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 8 2019
One of the things about being wedding-obsessed is that we’ve seen (more than) our share of Big Days thrown here in Charleston. So for us to pass on a post to you, it’s got to be an event that was...

February 7 2019
Emily and Alex’s Big Day may look effortlessly picture-perfect (thanks to the expert styling skills of Blythe Hill at Hill & Co. Creative), but according to Emily, there was a moment before the...

February 6 2019
Beer, pizza, and donuts each play a pivotal role in Brent and Lauren’s romance, which hit a majorly high note last fall when they wed at Magnolia Plantation and Gardens. But before we get to the big...

February 5 2019
If, after looking at these photos, you find yourself scrolling down to the vendor credits to see which planner was at the helm of this traditional-meets-artsy fête at The Cedar Room, you won’t find...

February 4 2019
There’s a lot you can tell about a wedding from photos—the color palette, what kind of dress the bride wore, how amazing the cake was—but we’ve learned that the best wedding info often comes straight...

February 1 2019
Watch out, Lowcountry, there’s a new wedding venue down the road. Previously a private home, Coosaw Plantation sits just outside Beaufort, making it a short (and scenic) drive from Charleston. And as...

January 31 2019
There are so many cool details about this couple and their sleek black-tie wedding by Bouquets and Bowties that we hardly know where to start. How about let’s back up for a sec and start with the...

January 30 2019
We got a live one, y’all! You know when we get a great first-person(s?) story from a couple that we like to let them tell their tale. Well, meet Kingslea and Preston. Get ready to take notes because...