A Bright, Nautical Wedding at Wichita Boathouse in Wichita, Kansas

Lindsey Snyder (25 and a registered nurse) and Alec Gaug (26 and a controls engineer) love to travel, so when the pair took a road trip from Kansas to Maine, Lindsey had no idea that Alec was planning something big. At Spring Point Lighthouse in Portland, Maine, Alec surprised Lindsey with a proposal. It was only fitting then that the couple adopt a nautical theme for their wedding, starting by choosing Wichita Boathouse in Wichita, Kansas, as their venue. “We wanted every detail to feel like Maine, down to the buoys, boats and fishing nets,” Lindsey says. Bel Amour Events and Moore Flowers helped the couple bring their nautical vision to life, working with them to create eye-catching centerpieces with arrangements of vibrant flowers and unexpected details like sailboats, compasses and fishing-net-inspired candleholders. Table numbers made from antique maps charted the couple’s adventures together, while a message-in-a-bottle guest book offered a friendly way for guests to share their well wishes and advice with the newlyweds. Other marine-inspired details included paddle door decorations, starfish escort cards, a “blue anchor” signature cocktail and a larger-than-life boat display filled with buoys, lanterns and bright bunches of flowers. A tip from Lindsey: “My advice is just to be in the moment. It's such a beautiful moment when you decide you want to spend the rest of your life with that special someone. Take little snapshots in your mind during the day; it goes by faster than you would think.”