Hilton Head Weddings

When native New Yorkers Valerie and Patric Ruppel got engaged in 2017 and began planning their nuptials, they knew they wanted a destination wedding in a warm climate — but not the same setting as the beach, barn and big city weddings they’d attended. After a quick brainstorming session, they both settled on the perfect vision, and it was a place they’d been to before: the Avenue of the Oaks in Belfair, where Patric’s grandparents live.

Kevin and Victoria Basirico’s love story didn’t bloom until they were young professionals living in two different states, but the seed was planted much, much earlier: They met at Sea Pines Montessori School when they were just 6 years old.

The couple, who are both 30 and now live in Hilton Head Plantation, were married March 30 at a private estate in Bluffton that Victoria said “showcased the beauty of the Lowcountry in a laid-back yet sophisticated way.”

CASH IN ON YOUR WEDDING DREAMS

The bridal registry is a long-standing wedding tradition, an easy way for couples to indicate to their loved ones some of the gifts that would help them start their marriage in style. The first bridal registry dates back to 1924, when couples were mainly registering for things like china, silver and crystal patterns. Over the years, brides and grooms began registering for other kinds of items for their homes, from bath linens to garden tools. But today’s couples are marrying later and often living together first, which means their homes are pretty well equipped long before they walk down the aisle.

Once your engagement is announced, the planning process begins. This timeline will help keep you on track when it comes to planning a stress-free wedding. (Yes, it’s possible, right?)

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.

BRIDES-TO-BE HAVE MORE OPTIONS THAN EVER WHEN IT COMES TO THE RING

It’s more than a ring. It’s the promise of a future filled with love and happiness, tears and joy, all with the most wonderful man in the world. So why shouldn’t your ring be the most wonderful ring in the world, too?  And with today’s styles and multitude of choices, there is sure to be a perfect ring out there just for you.

SUN CITY MOM WINS MAKEOVER, GETS STYLE UPDATE

Georgia Lash of Sun City Hilton Head first learned of Monthly’s makeover contest on Facebook.

She scrolled past it, but decided she should look more closely at the opportunity when she realized she qualified for the contest.

“I mean, how many times am I going to be the mother of a groom? Hopefully only once,” Lash said, referring to her only child, Alex, who lives in Charlotte and will marry fiancé Kaitlyn on May 18 at the South Carolina Yacht Club in Windmill Harbour.

FLOWERS EXPRESS YOUR WEDDING’S PERSONALITY

Flowers are an integral part of every wedding’s aesthetic, but they can also be a great way for brides to express their personality and creativity. In 2018, greenery — like palm leaves, ferns and moss — was the standout trend, adding a charmingly natural touch while also being cheaper than flowers. But 2018 is long gone, and in 2019, flowers are making a comeback.

NEW SPINS ON OLD WEDDING TRADITIONS

“The night we got engaged in September 2017, our initial thought was ‘We want to do something different for our wedding,’” says Valerie Ruppel (nee Amodeo) of her May 12, 2018 wedding to Patric Ruppel. For the New York couple, that ultimately meant a destination wedding at beautiful Belfair Plantation beneath a canopy of grandiose oak trees. But many couples can create “something different” for their wedding on a much smaller scale.   

WHAT TO WEAR WHEN YOU SAY ‘I DO’

Some brides have had the exact dress they want to wear on their big day in mind for years. Others don’t have a clue and can scarcely envision themselves waltzing down the aisle in a fancy dress.

The good news? There truly is a perfect dress for every personal preference. But when it comes to wedding attire, there’s a lot to think about. And we’re not just talking about accessorizing.

HOW TO HOST GUESTS OF ALL AGES — OR ADULTS ONLY — AT YOUR BIG DAY

For Billy and Beth Mayer, who were married Oct. 11 on the beach outside of The Dunes House, exchanging their wedding vows wasn’t so much about saying “I do” as it was proclaiming “we all do” — the bride, the groom and the bride’s two children.

“This was about us forming a family, not just getting married,” says Beth, whose 12-year-old son walked her down the aisle and was the best man, even giving a speech he wrote himself. Her 9-year-old daughter, Mia, was a junior bridesmaid at the wedding, and the groom’s then-4-year-old niece served as flower girl.