Lydia & Ryan in Duck, NC

Lydia and Ryan’s romance blossomed on the beach during the summer of 2003. She was in town for an internship at the local aquarium, while he was working as an ocean rescue lifeguard. So it’s only fitting that after Ryan proposed two years later, the two would decide to get married near the very same beach. The Bride Lydia Pleasants, 23, assistant instructor The Groom Ryan Stickel, 31, U.S. Navy officer The Date November 26 The couple chose to hold their wedding at The Sanderling Resort and opted for a light blue and chocolate brown color scheme. “We didn’t really have a theme in mind -- the scenery did all the work for us,” explains Lydia. Custom save-the-dates and invitations in the wedding's signature colors set the mood for the wedding. “We did it to set a classic feel to the wedding,” says Lydia. “Since it was being set at a beach, we didn’t want everyone to feel too dressy, but we did want it to still be classy.”