Laurie and Graeme | Charles Towne Landing Elopement



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 that still exists. For those tunneling, may Laurie and Graeme’s very recent Charleston elopement, along with precious little Bennett, be a ray of sunshine. 

Laurie and Graeme met at Saltwater Cowboys on Shem Creek. Everything felt comfortable right from the beginning. In no time, even, Laurie’s toddler son, Bennett, and Graeme became buds. “That really helped us realize how much we loved each other and that our little family was meant to be,” Laurie shares. As for the proposal? “Graeme helped Bennett learn to say, ‘Will you marry Ray Ray?’ (what Bennett calls Graeme), and then had Bennett hold the ring while Graeme was on one knee.”

After Bennett yielded the ring—not as easy as you might imagine—the John’s Island, South Carolina, couple organized a trip to Washington State followed by a ceremony in Oregon with friends. Then, as the coronavirus outbreak took flight in Seattle, they scrapped the Washington element and aimed for Oregon alone. But on March 15, in the shadow of the spreading pandemic and three days pre-flight, they ditched Oregon, too. Still, that didn’t mean Laurie and Graeme wanted to give up on “I do.” Enter: a Charleston elopement that complied with the local social-distancing rules of the time.

Quickly, Laurie found local dream makers Allison Hanson Photography and Penny Reynolds from Charleston Elopements to help. The former suggested the stunning, open-air site Charles Towne Landing. And on March 20, with the bride carrying a bouquet from Tiger Lily Weddings, the couple shared vows they wrote for each other. As for Bennett, he kept handing his mom “treasures” (AKA leaves) during the ceremony. At some point, he wandered into the azalea hedge. Apparently, picking flowers is way more fun than a lot of love talk.

Their witnesses were dear friends, Sarah and Andrew. They brought along a surprise picnic basket with champagne and sparkling grape juice for Bennett. Then, M&M bribes led to the portraits with the toddler you see here. And from there? It was back home (and back to self-isolating) for the newly minted family of three. Well, that is, after grabbing reception fare-to-go via takeout from Charleston-favorite Wild Olive.

charles towne landing weddingelegant bridal bouquetcharleston outdoor elopementcoronavirus elopementelopementcoronavirus elopementcoronavirus elopementcharleston elopementcoronavirus elopementcharleston elopement celebrationcharleston elopementcharles towne landing wedding

(For our tips on planning your wedding during the coronavirus, see our recent blog post.)

The post Laurie and Graeme | Charles Towne Landing Elopement appeared first on The Wedding Row.

The Wedding Row

October 31 2019
Future brides, if you’re on the fence about doing a solo shoot, keep these tips in mind if you need some convincing. And hey, why not turn your confidence into images to remember? We talked with the...

October 30 2019
Snowmass, Colorado, residents Camille and Tom met at a small group dinner following her first day of work at a new company. They were just friends until 2015 before noticing how much they enjoyed...

October 29 2019
A random friendship on Facebook started up a “Words With Friends” match with a rare win by Anthony. The winner’s prize? Tommy owing Anthony a drink. After the initial meetup, weekly dates turned...

October 28 2019
Picture-perfect couple, Maddie and Jack, have been lovin’ on each other since high school and throughout their college life at Ohio State University, marking seven years this December. A planned...

October 25 2019
A Boone Hall Plantation wedding was always the dream for Mary and Cole, and after a surprise proposal under the avenue of oaks at said location, it all made sense. (Psst! We featured these guys’...

October 24 2019
A blind date gone right? Anna and Matt got lucky near the end of their senior year at a Penn State University Starbucks after a mutual college friend set the two up. Surprising both of them, as they’...

October 23 2019
Puppy lovers Camila and Adam met volunteering for a local animal rescue group. Here’s the kicker: the volunteer opportunity was for the animal rescue’s grand fundraiser event … a calendar showcasing...

October 22 2019
Longtime Columbia, South Carolina, sweethearts were cozying up together at the start of the New Year on the porch when, to Kiaya’s surprise, Aaron got down on one knee with a stunning custom, hidden...