Real #Azazie Wedding | Caitlin + Brendan

These college sweethearts had a unique seaside wedding that was full of fun wedding inspo. With sky blue bridesmaid dresses and a driftwood wedding arch that was crafted by couple, this wedding is rustic romance at its finest. Check some of our favorite pics from the day, including their sweet send off in their adorable sailboat!

Dresses: Sonia, Aryana, Heidi & Katrina

Q: You and your hubby are so cute! How did you know that your partner was the one?
“I met Brendan on the first day of junior year in college; I went to a very small school so I immediately noticed the cute new guy who lived in the apartment below me. Our relationship developed and matured over the next two years; we had classes together, worked together, and had so much fun with each other! knew Brendan was ‘the one’ when we moved to different states for graduate school and I saw how truly excited and relieved he was to see me whenever we would visit one another. Even though we were both insanely busy following our dreams, he always made the time to reach out and tell me he loved me every day.”

Q: Who was the most nervous on the big day?
“Definitely me. The weather was very grey and VERY windy when we woke up, so I was super stressed about having an outdoor wedding. Brendan is an experienced sailor, so he knows that windy days on the water usually calm down by the afternoon… and what do you know, it was gorgeous by the time we began the ceremony! My nervousness melted away the second I snuck up on Brendan under our favorite tree. The sun was shining, the clouds parted, and the wind died down to a gentle breeze that was just enough to ruffle the flags we had strung up on our sailboats. It was like magic.”

Dress: Sonia

Q: If you could relive any moment during your wedding day what would it be?
“Dancing with my new husband and our friends on our amazing checkerboard dance floor by the water! It was so surreal. I remember ‘Something Just Like This,’ by the Chainsmokers came on and everyone was singing and dancing while the sun set, creating the most beautiful pink and blue tones on the river behind us. It was like being in a music video for a minute!”

Q: Celebrating your big day means making tons of decisions. What was your favorite part of the planning experience?
“My favorite part of planning was the food tastings! Brendan and I are such big foodies and were both born and bred on the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland. It was really important to have a delicious spread with lots of local delicacies, like crab cakes and Smith Island cake. We ended up using a local BBQ restaurant we eat at all the time to cater our wedding, and picked up about 25 real Smith Island Cakes the day before. It is a point of pride that so many people have told us that we had the best wedding food they’ve ever had!”

Q: What inspired you to choose your wedding colors/theme?
“The natural landscape of the Wye River and Chesapeake Bay absolutely inspired my color choices. Brendan and I are never far from a Maryland river; I grew up on the Wye River while he was raised by the Severn River, and we went to school on the St. Mary’s River! Our sailboat is even famous where we live for the light blue sails that almost blend into the sky and water. I knew that soft blues and greens wouldn’t distract from the surroundings, but accentuate them perfectly. The hydrangeas, white roses, and greens in the bouquets as well as the gorgeous soft blues of the bridesmaids dresses really made every vision I had for the color scheme come true!”

Q: We’re so honored that you chose us! Why did you choose Azazie to be a part of your special day?
“I loved using Azazie because of it’s convenience. My best friends and bridesmaids live all over the country, and they all have VERY different body types; my best friend was six months pregnant at the time, and my sister in law is 5’10” with the ultra lithe body of a super model. It was really important for me to choose an option that was convenient for everyone, but also gave each person the ability to choose a dress that fit their body type. The affordable price points and custom sizing was a fantastic bonus! Everyone looked like a rock star while being super comfortable and confident!”

Dress: Aryana, Heidi, Katrina & Amani

Q: How did you decide on your wedding venue?
“We got married at my family home on the Eastern Shore of Maryland where I grew up. Brendan and I spend almost every weekend in the summer there with my parents sailing our boat, The Blue Bayou. It was an easy choice to bring all of our friends and family to this special place. We had our ceremony on the front lawn under a driftwood arch we made from a naturally arch shaped piece of wood that washed up on the beach several months before our wedding. It was totally serendipitous, and ended up being one of my favorite pieces of decor. We had our reception in the back yard under a big, beautiful tent overlooking the water! Adirondack chairs and corn hole boards made by a family friend were placed all around the waterfront, and we set up our dance floor right on the water so our guests wouldn’t miss the amazing views for even a second!”

Q: Many of our readers are brides-to-be. Do you have any tips for these lovely ladies?
“Don’t feel like you need to make all of your decisions right after you get engaged… and don’t be the only person making decisions! Spend some time with your significant other flipping through magazines or on Pinterest. Sometimes the wedding we grew up dreaming about is very different from the wedding of your dreams. I never imagined having a “back yard” wedding, or even a wedding outside because I am a ‘Nervous Nellie,’ but after talking through it with Brendan, we both realized we wanted our most special day to be at the place we loved the most.”

Q:We loved hearing all about your special day! Do you have anything else you’d like to add?
“Your wedding is all about you and your spouse to be! Make sure you’re taking time during your wedding and engagement to really live in the moment and create beautiful, vivid memories. Remember that a wedding is only the beginning of a marriage, so make it a very happy beginning. My life with Brendan gets better by the day; he is my best friend. Make sure you put the love and care you put in to planning your wedding into the every day realities of your marriage!”

Photography by David Stuck Photography.