Groom wants a tropical beach vibe. Bride wants mountains, jungle, and cool terrain. What is the perfect spot for a combination of the two? A wedding at Sandals in Ochi Rios, Jamaica! 

From San Diego Beach to a Jamaican Paradise: How Stefani and Kyle’s Love Story Began

Stefani and Kyle had a beach side wedding on the beautiful island of Jamaica. Which was fitting, because the beach of San Diego was where Kyle proposed! 

Kyle is from Michigan and loves ice skating and playing hockey. But, it’s hard to find a good ice rink in California. So, early in their relationship, Stefani took him down to San Diego to skate on the outdoor ice skating rink. On the ice rink, Kyle first said “I love you” to Stefani. San Diego became a special place for them, and they went every year after that. 

In June 2021, Kyle told Stefani he had a surprise for her and to pack an overnight bag. “I wasn’t entirely surprised that we ended up in San Diego,” she said. “But, what I was surprised about was that he had booked us a room at the beach-front hotel the ice skating rink had been in front of: Hotel del Coronado.”

On the beach just before sunset is when he asked her to marry him. “On the same beach where he had first told me that he loved me, he then asked me to marry him,” said Stefani. 

Choosing the Perfect Wedding Destination: Why Stefani and Kyle Chose Sandals in Ochi Rios, Jamaica

To tie the knot, the couple chose to have their wedding at Sandals in Ochi Rios, Jamaica because it was a convenient option for their guests flying in internationally and was next to Royal Plantation, a sister resort that has a more luxury, high-end vibe compared to the younger, party vibe at Sandals. They had guests flying in from Australia, Turkey, France, Switzerland, and all over the U.S., so a convenient and flexible location was key!

“It’s in a great area, close to tons of excursions, the resorts offer so much and the people were so friendly!” said Stefani. 

I arrived a few days early to photograph their engagement session at Konoko Falls, which was an absolutely breathtaking location, and their rehearsal dinner at the resort. 

The morning of the wedding started with Stefani and Klye getting ready together. Stefani had her hair and makeup done and slipped into her feminine and floral Nicole Milano gown and Badgley Mischka heels. Kyle wore a custom Atelier Munro suit and a dark red tie. Guests came over for a spiked tea party to get the day started on the right foot! 

Stefani had a few more finishing touches to add. Her parents gifted her a pair of chocolate diamond rose gold earrings for her “something new.” And one of her guests, the partner of Stefani’s late best friend Janelle, gave her the wedding headband Janelle wore on her wedding day as her “something borrowed.” “Those two items were so meaningful, that I completely forwent the something old and blue,” said Janelle. 

The First Look and Ceremony at Laughing Waters: An Emotional Moment for Stefani and Kyle

Then, the couple had a First Look on the grass, where Stefani shed a few tears. The dark green foliage framed them perfectly, and they looked like they were deep in the forest. Then we headed to Laughing Waters for the ceremony. 

The beach ceremony had an archway decorated with pink and maroon flowers from Ling’s Moment. But the rest of the flowers were far from ordinary! The couple enlisted a few friends to be “flower men,” rather than having a traditional flower girl. So, the flower men tossed flowers on the aisle and guests as they walked down. “We're gonna tell them to absolutely milk it,” said Stefani before the day. 

Kyle is an airplane photographer and loves planes. So he walked down the aisle to the theme song from Top Gun. Then, Stefani, glowing and smiling, walked down the aisle with her mom, who shed a few tears and hugged both Stefani and Kyle before taking her seat. 

The couple kicked off the ceremony with a shot of rum each, and then Stefani’s dad officiated the wedding. A Jamaican minister made it official and the two signed a marriage license before walking back down the aisle together.

Now that they were officially hitched, it was time for family and friend photos and couples portraits on the beach. The photos of Stefani and Kyle standing on a sandy inlet with the ocean surrounding them were absolutely stunning! Jamaica truly is a beautiful spot for a wedding. 

Back at the resort for the reception, each centerpiece was made by Stefani’s mom and included tiny planes for Kyle and tiny cameras for Stefani, who is a wedding photographer. The reception was also decorated with balloons from Big Balloon Build. 

The reception was full of surprises! Stefani surprised Kyle with a custom cake topper from Etsy that showed the two riding on an airplane together. Then, the guests surprised the couple by dancing to “The Git Up” by Blanco Brown after a week of secret dance classes on the island!

A Wedding Full of Fun, Elegance, and Sweet Memories: Stefani and Kyle’s Perfect Day

“We are all such a wacky bunch. I just wanted it to be equal parts fun/silly and emotional/sweet, while also being classy and elegant,” said Stefani before the wedding. I believe they achieved that balance, especially with the help of wedding planner Alicia from Two Pineapples in Paradise.

Stefani explained what she was most excited about other than getting married. “Making new lifelong memories with some of our favorite people in the world - and documenting all the sweet and silly that comes along with it. We'll have friends coming in from all over the world and it's so rare that any of us are in the same place at the same time... let alone for multiple days at a time.” Documenting this special time for them was such an honor!

Venue : Sandals in Ochi Rios
Ceremony : Laughing Waters
Wedding Planner : Alicia with Two Pineapples in Paradise
Bridal Boutique : Nicea Mariage
Bridal Attire : Nicole Milano
Groom Watch : Omega Seamaster
Groom Attire : Atelier Munro

Groom Boutique : Gary’s

Floral Design : Ling’s Moment
Custom Cake Topper : Dealeasynet on Etsy
Ceremony Rentals : JM Floral Events and Rentals
Shoes : Badgley Mischka
Balloon Decor : Stuart and Liz with Big Balloon Build
Rings : Larson Jewelry Design + David Yurman

I love the experience of photographing destination weddings around the world, definitely reach out if you’re interested, and check out some more beautiful weddings below!

xx,

Jennifer Lourie