When an All Star Team of Vendors Create Wedding Magic at Sea Island Cloister

The Planning
Design / Vibe / Vision
My family had grown up visiting Sea Island every year since before I can remember. When I was about 11 or 12, I saw a wedding while on vacation, and announced to my mom I wanted to get married there, too! Aside from Vail, Sea Island holds the most incredible childhood memories for me, and Wilson and I had gone on vacation there a few times since we started dating. Coincidentally, Wilson had played many golf tournaments there as a child, and it was at a golf tournament in Sea Island that he was first recruited by the Stanford coach to play golf in college. So when we decided on having a destination wedding, it was the perfect personal choice that held great memories for both of us. We love that now whenever we go back, we have the new memories of our incredible wedding weekend there. Also, our photographer Liz Banfield took us to the most amazing settings all around the resort property. I love that so many of our photos showcase the beautiful architecture and nature of Sea Island! We wanted the aesthetic of the wedding to reflect the landscape and personality of Sea Island, as well as our own, so it was lots of bright color and cheeriness! Although we knew we wanted it to be a formal black-tie event, we still wanted it to be upbeat, bright, and not all too serious to reflect our personalities. We really started thinking about the aesthetic when working on our invitation design and watercolor, created by Ceci New York. Our save the date featured a watercolor of Spanish moss, the beach, and sea turtles, which are all emblematic of Sea Island! For the invitation watercolor florals, I knew I wanted bright colors including peaches and blues, which remind me of Sea Island, and florals that reflect the south. Ceci captured it perfectly, and that helped inform the rest of the event design. From there, our wedding planner Marcy and our design team Todd Events came up with the most amazing ideas on how to reflect our aesthetic and vision in every detail!
Proposal Story
On my 25th birthday, Wilson surprised me with a trip to Vail, Colorado, where my family has a house and which is one of our favorite places to visit together! When we arrived in Vail that afternoon, Wilson quickly brought us to the gondola for a “birthday hike.” I had an idea something special might be happening when he politely suggested I change out of workout clothes into something “a bit nicer.” When we got to the top of the mountain, we went on a short hike until he pointed out a famous mountain range across the way, and then got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. There was a photographer hiding on the other side of the path, and we celebrated with a mini engagement photo shoot so we are so lucky to have photo evidence of the memory forever! It was the perfect day in the most special place, and we love that we can revisit the exact spot where he proposed whenever we’re back in Vail!
The Fashion
Wedding Gown
When I went wedding dress shopping, I thought I wanted an embellished, strapless dress. When we got to Oscar de la Renta, my wedding planner suggested trying something that was a completely different shape from what I had in mind. Although I was reluctant at first, I knew it was perfect right when I tried it on! I loved the hand-painted detail and beading, but I also felt so comfortable in it! I tried on more dresses, but always came back to that one, and every time I put it on I just knew it was perfect. One month before the wedding, my parents took me to a special dinner and surprised me with a pair of earrings they designed as a gift for my wedding day. They featured my birthstone, Sapphire, to be my something blue, and diamond drops. I couldn’t have thought up something more perfect, and I loved that my parents had created them especially for my day, which made it so special to wear. I also borrowed my mom’s diamond tennis bracelet, which was so elegant.
Bridesmaid Dresses
Bridesmaids wore pale blue Amsale dresses that matched perfectly with the light blue ceremony flowers.
Groomsman Attire
Groomsmen wore their own tuxedos, but Wilson gifted them all matching light blue cufflinks that matched the bridesmaids and black bow ties. Wilson knew he wanted to wear a navy tuxedo, and we found the perfect one at Lanvin! He loved that it was a traditional peak lapel, but more modern in that it didn’t have tuxedo stripes on the leg.
The Details
Food & Drink
Our reception started with the most incredible cocktail hour on a platform right by the ocean. It was beautiful weather so guests had the chance to experience the beauty of Sea Island with delicious drinks and passed hor d'oeuvres. My mother named our signature drinks, "She's My Peach" and "He's My Rock." We wanted our wedding reception to be super fun and with a focus on great food, wine, and dancing! We served three courses: watermelon and feta salad, bucatini aglio olio, and a duet of sea bass and ribeye. My dad is a wine collector so took special care working with the sommelier to choose special wines that paired perfectly with our dinner.
Florals & Decor
Our ceremony decor, created by Todd Ficus, was a beautiful sea of blue with flowers everywhere! We chose to have the ceremony in the lobby of the hotel, but Todd and Marcy designed a stunning cathedral-like environment that made me feel like we were getting married in a church, which is something I had always imagined when growing up.
Wedding Cake
Our cake design was created by the talented Vanilla and the Bean from Savannah and was so beautiful, but also delicious. It worked so perfectly with the floral wall Todd created. It was our guests’ favorite photo backdrop.
Readings, Ceremony Music, Reception Songs
We also chose two bible readings read by our close college friends and modern rather than classical music. We wanted the ceremony to be a reflection of us, while still being traditional and religious. Processional song -- God Only Knows by The Beach Boys Recessional song -- Signed, Sealed, Delivered by Stevie Wonder First Dance -- Love on Top by Beyonce
Special Detail #1
Our ceremony decor, created by Todd Ficus, was a beautiful sea of blue with flowers everywhere! We chose to have the ceremony in the lobby of the hotel, but Todd and Marcy designed a stunning cathedral-like environment that made me feel like we were getting married in a church, which is something I had always imagined when growing up.
Special Detail #2
One of the most special parts of our ceremony was that Wilson’s grandfather, a retired Presbyterian minister, officiated our wedding.
Special Detail #3
After the reception, we moved into our afterparty right next door. The week after Wilson and I met, we went with a group of friends to Coachella, so we always joke that it was like our first date. Todd and Marcy designed an incredible Coachella themed afterparty -- Seachella -- with one of our favorite DJs, Matoma! My bridesmaids surprised me with matching tie dye Seachella afterparty shirts, and a Mrs. Bowen denim jacket for me! I changed into a fun sparkly Oscar de la Renta skirt and Converses. Our guests LOVED the photo booth that featured a massive ball pit! It was truly an epic after party, that captured the exact vibe of happiness, love, and fun we were hoping for.
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Wedding Dress: Oscar De La Renta | Wedding Cake: Vanilla and the Bean | Ceremony Venue,Reception Venue,Welcome Party: Sea Island Cloister | Bridesmaid's Dresses: Amsale | Band: Party On The Moon | Groom's Attire: Lanvin | Rehearsal Dinner Dress: Carolina Herrera | Invitation, Watercolor, and Paper Goods: Ceci New York | Welcome Party Dress: Dior | Planning: Marcy Blum | Wedding Gown Shop: Mark Ingram Atelier | After Party DJ: Matoma | Video: Storybox Cinema | Event Design & Floral: Todd Events | Bridal Styling: the stylish bride