St. Maarten Destination Wedding Photography | Alana and Hashim (Part I)

Sometimes the second time around is the charm! They dated at first and then decided to just be friends. It was 6 years later when they realized they would give dating another try! I remember when I first met them. They were a dream to talk to and eventually photograph. Very fun loving and laid back. Plus they are so genuinely in love with each other. Oh and how could I forget… I love their spontaneity! They had a change of heart midway through the wedding planning process and decided to elope on the beautiful island of St. Maarten! It was a blessing to attend such a gorgeous destination to photograph their intimate all-white wedding with their closest friends and family. The significance of their choices made it a meaningful experience for everyone in attendance. After seeing each other for a first look, they had a touching evening ceremony at a modern and luxurious contemporary villa. The view was exceptional, the waves were crashing, the sunset was completely memorable, and each word spoken about them were a testament of their amazingly pure love.

The day before the ceremony, I got to explore St. Maarten. I walked around Maho Bay Beach and watched the planes get scarily close to the shore before they landed at SXM airport. I also got to take in a beautiful view of the island from a mountain top and then ate fresh Johnnycakes right after their annual carnival. I love this island!

Some of Alana and Hash’s beautiful wedding photos were also featured on Munaluchi Bride recently. Here are some of Alana’s answers to describe their wedding story and perfect wedding day.

Tell us about how you met and all about the proposal!

I was new to the city and didn’t really know anyone outside of the varsity sports team I was playing for at the time. Against my will, they had suggested that I go out to a club with them. Tired and uninterested in my environment, I happened to glance to my right and I saw this beautiful specimen of a man! My folded arms dropped and I figured ‘Hey, no one knows me in this city, I am going to go and introduce myself to this guy’. I walked up to him and my nerves took over…’Umm, do you know where the ATM is?’ He smiled and pointed me in the correct direction. I went to the ATM, pretended to take out money and walked back to my original spot. I was disappointed that I couldn’t make the move but before my thought left my head, I was engulfed in a 6’3″ shadow. He asked my name and I asked his. We tried to date for a month or two and we did not like each other at all!! Ha! We were in extremely different places in our lives and a relationship was not on the top of our priority lists. However, we did grow to be very close friends. Six years later we thought we would give dating another try and we both fell hard for one another.

About a year and a half later, we are away on a snowboarding trip in Montreal and during drinks in the lobby after dinner, he suggested that we request a song at the piano bar. I said not to bother, but he insisted. Then “All of Me” by John Legend began to play. Then he handed me his cell phone and on it were the lyrics of the song. Unknowingly, I handed it back to him, saying, ‘No, no, I already know all of the words baby!’ He insisted that I read it. He highlighted words and phrases of the song that were the most meaningful. Then….smack in the middle of the song lyrics…I saw….WILL YOU MARRY ME? on the screen! The, he pulled out the ring! That was the most amazing weekend, and i will never forget him, down on one knee asking me to spend the rest of my life with him.

Wedding Style

The very first thing I said to a bridal consultant was that I wanted the sexiest dress in the store. I love my body and I wanted to show it off. I wanted to stand out and look super different. I was very laid back while shopping. I put a lot of faith in my consultants because I could not get a great sense of the dresses on hangers. I have a curvy shape so I relied on them to fit my body with a dress that would work well with that.

Memories

My best memory was when I walked down the aisle and saw all of my family and friends in white. A symbol of a new beginning for all of us. It truly took my breath away.

First Dance Song: “Superman” by Tarrus Riley
Final thoughts from the newlyweds

Do what ever YOU TWO want to do. The wedding day is about YOU and your LOVE, not about the flowers, the cake, gifts or food. It’s about sharing the love you two have with one another and committing your lives to one another. So if that means getting married in a park, in jeans, or simply with just the two of you…do it! At the end of the day, the marriage is the most important thing.

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Venue: Private Villa in St. Maarten
Bridal Gown: Maggie Sottero
Makeup/Hair: Makeup Mag
Groom’s Tux: Sean John
Catering & Decor: Fabulous Feasts
Music: Chris “DJ Wingman” Maraj
Videographer: Carolyn Roberts
Photographer: Samantha Clarke Photography
Featured on: Munaluchi Bride