A Coastal Camp Inspired Wedding Weekend on South Carolina’s Kiawah Island

Ruthie & Paul wanted to pay homage to both their love for the outdoors and their coastal backgrounds through their Kiawah Island wedding in the spring of 2023. The venue, Mingo Point, reminded the two of a summer camp set on the marsh – a perfect culmination of their favorite locations. With organically-structured pastel florals, whimsical blue pattern play, and natural wood elements throughout, Ruthie and Paul's wedding embodied a coastal camp feeling of warmth and excitement that hearkens back to their family, friends, and relationship.

Ruthie and Paul met in the summer of 2015 while working as camp counselors at Camp High Rocks in Brevard, North Carolina. With Ruthie giving horseback riding lessons at the camp barn and Paul teaching the campers white water paddling skills, the two initially bonded over a mutual love for the outdoors and the excitement of an entire summer spent in the mountains. By the end of their time at camp together, Ruthie & Paul built a relationship that would thrive over the next six years. When it came time for Paul to propose to Ruthie, he decided to bring Ruthie back to the North Carolina mountains where it all began. He pulled out the trail maps, camping gear, and favorite snacks, and planned a perfect sunrise proposal overlooking the Blue Ridge – he even included their black Labrador, Derby!

Ruthie’s priority when choosing her wedding gown was to find a timeless, comfortable dress that "looked like her usual self" - per the request of her groom, Paul. In order to stay true to her natural style while honoring family tradition, Ruthie made her dress appointment at Anne Barge Atelier in Atlanta, the same designer who created Paul's mother's wedding gown. Ruthie fell in love with the soft but classic look of the Naomi by Anne Barge. Ruthie customized the gown to create a chic, square neckline with a V-shaped plunge on the back. "Paul loves the freckles on my back so I really wanted to show them off!" Ruthie then focused on finding bridal elements from both her family and Paul's family to add a traditional touch to the gown. Ruthie collected a piece of fabric from her mother's wedding dress, lace from Paul's mother's wedding veil, seed pearls from her grandmother's wedding tiara, and finally a ribbon from her great-grandmother and namesake's wedding skirt to create a heart on the inside of her wedding dress by her left ankle. "The addition of the traditional heart inside my dress was the perfect way for me to privately acknowledge the love we have for our families, without minimizing the integrity of my own wedding gown style. I loved knowing that these pieces of our history walked down the aisle with me.”

Ruthie’s bridesmaid’s wore stunning silk Amsale dresses in the color “Petrol” that blended perfectly with the coastal hues of Kiawah’s marsh backdrop. The deep blue-green shade of the dresses was the perfect compliment to the organic florals and marsh-side ceremony setting.

Ruthie and Paul aimed to highlight a combination of both classic southern staples and personal favorites when selecting the menus for their rehearsal and wedding day. With shrimp and grits, pimento cheese and a blue crab dip from the south, plus patatas bravas, seared tuna, and beef tenderloin from their personal list of favorites, guests indulged in a lowcountry foodie paradise as they celebrated their favorite couple! Beyond their delicious dinner menu, Ruthie and Paul selected a signature cocktail that was the perfect nod to their love for Charleston. Co-Op’s Strawberry Frosé is a crowd favorite among Charleston locals and the perfect way to cool off for a spring and summer soiree! For late night snacks, Ruthie and Paul selected the cutest mini hot dogs with their initials branded into the bun! These perfectly hand-held bites were one of Ruthie and Paul’s favorite campfire dinners, and guests had so much fun snapping photos and enjoying such a personal late night treat!

Ceremony Space: Throughout their time at Kiawah Island, Ruthie and Paul frequently visited Mingo Point to watch the sunset over the marsh. The two loved the natural beauty of the location and knew they wanted to be married in a place that was sentimental to their relationship over the years! In order to keep the original aesthetic of the landscape while highlighting the stunning marsh-front view, Ruthie and Paul selected natural bamboo wood ceremony chairs and worked with Festoon, a local Charleston florist, to design organically-styled floral arrangements in an array of spring pastels. The ceremony florals looked like they were sprouting from the dock behind Ruthie and Paul and added a polished look to a naturally beautiful location! Reception Space: To maintain the coastal color scheme for the reception, the couple worked closely with Sarah Lillie Designs to incorporate whimsical blues, greens, and natural browns into their table scapes. Through tortoiseshell flatware, pattern play with the linens, colorful pastel florals, and beautiful blue, white and printed draping, Sarah Lillie Designs turned the blank canvas at Mingo Point into a playful yet elegant space for guests to enjoy dinner and dancing. As an added coastal touch to the place settings at the Head Table, Ruthie personally hand-painted their guests’ names onto oysters!

Ruthie and Paul selected a hummingbird cake with cream cheese frosting from Ashley Brown Cake Design for their wedding cake. A personal favorite for Paul, the lightly-spiced hummingbird cake felt like the perfect compliment to finish out the evening of sentimental Southern bites. The outside of the cake continued with the couple’s floral theme, complete with edible pressed pastel flowers that added a fun flair to the cake’s creamy white cheesecake icing. Along with the cake, Ruthie and Paul also drank champagne from her family’s chalice. “It’s a tradition that’s been in my family for almost a century! Every time a member of our family gets married, the chalice is brought to the wedding and the newlywed couple sips from it. We think of it as a sign of family tradition and good luck for the couple’s future!”

One of the readings from their wedding ceremony is very sentimental to Ruthie - A Prayer of Thanksgiving for the Walk We Have Been Given by Becca Stevens. Becca Stevens is an Episcopalian Priest in Nashville who started Thistle Farms, a non-profit organization for women survivors of trafficking, prostitution, and addiction. Ruthie's very first job after graduating college was at Thistle Farms, and she continues to support their mission to this day. The hand soap, hand lotion, and bug spray that were available for wedding guests to use were all created by hand by the women at Thistle Farms. These products sold at Thistle Farms go to support the women who are in their program.

When your rehearsal dinner takes place on Cinco de Mayo, you’ve got to go all out - and Ruthie and Paul’s fabulous night before celebration was an absolute dream! From the incredible invitation suite to spicy margaritas to Ruthie’s amazing dress selection, this sweet night before had it all! With invitations by Tiny Shindigs, their vibrant rehearsal dinner suite stood perfectly on it’s own while still blending with the rest of their wedding paper throughout the weekend. Festoon’s creative and vibrant floral design perfectly accented the entire evening. Bold and bright oranges, lime greens and reds were the focal point of the night and were tied into each stunning design element.

The first Saturday in May is well-known for hosting the Kentucky Derby, and with Ruthie’s paternal family members all hailing from Louisville, Kentucky, a nod to Derby Day was a must! Ruthie also grew up riding horses competitively, and wanted to add a special touch for her own love for all things equestrian. Enter, Kate the black burro! Decked out in Paul and Ruthie’s signature pastel florals while carrying champagne for the wedding guests, Kate offered the perfect photo opportunity while adding a sweet personal touch to Ruthie and her family’s equestrian background.

Family and friends of Ruthie and Paul love them for their ability to always bring the party - and Ruthie and Paul wanted to make sure they maximized the fun for the guests at their wedding! The couple opted for a Silent Disco as the final hour of their reception, complete with a DJ, disco ball drink stirrers and sunglasses, and LOTS of dancing! With DJ Lotis playing two different channels through the headphones, wedding guests found their favorite tunes and partied the night away with the newlyweds!