The Cloister Chapel at Sea Island Resort

SEA ISLAND WEDDING AT THE CLOISTER

SARAH & FRANK

Saint Simons Island, Georgia

Tell us how you met: Frank and I met at a mutual friends post wedding party weekend in Athens, Georgia. A group of friends had gone to dinner at The Last Resort and Frank came and met us. We met that night and were inseparable the rest of the weekend. We dated long distance for a little over a year.

Sea Island wedding at The Cloister by Savannah, GA vendor Caroline Carter Events

Proposal Details: Frank came to Atlanta early and surprised me at my house. He knocked on the door and asked me to sit down and he got down on one knee and proposed. It was simple and perfect!

Tell us about your dress shopping experience: The dress shopping was so fun!! My mom, aunt and 3 best friends were with me. We were in Atlanta and went to Joan Pillow. I had had my eye on a Monique Luhlier dress and once I tried it on I knew it was the one! It was spaghetti strapped, V-neck with a lace bodice and tulle skirt; the laces from the bodice water-falled down the skirt. We had a custom bolero make of the lace to wear during the ceremony and then I had a crystal belt to wear during the reception. The veil was cathedral length with a blusher.

Hair & Makeup: Amy Jenkins from Bienvenue on St Simons did my hair for the weekend. She did a low bun that was textured and added white orchids. It was gorgeous! Judy Crouch, a make up artist from St. Simons, did my make up. It was very natural with lots of neutrals and soft pinks. She made my eyes a little more dramatic with a darker liner and lots of mascara. My lips were a soft pink.

Bridesmaids Attire: I had one bridesmaid that wore a long hunter green, one shoulder Amsale gown. I had 6 flower girls that wore a long white Oscar de la Renta silk and lace dresses.

Groom & Groomsmen Attire: Frank wore a black tux designed at his father’s clothing store, Frank Romeo’s Clothing. His father was his best man and also wore a custom tux from his shop. My 2 ring bearers work custom navy velvet short suits with white knee socks.

Did you decide on a first look? Yes, several of my friends told me to do a first look to cut down on nerves and be able to go straight to the reception to enjoy the party. It was very special and intimate to see each other first before anyone saw us together.

How did you decide on your aesthetic & color palette: I wanted the night to feel romantic so I wanted a soft color palette with pops of gold.

The Invitation & Paper Details: I chose invitations by Emmy Scruggs from Athens, Ga. Her company is called CalligrEMMY. She is super talented. She did all of my invitations for the wedding starting with the save the dates to from the Thurs. welcome party to the Rehearsal Dinner and the Wedding. The invitations were cream with grey calligraphy letter pressed with a gold cross at the top and gold paint around the edges of the invitation. There was a separate insert card for the guests invited to the wedding ceremony. The envelopes were lined with gold. The exterior was done in a grey calligraphy.

How did you select your venue? I grew up going to Sea Island. I have many wonderful memories with friends and family there. My grandparents built a house there in the mid 70’s and that was where we decided to have the rehearsal dinner and after party. We got married in an intimate ceremony at he Cloister Chapel and then had the reception outside on Black Banks Terrace. We had a clear tent with beautiful silks and twinkle lights. It was perfect!

Personal Touches: I wore my grandmothers (on my moms side) diamond bracelet for my something borrowed. I carried the bible that my grandparents (on my dads side) carried in their wedding and my parents did too. We also had a flip flop station for all the ladies so they could take their shoes off and not be barefooted.

Describe your flowers: Small, low, textured arrangements with greens, blush/champagne/white florals, and berries. Flowing and loose in composition. Groupings include planted baby orchid and en masse florals. Containers in a mixture of glass and aged silver. Tall arrangements on tables lining the dance floor including greens and whites. Looser in composition.

Ceremony Details: Our ceremony took place at the Cloister Chapel and was mainly family and very close friends. I walked down the aisle to Canon in D. The ensemble was Music by Pegge. We also had a bagpiper that played as we walked out of the church and led the wedding guests to the reception. It was really beautiful because the sun was setting as everyone was walking along the water.

Sea Island wedding at The Cloister Chapel by The Decisive Moment

The wedding was black tie so I wanted the night to have lot of beautiful creams and soft pinks with some pops of gold. The dance floor was black and white and there were 5 large chandeliers hanging over the dance floor. There were lots of candles so it had a warm glow. The bars had a boxwood cover with some added fern detail. There was a lit wall behind the band that had silk draped in the front and the back so if you were on the lower lever it was still a beautiful backdrop.

Best Piece of Advice for Brides-to-be: Wedding planning is stressful but try not to let it get to you. Try not to take it out on your close friends and family and especially your fiancé. Ask for help if you seem overwhelmed. Keep in mind that it is going to be the best day of your life and enjoy every section of it! It is so much fun being surrounded by the people you love most in your life.

Sea Island wedding at The Black Banks Terrace at The Cloister by The Decisive Moment

Décor: There are 3 levels to the Black Banks Terrace. We had lots of flower and candles in a mix of silver and crystal. There was a large clear tent with silk and twinkle lights with chandeliers hanging over the dance floor. There was a mix of low and high tables and white velvet lounge area on either side of the dance floor.

What was on the menu for the evening? We had a wonderful menu for the night. During cocktail hour we had Front porch lemonade for a specialty drink. There were passed apps and a raw bar with shrimp, oysters, crab claws and lobster. For dinner there were carving stations with beef tenderloin and pork tenderloin. There was a risotto bar and sushi at the raw car.

Describe your cake: Frank and I had a wedding cake. We had a simple, buttercream frosted, four-tiered cake made by the pastry chef at Sea Island. In between each cake layer were cream and blush hydrangea and roses.

Top tier: Traditional white cake with buttercream icing

Middle tiers: Sea island Truffle with butter cream icing

Bottom tier: Traditional white cake with buttercream icing

What were the most important elements about your wedding day to you and your husband? We wanted the weather to be perfect and getting married at the beach you always have the off chance of rain. We completely lucked out to the most beautiful weekend. Just making sure we were together the whole night so we MADE our memories together.

Sea Island wedding at The Cloister by The Decisive Moment

Guest Count: 180

Late night snacks/special treats: Croque monsieur, mini corndog and fries

The Send-off/Getaway Vehicle: 1980’s white Bentley

What are you plans and goals as a newly married couple? I moved to Columbus, GA and bought a house in the fall of 2016. We are working on the house and plan on getting a puppy soon. Just relax and enjoy being together now the life has calmed down after all the wedding planning. Definitely are ready to get back down to Sea Island and reminisce about our wonderful wedding!