Dark and Handsome



WRITER CREDIT: 
PHOTOGRAPHER CREDIT: 
Dark and Handsome | Goth meets glam in this backyard wedding at the bride's family home on Hilton Head Island
One date. That’s all it took for Maggi Colket and Ryan Hurley to know they had found something special. After matching on Tinder, the then Columbia, South Carolina, residents met up at a café on a chilly November day in 2015. Over steaming cups of joe, the pair—who both hail from South Carolina (Maggi from Hilton Head and Ryan from Batesburg-Leesville)—bonded over two commonalities. First, a fierce love of family. And second, a quite serendipitous adoration of British indie and gothic rock bands from the ’80s. “It all felt very natural,” says Maggi. “We’ve been inseparable ever since.”
 
Almost a year later, after dinner at their favorite eatery, Ryan dropped to bended knee in their home, then slid a black diamond ring adorned with white gold skulls onto Maggi’s finger. “It was absolutely perfect,” she says. “We knew we wanted to be together forever and the ring made it official.”
 
Maggi’s parents’ waterfront home on Hilton Head Island—complete with sweeping creek views and grand live oaks dripping in resurrection fern and Spanish moss—made choosing a wedding venue easy. And for planning, the couple enlisted WED, the Charleston-based design team whom the Colket family had worked with on prior special occasions.
 
With those decisions made, Maggi and Ryan turned their time and attention to the November 2017 arrival of their sweet baby boy, Roman, as well as the not-so-little task of packing up and moving from South Carolina to Maine before his birth. And while the bride and groom leaned into life as a family of three, the WED team got to work turning the couple’s wish for a “dark, moody, and romantic” wedding into reality—using a small handful of photos Maggi shared on Pinterest as their guide.
 
On the Big Day, a few dozen family members, close friends, and Roman gathered on the banks of Broad Creek to watch Maggi and Ryan wed. Cloudy skies and gusty winds offered a fitting backdrop for the utterly romantic affair. Inside the reception tent, crystal chandeliers and golden candelabras lit tabletops adorned with fruit and deep-hued florals. After dinner, dancing, and a hefty helping of cake, Roman retired to his grandparents’ house full and happy. Meanwhile, his parents partied until 2 a.m. (ish—they didn’t check a clock all night), boogeying to songs by the bands they both adore. “It was a celebration of not only our love for each other, but of our love and commitment as a family,” says Maggi, reflecting on the day. “I couldn’t imagine it any other way.” 
 
Vendors
 
Planning, coordination: WED, www.designedbywed.com
Images: Timwill Photography, www.timwill.com
Venue: Family home
Florals: SYG Designs, www.sygdesigns.com
Rentals: EventHaus Rentals (flooring, tent, heating, lounges, bars, tables, chairs), www.eventhausrentals.com; EventWorks (china), www.eventworksrentals.com
Stationery: Studio R Design, www.studio-r-design.com
Calligraphy, signage: Dear Jane Designs, www.dearjdesigns.com
Linens: La Tavola Fine Linens, www.latavolalinen.com
Catering, bar and wine service: Cru Catering, www.crucatering.com
Baker: WildFlour Pastry, www.wildflourpastrycharleston.com
Bride’s attire: Monique Lhuillier (ceremony gown), www.moniquelhuillier.com; For Love & Lemons(reception dress), www.forloveandlemons.com; Tiffany & Co., www.tiffany.com (necklace and earrings); Vans, www.vans.com (ceremony shoes); Prada (reception shoes) www.prada.com;  Bette’s Bridal Stylings (alterations), www.bettesbridalstylings.com
Bridesmaid’s attire: Phillipp Plein (dresses) www.world.philipp-plein.com (dresses); Gucci, www.gucci.com/us/en/ (shoes) 
Groom’s attire: Ferrecci (suit), www.ferrecciusa.com; Robert Graham (shoes) from Nordstrom, www.nordstrom.com
Groomsmen’s attire: Armani, www.armani.com/us/armanicom (suits); Gucci (shoes), www.gucci.com/us/en/; M. Dumas & Sons (ties) www.mdumasandsons.houseacct.com (ties)
Beauty: Style It Salon, www.styleitsalon.com
Officiant: Christy Loftin, www.christyloftin.com
Music: Charleston Virtuosi (ceremony and cocktail hour), www.charlestonvirtuosi.com; DJ Natty Heavy (reception), www.nattyheavy.com

 

 

Images by Timwill Photography - Design & Coordination by WED

The Wedding Row

March 14 2019
Jaye and John fell for each other when both were students at the College of Charleston. Soon after they began dating, the pair headed to Savannah for a short trip and dinner at The Olde Pink House,...

March 13 2019
“My incredibly witty introduction goes here.” With that one liner, sent to Emilie over Match.com, Brian caught her attention, made her laugh and set off the relationship that led to this gorgeous Big...

March 12 2019
Elopements keep cropping up with good reason here: not only can wedding venues be hard to come by in Charleston these days (especially during weekends and on short notice), but also can you blame a...

March 11 2019
Houston, Texas, natives Haylee and Charlie have known each other since childhood; their families have been friends for years, and the two were even on the same swim team when they were eight years...

March 8 2019
Kristen didn’t know many people in Charleston when she moved here for a three-month rotation during medical school. Neither did Morgan, who had recently moved here to begin his residency at the...

March 7 2019
We welcomed in the New Year in a big way with these photos that popped up on our feeds. Two of them aren’t only among our most-liked ‘grams of the month, but are also among our most liked. Of. All....

March 6 2019
Here’s some good news for anyone struggling with that pesky mid-week slump: Your future hubby may be sitting next to you …  at this very moment. At least, that was how it went for Abigail and Grant....

March 5 2019
McKenzie and Ryan met during their junior year at the University of Toledo in northwest Ohio, when she moved in across the street from him. She already knew of a few of his roommates, who invited her...