Why it’s ‘important’ to newlywed Capt. Sandy Yawn to share her relationship on ‘Below Deck Med’ (2024)

She says she would go to Shafer with questions about faith and religion.

“She’s so great,” Yawn gushes about Shafer. “She has studied this her whole life.”

“She taught me grace,” Yawn adds, “the meaning of the word ‘grace.’”

Capt. Sandy Yawn reflects on her and wife Leah Shafer's wedding

Yawn, 59, and Shafer, 50, officially tied the knot on May 11. They got married in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on board a superyacht, according to The New York Times. “Below Deck” alum Kate Chastain attended the wedding, along with “Med” chief stew Scott and former “Med” chef Dave White. Cameras filmed the nuptials, The New York Times reported.

“Everything that we did was for us,” Yawn says about her and Shafer adding their own special touches for the big day. “Even though it was filmed, it wasn’t for TV — in our minds. We were who we were, but we added all those little special things.”

She notes that they chose “Med” showrunner Nadine Rajabi as their officiant.

“Nadine watched the relationship,” Yawn explains. “I was single when I joined ‘Below Deck Mediterranean,’ and then two years into that is when I met Leah. And over that five-year span, her and I developed this relationship, and it’s like having the ‘Below Deck’ family be a part of it. That’s where it began — was during that process — and then, obviously, to women being in love.”

Shafer also gave a shoutout to Rajabi in a post she shared to her Instagram page with details about the “fairytale” event and her decision to take Yawn's last name.

“On May 11th, 2024 I became Mrs Leah Rae Yawn. Yes I took her name ! A true fairytale,” she wrote in the caption, adding she is “honored” to be the captain's “official wife.”

“With my family by my side, my brothers walking me down the aisle, my mom and grandma in tears of happiness, my beautiful sister in law@ja_nette_dale_fitlifeand my beautiful daughter as my maid of honor it couldn’t be more of a blessing.”

She also said Bravo filmed the wedding and encouraged viewers to “stay tuned” to the upcoming season of “Med.”

Now that the couple are married, Yawn has a piece of advice for anyone else planning a wedding.

“Allow the other person to do it all,” she says with a smile. “That’s what I did. I stayed out of it because I think it complicates it. For me, I wanted Leah to have everything that she imagined, and I was just happy to be there and lucky to be there because I love her so much.”

She described the process and celebration as “incredible and flawless.”

Yawn gained not only a wife on May 11, but also became a stepparent to a daughter, Lauren, from Shafer’s previous marriage to her husband of 20 years.

“Honestly, I never really interfered,” Yawn says, adding she and Lauren have “a great relationship” but “never really called it anything.”

“But now after we got married, she goes, ‘Oh, my God, you’re my stepmom!’ I’m like, ‘Yeah, it’s pretty cool,’” Yawn says.

What Capt. Sandy Yawn has to say about the Season 9 'Below Deck Med' cast

As a captain and the leader on “Med,” Yawn can sometimes take on a similar maternal role when personnel issues arise among her crew.

The trailer for Season Nine is once again not lacking in drama, teasing romance among some of the team members, criticism from charter guests and “the hardest management situation” Scott, who started her career years ago on the show as a second stew, has ever been in.

The team joining her and Yawn on the 180-foot motor yacht Mustique are stews Elena Dubaich, who also appeared in Season Six, and Bri Muller, bosun Iain MacLean, deckhands Joe Bradley, Nathan Gallagher and Gael Cameron, and chef Johnathan Shillingford.

Yawn says having Scott as her chief stew is “great, honestly.”

“She’s continued her education. She’s morphed into this incredible leader. That was awesome to witness as a captain,” Yawn explains, adding she likes how Scott “handles her stewardesses.”

“For me, it was her learning that was such a beautiful thing to witness, and how she implemented it on board,” she adds. “It was incredible. She’s an asset.”

Yawn also encourages “Med” fans to tune in to see this season’s chef, whom she points out is also an architect.

Capt. Sandy Yawn talks diet and fitness after health scares

When it comes to her own diet, Yawn is especially careful after overcoming multiple health scares, which include a heart attack and a motorcycle accident that led to a kidney cancer diagnosis.

“I choose differently,” she explains, emphasizing the importance of incorporating healthy foods into her diet. “I don’t eat fried food. I grew up in the South.”

“I love that food, but I don’t eat it,” she says.

Yawn also enjoys exercising, particularly at the spin studio SoulCycle.

Next year, she will turn 60 but says she doesn’t “think of age” but rather how she feels.

“It’s all mental for me,” Yawn says, “and it has been my whole life. … I still feel like young Sandy.”

“My spirit is not 60, my body is. I feel that for sure,” she explains. “My mind is not — ask anyone in my family.”

Capt. Sandy Yawn shares her advice for fans planning a trip to Greece

If this new season of “Med” in Greece inspires fans to book a trip, Yawn shares some words of wisdom.

“Don’t try to hit every place,” she explains, noting there are “so many islands” to choose from.

“Spend time where you go. That’s always what I found that most people forget to do — is spend time in the place, immerse yourself in the culture,” she says, adding that Athens is “great” with its rich history.

“The food’s incredible, the people are incredible and the scenery is spectacular!”

“Below Deck Mediterranean” premieres June 3 at 9 p.m. ET on Bravo with a supersized 75-minute episode. Episodes will be available to stream the next day on Peaco*ck.

(Peaco*ck is part of our parent company, NBCUniversal.)