Mary Grace + Sam

5.31.25

Mary Grace and Sam’s spring wedding in St. John was the very definition of tropical romance. Against the island’s lush, sun-kissed landscapes, Mary Grace stunned in a timeless Robert Bullock Bride gown that flowed effortlessly in the Caribbean breeze. Every moment, from their heartfelt vows to their joy-filled reception, was beautifully captured by Chelsey Williams Photography. Bursting with vibrant tropical florals, their celebration felt like the perfect blend of island charm and sophisticated elegance - a day as warm, colorful, and unforgettable as their love story. Keep reading - you won’t want to miss even a single detail!

What made you decide to get married on this particular date?

“We got engaged almost exactly a year prior, in May of 2024. I've always wanted a summer wedding and once we decided on St. John, we settled on May because it's during their "off season", so it's less busy with other tourists.”

Did you have a specific theme in mind while planning (if any - colors, features, etc.)?

“Sam and I both love the water, so I knew I wanted it to be by the ocean somewhere. We fell in love with Lovango because of its natural beauty which is a theme I wanted to stick with for the wedding. I didn't want to alter the environment too much beacuse it's so picturesque as-is. The lush greenery of the island definitely steals the show, so I know I wanted to incorporate palm-green hues throughout into the wedding along with pops of color. I chose blue and white bridesmaids dresses to add that pop and make sure the bridesmaids didn't blend too much into the background. Since they were blue/white floral, the aesthetic mimicked chinoiserie - my favorite pattern which I think goes with anything. The other color splash that we added was coral pink within the floral arrangements (we chose Anthuriums) to highlight the exotic, tropical feel.”

What was one of your favorite moments from your wedding day?

“Sam and I didn't do a first look, so I was supposed to have a first look with my Dad at the Wharfside Village where we were getting ready. I forgot to tell him and he forgot to look at the schedule that day, so he went to the ferry dock (where guests departed for the wedding) to help with logistics and made sure everyone was on the boat. We ended up doing a quick "first look" at the dock so my wedding photographer was taking photos, which was really funny. On top of that, my bridesmaids and I were on a separate boat from the guests, but they ended up leaving at the same time due to the timing. At this point, I didn't care if anyone was saw me prior to walking down the aisle but all of the guests turned their backs and waited for us to pull away from the dock they wouldn't see beforehand. It was really cute!”

How did the two of you meet?

“We were summer interns together during the summer going into senior year of college; it turned out that we also had a lot of mutual friends (his HS friends were my college friends)!”

How did the proposal happen?

“We were living in New York City at the time and my aunt was visiting with my younger cousin for his birthday. We had plans to go to brunch on the Westside Highway that morning, so we were already dressed for an occasion! Sam and I were going to meet my aunt and cousin at the brunch spot, and our apartment was close by so we walked. I noticed we were taking a detour pretty close by the water out on the pier, which is when Sam got down on one knee. My best friend, who is a photographer, was hiding in the bushes taking photos and was trying to silently usher the pedestrians to get out of the way of our photos LOL.”

Where did you draw your inspiration/ideas from?

“Lots of surfing Pinterest and wedding blogs, but mostly from St. John and Lovango itself. St. John is known for its natural beauty and relaxed atmosphere, with over 2/3's of the island protected as a National Park. There is untouched greenery and beauty everywhere you go, so it's easy to see how I picked palm green and coral to be incorporate into the aesthetic. Outside of that, I really relied on a lot of the current set-up already at Lovango. The design there is amazing and we were lucky that we didn't have to do very much to the scenery!”

What advice would you give to other brides in regards to dress shopping?

“There are so many beautiful dresses out there, it's really hard to choose. I think it's important to keep in mind how you want to feel on your wedding day, versus getting caught up in "the ONE". I wanted to feel like myself in my dress, but an elevated version. In other dresses I tried on, they were beautiful but I felt like I was playing dress-up. I don't know how else to describe it, but I was so comfortable in my dress and still felt like it achieved the timeless / chic style I was going for.”