Hearts Aflutter



PHOTOGRAPHER CREDIT: 

The Schraibman and Fawcett families have long been friends, so Caroline and Donald knew one another as kids. But that childhood bonhomie developed into something deeper when the pair began dating while at the same Columbia high school. Their romance took a short hiatus during college years and a move to New York City but reignited during a pandemic-era return home. Then, on a fateful December afternoon in 2024, Caroline discovered a special ornament hanging on their Christmas tree—a ring from Donald. 

Having visited the Carolina coast regularly in their younger years (she to DeBordieu and he to Pawley’s Island), the couple considered just one place for their wedding: Caroline’s dream venue of the DeBordieu Club. “The Lowcountry is where we feel most relaxed and always have a good time with friends and family,” she says. With help from her mother and planner Haley Kelly of Haley Kelly Events, they set out to create a day at once classically elegant and uniquely colorful, anchored by a palette of chartreuse, pink, and deep teal. 

With its trailing florals, delicate branches, and pair of blue herons, the liner art from Caroline and Donald’s save-the-date stationery quickly became a prominent motif. “The herons represent Donald and I as two lovebirds,” says Caroline, who hung a framed print of the artwork in their home. The botanical pattern, which also gives a nod to the DeBordieu logo, appeared throughout the reception, including around the four-tier cake from Flowerchild, across the vinyl-wrapped dance floor, and on water bottles and golf tees inside guest welcome bags. 

From a floral perspective, bright collections of roses accented the day, including a romantic archway for the couple’s vows, a showering of petals as the newlyweds journeyed down the aisle, and a towering tree display boasting climbing blooms at the center of the tent. The reception proved just as colorful, with guests grabbing feather boas, party glasses, and hand-painted tambourines before taking to the dance floor. When the festivities drew to a close and the getaway car was nowhere to be found, the quick-thinking planner spun the couple ’round the block on a golf cart and then directed them onto a trolley with their bridesmaids and groomsmen, where the fun trailed the wedding party into the night.

Vendors

  • Planning & Design: Haley Kelly Events
  • Venue, Catering, & Bar Service:    DeBordieu Club
  • Photography: Virgil Bunao
  • Florals: Floressence Flowers
  • Cake: Flowerchild
  • Stationery: Kate Eliza Creative (save the date), Hatch Cove Designs (calligraphy & liner art), Arzberger Stationers (invitations & day-of signage) 
  • Draping: Underneath the Veil
  • Lighting: Technical Event Company, Outdoor Lighting Perspectives of Charleston (tree lighting)
  • Rentals: Snyder, The Luxe and Co., CLUXE
  • Linens: BBJ La Tavola
  • Dance Floor Wrap: CLUXE
  • Entertainment: Charleston Entertainment (ceremony), Perfect 10 Band from EastCoast Entertainment (reception)
  • Videography: Two Fly Guys
  • Bridal Attire: Monique Lhuillier NYC (gown & veil)
  • Beauty: Wild Ivory Beauty (makeup), process (hair)
  • Bridesmaid’s Attire: Amsale (dresses) from Bella Bridesmaids, Amazon (wraps)
  • Bridal Assistant: Cacky’s Bride Aid

The Wedding Row

November 2 2018
It might not have been “love at first sight” for Travis and Jessie, who met at their apartment community in High Point, North Carolina, but it surely ended up turning into something special. At the...

November 1 2018
Halloween is over, so no tricks here, just treats! From showstopping wedding gowns to an inspirational storybook love story, we’ve rounded up our top five Instagram posts from October. Follow @...

October 31 2018
Sara and Mike, who met through mutual friends after moving in the same Washington D.C. circles for years, plan to say “I do” with the help of Charleston’s Gregory Blake Sams Events in the coming...

October 30 2018
One of the boons to hosting a destination wedding here in Charleston? Giving your guests a true taste of the city. So it went for Washington D.C. residents Jessica Friedes and Garrett Nichols, high...

October 29 2018
Lauren and Blake crossed paths in Summerville, South Carolina when she was nannying for a coworker of his. They started dating and fell in love, they say, while boating on Wappoo Cut when a...

October 26 2018
Dreary Fridays like today call for a little dose of sunshine, don’t you agree? Well, you’re in luck because this proposal session of a lifetime—no exaggeration here—is bringing not only the sun, but...

October 25 2018
If you ask Evan how he met Borden, he would say that they crossed paths while studying at Wake Forest University. However, if you ask her how their story got started, she would say they met two years...

October 24 2018
Tucked away on the grounds of Charleston’s first settlement, Charles Towne Landing, The Legare Waring House is surrounded by rich history and romantic views of lagoons, rolling lawns, and oak allees...