Secret Garden



WRITER CREDIT: 
PHOTOGRAPHER CREDIT: 
Secret Garden |
Sophie Ritter & Adam Foster  
October 15, 2022 / Gibbes Museum of Art 
 
Sophie was a college student—21 and single—when she first fell for the Gibbes Museum. On a family trip to Charleston, she watched in wonder as the museum’s grounds were set up for an evening wedding. Little did she know, her own nuptials would take place in this very garden. 
 
Sophie and Adam met at work in 2018. It wasn’t long before their friendship and tennis partnership grew into something more, and in April 2021, Adam proposed in a peaceful garden in Charlotte, North Carolina. When planning began, Sophie couldn’t shake the memory of the Gibbes, and soon it was booked for a mid-October date. Letting the venue speak for itself, the event was a simple but breathtaking affair, with airy autumnal florals accenting the already lush gardens. The couple said their “I dos” in the museum’s majestic rotunda, proceeding outside for cocktails, dinner, and dancing. Before making their getaway, Sophie and Adam snuck in one final dance—alone under twinkling lights, to Adele’s “Make You Feel My Love,” the song that accompanied Sophie down the aisle. 
 
Top Tips
 
• Let the venue shine.
Between the Beaux Arts architecture and lush Lenhardt Garden, the Gibbes Museum of Art was stunning on its own. Simple, seasonal decor kept the space at center stage. 
 
• Take advantage of your tiers. 
Each layer in the three-tier cake was carefully chosen: classic vanilla for Sophie’s dad, chocolate with chocolate icing for the couple, and pumpkin with cream cheese icing in a nod to the season. 
 
• Snag a doggie bag. 
Ensuring the bride and groom had a chance to savor the food, Salthouse Catering had to-go boxes ready—which Sophie and Adam dug into in their hotel after the festivities.
 
Vendors
Planning & Design: Anderson Event Design
Photography: Lindsey Morgan Photography 
Venue: Gibbes Museum of Art
Florals: Festoon Charleston
Catering: Salthouse Catering
Bar: Spike Bar
Cake: Flowerchild
Bridal Attire: Monique Lhuillier (dress), Loeffler Randall (shoes)
Rentals: Snyder Events
Linens: Stradley Davidson
Beauty: Pampered and Pretty
Entertainment: Palmetto Strings (ceremony), Blaze The City (reception)
Stationery: Kate Eliza Creative
 

The Wedding Row

February 20 2019
The Wedding Row: Tell us about how you met. Rachel: It was in Nashville, and Shaun was there on weekend trip for a University of Georgia-Vandy football game. I was there on a whim, on an impromptu...

February 19 2019
Ryan and Paxton chose Charleston for their engagement photos because the city holds a special place in the heart—if he hadn’t been a Citadel cadet, the two may never have met. Here’s how they came to...

February 18 2019
Allison and Josh met at a two-stepping bar, so we would expect nothing less than a seriously Southern wedding from the two, and as you can tell from the photos, they did not disappoint. After Josh...

February 15 2019
North Carolina natives Taylor and Bennett met when the two were sophomores at N.C. State. Five years after they had become an item, they were in Manhattan where, says Bennett, “The ring was burning a...

February 14 2019
After going to the same high school in Spring Lake, New Jersey, Carly and Chris’s paths finally intersected long after graduation at a mutual friend’s house. “Late nights drinking and playing games...

February 13 2019
Trust us when we say that you won’t find a more low-key pair than these two. Nashville, Tennessee couple Emily and Daniel wanted an intimate, family-only wedding for their Big Day, and they chose to...

February 12 2019
OK, prepare yourselves—this is a sweet one. It began when Stephanie was working at the front desk of a chiropractor’s office in the Philadelphia area, one that Bryan’s father frequented. Bryan’s dad...

February 11 2019
You really can’t beat Charleston’s sunset views over the water, and Katie and Zane’s nuptials at Harborside East took full advantage of just that with the gorgeous harbor as their backdrop. The...