STRONG FOUNDATIONS: Lindsay Graham and Nathan Williams

PHOTOGRAPHY BY AMY RILEY PHOTOGRAPHY

The pale green and beige hues of moss and oak trees and the dark blue waters of St. Andrews Bay inspired Lindsay and Nathan’s elegant wedding. Following the church ceremony, family and guests celebrated the young couple at the nearby St. Andrews Bay Yacht Club.

“We loved the elements of wood and greenery throughout the day at both the ceremony and reception,” the couple reminisces with smiles. “Having so many family and friends, all from different parts of our lives, come together in one place to celebrate us was very special.” When they met during high school at a friend’s birthday party, they quickly became best friends. Lindsay was a sophomore and Nathan was a junior. They were surprised to find out later that they lived in the same neighborhood.

Lindsay’s eyes light up when she speaks about her husband. “Nate is hardworking, compassionate, and strives to succeed in so many areas of his life. We both are excited that we share so many goals and plans.”

Nate simply loves everything about Lindsay and admires her passion for her family and her work, and her love and care for her horses. “She is loving and driven and we have so much in common,” he says. Lindsay works in public accounting as an auditor and Nathan is an electrical engineer.

When asked how their life has changed after the wedding, they look at each other and burst out laughing as they agree, “There is a lot more laundry!”

Can every couple be so happy and balanced? Lindsay and Nathan say that they appreciated several sessions of premarital counseling before the wedding. “Even though we seem to know more about each other than anyone else, it was important to hear the ups and downs of marriage, our strengths and weaknesses as individuals, and beginning to think about how to combine those strengths and weaknesses as husband and wife. The counseling at our church was important to us because we know that our marriage will have the strongest foundation if it’s built on faith and understanding.”

As they are making a home together in Panama City, they enjoy time together,
accompanied by their German Shorthair Pointer, Turner. “We plan to stay in the Panama City area for now. We love being near family, our horses, and land for Turner to run.” They will always remember their wedding day with a fondness as everything came together beautifully and they took their time to plan together. Their advice to other couples: “If every detail does not work out just perfectly on your big day, only you and your wedding planner will ever know. Don’t stress!”

The memories of their wedding are even more precious today as they look back on the pictures and are reminded how their wedding photos were taken in Callaway, an area that was severely impacted and drastically changed by Hurricane Michael in October 2018.

So many of the trees that were the focal point of their beautiful photography are now gone and the church has suffered severe damage. The home that served as the “getting ready” venue was located directly on the Gulf in Mexico Beach. It is now gone.

Experiencing a devastating storm was life- altering for Lindsay and Nathan, but they are confident that just as a new life began for them on their wedding day, so will new life and rebuilding come for Panama City.

They share many beautiful memories, even if the surroundings have forever changed. One aspect they hope every couple will be able to experience is a beautiful, even if delayed, honeymoon. “We went to Ireland a few months after the wedding and had the most amazing trip. We would recommend to anyone that a week in Ireland is good for the soul and stomach—pretty sure we came back 10 pounds heavier.”

There is a feeling of unison that underlines their every move when they are together. “Our friendship, faith, and laughs make our marriage stronger,” they say. But complete harmony can rarely be explained, and they know they are stronger weathering the storms of life together.

Even though many of the trees and buildings of their celebration are gone, the couple knows that the foundation of their marriage is still strong, and were honored to have their wedding in their hometown. They are grateful for the happy memories that were made on their wedding day, and are looking forward to a future together, rebuilding the community they love so much.