Zest for Life



WRITER CREDIT: 
PHOTOGRAPHER CREDIT: 
Zest for Life | Personal touches dot a perfectly polished wedding weekend for a globe-trotting pair of New Yorkers

Peter Izzo & Marian Lapide
September 5, 2015

Lowndes Grove Plantation

 

Though Peter Izzo was smitten with fashion exec Marian Lapide from the get-go (“She was so passionate about everything—I could have listened to her talk for hours,” he says of their first date in 2009), four days of roughing it together at Bonnaroo sealed the deal. “When I saw she could have a blast in just about any environment, I was hooked.” That shared game-for-anything mentality led the couple on sundry excursions throughout their courtship: from Nashville and New Orleans to Paris, Portugal, Morocco, St. Barts (where Peter popped the question), and finally to Charleston, where Tara Guérard Soirée brought to life their wish for a Southern-charmed garden party at Lowndes Grove Plantation. With dueling pianos at the rehearsal dinner (a nod to their travels) and a first dance to Phish’s “If I Could,” their wedding weekend was as personal as it was polished. “All the unique details truly made it our wedding,” says Marian.

 

Take it from the Izzos ...
Reinvent the photobooth. A wall of greenery and cascading blooms served as a stunning backdrop for the selfie-station-meets-photo booth.
Pay tribute to your pop. Marian’s father works in the watermelon industry so ice sculptures filled with the fruit added a sentimental, summery touch to cocktail hour, during which guests sipped a drink dubbed the “Charleston Melon.”
Embrace free spirits. One of the bride’s besties isn’t a fan of dresses, so she and Marian found a pale pink pantsuit that matched the other bridemaids’ frocks.  
Shrug off showers. Rain pushed cocktail hour inside the historic home and across its piazzas. “It was actually great with the bluegrass band playing there,” says the bride. “I was so caught up in the moment I barely noticed or cared!”
 

Vendor List:

Wedding design, florals: Tara Guérard Soirée, www.TaraGuerardSoiree.com

Photography: Elizabeth Messina, www.ElizabethMessina.com

Ceremony location: French Huguenot Church of Charleston, www.Huguenot-Church.org

Reception location, catering, bar service: Patrick Properties Hospitality Group, www.PPHGCharleston.com

Rentals: Snyder Event Rentals, www.SnyderEvents.com

Lighting, sound: Production Design Associates, www.PDAStage.com

Wine: Salvestrin Winery, www.SalvestrinWinery.com

Sweets: Wedding Cakes by Jim Smeal, www.WeddingCakesByJimSmeal.com

Stationery, signage: Lettered Olive, www.LetteredOlive.com

Bride’s attire: Monique Lhuillier, available in Charleston through Maddison Row, www.MaddisonRow.com (gown); Ben Amun, www.Ben-Amun.com (hair clips); Chanel, www.Chanel.com (shoes, bag); Cacky’s Bride + Aid, www.CackysBrideAid.com (day-of dresser)

Bridesmaid’ attire: Amsale, available in Charleston through Bella Bridesmaids, www.BellaBridesmaids.com (dresses); BCBG, www.BCBG.com (pantsuit); Michael Kors, www.MichaelKors.com (jewelry)

Beauty: Kristy Cuthbert, www.SolaSalongStudios.com/Salon-Professional/Kristy_Cuthbert (hair); Moore Makeup, www.MooreMakeup.com (makeup)
Groom’s attire: Michael Andrews, www.MichaelAndrewsBespoke.com (suit); Cole Haan, www.ColeHaan.com (shoes); The Tie Bar, www.TheTieBar.com (tie, pocket square)
Groomsmen’s attire: My.Suit, www.MySuit.com (suits), Cole Haan, www.ColeHaan.com (shoes); The Tie Bar, www.TheTieBar.com (tie, pocket square),Charles Tyrwhitt, www.CTShirts.com (socks)
Ring bearers’ attire: J.Crew, www.JCrew.com
Transportation: Absolutely Charleston, www.AbsolutelyCharleston.com
Music: Charleston Virtuosi, www.CharlestonVirtuosi.com, Voices of Deliverance, www.ArcherMusic.com (ceremony); George Del Porto bluegrass, www.Facebook.com/Southern-Flavor-Bluegrass (cocktail hour); Simply Irresistible, www.SimplyIrresistibleBand.com (reception)

 

 

The Wedding Row

February 24 2020
Molly and Chris’s colleagues at J.P. Morgan in New York had a feeling the two were perfect for each other and tried for months to set them up. When they finally met up at an event? Cue: magic. Over...

February 24 2020
After Long Islanders Tom and Danielle met in chorus class during their freshman year of high school, it took him a full year to build up enough courage to ask her to be his girlfriend. Her response...

February 24 2020
On the first day of college at the University of Georgia, a complete stranger tried to convince Sarah to drop freshman English; he’d heard the professor was terrible. Turns out the professor was,...

February 14 2020
To all the single ladies (and gents): Valentine’s Day isn’t only for those already in love. As Alex and Pete’s story proves, it may be the perfect day for a meet-cute. Pennsylvania-born Pete was in...

February 12 2020
Four days before Allison and Brendan’s dream Charleston wedding, Hurricane Florence was making its way toward the Lowcountry and the city was under evacuation orders. The Dallas-based couple pulled...

February 11 2020
Courtney wasn’t looking to settle down, but when friends convinced her to take Kristen on a date, something felt different. Before long, they found themselves in a long-distance relationship—Courtney...

February 7 2020
Bumble may be responsible for introducing this couple, but it was a magical first date filled with sushi, hours of conversation, karaoke, and endless laughter that truly brought together Michelle and...

February 6 2020
Maggie and Mike’s story puts a whole new spin on bro-mance. It all started in Chicago when her boss, who was dating a fellow named Eric, wanted to set Maggie up with her boyfriend’s younger brother....