Taylor & Samuel | Wingate Plantation



Taylor and Sam may be from Virginia and live in Waco, Texas, but the Palmetto State holds a special place in their hearts. They met at the University of South Carolina when Sam, a freshman fraternity pledge at the time, had to serenade Taylor and her roommates while blindfolded as one of his pledge challenges. That encounter led to a close friendship (it didn’t hurt that Sam rescued a pup named Coach and Taylor had an excuse to go hang out at his place). Friendship turned into love, and the two dated throughout the rest of their college years. After graduation, Sam moved to Waco to attend law school at Baylor University, and Taylor followed once she had finished her physical therapy doctorate. Just before Sam left for Texas, though, he suggested they go to one last baseball game at their alma mater. Pre-game, they killed time walking around campus, and Sam pulled out his GoPro (which was not unusual for him), and then he proceeded to get down on one knee (which was unusual). They chose Charleston for their nuptials because they wanted beautiful scenery, live oaks, and Spanish moss. While touring venues, Taylor fell in love with Wingate Plantation on Johns Island, and she is just as smitten with it post-wedding as she was initially. “I think one of the most important reasons that I chose Wingate, other than being absolutely in love with its scenery, was that it is a family-owned and -run venue,” says Taylor. “Sarah, the venue coordinator, made me feel like we were family.” She also credits Willow Event Designs florist and coordinator Jessie with making the Big Day so special. “I told her my budget for flowers and she worked magic, y’all!” the newlywed exclaims. Add to all that a scrumptious chocolate cake from Thurston Southern Catering (a nod to Taylor’s sweet tooth), and it’s clear the stars aligned for this couple, the venue, and their vendors. Are there any better wedding goals than that?

Month-of Coordination and Florals: Willow Event Designs | Photography: Courtney Price Photography | Videography and DJ: EPIC Charleston | Venue: Wingate Plantation | Rentals: EventWorks | Lighting: Charleston Uplighting | Catering: Thurston Southern Catering | Bride’s Gown: Mikaella Bridal | Bridemaids’ Attire: Lulus | Beauty: Canary Rock Salon | Transportation: Carolina’s Executive Limo Line

The Wedding Row

November 14 2018
Just as you fall for your spouse-to-be, you can fall for the place where you’ll say “I do.” Need a little empirical evidence? Ask Kate Perry and Sabine Beaurain of Fabulous Fête about walking Chelsea...

November 13 2018
Getting a ring wasn’t top of mind for Lauren when she was trying to come up with New Year’s Eve 2017 plans with her boyfriend, Rick, but he sure had his own plan in the works. For the holiday, they...

November 12 2018
The Wedding Row: How did you and Ben meet? Jamie: Ben and I met when I was about to graduate law school from the University of Alabama and he was working in Birmingham. I was about to move back to...

November 9 2018
We admit we have a soft spot for Hannah Alyssa Photography (back when she was just out of school Hannah worked with us at Charleston Weddings), but it’s totally guilt-free because she’s just so darn...

November 8 2018
Everyone wants their Big Day to be memorable and Emily, a Seattle gal, and Robby, a machinist in the Navy, surely won’t forget theirs. It started off with the first look in Hampton Park, which was...

November 7 2018
What do you get when you combine an Emily Kotarski wedding gown with a gorgeous crown from Emma Katzka and a bouquet of eucalyptus, roses, and pink queen protea? The ultimate Boho look. For this...

November 6 2018
After a couple of rescheduled blind dates, Torrey and Ryan met for drinks; drinks turned to dinner, dinner turned into after-dinner drinks, and … well, let’s just say two years later they had moved...

November 5 2018
Ahhh, Boone Hall Plantation. While this spectacular venue is widely known for its infamous scenes in Nicholas Sparks’ film “The Notebook,” and as the setting of Hollywood hotshots Blake Lively and...