June 3, 2016 // Great Oak Manor // Laura’s Focus Photography
The Proposal
The Saturday before Christmas in 2014, Greg and Pam’s adult children were all visiting. They took a limousine into the city to visit museums for the day. Greg had asked to stop in front of the restaurant where the two had gone on their first date for a drink. While the kids stood in a semi-circle around the couple, he proposed in the restaurant.
The Venue
“A friend of a friend is an event planner,” shares Pam. “We were looking at venues in Ireland and Charleston, but wanted something that all of our family could get to easily. She suggested Great Oak. Greg and I drove over and instantly knew it was where we wanted to get married. We also wanted a weekend retreat where we could have the ceremony on Friday and a large, all-day ‘fun day’ the following day.”
The Wedding Party
Pam and Greg had their children stand by their sides for the wedding. They both had their sons and daughters in the wedding party and also had their granddaughter as the flower girl.
The Day After
Pam and Greg chose to throw a party the day after their wedding for guests to attend. They had lawn games out for guests to play along with kayaking and paddleboarding on the water. They also served lunch and dinner alongside a tiki bar. This allowed them to invite additional friends that were not a part of the small, intimate wedding on Friday. An all-day band kept things festive throughout the party.
The Sea Glass Inspiration
Their wedding colors were variations on glass-blues. They had cards with descriptions of various types of sea glasses as part of the place settings. Also, as a wedding gift, Greg gave Pam a beautiful sea glass acelet prior to the ceremony.
The Honeymoon
Pam and Greg took a week off after the wedding to stay at home and enjoy local fun before jumping on a plane or jumping back into work. Then, in August, they took a three week honeymoon to Italy. They visited Venice, Milan, the lake region, Florence, and the Amalfi Coast. “It was perfect,” Pam shares.
The Advice
“Enjoy the process leading up to the event as well as the wedding itself,” the couple recommends. “It’s easy to get overwhelmed and stressed by the magnitude of your to-do list. Another piece of advice? Looking back, the couple would have hired a day-of planner since they chose to plan the wedding themselves.
The Details:
Florist: Florah Boh | Band: Sly 45 | Caterer: Rouge Catering | Cake/ Baker: Rouge Catering | Bridal gown store: Carine's Bridal | Gown designer: Romona Kaveza | Bride's makeup: Steve Schepis | Bride's hair: Danielle Dougherty | Engagement ring store: Tiffany | Wedding bands store: Liljenquist & Beckstead | Bridesmaid dresses store: Nordstrom
