An Intimate Beach Wedding at a Private Residence in Fort Morgan, Alabama

Ashley Timms (25 and a kindergarten teacher) first faced Halla Ali (25 and an exercise physiologist) as a competitor when they were pitted against each other on the soccer field. “We had played against each other for a little over a year without even knowing it,” Ashley says. “One night, Halla's team didn't have enough people, so we had a friendly scrimmage. Afterward we went for drinks with several other teammates, and we haven't been apart since.” Ashley and Halla held an intimate ceremony with 30 guests on a quiet beach in Fort Morgan, Alabama. The day’s colors and materials—navy, teal, burlap, and gray—reflected the relaxed seaside setting. For the ceremony, rows of chairs were arranged on the sand, and the aisle was marked with shepherd’s hooks hung with flower-filled mason jars. Ashley and Halla walked down a burlap aisle runner that was spray-painted with their initials. They exchanged vows under a wooden arch that Ashley’s father had crafted the night before. After the ceremony, guests walked across the sand to the reception, next to the couple's rented beach house. “Don't let the tiny details get to you,” Ashley says. “We were so stressed about little details that didn't even matter in the long run. Just enjoy your big day because it flashes by.” —Carolyn Meers