Photo: A Bryan Photo
Adventurous taste buds brought Susan and Charlie together at a friend's birthday bash in New York City. "We found out we both liked to try new types of food and set a date to try Ethiopian," said Susan. But of the menu at their whirlwind wedding five years later, Susan said, "I can barely remember dinner. I hear the raw bar was amazing, but I never got to it."
Photo: A Bryan Photo
Lowndes Grove in Charleston, South Carolina, lent privacy and polish to the couple's intimate affair for 115 guests. "After seeing Lowndes Grove in person, it was an easy decision," Susan said. "The grounds are gorgeous."
The location also had special meaning for the groom, who attended medical school in Charleston. "We wanted our friends and family to experience the city, too," the bride said.
Photo: A Bryan Photo
Susan and her four bridesmaids dressed inside the property's historic plantation home. The bride's sister applied Susan's makeup.
Photo: A Bryan Photo
Susan's light lavender bouquet—a mix of lisianthus, garden roses and muscari—stood out against her winter white Vera Wang dress. She added drama to the strapless organza gown by wearing a billowing cathedral-length veil. "I just wanted to wear it forever," Susan said.
Photo: A Bryan Photo
Bridesmaids donned silk taffeta J. Crew dresses in Caspian blue and carried round bouquets of lavender roses.
Photo: A Bryan Photo
The groom wore a Hugo Boss bow-tie tuxedo, and pinned a purple boutonniere of spray roses, muscari and seeded eucalyptus to his lapel.
Photo: A Bryan Photo
The couple kept their ceremony decor simple, opting instead to let the beauty of Charleston's Ashley River be the backdrop for their vows. Custom white linen covers concealed guests' chairs.
Photo: A Bryan Photo
Flower girl Annika Johnson tossed one petal at a time as she walked down the aisle, Susan said, "because we had practiced with much bigger leaves the day before." In the end, the three-year-old girl upended the white basket, throwing all the petals into a single pile.
Photo: A Bryan Photo
Susan and Charlie wrote their own vows. "We chose 'until we are parted by death' for drama," Susan said, "but couldn't help laughing when we said it."
Photo: A Bryan Photo
Cocktails and hors d'oeuvres were served on a patio overlooking the river. Waiters passed Korean beef satay, spicy tuna served on cucumber, iced tea in mason jars and the couple's signature cocktails—Moscow Mule and Death's Door Daisy.
Photo: A Bryan Photo
Just outside a clear-topped tent, guests found their seat assignments on galvanized metal cards.
Photo: A Bryan Photo
Susan envisioned an "elegant and simple, yet unique and clean" reception. Gold oriental lanterns hung from the rafters. Soft gray and purple linens covered square and round tables, which were accented with arrangements of roses, lisianthus, muscari, sweet peas, stock, tulips, freesia, lilacs, hyacinths, anemones and orchids. And antiqued votive holders were scattered throughout the tent.
Two separate lounge areas faced each other across the dance floor, "allowing guests to mingle on both sides," Susan said. "A different style chair or coffee table and decorative pillows accompanied each section, creating a sense of space."
Photo: A Bryan Photo
The couple's cake was frosted with butter cream icing and filled with almond amaretto and hazelnut and chocolate shaving flavorings. In addition to their simple and elegant square cake, the couple also served a s'mores and crepe bar and late-night mac-and-cheese balls and miniature hot dogs on brioche buns.
Photo: A Bryan Photo
Centerpieces stuck to the couple's chosen color palette of pink and gray.
Photo: A Bryan Photo
"We wanted to look back and love it," Susan said regarding the look and theme of her wedding.
Venue: Lowndes Grove || Planner: Kristin Newman Designs || Stationery: Oscar & Emma Design Studio || Floral design: Gathering Floral + Event Design || Rentals: Snyder Event Rentals || Linens: La Tavola Linen || Catering: Fish || Cake designer: Wedding Cakes by Jim Smeal || Ceremony music: Other Brother Entertainment || Reception music: Quiana Parler and Friends || Bridal gown: Vera Wang || Veil: Vera Wang || Bridesmaids: J. Crew || Groom's suit: Hugo Boss || Transportation: Charleston Black Cab Company || Photography: A Bryan Photo || Videography: Artistic Eye Productions
—Jillian Kramer
You Might Also Like:
Browse more real wedding photos
A Rustic Lodge Wedding in the Berkshires
A Romantic Styled Shoot on a Lavender Farm