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.”
Now, we’ve run our fair share of gorgeous weddings at Magnolia Plantation & Gardens, but we swear we think this wins the award for most gorgeous to date. It makes sense, though, considering...
On the heels of New Year’s we needed a classic wedding with black-tie panache to carry us through the rest of this holiday-wind-down week. Enter Vera and Brien’s dreamy day, lovingly designed by A...
We searched high and low for a wedding to close out the New Year, and what better pick than Annie and Matt, whose ceremony ended with the officiant (the bride’s brother-in-law, or in this case, we’re...
Here’s a little discussed fact: A great DJ can make (or break) a wedding. And the difference between a first dance that has everyone sighing and posting (instead of cringing) and a party that...
Here’s the thing: Charleston’s in the tropics, more or less. And here in the jungle, it rains from time to time, which can put a damper on a portrait sesh out and about if you don’t plan well. The...
Ok, people. Yes, you’re gonna love Jesse and Will’s wedding photos (al fresco reception in the Old Village? Yes, please!). But their proposal story? It might even beat the pretty out for best in show...
Lindsey and José didn’t start off on the right foot (he didn’t do a double-take when he first met her at Boston College, so she gave him the same indifferent treatment, and sparks didn’t fly for...
Tara Guérard Soirée and LulaKate teamed up to create a custom bridesmaid ensemble that went from formal ceremony to garden party reception. Here’s what they fashioned (plus a few bonus accessories Tara recently fell for)
