A Laid-Back Kind of Love



A Laid-Back Kind of Love | <p>At one of the toniest plantations in the country, this groom says "I do" barefoot while the bride's (haute) gown sports sequined fern fronds</p>

Ryan Coverdale & Suzanne Kerns
May 16, 2015
Middleton Place


Ten years after Suzanne Kerns met Ryan Coverdale, they re-connected at a wedding and he soon followed her to Charleston, where she began a fellowship at the Medical University of South Carolina. “With each bike ride, sunrise run, surf session, and night out,”  says Suzanne, “our love for the city—and for each other­—grew.” A year later, on a lark, she tried on the bridesmaid dress that kindled their romance and turned around to find Ryan waiting with ring in hand. After that, the two batted around ideas and settled on a wedding motif. “Ferns symbolize new life,” says Suzanne, noting they are abundant where the couple has lived: New Zealand, Charleston, and now Seattle. Add that the bride found a fern-covered gown and teamed with Party.Love.Birds and Tiger Lily Weddings, and everything aligned. Months later, their Big Day at Middleton Place was as lush as the landscape and as rollicking as the couple themselves. 

TOP TIPS

Take It from the Kernses ...
• Reduce your ecological footprint. Middleton Place sources its produce locally or from organic farms, which was important for Suzanne and Ryan.
• Some venues charge a clean-up fee for flower girl petals, so try ribbon wands for a less expensive, less complicated alternative.  
• A traditional cake, garter toss, and even shoes for the groom weren’t important to the couple. Stay true to yourself, like they did with a dessert bar, heart-shaped piñata (filled with tiny liquor bottles and temporary tattoos), and bare feet (for him).
• Stick with a theme. Bridesmaids each carried a bundle of a different kind of white flower.
 

Event design, décor, signage, flower girl ribbon wand: Party.Love.Birds, www.PartyLoveBirds.com

Photography: Sean Money + Elizabeth Fay, www.SeanMoney-ElizabethFay.com

Venue, bar service, catering, cake: Middleton Place, www.MiddletonPlace.org

Florals: Tiger Lily Weddings, www.TigerLilyWeddings.com

Linens, rentals: Ooh! Events, www.TheArtOfCreating.com/OohEvents

Bride’s attire: Luly Yang (gown), www.LulyYang.com

Beauty: Gibson Hair + Makeup, www.CharlestonHairAndMakeup.com

Groom’s attire: groom’s own (suit), The Tie Bar, www.TheTieBar.com (tie)

Lighting: Technical Event Company, www.TechnicalEventCompany.com

Procession and cocktail music: Ann Caldwell and the Magnolia Singers, www.AnnCaldwell.com

Reception music: Electric Western Records, www.ElectricWesternRecords.com

Sound equipment: OtherBrother Entertainment, www.OtherBrotherEnt.com

The Wedding Row

February 24 2020
Molly and Chris’s colleagues at J.P. Morgan in New York had a feeling the two were perfect for each other and tried for months to set them up. When they finally met up at an event? Cue: magic. Over...

February 24 2020
After Long Islanders Tom and Danielle met in chorus class during their freshman year of high school, it took him a full year to build up enough courage to ask her to be his girlfriend. Her response...

February 24 2020
On the first day of college at the University of Georgia, a complete stranger tried to convince Sarah to drop freshman English; he’d heard the professor was terrible. Turns out the professor was,...

February 14 2020
To all the single ladies (and gents): Valentine’s Day isn’t only for those already in love. As Alex and Pete’s story proves, it may be the perfect day for a meet-cute. Pennsylvania-born Pete was in...

February 12 2020
Four days before Allison and Brendan’s dream Charleston wedding, Hurricane Florence was making its way toward the Lowcountry and the city was under evacuation orders. The Dallas-based couple pulled...

February 11 2020
Courtney wasn’t looking to settle down, but when friends convinced her to take Kristen on a date, something felt different. Before long, they found themselves in a long-distance relationship—Courtney...

February 7 2020
Bumble may be responsible for introducing this couple, but it was a magical first date filled with sushi, hours of conversation, karaoke, and endless laughter that truly brought together Michelle and...

February 6 2020
Maggie and Mike’s story puts a whole new spin on bro-mance. It all started in Chicago when her boss, who was dating a fellow named Eric, wanted to set Maggie up with her boyfriend’s younger brother....