This is one timeless love story you’re going to want to read! Justine and Ryan’s elegant, simple, and beachy wedding at Captain Bill’s will make your heart skip a beat. 

Their love story began at Justine’s high school, East Meadow High School (EMHS) to be exact. Justine had not only gone there as a teen but was now a leave replacement before starting a full-time position in Far Rockaway. Luckily, Ryan had just started as a photography teacher at EMHS. In order to avoid summoning to substitute teach, Justine would hide in Ryan’s classroom. They would talk about the beach and surfing and wetsuits. They would also “bump” into one another in the hallway, Justine would ask for hall duty while Ryan would go to the library to “return books.” 

On the last day of school, Justine started to walk out the door when Ryan came over and asked for her phone number. He claimed he wanted to order her the wetsuit she wanted as he could get a great deal on it. Coincidentally, the pair ended up seeing each other throughout the summer until eventually, they decided to plan these run-ins. They spent more and more time together and began dating in early October. Two years later, Justine finally got her wetsuit. 

As for how this wedding at Captain Bill’s came to be, their proposal took place at Democrat Point. Ryan got Justine up and out of bed and onto the beach by 6:55 am, which was not an easy task. The two spent their morning surfing (and napping) on a beautiful summer day. Justine kept saying that the day was a great life day and the perfect start to summer. 

Once the two were all dried off from surfing, Ryan suggested a walk. Justine agreed because she wanted to “search for treasures” as she always does. As they strolled down the beach, Justine scoured for shells and shoved them into Ryan’s pocket, unaware of what would happen only moments later. 

As they got to a secluded part of the beach, Ryan let Justine walk ahead, she was too focused on her shells. Several seconds later, she wondered where Ryan was and turned around only to find him on one knee. “How about this treasure?” He asked with the ring he dug out from under the sandy shells. Justine was frozen in shock but when she came to, she walked over to him and of course, said yes. 

Now let’s get to the wedding! The couple chose the stunning Captian Bill’s as their location and it could not have been more of a beautiful day. While the whole affair was so exciting, Justine and Ryan were most looking forward to their first look. “Seeing each other, all dolled up, for the first time, on the big day…there’s no feeling quite like it.” The moment certainly did not disappoint. 

The bride wanted something simple for her gown, no glitz and glam. It fit like a glove with clean lines and an open back which portrayed elegance all on its own. As for the groom, he wanted modern and slim fitting with a touch of timeless and classic. His initial plan was to wear something navy or black but once he saw this, as he calls it, “summer navy” suit, he knew it was what he was going to wear. The designer, Perry Ellis, made the suit in a variety of fits so all the groomsmen could pick the style that best fit their bodies. He wanted to add a pop of color for his bowtie, so he chose one that complemented the bridesmaid dresses and pulled everything together. 

Once the entrances were over, the couple had a special unity ceremony. Justine had collected a bunch of rocks from Montauk as a kid and put them in a jar. Ryan had a jar filled with sand from Long Beach, where he was born and raised. The couple poured the sand into the rocks and sealed it, uniting the two as one. 

Then the party began! Justine and Ryan’s bridal party put together the best entrances from fake surfing, throwing touchdown passes, even going as far as to swap outfits!

Justine and Ryan’s wedding at Captain Bill’s was based around simplicity as well as the beach. So when it came to flowers, they only wanted something simple. This lead to a combination of eucalyptus, thistle, succulents, and an array of white flowers around the entire venue. In order to keep all the colors consistent throughout, Justine used the scraps after from the bridesmaid dresses after alterations to wrap the bridal bouquets. 

To stick with their beach theme, they used sea glass as seating cards that were hung on pallets during the cocktail hour. The centerpieces were a mix of different size glass bottles that the couple found themselves on a beach in Brooklyn. 

In order to add their own touch to their fairytale wedding, Justine and Ryan had a guest saxophonist play with their DJ. He would come onto the dance floor and get people on their feet. In addition, the couple knew a lot of their guests were staying on Fire Island so they chartered a private ferry for all 60 guests to get back to the island after the wedding. They even had pizza delivered to the ferry for the ride back! 

Justine and Ryan had some advice to offer for future couples. “Remember that you two are the only ones that will know anything that goes wrong. Start planning early and take some time to continue to do the things you love – like your hobbies, etc. Remember that although the planning can be stressful, it will all be worth it. Don’t sweat the small stuff! Advice for life: remember that it is you and your partner against the issue, not you versus your partner versus the issue. You are a team.”

And for all those future brides, “Walking down the aisle is the most nerve-wracking/best feeling in the world – stop and take a second to breathe and take it all in – it goes by so fast and will be over before you know it, so make sure you enjoy it and make as many memories as you can.” 

Congrats to the gorgeous couple! We are so glad we got the chance to be a part of your wedding at Captain Bill’s! 

Venue: Captain Bill’s 

Cake: Rolling Pin Bakery 

Stationary: Scout Design

Florist: Flowers by Burton

Transportation: Independent Coach Corporation 

Music: DJ USA 

Officiant: Centerpoint Church 

Wedding Rings: Diamonds By Picho 

Gown Boutique: Max Bridal 

Dress Designer: Mikaella 

Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Here Comes The Bridesmaids 

Makeup: Let’s Get Pretty Beautiful 

Hair: Hair Designers 

Bride’s Shoes: Ted Baker 

Groom and Groomsmen’s Suits: Perry Ellis