'Tis the Season



WRITER CREDIT: 
PHOTOGRAPHER CREDIT: 
'Tis the Season | With a ceremony in her childhood church, a reception (for 350!) at the beach club where she grew up, a groom who’s her best friend, this winter wedding was all this bride could hope for
Grayson Schirmer & Ross Jones
December 10, 2016 • Mount Pleasant Presbyterian Church & Sand Dunes Club
 
It takes what it takes when it comes to men and proposals, and in the case of Ross Jones, a soon-to-expire gift card to Fulton Five restaurant was just the prompt he needed to pop the question to Grayson Schirmer. When “dessert” arrived at their table, it was served in a silver dish that Grayson had admired months before at Ross’s mother’s house. “I had told her how much I loved it,” says Grayson, who opened it this time to find—surprise—a ring box. With Ross down on one knee, says Grayson, “I was so shocked that the lady sitting next to us said, ‘Well, are you gonna say “Yes?”’. ”
 
For the Charleston couple, who’ve known each other most of their lives, choosing a wedding date nearly a year later was simple. “I love my church,” says Grayson of Mount Pleasant Presbyterian, “and I knew the Christmas tree would be up.” With the ceremony site set, Grayson and her mom, Gina, next turned to the reception venue, Sullivan’s Island’s Sand Dunes Club, where Grayson had spent many a summer.
 
To transform the blank canvas of the cavernous location, mother and daughter hit up Ooh! Events’ trove of a rental warehouse.“The second I walked into Ooh!,” says Grayson, “I knew it was just better for my mom to take over. She had a really good way of taking everything I
loved and putting it all together.” Gina and the Ooh! team, led by Lisa Thomas, created a series of gathering spaces for the wedding’s 350 guests within the rambling club. “We wanted people to move through the space,” says Lisa, “so we strategically placed food stations throughout the site, inside and out.”
 
For colors, they turned to the bride. “I wanted a winter wedding without it looking like Christmas,” says Grayson, who picked silvery blue sequined bridesmaids gowns right off the bat. “We based everything else around those,” she says. That translated to a formal black tie affair with an abundance of snowy white—from flowers to faux fur cushions—tan, silver, and rich aqua.
 
On the day, the adage “Good things come to those who wait” reigned as Grayson and Ross tied the knot. “I honestly feel like I married my best friend,” says Grayson. “There is no one that knows me better than he does.” 
 
Vendor List
 
Wedding design: Gina Schirmer (mother of bride) and Ooh! Events, www.oohevents.com 
Florals: Out of the Garden, www.oohevents.com/services/floral/ 
Photography: Virgil Bunao, www.virgilbunao.com
Venues: Mount Pleasant Presbyterian Church (ceremony), www.mppc.net; Sand Dunes Club (reception), www.facebook.com/SandDunesClub 
Rentals: Ooh! Events (furniture, décor), www.oohevents.com; Polished! Tabletop (tabletop), www.rentals.oohevents.com/collections/polished-table-top; Snyder Events (tents), www.snyderevents.com
Catering: Geist & Co., www.geistandco.com
Bar: Batch Cocktail and Bar Service, www.batch-charleston.com
Cake: Publix Mount Pleasant, www.publix.com 
Cake pops: The Cake Pop Shop of Charleston, www.facebook.com/TheCakePopShopOfCharleston 
Calligraphy: Penned by Palmer, www.pennedbypalmer.com
Invitations: Christine Brinson Designs, (843) 499-2954 
Music: Barbara Loehr-Fox (soloist, ceremony); Jason Pedeaux (organist, ceremony), www.mppc.net; The Mighty Kicks (ceremony, reception, choir), www.willisblume.com/mightykicks 
Bride’s attire: Rivini from Fabulous Frocks Charleston (gown), www.fabulousfrocksbridal.com, vintage fur (bride’s own); Kate Spade (shoes), www.katespade.com 
Bridesmaids’ attire: Adrianna Papell (gowns), available in Charleston through Bella Bridesmaids, www.bellabridesmaids.com, vintage (furs)
Beauty: Patrick Navarro (hair), hairbynavarronyc@gmail.com, Dannon K. Collard (makeup), www.dannonkcollard.com
Men’s attire: Jean’s Bridal, www.jeansbridalcharleston.com
Ring bearer ensemble: The Best Dressed Child, www.bestdressedchild.com
Getaway car: Absolutely Charleston, www.absolutelycharleston.com