The Miracle Wedding.

Laura and Johnny chose Charleston for their Southern destination wedding. Charleston is always beautiful in April, which is why it’s one of the most sought-after wedding months in the Lowcountry!

Well, if there’s one thing I’ve learned in life and in wedding planning, there’s nothing as unpredictable as the weather.

This Friday in April went from sunny and mild one minute to black skies, hurricane-force winds, and lightning strikes. Right as setup was complete and the wedding party and 130 guests were set to arrive, the original venue lost power. We’re not talking “rain plan,” we’re talking “there isn’t going to be a wedding here tonight.”

Insert plans C, D, E, F, & G! Also insert husbands, industry connections, and some very good friends. Together, we accumulated a plan.

Since guests were scheduled to arrive any minute, we continued with the ceremony and an abbreviated cocktail hour at the original venue. Laura and Johnny got to say their vows in front of their family, friends, and God.

While the ceremony concluded and photos were wrapping up, our team was working to create a miracle. I will spare you from all of the details, but here are some noteworthy takeaways:
1. If you buy enough alcohol from Costco, it will require signing a consent form
2. Get you a husband who will spend his Friday evening transporting a 3 tier wedding cake in his truck with nary a scratch
3. If you have good enough friends, just text them “911” and they will leave work early to come help set up an empty room for a 130 person wedding in 45 minutes

When guests arrived to Merchants Hall at 7:00pm, they were greeted with an open bar and The Band Punch playing festive tunes. The Grand Introduction of the bridal party led way to the first dance, followed by some Home Team bbq for dinner. (I mean, what’s more Southern than that?) The night turned out to be one of the best dance parties we have seen to this day!

As fate would have it, Merchant’s Hall was in the running as one of Laura’s top venue choices during her search. This sweet bride got two dresses, two venues, and one crazy story to tell (oh, and a husband!). There is no couple more deserving in the world to have had this incredible night. Take one look at their wedding photos, and all you see is love, laughter, and beauty. We would have gone to the ends of the earth to pull this off for them!

(In case you’re wondering, we survived. At midnight after breakdown, we looked at each other and all we could say was, “Did that just happen?” In two hours, we had transplanted an entire wedding reception 21 miles away to downtown Charleston. Erica and Jacqueline would like to personally thank: Brad Peper, Branden Stetler, Jessie Tanner, Elaine Savarese, Scott Glaze, and Erin Manley. Without you, Peper Events would not be a hero.)

WE LOVE YOU LAURA AND JOHNNY!!

 

Planning – Peper Events

Cake – Publix

Venue – Middleton Place + Merchants Hall

Ceremony music – Palmetto Strings

Reception Music – The Band Punch

Rentals – EventWorks + Snyder Event Rentals

Photography – Aaron and Jillian

Videography – Serio Visuals

Florist – Forever Flowers

Catering: Home Team BBQ