Why It’s ‘Important’ That Newly Married Captain Sandy Yawn Shares Their Relationship On ‘Below Deck Med’

For eight seasons, the leader “Under the Mediterranean deck” has had many adventures at sea, and now Captain Sandy Yawn will give Bravo fans a look at a big moment in her personal life on land.

The trailer for the show’s ninth season shows Yawn getting married to her friend and now wife, Leah Shafer, who visits Yawn and her crew during their time in Athens, Greece, where the upcoming season takes place.

“I love you so much,” Yawn tells Shafer.

She moves to kneel in front of Shafer and says, “Do you want…” as her team members, including returning star Aesha Scott as Chief Stew, watch the proposal nearby with excitement.

Yawn shared photos from the proposal on her Instagram page in September 2023 after Shafer “said YESSSSS.”

In an interview with TODAY.com, Yawn explains that she hopes showing her relationship with Shafer on TV serves as a positive example of representation for the LGBTQ+ community and provides visibility.

“That’s exactly why, because I think it’s important for people to see that professional women can – of the same sex, correctly – have a great life, and these preconceived ideas really aren’t right. We wanted to show that – we did. Not really Leah — like, that wasn’t a thing for her — but for me it was, I think because I’m on TV,” she explains.

The two first connected in 2018 when Shafer messaged Yawn online after watching her on “Med.”

Yawn once explained on the couple’s podcast in 2022 that the words “many blessings” caught her eye when she finally saw Shafer’s message in her inbox months later.

In addition to being drawn to Shafer’s looks, Yawn said she was impressed by Shafer’s background in gospel singing.

Yawn tells us that faith has always been a part of her life and that Shafer taught her “the meaning of the word ‘grace.’

“I’m sober, so I love God. I’ve been sober for 35 years and it’s part of my life.”

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

“She’s so great,” Yawn gushes about Shafer. “She’s been studying this all her life.”

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

Captain Sandy Yawn reflects on her and wife Leah Shafer’s wedding

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

“Everything we did was for us,” Yawn says of her and Shafer, adding her own special touches for the big day. “Even though it was filmed, in our minds it wasn’t for TV. I was what I was, but I added all those little special things.”

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

“Nadine watched the relationship,” Yawn explains. “I was single when I joined Below Deck Mediterranean and two years later I met Leah. And over that five-year span, she and I developed this relationship, and it’s like the “Below Deck” family is part of it. That’s where it started — it was during that trial — and then obviously the women are in love.”

Shafer also gave a shout-out to Rajabi in a post she shared on her Instagram page detailing the “fairy tale” event and her decision to take Yawn’s name.

“On May 11, 2024, I became Mrs. Leah Rae Yawn. Yes, I got his name! A true fairy tale,” she wrote in the caption, adding that she was “honored” to be the captain’s “official wife.”

“With my family by my side, my brothers walking down the aisle, my mom and grandma in tears of happiness, my beautiful sister-in-law @ja_nette_dale_fitlife and 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” for the next season of “Med.”

Now that the couple is married, Yawn has some advice for anyone else planning a wedding.

“Let the other person do it all,” she says with a smile. “This is what I have done. I stayed out of it because I think it complicates it. For me, I wanted Leah to have everything 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 “amazing and flawless”.

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

“Honestly, we’ve never really stepped in,” says Yawn, adding that she and Lauren have a “great relationship” but “we’ve never really called it.”

“But now that we’re married, she’s like, ‘Oh my God, you’re my stepmother!’ I’m like, ‘Yeah, that’s pretty cool,’” says Yawn.

What Captain Sandy Yawn has to say about the cast of ‘Below Deck Med’ Season 9

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

The trailer for season nine is again full of drama, teasing romance between some of the crew, criticism from charter guests and the “toughest management situation” Scott, who started his career on the show years ago as a second-in-command , was ever in.

Also joining Yawn on the 180ft motor yacht Mustique are stews Elena Dubaich, who also appeared in season six, and Bri Muller, head Iain MacLean, deckhands Joe Bradley, Nathan Gallagher and Gael Cameron and chef Johnathan Shillingford.

Yawn says having Scott as the main stew is “very, honestly.”

“She continued her education. He turned into this incredible leader. He’s been great to watch as captain,” explains Yawn, adding that he likes the way Scott “deals with the flight attendants.”

“For me, her learning 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, who she points out is also an architect.

Captain Sandy Yawn talks diet and fitness after health scare

When it comes to her own diet, Yawn is particularly careful after overcoming several health scares, including a heart attack and a motorcycle accident that led to a diagnosis of kidney cancer.

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

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

Yawn loves to exercise, especially at the SoulCycle spin studio.

She’ll be 60 next year, but says she doesn’t “think about age” but rather how she feels.

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

“My spirit is not 60 years old, my body is. I definitely feel that,” she explains. “My mind is not – ask anyone in my family.”

Captain 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 spot,” she explains, noting there are “so many islands” to choose from.

“Spend time where you go. That’s always what I’ve found 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 is incredible, the people are incredible and the scenery is spectacular!”

“Below Deck Mediterranean” premieres June 3 at 9:00 PM ET on Bravo with a whopping 75-minute episode. Episodes will be available to stream the following day on Peacock.

(Peacock is part of our parent company, NBCUniversal.)

This article was originally published on TODAY.com