Charleston Wedding from Hyer Images & Gathering Floral + Event Design
When you walk down the aisle to your love, with the intent of saying vows that are forever, you can't help but imagine all the happy couples who started out their lives together in the same spot. But when it's the groom's grandparents who said "I Do" many years before in the exact same spot, a tear or two may come to your eye. It's just that sentiment from which this wedding grew... a history of love for Gathering Floral & Event Design to create a wedding around. Hyer Images has filled our gallery with beauty that may just bring a tear to your eye, so grab a tissue and meet me there!
Victor and I met at a The Blind Tiger Pub, a Charleston landmark. I was there with a group of friends who were visiting from out of town. We were having a great time sipping on drinks in the courtyard, when two of my girlfriends spotted Victor nearby dressed in a kilt. They approached him with the pickup line ‘so what do you really wear underneath that skirt’. I won’t go into the details of his response, but he had them laughing in seconds. I joined the conversation and knew almost immediately that there was something very special about him. He made me smile and laugh from the first time we met and still does every single day.
Without hesitation we knew we wanted to get married in Charleston, where we had met and were engaged. Victor was born and raised in downtown Charleston and all of his family is local. I’m a transplant from Ohio but knew it would be such a treat for my family and friends to visit South Carolina; I was thrilled they would get a chance to taste and see the city during our wedding weekend. We chose Hibernian Hall, where Victor’s grandparents had first met some 60 plus years ago, and the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist, where they were later married, as our venues. They are beautiful locations themselves but it made it all the more special that they had personal meaning to Victor’s family.
We had a 16 month engagement and would never change that. It really allowed us the opportunity to enjoy the moment and celebrate with our family and friends. It also took some of the pressure off planning as we didn’t feel rushed into making decisions. Charleston has a plethora of talented vendors, and we wanted to make sure we assembled a group of people who would personally guide us through the process and bring their own special touch to our wedding. I truly believe we had the best in town! I enlisted Gathering to help design and coordinate the wedding. They had me build a ‘style file’ which lead to many hours poring over blogs (SMP of course!) and magazines. This exercise really helped narrow down a vision and started creating a cohesive event. One of my favorite parts of planning was the invitations and Ami at Mac & Murphy was awesome to work with. She listened to exactly what I was looking for, added her own creative touches, and they turned out elegant with touches of whimsy. Of course Victor’s favorite was anything that had to do with food tasting! Elaine at Lowcountry Eats was with us every step of the way as we assembled our tasty menu.
The day had finally come and even though it started with some April showers, it was our day! We had been given the advice to make sure we stop throughout the day and just take in the moment. One of my favorites was the Citadel Cadets sword arch. This was moved inside due to the rain, but it was such a unique surprise to have them marching down the aisle, something our guests didn’t anticipate. Another breathtaking moment was when Victor and I first saw the ballroom at Hibernian. It was absolutely stunning- literally everything I had envisioned and more, the ladies at Gathering had made it a reality! The band, The Mighty Kicks, rocked the house. The evening was spent with my best friend, now husband, dancing and celebrating the night away with all our family and friends- it was perfect!
Photographer: Hyer Images / Cinematography: Corey Schneider / Planning and Coordination: Gathering Floral + Event Design / Design, Florals, and Décor: Gathering Floral + Event Design / Ceremony: The Cathedral of St. John the Baptist / Reception: Hibernian Hall / Invitations: Mac & Murphy / Day of Printed Material: Studio R / Shoes: Jessica Simpson / Dress Designer: Amsale from White on Daniel Island / Bridesmaid Dress Designer: J.Crew / Grooms Fashion: Tom James / Caterer: Lowcountry Eats / Bar & Rentals: Snyder Event Rentals / Band: The Mighty Kicks / Cake: Jim Smeal / Trolley: Absolutely Charleston
Without hesitation we knew we wanted to get married in Charleston, where we had met and were engaged. Victor was born and raised in downtown Charleston and all of his family is local. I’m a transplant from Ohio but knew it would be such a treat for my family and friends to visit South Carolina; I was thrilled they would get a chance to taste and see the city during our wedding weekend. We chose Hibernian Hall, where Victor’s grandparents had first met some 60 plus years ago, and the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist, where they were later married, as our venues. They are beautiful locations themselves but it made it all the more special that they had personal meaning to Victor’s family.
We had a 16 month engagement and would never change that. It really allowed us the opportunity to enjoy the moment and celebrate with our family and friends. It also took some of the pressure off planning as we didn’t feel rushed into making decisions. Charleston has a plethora of talented vendors, and we wanted to make sure we assembled a group of people who would personally guide us through the process and bring their own special touch to our wedding. I truly believe we had the best in town! I enlisted Gathering to help design and coordinate the wedding. They had me build a ‘style file’ which lead to many hours poring over blogs (SMP of course!) and magazines. This exercise really helped narrow down a vision and started creating a cohesive event. One of my favorite parts of planning was the invitations and Ami at Mac & Murphy was awesome to work with. She listened to exactly what I was looking for, added her own creative touches, and they turned out elegant with touches of whimsy. Of course Victor’s favorite was anything that had to do with food tasting! Elaine at Lowcountry Eats was with us every step of the way as we assembled our tasty menu.
The day had finally come and even though it started with some April showers, it was our day! We had been given the advice to make sure we stop throughout the day and just take in the moment. One of my favorites was the Citadel Cadets sword arch. This was moved inside due to the rain, but it was such a unique surprise to have them marching down the aisle, something our guests didn’t anticipate. Another breathtaking moment was when Victor and I first saw the ballroom at Hibernian. It was absolutely stunning- literally everything I had envisioned and more, the ladies at Gathering had made it a reality! The band, The Mighty Kicks, rocked the house. The evening was spent with my best friend, now husband, dancing and celebrating the night away with all our family and friends- it was perfect!
Photographer: Hyer Images / Cinematography: Corey Schneider / Planning and Coordination: Gathering Floral + Event Design / Design, Florals, and Décor: Gathering Floral + Event Design / Ceremony: The Cathedral of St. John the Baptist / Reception: Hibernian Hall / Invitations: Mac & Murphy / Day of Printed Material: Studio R / Shoes: Jessica Simpson / Dress Designer: Amsale from White on Daniel Island / Bridesmaid Dress Designer: J.Crew / Grooms Fashion: Tom James / Caterer: Lowcountry Eats / Bar & Rentals: Snyder Event Rentals / Band: The Mighty Kicks / Cake: Jim Smeal / Trolley: Absolutely Charleston