ALI & IAN
River Course Wedding
Kiawah Island, South Carolina
Their story: Ali & Ian are proof, yet again, that online dating apps are here to stay. The two, who were both living in New York City at the time, met on Match.com and their instant attraction led to a magical first date in the Big Apple. That evening, which started at Grand Central Station, was followed by ice skating at Bryant Park and ended with a sushi dinner.
A year later, the pair, who had just moved to Connecticut, received news that Ian was being transferred to Omaha. Without hesitation, Ali jumped on board with the move and was excited to share in the new chapter with Ian. After spotting Omaha on the map, they packed their bags and made the 1,200-mile trek cross country. After settling into their new home in Nebraska, Ian surprised Ali with an intimate pre-Thanksgiving proposal followed by a celebration with friends later that evening.
With family scattered at both ends of the East Coast, his in Florida, and her family in New York, South Carolina was the ideal meeting spot for the destination wedding they envisioned. On a trip to Charleston to find the perfect venue, they met seasoned event planner, Cindy Zingerella of Engaging Events, while visiting a local plantation. After hearing the couple’s plans for a seated reception and Ian’s love of golf, Cindy suggested they check out Kiawah Island Club’s River Course and kindly set them up with a property tour for later that day. Cindy’s intuition was on point because after their visit Ali was sold. “I walked out of the venue setting on having the wedding there,” she said. With the venue secured, they scheduled their wedding for March 19th and teamed up with Cindy and the Engaging Events squad to assist with the logistics and aesthetics of the entire weekend.
Studio R, a Charleston stationer & invitations guru, set the stage for the weekend’s festivities by designing custom paper goods to properly communicate the weekend’s multiple events and transportation details in the months leading up to the wedding. After sending out the initial save the dates, each guest received a 6-month reminder card which featured the leaf design from Ali’s dress, followed by a full invitation suite printed on a luxurious paper resembling a rustic bark. The extensive invitation, and the couple’s detailed website, made sure each guest was excited and prepared to celebrate. As guests began trickling into the Lowcountry, they found personalized welcome baskets (customized based on the pre-wedding events they were attending) in their rooms preparing them for the fun to come.
Ali had a clear idea of the “rustic elegance” design she hoped to achieve and worked with Engaging Events to mold earthy tones (green, grey and beige) with a pop of lavender to create the refined evening she fancied. Hoping to fully embrace the beauty of the Lowcountry, they relied heavily on Cindy and her team to blend their sophisticated color palette with the stunning coastal backdrop to create a wedding uniquely theirs.
Guests arrived, dressed in their black-tie best, for the couple’s six o’clock ceremony. They were ushered to the 18th hold at The River Course where deep mahogany chairs with ivory cushions faced the waterfront view. Two over-the-top arrangements filled with lush hydrangeas, roses and hanging Amaranthus marked the aisle and paved the way for the floral display that was to come. Instead of a full wedding party, they couple opted to have only their sisters serve as bridesmaids, each of whom wore floor-length grey dresses of their own choosing to keep wit the formal theme. Ali dazzled in a bespoke Mira Zwillinger gown which featured a delicate leaf detailing and tulle skirt. Live musicians played an instrumental rendition of “Just The Way You Are,” by Bruno Mars ad the bride made her way down the aisle with her parents by her side.
The couple turned to Engaging Events to custom design a one-of-a-kind chuppah. “Ali shared with us photos of a few arbors and chuppahs,” remembers Cindy. “We took that inspiration and created a custom piece just for them.” Made from white birch and branches, and dressed in natural greenery, the entire structure was accented with lush flowers in the couple’s color scheme of lavender, ivory, and green. Their marriage was the reason everyone was there and being under that chuppah with the white birch and branches was very Ali, and the beautiful florals that helped create the formality that I know Ian wanted as well…I felt like it was the perfect place for them to say their ‘I do’s,” recalls Cindy. The pair joined hands under the chuppah where a close family friend presided over their vows. Officiant Mark Perlson’s family ties run deep-he served as Ali’s Father’s best man and officiated her sister’s ceremony-and his presence over their nuptials was the personal touch they were looking for. Following in Ian’s cousins’ footsteps, the couple were married beneath his grandfather’s tallit-a Jewish prayer shawl. The family heirloom was particularly important to the couple as Ian’s grandfather was a Holocaust survivor. As the ceremony ended, the couple gathered the entire crowd for a commemorative group photo.
The rustic aesthetic ultimately carried over to the reception where Engaging Events brought the outdoors in with luxurious details. Patio tables were covered with a textured linen that mimicked an earthy burlap and was then layered with a sheer green topper that featured a leaf-like pattern. In the ballroom, rich grey linens draped the reception tables which were surrounded by black chivari chairs with grey cushions. Adding to the chic atmosphere of the ballroom, silver-rimmed chargers cradled custom menu cards boasting of the culinary treats to come. To strike a balance between their outdoor ceremony and indoor reception, an abundance of tall flowering branches, mixed with tulips and orchids, stood in the center of each table to finish off the fabulous design.
Guests filled the dance floor throughout the evening, only taking breaks to indulge in a smorgasbord of late-night snacks -soft pretzels, grilled cheese with tomato soup shooters, quesadillas, beef sliders, pizza and French fries-before heading to The Sanctuary for the after-party.0
Event Planning & Floral Design: Engaging Events
Photographer: MCG Photography
Venue: The River Course at Kiawah Island Club
Cake: Wedding Cakes by Jim Smeal
Hair & Makeup: Vanity Salon
Linens: BBJ Linen
Transportation : Absolutely Charleston, Charleston Style Limo
Rentals: Snyder Events, EventWorks
