Seven years after Lesley Landrum spotted Robert Brickman’s “ugly shirt” (her words) at a birthday party, the couple started planning a shindig of their own: their wedding. Their wish? For it to be “a grown-up kids bar mitzvah,” says Lesley. As they discussed their wishlist with planner Tara Guérard of Tara Guérard Soirée, an upscale carnival took shape and the Gaillard Center became a grand, black-tie big top for the day. After a ceremony in the venue’s lobby, the ballroom doors opened to Burke High School drum line’s infectious beats, silk aerialists twirling above bars, a magician, and even drag queen performances. “We threw out the rules about what a Southern wedding has to be,” says Lesley. “It’s OK to be a kid,” Robert adds. Case in point: though he skipped the ugly shirt this time around, he donned Lego cufflinks that had Lesley falling in love all over again.
FOLLOW THEIR LEAD
• Pick a central location. Being downtown meant guests could walk to the fête from their hotels.
• Pay mind to your vendors. With a menu that was a nod to the couple’s love of travel—it ran the gamut from chicken piccata and chicken tikka masala to okra jambalaya and hand-rolled sushi—a large, well-equipped indoor kitchen was critical for catering prep.
• Personalize a large ballroom. Custom carpet was brought in to dress the setting in the couple’s palette. Garlands and draping made the towering ceilings more intimate.
• Beware of Mother Nature. August and September are in the peak of hurricane season, and Lowcountry summers bring plenty of pop-up showers, so an indoor venue provided peace of mind.
• Soften a stately setting. Metal lanterns added a summery touch to the classical entrance and cast a mellow glow after the sun set.
As the COVID-19 pandemic spreads, the majority of us are anxious and overwhelmed. And when you’re engulfed in worry, you often dig further and further down that hole and forget to take in the beauty...
Maybe you’ve been planning your dream wedding for months. Maybe you just got engaged and cannot wait to start booking vendors. Either way, you weren’t expecting a pandemic like the COVID-19...
For anyone who doubts that chemistry trumps all, meet Ashlyn and Tommy. The two Charlestonians were struck super shy when they first bumped into one another at a party in 2013, but thanks to a little...
Charlotte, North Carolina, residents Drew and Annie were introduced at a birthday party in a local brewery. He heard she was a physical therapist and asked her lots of questions about his “hurt”...
Five years ago, Anna just happened to sit right behind Ian while both were in Savannah, Georgia, at pharmacy school. Soon after, he asked her to a wedding as his plus-one, and they had a grand old...
When bridal boutique owner Christina was struggling to lug a new desk into her East Greenwich, Rhode Island, condo, her neighbor Daniel (Dan), on a business call, saw her plight … and kept on walking...
Today we have two local lovebirds, Mallory and Brian, who were introduced through Bumble. Their first-date stops were Charleston favorites: Home Team Barbecue on Sullivan’s Island for ’cue and The...
This one brings a whole new luxe-wedding vibe to “painting the town red!” Charleston native Annie moved to Nashville on a whim, where her new home just happened to be down the road from Music City...
Charleston is one of the country’s top-tier cities for so-called destination weddings, and any couple getting married here should expect far-flung guests to RSVP an enthusiastic “Yes” to their celebration, especially when this old-school boarding pass, designed by Studio R, debuts your wedding details in high flying style.
