Katherine and Mike Palmeri

Katherine Mike Palmeri1 “I wanted to keep it simple and really personal,” says Katherine of her Oct. 2, 2016 nuptials to Mike Palmeri. The wedding’s events for the couple, who live in Hoboken, New Jersey, all took place in Palmetto Bluff, where Katherine’s parents live.

“I have been going down there since 2005, and I always knew I wanted to have my wedding in Palmetto Bluff,” she says. To keep things intimate they invited just their closest relatives and friends, and were surprised when nearly all 90 invitees showed up.

The weekend began Friday with a private rehearsal and sunset cruise for immediate family, followed Saturday by a larger welcome party for all guests at Moreland Landing. Guests were treated to the very best Southern fare, including oysters, fried chicken, mac and cheese, pulled pork and cornbread.

Katherine Mike Palmeri

The couple opted for a “first look” moment and pre-wedding pictures with their small wedding party. The moment Mike saw Katherine in her one-shoulder Romona Keveza silk dress, which she accessorized with a skinny beaded silver belt around her waist and a floor-length veil, is etched in the bride’s mind.

“When Mike turned around he immediately started crying,” she says.

Katherine Mike Palmeri2 The couple wrote the ceremony themselves and surprised each other with personal vows that both mixed humor with romance to illustrate their unique love story.

“Neither of us is religious but it was really nice for us to write the whole thing together,” Katherine says of the ceremony, which was officiated by one of her brothers. Another brother, the bride’s twin, gave a reading by E. E. Cummings.

Afterward, guests enjoyed passed hors d’oeuvres down by the river. Pimento grilled cheese with tomato soup, mini crab cakes and “chicken and waffle” were all a hit. A sit-down dinner followed, along with a slew of emotional speeches and a night full of dancing to the sounds of the Charleston-based The Emerald Empire Band, which played “Stand By Me” as the couple took their first dance as husband and wife.

“The band was incredible,” Katherine says.

Katherine Mike Palmeri3 When guests weren’t dancing, they were signing the custom-made guest book the bride created, which included a separate page for each guest with a printed picture of the guest with either the bride or the groom.

“I wanted to keep it simple and really personal,” she says of the guest book and other touches created for the event.

Minette Rushing Custom Cakes created a four-tiered confectionary work of art that included a layer of pound cake with blueberry purée and lemon curd, two layers of chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting and chocolate ganache, and a vanilla layer with raspberry purée and crème anglaise.

The party continued after photographer Taylor Rae captured the couple’s sparkler sendoff during the reception, but Katherine says she was sad to see it end at all.

“The whole weekend was so amazing,” she says. “I loved having everybody there in one spot.”

Katherine Mike Palmeri4