There Was Only One of This Bride’s Dream Floral Dress Left in the World – and She Got It!

If you like garden weddings, southern charm, and adorable pups – then boy do we have a treat for you. Today’s gorgeous wedding at the Gibbes Museum planned by Gregory Blake Sams has so much to swoon over, we’re having trouble deciding which part about it is our fave. But, if we had to choose, it would be the bride’s one-0f-a-kind garden inspired Monique Lhuillier gown – it will quite literally take your breath away. We LOVE a trend setting bride! See all this dreamy, floral-filled fête has to offer at the full gallery, captured perfectly by Hannah Alyssa!

From Hannah AlyssaDue to its beautiful architecture, hidden outdoor courtyard and ideal location in the heart of downtown Charleston, the stunning Gibbes Museum was number one on Becky and Will’s venue wish list… not to mention factoring in the venue’s sentimental value. The groom’s mother’s worked at The Gibbes Museum in her twenties when she first met Will’s father!

“We wanted the reception to feel like an extension of a garden – natural and intimate,” shared the bride. Pulling inspiration from Becky’s mother’s Legare Street Charleston garden and Becky’s love for florals, Gregory Blake Sams incorporated soft blues, greens, creams and yellows to create a space that truly made guests feel as if they were walking into a secret garden. Solid, soft sage green linens provided the perfect background to a layered tablescape with blue and white canon china, antique silver and cut crystal. 

Sara York Grimshaw combined garden cut flowers with potted plants through the space while overhead she installed large wild vines of smilax suspending grand Amanda Lindroth rattan lanterns, truly making for a magical moment! The bride fit right in to her garden-themed celebration with her unique Monique Lhuillier gown dawning delicate florals and butterflies throughout its design. “I always knew that an all-white gown was not right for me. 

I found this specific Monique Lhuillier gown online and there was only one left in the world, so I tracked it down in Houston and had it shipped to Charleston!” Becky shared. The couple turned to Jim Smeal to create a vanilla cake with blueberries to represent Maine, where Becky went to college and Will spent time during the summers growing up, that replicated the design of the bride’s gown. Guests enjoyed a tailored, elevated menu by Cru Catering including both Southern and Northern favorites to represent the couple, such as tomato pies and lobster rolls, followed by late night dance floor snacks including cookies and milk, the groom’s favorite dessert, before sending the pair off into the night on a Charleston rickshaw post sparkler and lavender exit. 

Photography: Hannah Alyssa Photography | Event Design: Gregory Blake Sams Events | Event Planning: Gregory Blake Sams Events | Floral Design: Sara York Grimshaw Designs | Wedding Dress: Monique Lhuillier | Cake: Wedding Cakes by Jim Smeal | Reception Venue: Gibbes Museum Of Art | Catering: Cru Catering | Makeup: Michelle Day | Hair: Ethan Ginn | Lighting: Technical Event Company | Ceremony Music: Yuriy Bekker | Draping: Loluma | Linens: BBJ La Tavola | Paper Goods: mac & murphy | Reception Music: Atlanta Party Band | Rentals: Eventworks | Rentals: Ooh! EventHaus | Rentals: Snyder Event Rentals | Stationery Partner: Sam Sidney | Tenting: Skyline Tent Company