Margaret Barth and Jan-Erik Sand, one of the five lucky couples “redeemed” by Destination Wedding Bahamas, tying the knot at Pelican Bay at Lucaya Water’s Edge Gazebo on October 17.

The pair is one of many telling their love story in a video format and essays in The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism Bailout Bridal Contest. The stories were judged and twenty couples’ stories are selected. The story brings venous Common belief, determination and love to overcome obstacles. Won five couples won five dream wedding at the hotel in the Bahamas. Pelican Bay is among the five hotels that participate in the contest and hosting partner.

“Maggie and I could not stop thinking about how truly beautiful our first trip to the Bahamas really!” Jan-Erik wrote. “Our wedding at the hotel you will remember forever and the joy of family and our friends with us that day will never be forgotten. The amazing pictures for hospitality unmatched by your ENTIRE staff, our trips are heavenly! ”

He continued: “We can not just say things are pretty good about the hotel and care you show us as we explain the details of our journey with the people here at home. We’ve traveled all over the world and NEVER meet people who are so beautiful. You and your staff will see us again soon (Maggie and I hope to come to one of our anniversary year).

“Thank you a thousand times for care and love you show us our special day, and we lost all the people in the hotel already!” Said Jan-Erik.

The couple came from Ventura, California and flew to Grand Bahama Island and Pelican Bay at Lucaya with 33 wedding guests their goals. The bride carried a bouquet of tropical flowers. Perform the wedding ceremony was Bishop Reno V. Smith.

This is Maggie and Jan-Erik real life experience of love:

We’ve started our last, very long convoy in Iraq. It has been very active, can not sleep distribution. On the eve of our departure, at around 1230 PM we were speeding on two-lane highway north of Baghdad, when our driver had to turn off the road to avoid the barbwire and lost control.

Total large truck we left I knocked out, woke up in my team holding my leg and screaming to see if I was ok (in turn, he managed to secure his position as the best men in the wedding) … Unable to breathe, my next memory is waking up in blackhawk when I was flown to a hospital in Baghdad.

Maggie, a sergeant in the U.S. Army, was a nurse stationed at the hospital and working on the same floor that I was admitted after the accident, this story …

When we first glanced at each other and we can not stop smiling! We were joking all the time about how much our faces hurt from too much time to laugh together. We immediately began talking every day, and that the primary school “crush” was already clear. This went on for about another week, before we had to say goodbye, not knowing what the future held …

About a week later I finally finished the tour, and Maggie were given nearly 3 weeks off back in the United States prior to returning to Iraq to finish his last few months. Knowing we were short of time. Maggie and I had to spend only 1 weekend together when he flew to California just a few days before returning to Baghdad. However, it was all the time we need to start officially dating. We knew this all along, so I came a question on the beach in Ventura, CA on February 16.

At that time we knew the next year of our life together will be unmatched for the difficulties we faced more than ever. We often joke about Iraq becomes, “beach without water.” So we thought, purpose on a tropical beach wedding may just be what we need to restore the meaning of beauty in our lives. What more beautiful place in the world than “beach with water” like the people in the Bahamas?

We think of the Bahamas should guarantee us out so we can have a wedding that we can not even understand from where we are in our lives just a few years ago. Celebrating the reception with some bongo drums and local food will make you never want to go …

The couple and eight of the 33 guests won complete with air travel, hotel accommodation, transfers andground.

Photo: Maggie Sand and Jan-Erik Barth, the lucky winner in the Ministry of Tourism bahamas bahamas Bailout Contest Bridal and maid-of-honor Heather Sand and bestman Leonel Solis share a joyous moment after their wedding ceremony recently at the Pelican Bay at Lucaya Water’s Edge gazebo.