Holy City native Elizabeth Merck, a student at the New York School of Interior Design, and Douglas Lake, an MBA student at Columbia University, met as teens when they were both in boarding school near Douglas’ home. “I basically grew up in his parent’s kitchen,” says Elizabeth. As adults, the pair had been to their share of contemporary nuptials, but Elizabeth knew that old-time romance would rule their own big event. “I wanted our wedding to be simple and traditionally Southern, with lots of flowers everywhere,” she says. “And I wanted the day to feel like it could have happened at any time, any year.” Thus Elizabeth and Douglas chose Hibernian Society Hall for the reception. “It’s such a historic and beautiful place,” explains Elizabeth, who worked with planner Kristin Newman to create an elegant night of dining and dancing. A simple, all-white color-scheme allowed the copious amounts of French tulips, orchids, and calla lilies to dominate the scene. “We really didn’t worry about trends,” says Elizabeth of the timeless look she, her sweetheart, and the evening wore. “We just did what we wanted and everything fell into place.”
