A Chic, Intimate Wedding Weekend in Alys Beach, Florida

For Nicklaus Heath (35 and a dentist) and Sid Williams (26 and an executive director of a theater), an intimate 30-person wedding inspired them to focus on “the simple pleasures of what a wedding should be—tasteful, personal and celebratory,” Sid says. Wanting either a Long Island or Savannah wedding, the couple instead found their dream venue in Alys Beach. “The scale and palette of Alys was a fantastic complement of us both,” Nicklaus says. An illustrated invitation suite featuring watercolor renderings of the couple and the venue readied guests for a weekend full of personal touches and fun activities like a beach bonfire and poolside lounging. The prewedding festivities included welcome drinks with a view on the Gulf Green, a gulfside bonfire and dinner, morning yoga on the beach and bicycle rides on the property’s signature beach cruisers. “Every detail and every moment was hand-picked,” Sid says, including the grooms’ Le Labo signature scents. “To match or not to match: That was the question,” Nicklaus says of his and Sid’s attire. The pair ultimately decided on matching linen suits with classic white oxford shirts, chambray ties and custom monogrammed slippers. To maintain the airy essence of the day, they even encouraged guests to don light colors, like blush. Though Sid initially wanted to serve champagne and oysters at the reception, the couple compromised by offering them during cocktail hour. To complete the celebration, the grooms curated a menu to impress even their foodiest guests with bites such as roasted local Brussels sprouts, burrata toast and surf-and-turf with Gulf shrimp, braised lobster mushrooms and beef filet at Caliza, where the partygoers had the restaurant exclusively to themselves. “We had one instruction for the chef’s menu: Serve our guests what you would serve your family,” Nicklaus says. A simple farm table with natural linens and greenery created a romantic, rustic, candlelit evening with an impromptu tableside sing-a-long. For the final send off, the couple planned a farewell brunch complete with matching monogrammed pajamas for each guest, specialty doughnuts from Charlie’s Donut Truck in flavors like red velvet, blueberry and chocolate glaze, and mimosas made with a cuvée from the couple’s favorite vineyard on Long Island.