Katie & Mike | The Sanctuary on Kiawah Island



Katie and Mike met through work (she was the chief of staff for the Republican National Congress and he was her predecessor), so it made sense that his proposal was touched by politics as well, albeit across the pond. As she explained to St. Louis magazine, Mike is half-British and one of their first photographs snapped together was in front of 10 Downing Street (headquarters of the Prime Minister). After they’d been dating for some time, he invited her to a New Year’s Eve party at 10 Downing; the party was a ruse, the address and his proposal there wasn’t. Because Katie always dreamed of a beach wedding, they headed to Kiawah Island for the festivities. Why Charleston for this well-traveled pair? “I was shocked by how many hotels up and down the East Coast didn’t have great venue space that incorporated the beach and ocean,” says Katie. “After visiting what felt like dozens of venues one of my very best friends (the gentleman who walked me down the aisle) recommended I visit The Sanctuary. It was exactly what I had envisioned.” Add direct flights from Washington D.C., the Lowcountry food she and Mike love, and everything came together. On the day itself, Katie’s vision—“To have all of the people we love in one spot, with the beach and ocean in the background, for a special getaway weekend where we celebrated not only our love for each other but all of our friends and family who had helped us get to that point in our lives…”—played out in stunning fashion. Curious? Let the photos from Perry Vaile introduce you to the elegant day styled by Ooh! Events.  

Floral: Out Of The Garden | Images: Perry Vaile Photography | Videography: By Design Films | Venue: The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island | Catering, Cake + Drinks: The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island | | Ceremony Music: Charleston Virtuosi Quartet | Reception Music: Atlanta Groove Factory | After Party Music: DJ Illumination | Dishware Rentals: Polished | Officiant: Doug Farmer | Hair + Makeup: Paper Dolls

The Wedding Row

May 9 2019
Morning, lovelies! Boy, do we have one for you today. But before we get into all the goodness, let’s get acquainted with the stars of the show … A meet-cute at a mutual friend’s birthday...

May 8 2019
Some brides just have such a knack for talking about their Big Day that we have to let you hear their own words on the matter. So it is with Angelia, who wed her now-husband Bobby at Old Wide Awake...

May 7 2019
We’ve heard our fair share of wedding day blooper stories here at The Wedding Row, but this may be the first time we’ve heard of the bride’s wedding band falling through the cracks of a rooftop deck...

May 7 2019
Amanda got an early gift the year Zach walked into her pre-birthday celebration with a couple of their mutual friends. The two Wilmington, North Carolina, dwellers hit it off immediately, and nearly...

May 3 2019
Spring is in full swing here in the Lowcountry—in fact, it feels more like summer outside—so we’re celebrating this first Friday in May by sharing an appropriately colorful shoot. Event planning...

May 2 2019
It’s not often that we get to talk about farm life here at The Wedding Row, so we’re especially excited to share the story behind today’s engagement shoot. Emma and Blake, who live in Nebraska but...

May 1 2019
When Mike swiped right on Ryan on OkCupid, he inadvertently created their future wedding hashtag: #MikeSwipedRy. And thank goodness these two found each other, because their wedding just goes to show...

April 30 2019
Good morning, Wedding Row-ers! Pour yourself a big cup of coffee (or is it Tea-day Tuesday?) and get ready to dive into one seriously gorgeous post, if we do say so ourselves. Cayleigh Hopkins of The...