Minimalist Wedding with Big Joy
Inspiration of the Day : We wanted a small and intimate celebration, with our family and closest friends, and we wanted to have it in a place special to us. I grew up spending time on Kiawah so it has long been a special place for me. Brad first met my family on his visit to Kiawah, and it has since been solidified as a special place in our relationship together. We kept our day minimalist and low fuss, relying on the natural beauty of the island and The River Course.
Did you both want to do the ‘first look’? Were you happy with your choice?
Yes, we wanted the first look as a private time for the two of us before the ceremony. We used this time to read letters to each other, and to capture some photos of just the two of us. Corrie and James made us feel relaxed and in our own world while also capturing our raw emotions in the moment.
Decor for ceremony and reception :
We had a mix of DIY and professional help. The ballroom for our celebration was large, and our wedding was fairly small (50 ppl), so we intentionally chose decorations and a layout to make the space feel more welcoming and intimate. We used ficus trees in the ballroom to help bring us in closer, and brought in lounge furniture to ensure our guests could also relax after dinner.
One thing that I was keen on was lots of color in my flower arrangements. I requested floral of bright summery colors. We paired the bright bouquets with elegant eucalyptus garlands and candles on the long dinner tables. The floral team at Branch Design delivered beautifully!
One of the fun things Brad and I did while dating was keep a list of every date we went on from our first date up until our wedding day. We wanted to share this journey with our guests, and so we worked with an Etsy creator to illustrate our “dating timeline” on a large poster. Our family and friends enjoyed seeing our history together, and we now have a lovely memento to remember our “early days.”
Favorite parts of your wedding :
The speeches! Both of our fathers, along with my sister and Brad’s brother gave lovely toasts and speeches throughout dinner.
I also loved the cocktail hour. It was lively with music (Bob Williams) and all our guests gathered on the back porch of the River Course chatting - we have some great photos from this part of the wedding and everyone seems to be really enjoying themselves.
Let's talk fashion :
A classic look: a traditional wedding dress for me, and a tux for Brad. My dress was comfortable, but made a statement. The front of my dress was minimalist and somewhat understated while the back made a statement with lots of lace, a long train and buttons all the way down. The buttons were my favorite part.
Brad and I each had our siblings stand up with us. With just the two of them, we didn’t worry about choosing wedding party looks or colors, my sister chose a lovely summer dress and Brad’s brother wore a black suit.