Oftentimes, there’s that one, special wedding detail that steals the show. In the case of Heather and Brian’s Charleston nuptials, it was their adorable daughter Evie. Seriously you guys, Evie nailed it! We’re especially loving the way that Carolina Photosmith authentically captured the couple, their baby and all the beautiful, family-centric moments of their wedding day.
What made the wedding special and unique?
We were blessed to have friends and family travel from far and wide to celebrate with us. I truly think that the people made our wedding so special. It was spending time with loved ones and seeing all our guests enjoying time together that we will cherish.
Tell us about the gown and where/how you found it!
I had done some shopping for a gown right after we had gotten engaged, but before we had decided on a date and location. Nothing really spoke to me at that time. Fast forward many months…we had decided on a date and a venue! I knew that I wanted my gown to mesh with the timelessness of our location (The Rice Mill Building), but had no idea what that would actually look like. I traveled about an hour south of San Francisco to a boutique that I’d visited with a friend a couple years ago. With some friends in tow, I was lucky to find “the dress”. I loved the simplicity of the style, the beauty of the lace and the unique keyhole back.
What were some touches added to make it personal?
We really wanted to echo our love of travel so we had our guests sign a map of the US to show where they were visiting from. I’m from Charleston, and wanted to share my love for the amazing cuisine, so we had a really traditional meal and gifted bags of grits for our guests!
What was the most memorable part of the day?
I loved our “first look.” It gave us a chance to connect and have a moment before the festivities. It was a beautiful setting and was made more special when my Mom brought our daughter to share in the moment.
Tell us how you met and became engaged.
Brian and I met at a local watering hole. I had just moved to the neighborhood and didn’t know much about the place. He kindly pointed me to the ladies room. Yep…his first words to me were about a bathroom! My friend and I ended up talking to him for a while that night and he invited us to a holiday party he was hosting the following night. Though I couldn’t make it to the party, we quickly made plans to meet up! The rest, as they say, is history.
Our engagement story is a little more romantic! We love to hike and frequently went out exploring the area around our home in San Francisco. One day we hiked up to an overlook that had breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean. The sun was just starting to come down…my favorite time of day! We were sitting and reflecting on the day and Brian hopped up and said that he wanted to take a picture. Out comes the camera – which was strange – he was carrying a camera!? And then a tripod! A tripod? And then he started testing the light and moved me around to and fro. He got the camera set up just right…and walked over to me, got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. All the while recording the event! It was a lovely surprise, a lovely setting and a lovely start to our engagement. And we can watch the whole scene unfolding in the video, which is pretty great!
Vendors: Photography: Carolina Photosmith // Gown: Augusta Jones from Haute Bride in Los Gatos, CA // Shoes: Badgley Mischka // Bridesmaid dresses: J. Crew // Tuxes: Kenneth Cole // Hair and makeup: Paper Dolls // Bouquets and ceremony florals: Charleston Flower Market // Tabletop floral arrangements: MOD Events // Event coordination: MOD Events // Catering: Good Food // Cakes: Sugar Bake Shop (and Coca Cola cake by Jestine’s) // Ceremony musician: Grayson Little // DJ: Nick Zareski, Lowcountry Entertainment