A Shore Thing



A Shore Thing | A pair of jet-setters invites guests to a Southern isle for a weekend filled to the brim with wedding celebrations.

Diana Kassen & Ezra Mehlman 

September 1, 2013

The Sanctuary Hotel at Kiawah Island

Diana Kassen and Ezra Mehlman met at a Washington, D.C. consulting firm, where fate sat them at adjacent desks. “I started a few months before Ezra, so when he joined the team, I showed him the ropes,” laughs Diana. The two began dating, and over a six-year courtship they trotted the globe together, getting passport stamps for everywhere from Buenos Aires to Istanbul.  Then, to celebrate their respective graduations from business school in May 2012, the pair jetted to Park City, Utah, to celebrate. There, Ezra asked Diana to go on a hike with him, and along the way she stopped to take a snapshot of the picturesque mountains. When she turned around, Ezra was down on one knee. “Of course, I said, ‘Yes!’” Diana says.

 

They found themselves in South Carolina for their wedding thanks to a favorite haunt. “We’ve been visiting Kiawah every summer and winter since we started dating,” says Diana. “It’s a special place to us. We wanted our friends and families to experience its magic, too.”

 

To max out that magic, the two, who now live in New York, entrusted Tara Guérard Soirée to organize a Labor Day weekend brimming with festivities. Saturday night, guests gathered for a rehearsal fête with live bluegrass and s’mores. The next evening, on The Sanctuary Hotel’s Grand Lawn, Diana and Ezra said sunset “I dos.” After a cocktail hour, everyone flocked to the dance floor for the hora and partied until the wee hours. The following morning, the newlyweds hosted a farewell brunch. 

 

As lavish as the good times were, the company was even better, says Diana. “The very best part of the weekend was having so many people we love in one place.” 

 

Vendor List

Baker: Wedding Cakes by Jim Smeal, www.weddingcakesbyjimsmeal.com

Bridal Attire: Monique Lhuillier, www.moniquelhuillier.com

Caterer: The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island, www.kiawahresort.com/accommodations/the-sanctuary-hotel

Day-of coordinator: Cacky’s Bride + Aid, www.cackysbrideaid.com

Groom’s Attire: Suitsupply, www.suitsupply.com

Musicians: U.S. Beat, www.usbeat.com

Photographer: Corbin Gurkin Photography, www.corbingurkin.com

Wedding design, florist, & linens: Tara Guérard Soirée, www.taraguerardsoiree.com

Stationery: The Lettered Olive, www.theletteredolive.com

Videographer: Virgil Bunao, www.virgilbunao.com

Venue: The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island, www.kiawahresort.com/accommodations/the-sanctuary-hotel

The Wedding Row

February 20 2019
The Wedding Row: Tell us about how you met. Rachel: It was in Nashville, and Shaun was there on weekend trip for a University of Georgia-Vandy football game. I was there on a whim, on an impromptu...

February 19 2019
Ryan and Paxton chose Charleston for their engagement photos because the city holds a special place in the heart—if he hadn’t been a Citadel cadet, the two may never have met. Here’s how they came to...

February 18 2019
Allison and Josh met at a two-stepping bar, so we would expect nothing less than a seriously Southern wedding from the two, and as you can tell from the photos, they did not disappoint. After Josh...

February 15 2019
North Carolina natives Taylor and Bennett met when the two were sophomores at N.C. State. Five years after they had become an item, they were in Manhattan where, says Bennett, “The ring was burning a...

February 14 2019
After going to the same high school in Spring Lake, New Jersey, Carly and Chris’s paths finally intersected long after graduation at a mutual friend’s house. “Late nights drinking and playing games...

February 13 2019
Trust us when we say that you won’t find a more low-key pair than these two. Nashville, Tennessee couple Emily and Daniel wanted an intimate, family-only wedding for their Big Day, and they chose to...

February 12 2019
OK, prepare yourselves—this is a sweet one. It began when Stephanie was working at the front desk of a chiropractor’s office in the Philadelphia area, one that Bryan’s father frequented. Bryan’s dad...

February 11 2019
You really can’t beat Charleston’s sunset views over the water, and Katie and Zane’s nuptials at Harborside East took full advantage of just that with the gorgeous harbor as their backdrop. The...