Jessica & Michael’s summertime wedding planned by Sarah Lillie Designs, is the definition of ‘classic’ with a twist! Adorned by Loluma’s cascading floral runners lush with baby’s breath and blue hydrangeas, the tablescapes brought new life to a trend of season’s past. The bridesmaid’s dresses, in buttercup yellow and blue floral motifs, complement the cheerful summer palette – while the bride shines in a sleek and chic Lela Rose number! Soak in the sunshine and pin-worthy details of the day at the full gallery by Anne Rhett! Trust us folks, this is a good one…
How did you meet?
Michael and I met through good fortune. My older sister was living with Michael’s college roommate’s sister at the time and Michael’s roommate (Gordon) needed a date to the Naval Academy’s ring dance. I agreed to meet Gordon in Charleston over spring break at Michael’s sister’s home, where they were all enjoying a week off in the sunshine. Although I went to the ring dance with Gordon, it was Michael that I wanted to spend more time with. I love that both of our sisters played a role in our meeting. From our time in Charleston until the beginning of our relationship almost a year later, we talked everyday (sometimes for hours). We considered each other a best friend. Eventually, in classic 2006 fashion, Michael and I decided to officially date over AOL instant messenger on Easter Sunday. From there, we grew as individuals and as a couple while we navigated long distance – I was in my final year at Duke while he was completing TBS and OIC at Quantico, and then I went off to Miami for law school while he based out of Camp LeJeune and deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. Safe to say it was a challenging time but our love only grew. Although we separated for a few years, we never stopped thinking about each other and we finally got our happy ending.
Tell us about the proposal!
Michael chose the Old Town Alexandria waterfront for the proposal, which took place on January 14, 2022. On our way to “meet his sister for dinner,” he suggested taking the scenic route along the Potomac River path and asked me to marry him on a beautiful lamplit arrangement. After the proposal and champagne toast, we went to our favorite Old Town restaurant where he had our families waiting to surprise me. There were lots of happy tears!
How did you choose your wedding venue and aesthetic?
Michael and I walked by the William Aiken House during a visit to Charleston in 2009. I looked through the gate onto the beautiful property and told him that I was going to marry him there one day. We both laughed, but 13 years later it finally became reality. We loved the classic architecture of the home, the gorgeous verandas, and the stunning outdoor spaces. We were so lucky to secure a date during one of the busiest wedding seasons on record! When it came to our wedding aesthetic, we wanted it to look and feel elegant and classic while being fun and unfussy. Our “north star” when we made design decisions was “will we still love this 50 years from now?” Lillie (our wedding planner) was the best – the final product exceeded all expectations!
What was the date of your wedding?
June 3, 2022
Can you walk us through your thought process for the wedding weekend attire?!
Wedding Day: Like the design of the wedding, I wanted to make timeless selections. I’d always admired Carolyn Bessette’s wedding dress and wanted something similar, but with more structure. The Brighton by Lela Rose fit the bill. I chose to pair the gown with a pearled cathedral length veil, which added an element of whimsy, and the Jennifer Behr Tunis earrings (which brought together the pearl from my veil and the rhinestones from my Phillip Lim shoes). As to hair, I was torn between a sleek low bun or old Hollywood curls, but ultimately decided on the curls because it felt more like “me.” For makeup, I wanted to look dewy and fresh, with great lashes!
Wedding Exit: I wanted a fun party dress to make our exit! I fell in love with the Rebecca Vallance Sylvie Mini with its sequins and feathers (and it was so comfortable, to boot).
Welcome Party: Because my choices for the wedding day were so simple, I wanted to incorporate more texture and interest into my welcome party look. I loved the fun sleeves, high neck, and lace on my Self Portrait White Abstract Guipure Dress! I paired it with a playful party pony, Lele Sadoughi pearl heart stud earrings, and Stuart Weitzman block heels. Michael wore a mid-blue suit from Suit Supply. My sisters wore the Alexis Nolana embroidered cotton-blend midi. The embroidery was beautiful!
Ceremony details, please!
My brother in-law, Kevin, officiated our wedding, which made it personal and intimate. He’d been around since Day 1 of our relationship and rooted for us along the way. We exchanged traditional vows but left the rest to Kevin – he had our guests laughing when he welcomed Michael as the newest “draft” to Team Granson, a nod to how we’ve always described my family, our athletic background and his job as a college lacrosse coach! Michael and I felt very present and peaceful during our ceremony, and honestly forgot that guests were watching.
And the reception…
The reception was magical – it was so fun to see friends and family from all walks of life laugh and enjoy each other. There was a buzz in the air and the energy was palpable. We circulated passed h’ordeorves during cocktail hour: mojo pork tacos, burrata crostini, spicy tuna poke, and fried green tomatoes. For dinner, we had vertical roots greens, filet with chimichurri, crab cake with mustard seed tartar, mushroom ravioli, herb fingerling potatoes, and garlic + white wine haricot verts. And for late night bites, we had tater tots, smashburgers, and chocolate chip cookie ice cream sandwiches, all of which were a big hit.
Michael and I spent a lot of time considering the music for each portion of the night and worked with the DJ to make that a reality. During dinner, we asked for an old school, happy, classic vibe with songs from The Temptations, Frankie Valli, Frank Sinatra, Ray LaMontagne, The Temptations, etc. And for the dancing portion, we kicked it up. Our specific request was no slow songs and a fun mix of music that represented everyone: oldies, pop, rock, hip-hop. We wanted energy on the dance floor and for each song to be so fun that no one wanted to leave! Mission accomplished; Bruno Mars, N’Sync, the Backstreet Boys, Britney Spears, Whitney Houston, Drake, Billy Joel and others kept our guests on the dance floor all night.
My father, Michael’s best man (Chris), and my sister Katie (with a speech written by all 3 of my sisters, all of whom were my maid/matrons of honor) all gave speeches. They made us laugh and cry.
After the reception, we walked through the sparkler farewell line and exited the reception in a pedi-cab, which took us two blocks to Vintage Lounge where we asked guests to keep the celebration going! Safe to say we shut down the bar and it was a night we’ll never forget.
What song did you dance your first dance to?
Growing Old With You by Restless Road
Where did you go on your honeymoon?
Jumby Bay!
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Photography: Anne Rhett Photography | Videography: Gordon Keiter | Event Planning: Sarah Lillie Designs | Floral Design: Loluma | Wedding Dress: Lela Rose | Shoes: Phillip Lim | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Alexis Nolana | Catering: Patrick Properties Hospitality Group | Hair and Makeup: Wild Ivory Beauty | Groom's Attire: Suit Supply | Wedding Venue: William Aiken House | Tent: Snyder | Earrings: Jennifer Behr | Exit Dress: Rebecca Vallance | Linens: BBJ La Tavola | Linens: Stradley Davidson Linen Collective | Paper Goods: Nikki Stanford Artistry | Rehearsal Dress: Self Portrait | Rehearsal Earrings: lele sadoughi | Rehearsal Shoes: Stuart Weitzman | Rentals: Curated Events
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