The day I got engaged to my now-husband, Lance, we were standing on a stretch of sand overlooking Tisbury Great Pond in West Tisbury. As born-and-raised Islanders, anything water-related is special to us. To this day I can still hear the soft lapping of the pond on the shore as he got down on one knee and asked me to marry him.

Soon after that, when we began to plan our wedding and all of its events, we knew we had to include the ocean. We achieved that in a few ways. My bachelorette party was an afternoon cruise aboard the Alewife through Edgartown Harbor, while Lance’s bachelor party enjoyed a fishing charter on the Skipper out of Oak Bluffs Harbor. For our wedding venue, we selected the Winnetu Oceanside Resort in Edgartown because of its proximity to South Beach. During cocktail hour, guests mingled on the restaurant’s upper deck, where sweeping views of the distant waves added to the scene. In a more subtle nod to the sea, we worked coastal tones into the attire of the day: my bridesmaids selected dresses in a mix of light and medium blues, and the groomsmen wore blue ties. Our favors were candles with notes of sea salt.

Here on Martha’s Vineyard, I often see brides and grooms incorporate elements of the ocean into their Island love story. It’s a sentiment echoed by many of the couples featured in this issue. From a surprise proposal on the beach, to a ceremony with Nantucket Sound as the backdrop, and even a styled photo shoot showcasing how to add touches of the shore into a wedding day’s décor, there are plenty of stories and images in the pages of this magazine to help you get started planning your own Island wedding.

I hope you find your inspiration!