Big Day Brunch

Spring 2014

WRITER CREDIT:

PHOTOGRAPHER CREDIT:

Big Day Brunch | An Anglophile bride and her dapper groom entertain guests in a garden wedding with a Southern accent and English style

CLASSIC BEAUTY: Liz wore the Scarlett Dress by Monique Lhuillier, found at Maddison Row.

HANDLE WITH CARE: The bride carried an English-inspired bouquet of white, pale yellow, and candy-floss pink freesia, with garden roses, hyacinth, lisianthus, peonies, ranunculus, scabiosa, and scented geranium.

NEW-FOUND HEIRLOOM: Liz’s great-grandmother embroidered a handkerchief for Liz’s mom with a special message from the bride.

Gayle Brooker Photography

SOMETHING BLUE: The bride’s father had given her a pair of blue sapphire earrings for her birthday, which she wore along with her blue sapphire engagement ring custom made by Matthew and Laurie Sarah Designs (found on Etsy).

FASCINATING: Liz didn’t want to cover up the keyhole back of her gown, so she opted for a fascinator—made by Meyriel Jill Millinery—in place of a traditional veil.

EASTER PARADE: Liz wore Monique Lhuillier from Maddison Row, while her bridesmaids slipped into dresses from LulaKate’s matte silk collection. “We went with short dresses,” says Liz, “for comfort because of the time of year and because it made everything feel fun and a little less formal.”

Gayle Brooker Photography

PERFECT COMPLEMENT: Lindsey Nowak, bridal fashion stylist for Kristin Newman Designs, ordered custom-made clutches for the bridesmaids.

HATS OFF: Liz’s niece, Cate, happily donned a crown for her duties as flower girl.

GREEN GREETINGS: In an unusual twist for the stalwart Charleston wedding location, Gathering Events placed enormous, springy arrangements outside the William Aiken gates, a treat for all Sunday passersby.

SMALL TOUCH: The William Aiken House and its grounds don’t need much decoration, so Gathering Events added simple yellow vines to the arbor for the ceremony.

DOWN THE GARDEN PATH: Save-the-date cards from Sideshow Press featured pressed flowers, so the stationery suite included a floral theme, too.

HOME STYLE: Vintage appointments on the sign-in table gave the setting a homey aura.

FAMILY AFFAIR: Liz’s parents—both South Carolina natives—attended vendor meetings with the bride, helping her plan a dream Bid Day.

REMEMBER THE MOMENTS: “I read somewhere to consciously take mental snap shots throughout the wedding day, and I made sure to do so. I think this helped me remember a lot of little details that make your wedding day special,” says Liz.

NEW HEIGHTS: Gathering Events turned the William Aiken House’s arbor into a garden trellis with a meandering vine of smilax and yellow peonies—the bride’s favorite flower. Hydrangea blooms floated in the lily pond, which was spanned with a temporary bridge covered with a damask-style runner.

BOUND IN LOVE: Liz and Matt’s rings were tied to an original copy of their favorite Harry Potter book.

LOVE SEAT: Wrought-iron garden furniture created airy gathering spaces.

REST EASY: Plush upholstered chairs and settees created conversation nooks throughout the grounds.

Gayle Brooker Photography

SWEET TREATS: Wedding Cakes by Jim Smeal took inspiration from the lace on Liz’s wedding dress for the cake, which featured lemon and coconut flavors, plus a top tier of chocolate hazelnut for the couple to save for their first anniversary.

TAKE YOUR PICK: Liz’s teatime theme called for treats—like these mini custard and fruit tarts and cinnamon rolls—befitting of the time of day.

Gayle Brooker Photography

TAKE A DIP: Liz has a sweet tooth, so the coffee and tea bar featured treats like chocolate-dipped biscotti presented on English rose-patterned teacups, which also served as favors. Guests’ table numbers were written in calligraphy on cards tucked under the cups.

Gayle Brooker Photography

BOOK OF LOVE: The extensive menu was shared in a booklet that included a poem of the couple’s favorite things.

MINI DELIGHTS: Fish Restaurant served tapas-style versions of the couple’s favorite brunch foods, like these bite-sized blueberry pancakes.

IN THE FOLD: Kristin Newman Designs tucked the couple’s “Book of Love” menu into a folded Battenberg lace napkin and placed it atop hand-selected heirloom china. Etched champagne coupes—a shape originally designed for English aristocrats—finished the look on the sweetheart table.

Gayle Brooker Photography

CENTER OF ATTENTION: Combinations of pastel-colored double tulips, dusty miller, eucharis lilies, peonies, scented geranium, and spray roses topped each table.

Gayle Brooker Photography

HATS OFF: Guests channeled the Downton Abbey feel of the day by wearing traditional hats.

JAVA TIME: A chocolate rim upped the ante on espresso cups.

Gayle Brooker Photography

RICH IN LOVE: The couple celebrated with etched champagne coupes—a shape originally designed for English aristocrats.

BRUNCH TIME: Guests enjoyed mimosas adorned with fresh citrus.

GOOD MORNING: Bloody Marys scored flourish via floral-printed paper straws.

KEEPSAKE: The team at Kristin Newman Designs surprised the couple with favors of teacups and seed packets for each of their guests to take home.

Gayle Brooker Photography

GROW TOGETHER: Guests took home boxed tea cups tied off with seed packets.

WORDS OF WISDOM: Flower petals and heart-shaped confetti punched from pages of books rained down on the couple as they left the reception.

MAKE A CHANGE: Liz changed into a LulaKate shortie, Matt donned a Goorin Bros. hat, and the two exited in a London-style cab from Charleston Black Cab Company.

Gayle Brooker Photography

CHEERIO: Liz and Matt had a truly British sendoff, complete with a white Rolls Royce and mini Union Jack flags.

Gayle Brooker Photography

Photographs by:

Gayle Brooker

Elizabeth Hardwick & Matthew Hannah

May 11, 2013

William Aiken House

When Elizabeth (Liz) Hardwick looks back on meeting—and eventually marrying—Matthew (Matt) Hannah, one line sums it all up: “It came naturally,” she says. And it really did—from how quickly and easily Liz fell in love with Matt after they met in the orientation line at Virginia Tech to how the self-professed Anglophile chose an English garden theme for their wedding nearly seven years later.

For the bride, a Gaithersburg, Maryland, native whose family has a vacation house in downtown Charleston, only one venue would do: the William Aiken House. Beyond that, “I envisioned a small spring wedding,” says Liz, “with brunch food, which is Matt’s and my favorite meal.” To make everything just so, Liz called upon Kristin Newman Designs and Gathering Events.

And while the day Matt proposed was complete with real English weather (read: rainy), the skies were clear and robin’s egg blue on the couple’s Big Day. Following a solitary morning that began with her taking in the sun rise on her own, Liz donned a vintage-inspired Monique Lhuillier lace dress and met Matt under the William Aiken House’s vine- and bloom-adorned arbor, where they traded vows.

After celebrating with guests, dining on Southern brunch specialties (like an eggs Benedict with ham and fried green tomatoes) from Fish Restaurant, and sipping drinks (with properly curled pinkies) from the coffee and tea bar, the couple got one very sweet send-off—literally. The pair made their exit and, as they slipped into a British getaway car, they found goodie bags from Kristin’s crew filled with cookies and tarts for their honeymoon flight to (where else?) London.

Vendor List

Bridal & Bridesmaids Clutches: Nelle Handbags, www.nellehandbags.com

Bridesmaids Dresses: LulaKate, www.lulakate.com

Bridesmaids Earrings: Pearl Paradise, www.pearlparadise.com

Bridal Fascinator: Meyriel Edge from Meriel Jill Millinery

Bridal Going Away Dress: LulaKate, www.lulakate.com

Bridal Gown: Monique Lhuillier from Maddison Row, www.maddisonrow.com

Bridal Ring: Laurie Sarah Designs on Etsy, www.etsy.com/shop/LaurieSarahDesigns

Bridal Shoes: BHLDN, www.bhldn.com

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

Calligraphy: Elizabeth Porcher Jones, www.elizabethporcherjones.com

Catering & Bar Service: Fish, Patrick Properties, www.pphgcharleston.com

Ceremony Music: Music for a Moment Ensemble, www.otherbrotherent.com

Fashion Stylist: Lindsay Nowak for Kristin Newman Designs, www.kristinnewmandesigns.com

Florals, Custom Furniture, & Specialty Décor: Gathering Events, www.gatheringevents.com

Groom’s Hat: Goorin Bros., www.goorin.com

Groom’s & Groomsmens’ Suits: Berlins for Men, www.berlins.com

Groom’s & Groomsmens’ Socks: M. Dumas and Sons, www.mdumasandsons.com

Groom’s & Groomsmens’ Ties: M. Dumas and Sons, www.mdumasandsons.com

Guest Transportation: Absolutely Charleston Trolley (www.absolutelycharlestonwedding.com) and Charleston Style Limo (www.acharlestonstylelimo.com)

Hair & Makeup: Stella Nova, www.stella-nova.com

Limo: Vintage Limousine, www.limousineservicecharleston.com

Photography: Gayle Brooker Photography, www.gaylebrooker.com

Planning & Event Design: Kristin Newman Designs, www.kristinnewmandesigns.com

Reception Entertainment: Charlton Singleton, www.tidewatermusicgroup.com

Rentals: Snyder Event Rentals, www.snyderevents.com

Save-the-Dates and Invitation: Sideshow Press, www.sideshowpress.com

Venue: William Aiken House, www.pphgcharleston.com

The Wedding Row

August 12 2019

Amanda & Joey | The Creek Club at I’On

We love it when Charleston is the backdrop for a budding romance, and we love it even more when a couple who started here returns for their “I do’s.” So it went with Amanda and Joey, who both...

August 12 2019

Erin & Matthew | Lowndes Grove Plantation

When a gal can name how many days she’s dated her beau (“One thousand and nine, but who’s counting?” laughs Erin), you know she’s ready for him to put a ring on it. When Matthew obliged, he and his...

August 8 2019

Meghan & Justin | The Governor Thomas Bennett House

Sometimes it’s just so better said coming straight from the bride, so away we go into hearing it all from Houstin, Texas, resident Megan… (besides, we’re pretty sure we couldn’t get away with calling...

August 8 2019

Laura & Bryan | Lowndes Grove Plantation

We’re sure that Laura and Brian wanted their wedding day at Lowndes Grove Plantation to go on forever, because, duh, but we have to say we want it to, too! Why, now? Take a look at their insanely...

August 7 2019

Alicia & Walker | The William Aiken House

Leave it to a couple from Texas to make a big splash of a wedding here in Charleston. Not only did Alicia and Walker pick an iconic mansion, the William Aiken House, for their reception, but they...

August 6 2019

Taryn & Michael | Boone Hall Plantation

“For months before the wedding,” says Mike, “Taryn would say, ‘Just wait! You won’t believe how amazing this day is going to be.’ ”And amazing it was. From the perfectly planned pink palette to the...

July 31 2019

July Instagram Roundup

August is just around the corner (like tomorrow, oh-em-gee) and school is about to be back in session. Do we hear all of those moms emitting a sigh of relief? To celebrate the end of this dreadfully...

July 30 2019

Kelly & Will | Engagement Session

Kelly and Will met in an elementary school in 2013 … not while they were attending, of course, but while they were both teaching in Cleveland, Mississippi, for Teach for America Corps. Every...

Feature

Budget, Meet Bliss

Amy Clark & Scott Kohn, May 7, 2012, Creek Club at I’On

Feature

Backyard Bash

Kiften Stephens and William Carroll, October 8, 2011, The Legare Waring House

Feature

Charleston Weddings - Spring 2025

Feature

Right on Time

Split-second decisions, a little luck, and lot of focus helped one local couple pull off a dream wedding in a scant three months

Feature

Best Bets for Charleston Brides

The city's style pros share what wedding gowns suit every Holy City celebration

Feature

New-School Tradition

When a belle of an old-guard Charleston family opts for a pre-ceremony “first look” with her groom, it means times are changing. See why a sneak peek worked for Kathleen Hay and Andrew Hagood, and why you might follow suit