[section title=”The Planning”]
[field title=”Wedding Colors”]Ocean, Moss + Oak[/field]
[field title=”Design / Vibe / Vision”]
As two men getting married, we both felt strongly about wanting a wedding style that was elegant, understated, and warm, but not bridal in any way. We were so lucky to partner with Haley Kelly Events, as Haley and her team helped us to realize this vision in every element of our wedding planning process, including all of the vendors she connected us with. They made us feel comfortable, safe and supported every step of the way. Our mutual love for neutrals, warm earth-tones, plants/greenery, and being on/near the water helped to inform our color palette of blues, greys, greens, and wood tones. We incorporated these warm colors and textures into all elements of our wedding experience – from the save the dates and invitation suite to the linens and selection of tables, to the decor, which had greenery everywhere with floral accents. We were mindful that there was no “bride” in our wedding, and that as two grooms we wanted to have a balanced combination of beauty, elegance, and masculinity. We are also both Type A planners, so realizing our vision in every small detail of our wedding was important to us.
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[field title=”Proposal Story”]
Family is so important to both of us — so from our earliest conversations about getting engaged, we both knew we wanted to do it around the holidays so that we could be with our loved ones and share this special moment in our lives with them. We also knew that we’d both be *very* opinionated about our engagement/wedding rings, as neither of us is used to wearing jewelry and both of us are pretty “type A.” One of us (Andrew) had a million questions to ask about every ring at every store, and one of us (Colin) knew he would get “the feeling” when he found the right ring. We quickly learned that surprising one another was out of the picture! Instead, we decided to purchase our rings together and keep it a secret, so that we could surprise our families and friends later on. After months of research and shopping — going from up and down 5th Avenue to the frenzy of the Diamond District to small boutiques in Brooklyn — we found “the one” while at Cartier. Their team could not have been more supportive of us as a same-sex couple looking for engagement bands that we would use to propose to one another, then give back to each other on our wedding day, and then wear every day for the rest of our lives. Our rings are the same style — the D’Amour platinum wedding band — but slightly different widths. (So we could still tell them apart at home!) COVID threatened to throw a wrench into our holiday travel plans, but after lots of testing we decided to make the trip home to the Midwest to spend Thanksgiving with Andrew’s family in the northern Chicago suburbs. We spent a night up at Lake Geneva, WI, where Andrew had spent his summers growing up – as had his father before him, and his grandfather before that – and is a special place for him and his family. Lake Geneva also became Colin’s “happy place” during our years together, and our visits every summer are the best days of our year. On the cold, clear morning of November 22, 2020, we left to walk the lake path with our ring boxes in tow. We reflected on our four years together, and we talked about our shared values for our future. At the side of the lake, we each took turns getting down on one knee and proposing to one another. We then walked back up to Andrew’s family’s lake house and asked his parents to come outside, where we surprised them with the news of our engagement. We spent the day calling our family and friends to share the news, and we went back to the lake path to recreate “the moment” together and take photos. If we couldn’t surprise one another, we wanted to be able to surprise everyone else – and we did!
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[board_carousel title=”Getting Ready”]
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[board_carousel title=”Flat Lays”]
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[section title=”The Fashion”]
[field title=”Wedding Gown”][/field]
[field title=”Bridesmaid Dresses”][/field]
[field title=”Groomsman Attire”][/field]
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[board_carousel title=”Bridal Party”]
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[board_carousel title=”Ceremony”]
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[board_carousel title=”Cocktail Hour”]
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[section title=”The Details”]
[field title=”Food & Drink”]
From planner, Haley Kelly: Colin and Andrew’s catering menu was one that had thoughtful intent behind every decision. We had sage biscuits and butter as guests were seated at the tables as a nod to the south. Braised short rib, fried green tomatoes, and a romesco-topped cauliflower steak rounded out the menu.
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[field title=”Florals & Decor”]
Our wedding flowers had lots and lots of greenery, with white floral accents! Ally and her team at Blossom Bay were incredible to work with. They completely heard us and our vision of wanting a wedding that was elegant-but-not-bridal, and they took that and ran with it in such a beautiful way. They designed such a gorgeous Chuppah for the wedding ceremony, honoring Andrew’s Jewish heritage, and they incorporated potted plants and greenery on each of the tables as well. The groomswomen had bouquets that featured greenery in a way that we’d never seen before, and we absolutely loved it. They also designed custom boutonnieres for us as the grooms, our fathers, and our groomsmen, and a stunning corsage for Andrew’s grandmother with her favorite flowers. Blossom Bay helped us to make our dreams come true and created such a warm, loving environment through their floral design.
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[field title=”Wedding Cake”]
From Planner, Haley Kelly… For Andrew’s birthday during the wedding planning process, they actually went around NYC tasting all kinds of cakes because of his love for sweets so this piece of the puzzle was so exciting to plan with them. Fun fact – we had three flavors of wedding cake and 6 different passed sweet options!
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[field title=”Readings, Ceremony Music, Reception Songs”][/field]
[field title=”Special Detail #1″]
Colin always knew he wanted to get married at Lowndes Grove in Charleston in October. Andrew likes to make lists of pros and cons, whereas Colin gets “the feeling” when he knows something is right. We visited a number of wedding venues in our search, but in the end, Colin’s gut “feeling” was spot on, as usual — it had everything we wanted, from the historic charm and architecture of the house on the property to the beautiful backdrop of the Ashley River right behind the ceremony location. The team at Patrick Properties Hospitality Group was also stellar, helping us to feel comfortable – and celebrated! – in planning a same-sex wedding in the South. PPHG sets the gold standard for hospitality, attention to detail and quality, and fostering an inclusive, supportive environment. We also scheduled our after party at another PPHG property in downtown Charleston, Parcel32, which we loved for its classic Charleston architecture (joggling boards and patios!) with upscale, elevated decor inside. From the event managers to the bartenders to the chefs to the servers, PPHG made planning our wedding at Lowndes Grove and Parcel32 a true dream come true.
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[field title=”Special Detail #2″]
Advice from the Grooms… There is nothing in the world of wedding planning – not the florals or decor, custom suits or cake – that can take the place of the love in the room. Being surrounded by the love of family and friends is the key to a great wedding, and ultimately, we think a part of the foundation of a good marriage. So if you are an LGBTQ+ couple planning a wedding, think through your guest list and make sure the people you are inviting are in full support of you two as a couple. You want to look out at your wedding guests and see the love you have for your spouse celebrated and supported. Make sure you and your spouse-to-be are in agreement on the core values of your wedding day, and think through your priorities and how they manifest in each of the details of the wedding planning process — ours was about a good flow from event-to-event and guest comfort throughout. I cared more about decor, lighting, and paper, and Andrew cared more about food, and we each trusted the other in our respective areas. Discuss what each of your “must haves” are, and stay open and honest with one another throughout the wedding planning process. It can feel stressful, like another full-time job – even with a stellar wedding planner, and even with two grooms who are SUPER Type A – and so transparency, trust, and communication are key. At the end of the day, it’s about the marriage, not the wedding. Also, get wedding insurance. You never know when a hurricane will redirect and head straight for your venue, making you replan your entire rehearsal and most of your wedding within 36 hours!
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[field title=”Special Detail #3″]
From the Grooms – MOST MEMORABLE MOMENT? With Hurricane Ian hitting Charleston the day before our wedding, we weren’t quite sure what to expect on our wedding day. We didn’t know if the venue would be damaged or flooded, or if they’d be able to put the tent and lighting back up in time. The months (years?) spent planning all had to be adjusted on a moment’s notice. So that morning while we were getting ready with our wedding party, our incredible planner surprised us with a “first look” at our reception space — and it was magical. Our superstar vendors worked so hard to transform a space that had been hit by a hurricane less than 24 hours before into the wedding we’d been dreaming of for years. We opted not to have a first look with one another and to get ready together instead, and so our planner had us do a first look with our wedding cake. We both cried. And they are some of the best pictures of the day. We could not be more grateful to our planners at Haley Kelly Events, the team at PPHG, and to each of our vendors for their love, support, and care in making our special day a reality – especially just one day after a hurricane! WHAT ASPECT OF THE WEDDING WAS THE MOST IMPORTANT TO YOU BOTH? The guest experience, without a doubt. We wanted our wedding guests to feel comfortable throughout the evening – and many of them had never been to Charleston, so we also wanted to think about their experience for the entire wedding weekend as well and ensure they could see (and eat!) everything Charleston has to offer. Focusing on the guest experience informed how we approached our paper suite, our floral design, our reception layout, lighting, decor, timeline, band and music – everything was discussed and determined with our guests in mind. Little did we know that our guests would have to brave a hurricane, deal with dozens upon dozens of cancelled flights, a power outage at the hotel, or road closures in order to celebrate with us! In the end, we were amazed – and deeply humbled – by the incredible lengths our guests went to get to Charleston. Some guests had 2, 3, 4, or even 5 flights cancelled, and still worked hard to get there. Andrew’s 96 year-old-grandmother had 2 flights cancelled and got up at 4am on the day of the wedding so she could make it in time from Chicago. Friends and family who had cancelled flights drove as much as 18 hours – directly towards a hurricane! – in order to be there. So as much as our wedding was a celebration of the two of us and the start of our marriage together, it was also a celebration of the love and support that surround us each and every day by our incredible families and friends.
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[board_carousel title=”Couple Portraits”]
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[board_carousel title=”Reception”]
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[iframe http://player.vimeo.com/video/757365560 600 338]
Photography: Justin Leon Brown (formerly The Happy Bloom) | Videography: Dock House Digital | Event Planning: Haley Kelly Events | Hair + Makeup: Lashes And Lace Charleston | Lighting: Innovative Event Services | Ceremony Music: Charleston Entertainment | Location: Lowndes Grove | Paper Goods: Prairie & Sage | Reception Music: Right To Party | Rentals: Snyder Events | Rentals: Nuage Designs | Rentals: Stradley Davidson Linen Collective
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