Singular Sensation

Spring/Summer 2013

WRITER CREDIT:

PHOTOGRAPHER CREDIT:

Singular Sensation | Chloe Byers & Paul Hotze, December 31, 2011, Lowndes Grove Plantation

a charleston bride Charleston Wedding wedding wedding cake Wedding Cakes by Jim Smeal BBJ Linen Snyder Event Rentals Lowndes Grove Plantation White Flowers Fish Garden Lowndes Grove Paper Dolls

IT IS WRITTEN: A font inspired by one from the 1937 film Topper appeared on the stationery by Sixpence Press.

CLASSIC STYLE: Chloe—a consultant for nonprofits—wore a vintage gown and jacket from The Bridal Garden, a not-for-profit resale bridal boutique in New York, while Paul, cofounder of a Houston-based men’s apparel company, went for a dapper JoS. A. Bank tuxedo.

A SENSE OF PLACE: Lowndes Grove’s wrought iron gate—a common sight throughout the Holy City—added to the “quintessentially Charleston” look Chloe wanted.

SPOT ON: Lowndes Grove Plantation is one of the couple’s favorite places in Charleston; so much so, the groom contacted the site before proposing to get information on booking it.

SILVER BELLES: Chloe asked bridesmaids to wear a silver or gray dress of their choosing and gifted each of them a silver wrap to keep warm and to tie their varied looks together.

REMEMBER WHEN: Chloe gifted Paul a pair of antique cufflinks made from New Orleans streetcar tokens dated back to 1919. Though they met in Charleston, the couple reconnected and began dating while on a visit to New Orleans. Chloe says, “I wanted to find a way to represent New Orleans on our wedding day, and I thought this gift combined Paul's love for historic, unique items, his love for New Orleans, and the importance of the city in our relationship.”

(HEAD)DRESSED TO IMPRESS: The bride’s mother and sister both donned vintage fascinators.

SOFT ACCENTS: A Charleston Bride’s Jonie LaRosse fashioned a classic bouquet of white roses, tulips, and lamb’s ears to complement Chloe’s shimmering bridal jacket.

CRYSTAL CLEAR: Chloe paired her vintage gown and jacket with antique Art Deco bracelets, her mother’s Art Deco ring, and, of course, her Art Deco engagement ring. “My mother and I share a love for vintage jewelry, and she searched endlessly to find the perfect pieces,” says Chloe. A final touch? Pinning the bridal bouquet with a rhinestone brooch that belonged to Chloe’s grandmother.

THE HOLY CITY: "The setting was so quintessentially Charleston. It was so special to begin our life together in the city where we first met," says Chloe.

PAST & PRESENT: Guests signed a copy of Charleston Then and Now by W. Chris Phelps.

TIME TRAVEL: Antique elements (like this Louis XVI-style chair) mixed with contemporary pieces (like this modern table) to create a nouveau classic setting.

ETHEREAL GLAMOUR: Jonie LaRosse of A Charleston Bride grouped low bouquets of Dusty Miller, lisianthus, hydrangea, and roses in mercury glass vessels placed on mirrored runners.

FINISHING TOUCHES: A Charleston Bride brought in textured elements, like these throw pillows, to add variety to the mostly gray color palette

PAPER PRETTIES: Cocktail napkins bore the bride’s and groom’s names and matched the reception’s frosty palette

LASTING IMPRESSION: “From the stunning mirrored cake table and my parents’ Art Deco champagne flutes to the dramatic mirrors and gorgeous chandeliers, the design was beautiful and timeless,” says Chloe of the reception.

LINKED UP: Wedding Cakes by Jim Smeal incorporated the pattern from Chloe’s wedding dress and the chain of one of her Art Deco bracelets onto the cake.

CHLOE & PAUL’S ROCKIN’ EVE: The couple donned feathers and sequins and danced the night away in typical New Year’s Eve fashion.

CHEERS! Guests toasted the newlyweds—and rang in the New Year—with champagne coupes, considered fashionable in the 1930s.

HEIGHT OF STYLE: Chandeliers with drum shades cast a soft glow over the evening and served as a subtle reminder of the grand dome chandeliers that were popular in the early 1900s.

UNDER THE STARS: Charleston’s mild weather allowed guests to mingle either in the tent or al fresco.

EXIT STRATEGY: “Typical of Paul’s sense of adventure and his ability to add an element of surprise to any setting, he shocked all the guests with our getaway—a motorcycle with a sidecar!” says Chloe of her husband’s exit plan vision. “We rode down a bustling King Street, waving at New Year’s Eve revelers.”

Good things come to those who wait. Take Chloe Byers and Paul Hotze. Although they first hit it off while living in Charleston four years ago, Chloe moved to Washington, DC, and Paul embarked on a three-month journey to the southernmost tip of South America before returning to his hometown, Houston.

Even with the miles between them, Paul wooed Chloe—who had just taken a job at the Smithsonian—with letters and flowers. “I knew he was an incredibly unique and special person who I didn’t want to lose,” she says, “but I wasn’t sure if we could ever end up in the same place.” But then Paul invited Chloe to spend New Year’s Eve with him in New Orleans. “After that weekend, I knew this was it,” says Chloe. They dated long distance for a year until Chloe moved to Houston. Two months after the big move, Paul proposed to Chloe (who has an affinity for all things antique) with an Art Deco ring during a vacation to Sea Island, Georgia. Just a few days later, the couple drove to Charleston to search for the perfect venue. Sold on Lowndes Grove Plantation, Chloe enlisted Carrie Glasscock and Leigh Warren of A Charleston Bride to realize the elegant, vintage look she wanted.

On New Year’s Eve, three years after they became a couple, Chloe and Paul said their vows on the banks of the Ashley River. Afterward, the newlyweds clinked Art Deco champagne flutes at a reception reminiscent of 1930s glamour. Grand mirrors and chandeliers made the tent sparkle, and guests supped at tables dressed in silver-gray linens and dotted with white flowers nestled in mercury glass vases. “It was beyond what I could have imagined,” says Chloe.

Vendor List

Baker: Wedding Cakes by Jim Smeal; www.weddingcakesbyjimsmeal.com
Bride’s attire: Vintage from The Bridal Garden in New York, New York
Caterer: Fish Restaurant; www.pphgcharleston.com
Ceremony music: Bob Williams Duo; www.charlestonduo.com
Florist: Jonie LaRosse at A Charleston Bride; www.acharlestonbride.com
Groom’s attire: JoS. A Bank; www.josbank.com
Groom’s cake: Cakes by Kasarda; www.cakesbykasarda.com
Hair: Carrie McLeod of Paper Dolls; www.paperdollshair.com; Affair Hair by Tanesha; www.affairhairbytanesha.com
Lighting: Technical Event Company (TEC Lighting); www.technicaleventcompany.com
Linens: BBJ Linen; www.bbjlinens.com
Makeup: Leslie Moore; www.mooremakeup.com
Photographer: Cameron + Kelly Studio; www.cameronkellystudio.com
Planner, day-of coordinator, and designer: Carrie Glasscock of A Charleston Bride; www.acharlestonbride.com
Rentals: Snyder Event Rentals; www.snydereventrentals.com; Nuage Rentals; www.nuagedesigns.com
Stationery: Heather Forsythe of Sixpence Press; www.sixpencepress.com
Videographer: Siegal Films; www.siegalfilms.com

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