A Tented Private Estate Wedding Inspired by the Ralph Lauren Store in NYC
My mom and I drew original inspiration from the Ralph Lauren store in NYC. When we visited in December 2021, it was decorated for the holidays and felt inviting and understated-ly elegant. The store was full of winter greenery, cozy neutral rugs and throws, antique accessories, and many natural elements (antlers, wood, leather). I was not involved much in the planning. (by choice!). My mom has great, timeless taste and an eye for design. I trusted her completely to make the important decisions with Blake and his team. The only request I had is that I really hoped it would “snow” at the end of the night!
We wanted to get married near my parents’ beach house, where I grew up spending summers with family and many dear friends. Over 20+ years I fell in love with the coast’s natural environment, vibrant wildlife, and rich history. Marshall and I are happiest when we are outside (especially on or near the water!), and we hoped our wedding weekend would allow our guests to experience a piece of this magical place! We got married in Prince George Winyah Parish Church in Georgetown. This was an easy pick! It is a beautiful and historic setting: It is one of the only church buildings in South Carolina that dates back to the colonial period. The church has “box pews” instead of rows, which were apparently common in the 1700s. Who knew? In an unexpected stroke of serendipity, the church hired a new rector in 2020 who happened to be my dad’s former college roommate (and a groomsman in my parents’ wedding)! We loved that the person who married us had a special connection to our family. The reception venue was a private residence nearby.
We got engaged in August 2021 at my family’s beach house in South Carolina. Marshall suggested we go for an early morning beach walk, and I was immediately suspicious since it was actively tropical storming and he is not a morning person! He asked me to marry him at the bottom of our boardwalk, I said “yes!,” and we walked for about 4 minutes before we had to turn around and go home because of all the wind and rain. We enjoyed the day just the two of us and had a celebratory dinner with both sets of our parents the following night.
The dress is a classic A-line cut with a sheer corsetted bodice and leaf embroidery and a full skirt. I loved how comfortable it was and how versatile my wedding-day look could be without changing out of my dress (I didn’t want to leave that party!). I wore a long-sleeved bolero for the ceremony, removed the bolero for the reception, and added a cropped white fur jacket for our snowy exit! My “something blue” was Mom’s sapphire and diamond ring. For my “something borrowed,” I wore my bridesmaid Ashley’s veil. This was special, as her wedding was when Marshall and I reconnected in 2019. Her veil was simple and elegant and worked perfectly with my dress!
Blake and his team designed the tent decor by incorporating outdoor earthy elements – lush seasonal greenery, oversized clay and metal urns filled with magnolia branches and paperwhites, and magnolia leaf garland. It was so nicely layered and warm and felt perfectly suited for a winter wedding.