A broken leg derailed Mark Wiltse’s European soccer career and landed him back at his alma mater, the University of South Carolina—this time to earn his master’s degree. “It was heartbreaking, but little did I know that months later I would be meeting the girl of my dreams,” he says. The lady in question? Lisa Joyner, a fellow master’s student and part-time bartender at the student haunt where they met. “Asking for her number may have been one of the scariest moments of my life,” says Mark. But the risk paid off: when Lisa’s shift ended the two tackled a few rounds of Photo Hunt at the bar and within 24 hours had planned another date.
Five years later on a trip to Charleston (the pair lives in Dallas, but Lisa is a Holy City native), Mark proposed at their favorite local restaurant, Sermet’s Courtyard on Daniel Island. With family nearby—Mark’s New Jersey native parents retired to Daniel Island—hosting their Big Day in the city was a “no brainer,” says Lisa, who wanted to let her hometown shine without the typical trappings of a Lowcountry wedding. Read: no plantations and nothing over the top. “We wanted a place that met our modern taste yet also maintained the Charleston charm and character we both adore,” says the bride.
A friend pointed her in the direction of the design mavens at Ooh! Events, and, with the news that the Gibbes Museum of Art was set to reopen following renovations to restore it to its Beaux Arts architectural roots, Lisa, Mark, and their planner, Megan Chandler, donned hard hats for a tour and secured the first available date seven months out. When the day arrived, Ooh! Events and their floral division, Out of the Garden, set the scene for a black-tie fête with Lucite furniture and sleek white calla lilies in keeping with the couple’s streamlined vision.
After the ceremony in the Rotunda gallery, guests headed out back for cocktail hour, a sit-down dinner, and the much-anticipated cutting of the cake. About that cake—the towering Jim Smeal creation was neatly placed on a “ghost” pedestal and set in the middle of a pebbled garden path. We crossed our fingers, says Megan, that the seemingly floating buttercream confection wouldn’t be knocked over ... or melt. After an early cake cutting, the party ramped up to the tunes of Sol Fusion. And was the discerning couple happy? Absolutely. “From the attire to the food to the band, décor, and venue—everything about the wedding was a representation of our style and personalities,” says Lisa.
Here’s a sweet-as-pie love story for your Monday. These newlyweds first met in college at Furman University after Ashley asked for Emily’s help in their shared computer class. Little did Emily know,...
Happy Friday, lovelies. To start the weekend off on a high (and crazy pretty) note, we present to you the wedding of Alexandria and Chandler. University of South Carolina alum Alex met her future...
When Hurricane Florence hit, Jacqueline and Matthew, only a week out from their wedding, feared the worst. With their hometown of Southport, North Carolina, completely flooded, it seemed like...
Funnily enough, romantic gestures aren’t the only way to find love. New York natives Lauren and Austin met when he boldly cut in front of her in line outside of a bar in the Hamptons. She took notice...
Believe it or not, produce (yup, apples and oranges!) is what brought Emily and Anthony together. The pair met online and had their first date at the SoWa Market, the Boston equivalent of our 2nd...
Dockside just happens to be our best side and it seems to be Franzi and Martin’s, too. The duo, who both hail from Germany, flew all the way to our beloved Charleston just to document their...
After meeting at Wake Forest University in 2009 and being drawn together by what she describes as fate (more about that later … ), Stephanie and Greg officially tied the knot here in the Holy City....
Although high school sweethearts Maddie and Jackson may not be evenly matched on the athletic field (the pair’s first encounter involved Maddie whipping Jackson’s tail in a game of volleyball) they...
Top any plain votive with lovely little shades like these, designed by Perla Anne stationery's Stacey Bradley, and you’ll add a touch of sweet style to any wedding party
K. Cooper Ray is on a mission to return menfolk to manners, one bow tie at a time. Find out how the local tastemaker teamed with Brooks Brothers to reinvent a wedding wear classic
