Hallie + Cody’s Intimate, Elegant Miramar Beach Wedding

A sunny day in Destin, Florida

Hallie and Cody live in Tennessee and come to Destin yearly, so it was only fitting for them to have their families come out to their Florida destination wedding. Like I mentioned above, Hurricane Ian was hitting the East Coast at the time of their wedding. It was pretty touch & go whether or not I was even going to be able to fly to Florida for their day. We were texting nonstop, and I was setting up associate photographers in the area in case I couldn’t make it. They were even considering just having the wedding in Tennessee if they couldn’t make it either, and honestly, it was a stressful mess for a bit there for this poor couple. But thankfully everything cleared up just in time and we lucked out with the sunniest day with the most vibrant blue skies!

The most classy beach-inspired wedding

Hallie and Cody obviously chose a beachy, ocean-inspired theme for their Miramar Beach wedding, with a little bit of an elegant twist – from their glossy seashell jewelry dishes to the vases of minimalistic white baby’s breath to the massive outdoor arrangement of white & beige balloons, every detail was pristine and just as classy as the couple themselves. White wedding decor will always have a special place in my heart – the way it stands out against the beach environment and packs such a simple yet stylish punch is just *chef’s kiss.*

The gorgeous Miramar Beach vacation home they rented

I freakin’ love the way Hallie and Cody planned their wedding: instead of renting out a huge venue for their intimate group of guests, they rented an absolutely stunning vacation home right on Miramar Beach! This is such a great alternative to traditional venues if you are having a smaller celebration and want a beautiful space to celebrate, but don’t necessarily need all the space a venue provides (or don’t have the budget to rent a large venue for the day/weekend). Renting this vacation home (which fit 26 people!) gave them the opportunity to spend even more quality time with their guests who had traveled to Destin to celebrate them, and gave them way more freedom to use the space how they wanted to. Love love this for intimate weddings and 10/10 recommend it to other couples!

A slow morning enjoying the space

After getting ready for the day and doing a sweet first look on the rooftop, we took full advantage of the gorgeous home & explored the space to find spots for indoor photos. The natural light coming in through the windows was to die for, and the home’s beautiful architecture made it so easy for Hallie + Cody to look like they were modeling for a damn editorial magazine cover. We took a little stroll along the beach, too, before guests arrived, and Hallie basked in the sunshine like a goddess in her elegant gown from Show Me Your Mumu, holding her bouquet of bright white lilies, while Cody looked dapper in an all-white & cream outfit paired with deep brown leather shoes. A classy couple all around✨

An intimate Miramar Beach wedding ceremony with loved ones

Once we’d gotten in our fair share of pre-ceremony portraits, both inside & outside of the house, Hallie and Cody headed to the sand for their Miramar Beach wedding ceremony. It was intimate, special, and simple; no decor or setups were required, as the breathtaking beach spoke for itself. The sun & blue skies were not taken for granted after there was so much stress surrounding the weather during the weeks leading up to the wedding!

Note that to get married at Miramar Beach, you will most likely need to get a Special Event Permit through Walton County. You can find all the permit guidelines & details here, including what is/isn’t allowed for beach wedding ceremonies.

A romantic rooftop first dance at dusk

What better way to celebrate your new marriage than with a dreamy first dance on the rooftop, overlooking Destin just after the sun goes down? This first dance between Hallie and Cody was simply magical, in front of the soft colors of the blue hour sky & under the rising moon.

A poolside party + pizza to wrap up the night

Because they rented out this home for their day, Hallie and Cody were able to spend as long celebrating at night as they wanted – not having to worry about getting out & cleaning up by a certain time. They cut their two-tiered, all-white cake next to the pool, under the moonlight, and enjoyed a casual pizza dinner with their guests. What a perfect way to wrap this casual, intimate, and meaningful day!

Miramar Beach, Destin, Florida Wedding Photographer

I’m still not over this magical day, and would love nothing more than to go back to Destin to photograph more beach weddings like Hallie & Cody’s. Here’s a sweet message I received from Hallie after delivering their wedding album – cue the tears.

“Karra – I could never thank you enough for capturing our day so perfectly. You are amazing. I wanted to cry whenever I was looking through the pics, because everything was just perfect. Thank you SO much!”

If you’re looking for a photographer for your own Miramar Beach or Destin wedding, it would be an honor to be considered 🤍Contact me here and let’s start chatting about your dream day!