An Intimate, Tropical Wedding at Grace Bay Beach in Turks and Caicos

Both hailing from Knoxville, Tennessee, Mariko Crocker and Adam McCall first met when they were introduced on the lake through mutual friends.

“Mariko swam up and seemed like, somehow, she didn’t even know how smart and naturally gorgeous she is,” Adam recalls. “That was enough for me to know I had to take this woman out.”

“I was instantly attracted to him,” Mariko adds. “He was a professional wakeboarder and seemed so unlike all the other guys at the lake party. With his style, charisma and intelligence, I knew this guy was unlike anyone else I had ever met.”

Three years later, Adam took Mariko horseback riding at the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina. “Midway through the ride, we stopped for a picnic in the Biltmore Forest,” Mariko describes. “Adam got on one knee and asked me those four special words. I always thought that I would sense when he was going to ask me to marry him, but he didn’t miss a beat and I was completely shocked. He had yet another surprise in store – we left immediately for a surprise ‘engagement-moon’ to Antigua.”

With the help of NILA Destinations, Mariko and Adam were soon in the process of planning a destination wedding in Turks & Caicos. “We could not have asked for a better wedding,” the bride states. “The ceremony took place on the white sand as the sun set over the ocean behind us. Gathered around us were our immediate family and a few close friends who we consider family. Adam and I were overwhelmed with the love we felt for each other, our families, and the beautiful day that we had been blessed with.”

The following reception also took place on the beach, where the bride and groom sat at the head of a long, candlelit table. Their hearts were full as they watched the sun disappear in the horizon and enjoyed sharing that special moment with their loved ones. Everyone spent the evening dancing around a bonfire with a star-filled Turks & Caicos night sky above them.

Right after the wedding, the newlyweds took off for their honeymoon adventure, spending a night in Qatar before continuing on to South Africa. “We spent ten incredible days in the bush on safaris,” Mariko shares. “One night was spent beneath the Milky Way in Lion Sands Game Reserve’s luxury tree house, listening to the sounds of the bush. Our last night in the bush was one we will never forget. At 2 a.m. the lodge caught fire. We scrambled out of our villa to see the flame-filled sky. 

We never imagined we would have to choose between facing fire or escaping straight into the wild bush. Thankfully, everyone was evacuated in time. We said bye-bye to the bush and escaped to Cape Town where we finished our honeymoon. Needless to say, we had one HOT honeymoon!”