long before their wedding day.

On July 7, 2024, Ray proposed at Mermaid’s Chair in St. Thomas, reciting W. B. Yeats’ Aedh Wishes for the Clothes of Heaven, one of Elise’s favorite poems. Elise later planned a proposal of her own near Ireland’s Lake Isle of Innisfree, another place connected to Yeats and the poem that had been part of their engagement story.

Their relationship has always been tied to the places they visit, the water they travel, and the experiences they share. Their wedding felt like a natural extension of that life together, with friends and family gathered in a place that meant so much to them.

They also share an ambitious goal: to sail 30,000 nautical miles before their tenth anniversary. Their first major journey together took them aboard SV Excess from St. Thomas to Fort Lauderdale, a 1,200-nautical-mile passage through the Old Bahama Channel.

1. Destination wedding ceremony photographed at The Hideaway at Hull Bay.

Sunset Portraits and a Night of Celebration

As the day moved into evening, we made time for portraits that let the landscape and the couple’s connection take center stage. The coastal light, tropical greenery, and rich colors of the island created a beautiful backdrop for photographs that felt both elevated and relaxed.

My approach to portraits balances gentle direction with room for things to unfold naturally. I want couples to feel present with one another rather than as though they are performing for the camera. Elise and Ray made that especially easy, and their portraits reflected the ease and closeness that had been evident throughout the week.

Queer newlywed portraits overlooking the Caribbean at sunset.

Film wedding photography capturing a Caribbean sunset portrait.

A Caribbean-Inspired Wedding Menu

Food offered another way to bring their values and friendships into the celebration. The entirely vegan, Caribbean-inspired menu was curated by their friend Chef Risa, with dishes including pumpkin risotto with mushroom scallops and coconut curry.

Dessert was especially sentimental. The couple recreated Elise’s grandmother Sue’s lemon bars, bringing a treasured family recipe into the celebration.

Tropical wedding reception under the palm trees of St Thomas

Wedding reception details at The Hideaway at Hull Bay in St. Thomas

Wedding guests dancing at The Hideaway at Hull Bay in St. Thomas.

A Mermaid-Inspired After-Party Look

Elise had one more incredible outfit planned for the evening. Her custom Kim Kassas Couture after-party gown featured twelve beaded mermaids across the bodice, carrying the ocean-inspired theme into a more playful, dramatic look.

And because no part of this wedding was about doing things by the book, the evening eventually made its way to the pool. Elise took her mermaid-inspired gown into the water, turning the after-party into one more unforgettable chapter of the celebration.

Poolside wedding after-party at The Hideaway at Hull Bay in St. Thomas.

Documentary wedding photography of a tropical pool after-party in St. Thomas.

The First Swim as Wives

The following morning, after a full week of celebrations, Elise and Ray returned to the water for a quieter moment together. At sunrise, they shared their first swim as wives.

After days spent surrounded by friends, family, music, and festivities, there was something especially lovely about this small pocket of time.

It was a fitting close to their wedding week. Their life together has always been shaped by the sea, and beginning their marriage with a sunrise swim felt like a natural continuation of the story they have been writing together.

These quieter moments are often among my favorites to photograph. They offer a chance to step away from the pace of the wedding day and preserve something that belongs entirely to the couple.

Newlyweds enjoying the ocean together after a wedding in the US Virgin Islands.

Destination Wedding Photography at The Hideaway at Hull Bay

Elise and Ray’s wedding was a beautiful example of what makes destination weddings in the US Virgin Islands so special. The setting was extraordinary, but it was the thought behind each detail, the people who traveled to celebrate with them, and the freedom to make the week their own that made it unforgettable.

For couples planning a wedding at The Hideaway at Hull Bay, St. Thomas offers an opportunity to create something deeply personal, whether that means a full week of island adventures or an intimate celebration surrounded by the people who know you best.

As a destination wedding photographer based in New England, I photograph weddings throughout New England, Virginia, and farther afield. My approach combines film and digital photography, with an emphasis on natural color, thoughtful composition, and the honest interactions that make each celebration uniquely you.

If you’re planning a wedding at The Hideaway at Hull Bay or elsewhere in the US Virgin Islands, I’d love to hear what you’re envisioning and the story you want your photographs to tell.