Brittany Beran & Paul Matthew Winston
January, 23, 2021 • Cannon Green
Patience is a virtue—just ask medical consultant Matthew “Mattie” Winston and his wife, Brittany Beran Winston. After working in neighboring offices and meeting through mutual friends in 2014, Mattie waited three years for the right moment to ask Brittany on a date. “He put in tons of effort and I was difficult—protective, stubborn,” Brittany says. “But a month later we met for coffee, and that was that. We were inseparable from that day on.”
Three years later, Mattie proposed on the one day when he knew she’d say yes to whatever he asked: his birthday, which, this year, he insisted should include a sunset walk on the beach on Sullivan’s Island. He’d arranged for a photographer friend to stake out the spot and plant a huge conch shell as a decoy he knew she’d fall for. And sure enough, when Brittany went for the shell, Mattie got down on one knee—and stayed there. “He was down on his knee for quite a while before I turned around wondering, ‘Why isn’t he listening to me and coming to look?,’” she recalls. Tears of joy and laughter ensued.
When it came time to plan their January 2021 wedding, the couple turned to Amy DeVito of Buttercup Events. They knew the event would be small due to COVID, so they focused on what was most important to them: family.
From the start, Brittany and Mattie knew they wanted the feel of an Italian al fresco, family-style dinner party for the reception at Cannon Green, which is also where they held their ceremony. “They really wanted their guests to feel how much they wanted them at their wedding,” Amy says.
Tables were set with carafes of wine and personalized tortoiseshell napkin rings, and the décor featured rattan, checkered marble, greenery, and stoneware rather than crystal, gold, or every shade of white.
Amy also orchestrated a surprise: A sweet tribute to the bride’s late father, Bob. His favorite dessert was popsicles, so she booked the King of Pops popsicle cart for the reception so guests could enjoy “Bob-sicles” along with napkins printed with some of his favorite sayings or “Bob-isms.”
As for unforgettable moments, one has to be seeing everyone in the room crying during the ceremony—except for the bride. “The only dry eye in the house was mine!,” Brittany says gleefully. “I was 100 percent at ease, just up on cloud nine, ready to marry that man.”
Vendors
Planning & Design: Buttercup Events
Images: Maggie Braucher
Venue, catering: Cannon Green
Officiant: Christy Loftin
Cake: Peninsula Grill
Popsicle Cart: King of Pops
Florals: Roadside Blooms
Signage: J. Lily Designs
Rentals: Ooh! Events
Linens: BBJ Linen
Bride’s attire: Alexandra Greco
Beauty: Meg Workman
Entertainment: Bob Williams Duo (ceremony); Mr. Potato Head (reception)
Transportation: Lowcountry Trolley
