A Beachfront Wedding at Villa de Sueños in St. Simons Island, Georgia

Laura Evans (27 and a physical therapist) and Mitchell Donner (28 and a physician) met on a weekend trip to Athens, GA to visit a mutual friend and see a football game between their two alma maters, University of Georgia and Georgia Tech. "It turns out everyone else had tickets to the game except for us," says Laura, "so we went downtown to watch the game at a bar." The two hit it off and four years later, Mitchell proposed one afternoon while he and Laura were feeding the ducks at a local park. "I was sitting on a cute stone bridge that covered the pond and Mitchell kept handing me bread to toss in the water," says Laura. "Then I felt something heavier than the piece of bread in my hand — it was the ring box! Good thing I didn't toss that in!"For their wedding, the couple planned an intimate beach getaway for their closest family and friends in St. Simons Island, GA. Before popping the question, Mitchell and Laura had discussed renting a house on the beach where their two families could come together and get to know one another (Laura's family lives in Atlanta and Mitchell's in Indiana). Mitchell secretly booked the Villa de Suenos, a Spanish style home right on the water, prior to the proposal to make sure the two could make their idea reality. And it was there that the couple decided to host their ceremony and reception. They exchanged vows in an outdoor ceremony overlooking the ocean, followed by a reception on the property's patio, allowing guests to take in the breathtaking views. Inspired by the waterfront setting, the couple went for beach-inspired decor, from a blue and white color palette to sand and seaglass centerpieces and a seashell covered cake with a fun Adirondack chair topper.