WEDDING INDUSTRY SPECIALISTS ENJOY THEIR DAY OF BLISS

After all those years of just missing each other — of being just a few minutes too early or too late — they finally met.

Michel Berda, an accomplished wedding photographer who has captured the joy of more than 500 weddings, and Linzie Davis, a wedding hair and makeup artist, had fleetingly crossed paths through the years at numerous events in Charleston and throughout the Lowcountry, but they’d never connected. Never had a chat.

HIGH SCHOOL SWEETHEARTS SAVOR THEIR DREAM WEDDING

In high school, Abby Hicks greeted Parris Winstead as she was walking down the hall to class. Little did she know the impression she made in that moment. Parris was instantly in love.

“I knew I was going to marry her from the moment I saw her,” he said.

A SUNSET WEDDING CELEBRATES THE BLENDING OF TWO CULTURES

Alyssa Gillis and Humberto Garcia Cruz got lucky: their wedding took place just before South Carolina’s Gov. Henry McMaster prohibited large gatherings due to the coronavirus. But the bigger stroke of luck, according to the Hilton Head couple, is that they found each other at all.

Gillis grew up on Hilton Head Island with her twin sister and parents. Garcia Cruz grew up in Morelos, Mexico, just south of Mexico City. Her determination to become fluent in Spanish brought them together as co-workers at a Mexican orphanage in 2013.

Every destination wedding requires a fabulous wedding destination, of course. But it takes a savvy couple like Lucie and Kyle Duffy to truly honor and capture the magic of both. 

The Duffys, who met in Chicago and now reside in London, were married at Sea Pines Country Club on May 4, 2019. But playing the role of good Hilton Head Island hosts to their 130-plus guests began days earlier. From rounds of golf to beach outings, as well as a cocktail reception, an intimate bridal luncheon and a wedding-eve welcome dinner for 125 people at Dockside, the couple helped their loved ones take full advantage of the getaway and the island before the wedding day even dawned.

FRIENDSHIP FOLLOWED BY MARRIAGE IS A RECIPE FOR SUCCESS 

There is something to be said for marrying your best friend. Combining romance with companionship brings out the best qualities in both types of relationships. It seems couples that have this connection have it figured out — couples like Jennifer and Vinny Matalavage.

Jennifer and Vinny met in college at Penn State Hazleton, sitting next to each other in class and working together on group projects. They really connected as friends and when Vinny began looking for a roommate in 2014, he was excited to learn that Jenny had a job in the same area: “We cleared it with our parents first and then became roommates.”

BRIDE AND GROOM PLANNED A WEEKEND OF CELEBRATION

When a wedding invitation includes an entire weekend full of events including a beach day, you know it’s going to be a good time. And that was the goal for Bluffton residents Ashley Smith and Douglas Lindblad when they were planning their wedding after getting engaged in 2018.

Like many modern-day couples, the pair first met through a dating app. But Hurricane Matthew delayed their first date when Ashley and her children evacuated to North Carolina, and Doug, who was doing tree work at the time, stayed on Hilton Head Island to help in the aftermath of the storm. Doug was also a member of the National Guard and was waiting to hear if he was going to get called up.

FRIENDS AND LOVED ONES PITCH IN TO GIVE COUPLE THE PERFECT WEDDING

Rachel Eudy had always wanted a fall wedding. She loves the outdoors, so when she and her now-husband, David, decided to get married, they knew they wanted nature to play a big part in their September nuptials.

Friend Tim Wright offered to let the couple use the Lowcountry-style clubhouse at The Paddocks, a neighborhood nestled alongside a stretch of Hilton Head Island wetlands.

WEDDED BLISS AT WEXFORD

From the groomsmen arriving by boat to the sea glass blues and greens of the décor and dresses, Christine and C.J. Steedley’s wedding had a true coastal wedding vibe. And Mother Nature contributed with the very best island weather.