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

March 27 2020
As the COVID-19 pandemic spreads, the majority of us are anxious and overwhelmed. And when you’re engulfed in worry, you often dig further and further down that hole and forget to take in the beauty...

March 26 2020
Maybe you’ve been planning your dream wedding for months. Maybe you just got engaged and cannot wait to start booking vendors. Either way, you weren’t expecting a pandemic like the COVID-19...

March 19 2020
For anyone who doubts that chemistry trumps all, meet Ashlyn and Tommy. The two Charlestonians were struck super shy when they first bumped into one another at a party in 2013, but thanks to a little...

March 18 2020
Charlotte, North Carolina, residents Drew and Annie were introduced at a birthday party in a local brewery. He heard she was a physical therapist and asked her lots of questions about his “hurt”...

March 17 2020
Five years ago, Anna just happened to sit right behind Ian while both were in Savannah, Georgia, at pharmacy school. Soon after, he asked her to a wedding as his plus-one, and they had a grand old...

March 12 2020
When bridal boutique owner Christina was struggling to lug a new desk into her East Greenwich, Rhode Island, condo, her neighbor Daniel (Dan), on a business call, saw her plight … and kept on walking...

March 11 2020
Today we have two local lovebirds, Mallory and Brian, who were introduced through Bumble. Their first-date stops were Charleston favorites: Home Team Barbecue on Sullivan’s Island for ’cue and The...

March 10 2020
This one brings a whole new luxe-wedding vibe to “painting the town red!” Charleston native Annie moved to Nashville on a whim, where her new home just happened to be down the road from Music City...