Roll with the punches. It’s as accurate a saying in wedding days as it is in life. The greatest takeaway we could ever hope to foster in the lives of our brides and grooms is simply to live every moment of their wedding day: the beauty, the crazy, every tattered flaw of it! When else will you be able to usher in this glorious and challenging season of life? When else we you be in just this place with just these people? These are the moments, the ones which make a home in our hearts for all our living days to come. They are magic. But they are also human, and they are lovely in their humanity — and I, for one, can think of nothing less wonderful than to be truly, blessedly present to the end.
Today, we have the incredible pleasure of sharing the story of a sincerely incandescent love! Even as Aaron & Brooke were faced with what many would describe as a wardrobe crisis — and on the evening before their wedding, no less — they kept with their easygoing nature and beautifully-centered nuptials, embraced the chaos, and were gifted with a sweet result and hilarious backstory! From the immeasurable grace of their Downtown Charleston venue to the charm and intimacy of their celebration, their wedding not only served as a stunning portrayal of their tender relationship, but the truest definition of a day well spent in love!
A word from photographer, Stephen Atohi:
“While I got yelled at by an angry driver passing by and Aaron accidentally fell into a stream of water, our engagement shoot felt natural and easy going. All of that streamlined straight into a wedding that felt unfettered by the dissolution of processes and traditions that didn’t mean as much to the couple and a focus instead on simplicity and engagement with close friends and family. All couples should take a cue from Aaron and Brooke and be this easy going and happy on their wedding day!”
Love notes from the couple, Aaron & Brooke:
What is your favorite thing about each other?
Aaron: “My favorite thing about Brooke is how supportive she is and has been of all my endeavors. We have moved a lot, whether with it be to return to school or for our careers, and I couldn’t have done it without her or with anyone else.”
Brooke: “Aaron is incredibly hardworking and motivated. I love how he pursues everything with so much care and passion. I also love that I can always count on him and it doesn’t hurt that he lets me choose what to watch on TV, mostly because he doesn’t care to learn how to operate the remote.”
What part of your wedding day was most important to you?
“The most important part of our wedding day was having all of our family and friends together in celebration. The majority of our guests had to travel from all corners of the continent, so it was very special for us to have everyone there. It meant a lot to us and we really just wanted to show our guests a great time in our new city. We loved spending time with everyone before, during, and after the wedding, and creating those memories to last a lifetime.”
Tell us a funny story relating to your wedding day!
“A couple of days before the wedding, the groomsmen dropped off their suits to be pressed since they had all traveled in from out of town. The evening before the wedding, we received an urgent voicemail from one of the groomsmen stating, ‘Hey buddy. Call me back. It’s an emergency.’ We immediately called them back to find out that they were having so much fun in Charleston that they lost track of time and were a half hour late to the cleaners. Since they were closed the next day, this meant the groomsmen would not have clothes for the wedding.
Knowing the groomsmen, this seemed par for the course and we found it quite comical. We instructed them to go to Target for white dress shirts and preferably gray dress pants, but almost any color would have been fine at that point.
The next day, they showed up looking mighty fine. I guess we should have just gone with Target in the first place!”
If you had one piece of advice for other couples, what would it be?
“It might sound cliche, but it’s true that your wedding day goes by in the blink of an eye. Our one piece of advice would be to find a moment among the chaos to slow it down and take it all in. For us that was during our first look and the moments immediately before and after the ceremony.”
photographer: Stephen Atohi / venue: Gadsden House / stylist and planner: Kathleen Shuler of King Street Hospitality Group / floral designer: DIY with Bloominous / dress boutique and earrings: Gown Boutique of Charleston / dress designer: Pronovias / cake designer: Sweet Lulu’s Bakery On Wheels / makeup artist and hair stylist: Canary Rock Salon / men’s formalwear: Men’s Wearhouse / rentals: EventWorks / headpiece: BHLDN / bar: King Street Bev Co / catering: Maybank Catering / entertainment: Pinnacle / officiant: Cori of Charleston Intimate Ceremonies / transportation: Lowcountry Valet & Shuttle Co / shoes: Badgley Mischka / film lab: Indie Film Lab
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