From the bride - "My dressing room was in my childhood room, the bar was set up where my dad's grill usually is, and the dance floor was by the pool where the loungers usually are!"
From the bride - "Originally, our 175 person ceremony was set for the Cathedral with a reception at the Chatham Club. A very 'Savannah' wedding, which was exactly what I hoped for as a native Savannahian (and a few generations back). We chose the Cathedral because my grandparents were married there over 60 years ago!
Unfortunately, coronavirus came along and took our 17 months of planning for a big spin. BUT What we ended up with was an even more 'Savannah' wedding really that one could have!
The house I grew up in, where my parents still live, has been in my Father's family for over 100 years. 27 years ago my parents were married in the house. And just 1.5 years ago I was proposed to in the living room. So, getting married at this home was actually a really special (and safe) alternative. To boot, my parents even had the same caterer - the famed Susan Mason!
In the end, it turned out the circumstances weren't at all unfortunate... the wedding turned out to be what we feel was always meant to be! Getting married in front of our immediate families, MOH, and Best Man, plus just 3 close friends made for an intimate night more special than I could have ever hoped for. My dressing room was in my childhood room, the bar was set up where my dad's grill usually is, and the dance floor was by the pool where the loungers usually are! Instead of the big Cathedral music, we had two magical violinists on the side porch playing down to the ceremony. Instead of a big band from Charleston, the tunes were sung by the glorious Kim Polote with piano accompaniment that was incredibly romantic. Our cake may have been taken down from 4 to 2 tiers... and maybe I wouldn't have opted for a long dramatic veil if I had known the wedding was going to be in my parent's courtyard, but it was perfectly imperfect in every way."
From the Photographer - When I first met Elizabeth, we met at her parent's amazing home in downtown Savannah. I've been in a lot of homes in the downtown area, however, this house was definitely the most gorgeous one yet. Elizabeth told me that the home had been in her family for years and that she and her brother grew up in it. Talk about jealous!! Fast forward a year later and coronavirus is starting to shut the country down. Not only me, but every wedding vendor everywhere was spinning and trying to figure out their next steps. I emailed Elizabeth and told her that I would be on board with whatever her and Ryan wanted to do. Elizabeth instantly wrote back saying that she really wanted to keep her original May 9th wedding date and get married at her childhood home.
We both kept up with the developments from the CDC and the city of Savannah. Elizabeth and Ryan cut their guest list down to those they really wanted to be there - immediate family and a few very close friends. We made sure that everyone involved with the wedding was safe and healthy. The vendor team was down to just essential workers. We were ready.
On the morning of their wedding, I was so excited to get back behind my camera again. From the moment I got to the house, there were so many smiles and lots of excitement that the wedding was finally going to happen. Elizabeth got ready in her childhood room with help from her best childhood friend Olivia. Her parents joined them for a champagne toast before walking down the aisle in their courtyard to get married.
The wedding was beautiful and it really made you realize what was truly important - that in the end, after all the craziness and planning that totally changed, Elizabeth and Ryan were married. And in the home that her parents had gotten married in, with the same caterer too! It was truly special and I was so honored to be a part of this gorgeous day.