The stars may have aligned when Sarah and Colin met at a popcorn stand in a Charlotte, North Carolina, bar. But it was actually the sun, moon, and earth aligning that saw them to the next step....
Gayle Brooker’s wedding photography has appeared on the pages of InStyle Weddings, Modern Bride, Weddings Unveiled, and more. So anyone could understand if her now-husband Neilson Wilkinson had jitters about asking for the industry pro’s hand in “just so” fashion. But no worries. Not only is Gayle a full-of-grace sort of gal, her beloved knows her to a letter.
After a day out on Capers Island, the Charleston residents headed to the mainland, where Neilson beat Gayle home. When she opened the door, she found a beguiling hand-carved box from her carpenter beau, the man himself perched atop a nearby stool, and their three barking dogs. One opened box and knee-drop later, and Neilson had proposed on the threshold of their future shared abode.
Soon after, Gayle chose a gold, gray, ivory, and pink palette and assembled folders of inspiring images. She took her ideas to Tara at Soirée by Tara Guérard, who saw to the bride-to-be’s wishes in spades. Elegant peonies, Queen Anne’s Lace, earthy succulents? Check. Location where two nature lovers could trade vows under open skies, in the shadow of live oaks, and before a mighty river? You got it. A caterer who creates locally farmed dishes? Sure thing. And one happy couple? You bet.
“Looking up during our ceremony at all the paper butterflies,” says Gayle, “at the sun slowly setting, and the swaying Spanish moss... I thought what an amazingly beautiful moment, and how lucky I was to be marrying my best friend.”
Band: Constantly Awesome
Bridal Gown: Vera Wang
Cake: Wedding Cakes by Jim Smeal
Catering: Fish restaurant
Ceremony & Reception Location: Lowndes Grove
Florals, Wedding Design, & Coordination: Soirée by Tara Guérard
Groom’s Suit: Brooks Brothers
Photographer: Liz Banfield Photography
Stationery: Oscar & Emma Custom Design Studio
