I’m a true believer that a little dusting of rain makes any wedding day just that much better. A bit more dreamy, a bit more cozy and a bit more romantic. Not that these two St. Simons sweeties need any help in the romance department, because after literally growing up together (they met at the age of 10) and spending their teens and early 20’s as “just friends,” they realized that the “comfort” they had always felt with one another was more than that… it was true love, instead. And to celebrate their meant-to-be? Well, they enlisted the help of Darryl Wiseman Flowers, EastCoast Entertainment and LeeAnn Ritch Photography, a team sure to take any dreams and turn them into reality. See it all in the full gallery.
From the Bride… Nick and I met at the age of 10 when our families moved into the same neighborhood. Through middle school and high school we had the same group of friends, but it wasn’t until our best friends started dating each other that were we “forced” to be together more. Though we went to different colleges (I attended Ole Miss and he attended LSU), we remained friends and saw each other every summer when we would come home from school.
It wasn’t until after college, once I had moved to New York to start a career, did Nick and I started looking at each other as more than friends. It was a very natural progression, made slowly over time, as we were in different cities. There was something comforting and very natural about falling in love with an old friend. After three years in the Big Apple, I returned to Georgia, our hometown, to be back with my friends, family… and Nick. Our families blended immediately – made easier by the fact our parents were already friends within the community. It just fit.
On the day of our wedding, we had 14 of our best friends standing next to us – 12 of whom had attended school with us both since the age of 10. Needless to say, it was impossible to have a “bride” or “groom” side at the church, as many of our guests had known us both since grade school. It seems weird to say ‘I have already know my husband for 19 years,’ and still feel so young. Looking back, there was always a comfort I felt around Nick – even as a child, before I understood what it meant, I knew somehow that we would end up together.
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Wedding Photography: LeeAnn Ritch Photography | Second Shooter: Cole Whitworth | Venue: Village Inn and Pub, St. Simons Island, Georgia | Floral Design: Darryl Wiseman Flowers | Catering: Tasteful Temptations | Entertainment: EastCoast Entertainment – NSP (New South Players) | Tent: Ranco Tent Rentals | Wedding Dress: Tara Keely | Veil: Vera Wang (Bride’s “Something Borrowed”) | Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Jim Hjelm | Chalkboards + Stationery Suite: Mother of the Bride