Eleanor Trousdale & Edward Hancock
September 28, 2021 / The Ocean Course, Kiawah Island Golf Resort
When Elli Trousdale and Ted Hancock met, it didn’t take long for each of them to be certain that they had found the one. It was late 2019, and even as Elli, an anesthesiologist, was thrown into the front line of the pandemic, the support Ted offered was more proof that the two were meant to be together. Ted held nothing back when he proposed at Florida’s Boca Grande beach in March 2021, hiring an airplane to trail a banner reading “Elli, will you marry me?” as the two walked along the beach.
The wedding came together as quickly as the romance. With just five months to plan, they worked with Amy DeVito of Buttercup Events to design an exquisite wedding for just 20 guests at the Ocean Course at Kiawah Island Golf Resort, where Elli’s aunt and uncle had recently purchased a home. DeVito used the warm colors of the fall and Lowcountry sunsets as a starting point for the late September wedding: warm wood tones, deeply hued florals, and coordinating linens.
Elli’s brother served as officiant, making the ceremony “as poignant and personal” as it could be, Elli says. After the couple said “I do” in view of the ocean, they joined their families for dinner under a sailcloth tent with a jazz band playing in the background. “It was the perfect setting of unrivaled beauty and intimacy that Elli and Ted had hoped for,” says DeVito.
Tips
• Challenge preconceived notions. It may just result in your biggest gift yet, says Elli. “Going from big to small to smaller offered us just that.”
• The Upside of Small. A smaller wedding allows for members of both families to get to know each other—a delightful bonus, says Elli. It also lets you splurge on the details, such as upgrading the wine and hiring the photographer for the whole weekend.
Vendors
Planning & design: Amy DeVito, Buttercup Events
Venue: The Ocean Course, Kiawah Island Golf Resort
Photography: Jenna Marie Weddings
Entertainment: Bob Williams Duo (ceremony), the Kevin Hackler Band (reception)
Florals: Fresh Weddings and Events
Bridal attire: Paloma Blanca
Beauty: Lashes and Lace
Stationery: Ginger P Design
Rentals: Snyder
Lighting and Draping: Lowcountry Entertainment
Linens: Nuage and Stradley Davidson
Videographer: Fox AV
