Indulging in Romance



WRITER CREDIT: 
PHOTOGRAPHER CREDIT: 
Indulging in Romance | Crystal Hardwick & Matthew Herring, June 16, 2012, The Ocean Course at Kiawah Island Golf Resort

When Crystal Hardwick’s best friend was nervous for her first face-to-face with an online suitor, Crystal faithfully tagged along as her wingman. Turns out great minds think alike: the guy brought along a friend, too—Matt Herring—and the second stringers hit it off. “We each knew we had met someone special,” says Crystal, “and we’ve been together ever since. In a few short months, I realized Matt was my soul mate.”

One May afternoon, the couple, who lives on Daniel Island, was taking a stroll downtown with their shih tzu, Lily Ann, when Matt suggested they stop to sit on a park bench near Colonial Lake.
The pleasant break turned into a heartfelt proposal with a ring, but the surprise wasn’t over. “Matt had made reservations at Halls Chophouse, where we’d celebrated our one-year anniversary,”
explains Crystal. “Everyone at the restaurant met us at the door with champagne and congratulations. It was perfect!”

When it came to wedding planning and décor, Crystal wanted romance, lace, and pearls. She decided on a venue—the Ocean Course at Kiawah Island—and a palette of blush, champagne, and peach. Then she entrusted Tara Guérard Soirée to take care of the big picture while she got crafty with the personal details, like vintage music sheets (for the ceremony programs), old frames (for family photos), and lace doilies (for table runners).  As guests arrived at Kiawah on the Big Day, they were greeted with champagne and chocolate chip cookies, and after the “I dos,” everyone took their seats for a dinner at sunset. Says Crystal, “The entire day was a dream come true.”
 

Vendor List

Baker: Wedding Cakes by Jim Smeal; www.weddingcakesbyjimsmeal.com
Bridal attire: Amsale, White on Daniel Island; www.whiteondi.com
Bridesmaid attire: Bari Jay; www.barijay.com
Caterer: The Ocean Course at Kiawah Island Golf Resort;
www.kiawahresort.com/golf/the-ocean-course/
Florist, linens, planner, and rentals: Tara Guérard Soirée;www.taraguerardsoiree.com
Groom and groomsmen’s attire: Express; www.express.com
Musicians: Who’s Bad; www.whosbadmusic.com
Photographer: Virgil Bunao Photography; www.virgilbunao.com
Stationery: Lettered Olive; www.theletteredolive.com

The Wedding Row

July 29 2019
Happy Monday, friends.  We are sitting down with our cup of coffee and with lovely Kelly, the owner of Paper Meets Pearl, a one-stop shop boutique wedding and event planning company based in the...

July 26 2019
It’s confirmed: Heather and Chuck absolutely let the dogs out. The pet lovers (and now newlyweds) met back in Gainesville, Florida, while in veterinary school. Chuck was getting his PhD in animal...

July 25 2019
These days, it’s pretty common to meet your S.O. on a dating app, but Tanya and Joe met in real life, sans any electronics. Can you believe it? While checking out a new store opening in Crown Town (...

July 24 2019
Back again, but this time it’s official! We fell hard for Abby and Grant’s love story back when we shared their engagement session a few months back. For a refresher, their romance began when Abby...

July 23 2019
Not everyone is fortunate enough to meet their future spouse as early as middle school, but Caroline and Robert sure lucked out. Although these two grew up together, they only began dating after...

July 22 2019
Alicia and Cameron, Maryland dwellers, may not live in our zip code but they certainly know how to throw a shindig, Charleston-style. We will get to that bit later but for starters, how about a...

July 18 2019
Now this is a wedding story full of fun, food, and … fish. (Wait for it. You’ll see.) Arkansas natives Elle and Miles met in college and dated for four years before this groom seriously reeled in a...

July 17 2019
After meeting online and sensing that this could be something special, Carolyn and Jeff found themselves falling head-over-heels IRL. Four years later, the duo vacationed in Grand Cayman for the Ritz...