Photo: Austin Gros
When Jamie Krywicki and Nick Wilson first fell for each other, in October of 2008 at Auburn University, they were at her sorority's formal—with different dates! "He went with one of my pledge sisters, and I went with a friend of mine," remembers Jamie. "We spent the whole night dancing and talking with each other instead of our dates!"
In the fall of 2011, as their three-year anniversary approached, Nick knew Jamie was expecting something, so he decided to pop the question a few days early so she wouldn't get too suspicious. "He came home with three boxes of different sizes, and told me I could pick one to open," says Jamie. "Of course I picked the biggest one! I opened it and a little box fell out, and that's when he got down on one knee and proposed."
The bride had always dreamed of an outdoor wedding on the lawn of a gorgeous old plantation house, so they invited 70 guests to join them at the Lowndes Grove Plantation for an intimate backyard wedding on May 26th, 2013.
Keep reading to see all of the beautiful details, photographed by Austin Gros.
Photo: Austin Gros
Jamie and Nick welcomed their guests to Charleston with a box of local treats and a map of their favorite downtown spots. Jamie, a graphic designer, designed all of the paper goods herself.
The bride kept her wedding day look simple, with a strapless silk taffeta dress from J.Crew. "I'm not a beads and lace kind of girl," Jamie says. "And I loved that the dress had pockets!" She accented the notched neckline with a playful statement necklace.
Nick wore a light gray suit with a pastel coral tie.
Photo: Austin Gros
The ceremony took place beneath one of the plantation's giant oak trees, with views of the Cooper River in the background. Jamie's father walked her down the aisle to Elvis Presley's "Can't Help Falling in Love." "It was my late grandfather's favorite song," she says.
The couple wrote their own vows. "My favorite line from Nick's vows was his promise to let me come to bed with cold feet," Jamie remembers.
Photo: Austin Gros
Jamie carried a bright bouquet of coral and orange peonies, ranunculus, and roses, tied with flowing ribbons. The bridesmaids, in coral frocks also by J.Crew, carried smaller bouquets in a coordinating color scheme.
For the reception, long tables were arranged on the plantation's patio, with café lights strung overhead. Tables were topped with white runners and decorated with hundreds of glass jars holding single stems of ranunculus and peonies. Larger bubble bowl vases held vibrant succulents. The bride and groom's chairs were decorated with strands of coral, pink, and gold ribbons.
"We didn't assign any seating," says Jamie. "We didn't need to! It felt like everyone had known one another for a lifetime. It was exactly the comfortable, warm vibe we were going for."
Photo: Austin Gros
The three-tiered cake featured two flavors: coconut cake with white chocolate frosting and lemon curd, and red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting. Piped buttercream and fresh roses, peonies, and billy balls decorated the simple confection.
Photo: Austin Gros
As favors, Jamie and her mother in law assembled sweet tea kits, with tea bags, sugar, and lemon. "Since we were getting married in the South, we wanted to give the guests something with local flavor," says Jamie. "Half our guests, including my family, were from Pennsylvania, so this was a great way to introduce them to South Carolina!"
Photo: Austin Gros
The highlight of the evening, by far, was the couple's band, Az-Izz. "Nick and I love to dance," says Jamie, "and we saw them play all the time at Auburn. We knew we had to have them!"
The reception closed as the band turned up the speakers to play "All I Do is Win" by DJ Khaled. "Every guest who went to Auburn went wild," Jamie says. "It was the perfect way to end the night!"
Ceremony & Reception Venue: Lowndes Grove Plantation || Day-of Coordinator: Laura of Elle Courtney Events || Bride's Wedding Dress: J.Crew || Shoes & Accessories : J.Crew || Hair & Makeup: Renee Parenteau || Bridesmaids' Dresses: J.Crew || Groom's Attire: Express || Bride's Engagement Ring & Wedding Band: MarcCo Jewelers || Groom's Wedding Band: The bride's father || Florist: WildFlowers Inc. || Invitations & Paper Goods: Jamie Krywicki Wilson Design || Music: Ceremony - Charleston Virtuosi, Reception - Az-Izz || Catering & Cake: Fish Restaurant || Rentals: Snyder Events || Lighting: Technical Event Company || Favors: DIY || Photography: Austin Gros