Annie Stoppelbein relocated from Charleston to Nashville on a whim, and ended up just down the road from Garrett Vangilder. Turns out, it was one of the best moves she’s ever made. “Our relationship blossomed due to the close proximity,” says Annie. “Our friends became friends and everything felt right.” Two years later, Garrett proposed, and the couple, who by then had moved back to the Holy City, aimed nearby for their fantasy wedding location—the Gibbes Museum of Art. With her favorite color, red, on the mind and a winter wedding on the books, the bride handed the rest over to Gregory Blake Sams Events. “We trusted them,” says Annie simply. Days before their nuptials, however, tragedy hit when the bride’s father unexpectedly passed away. “I knew he would have wanted me to go through with the wedding,” says Annie. “It ended up being a blessing that everyone in my life that I love was in the same spot in this moment of extreme grief and also extreme joy.”
Top Tips From This Wedding
• Eat like you do. Being a vegan herself, Annie wanted guests to enjoy a luxe plant-based menu. “We actually saved a good bit by not offering animal products at our wedding,” she says.
• Don’t shy from a patriotic palette. Red, white, and blue in the right designer’s hands can be sophisticated and impart nary a hint of Fourth of July. Mix bold (single-hue arrangements) and subtle touches (red-edged menus and watercolored napkins), and toss in neutrals (like these tablecloths, rattan light fixtures, and sleek chairs).
• Keep family close. The bride danced to her dearly departed father’s favorite band, The Beatles, while in her brother’s arms.
Written By Melissa Reardon
Photographs By Lucy Cuneo
A transplant from Virginia, Weston “Wes” McAfee vividly remembers the first time he saw his future bride-to-be. Charleston native Dana Elaine...
An Elegant Affair Proves New Year’s Eve Might Just Be The Perfect Time To Start A New Life Together
By Joanne O’Sullivan | Images by Brandon Lata Photography
Few people anywhere in the...
A Match Made in Heaven
Classic white blooms, greenery, and wooden elements set off this stunning Charleston wedding under the oaks
When it comes to love and marriage, couples who pair well...
A Charleston Winter Wedding Embraces the Season with Sophistication and Glamour
Just a few hours before sunset in mid-winter, Charleston takes on a certain golden glow, unparalleled at any other...
Take Cues from this Intimate Dreamy Blue “I Do”
Amy Bronston and Trevor Pittman’s love story reads like a romantic movie. It was during the 2019 holiday season in Washington DC, where...
This Halloween matrimony perfectly plays up the holiday—with a dash of fun and plenty of class in a scenic coastal Charleston setting
By Joanne O’Sullivan | Images by Anne Rhett Photography...
By Melissa Reardon | Images by Kelsey Halm Photo
Expert Advice for a Beautiful Fall Bouquet
With seasonal change comes an exciting rich color palette and tons of texture with which to design....
Teamwork Makes the Dream Work
Photos by Dana Cubbage Weddings | Written by Melissa Reardon
They say the greatest marriages are built on teamwork. And indeed, it’s one of the marital building blocks...