Stephanie Frehse & Daniel Lempesis
February 7, 2015
Greek Orthodox Church of the Holy Trinity & Lowndes Grove Plantation
After years of attending services at the Greek Orthodox Church of the Holy Trinity, Stephanie Frehse knew the Lempesis family, but somehow had never met pappa Pete’s son Dan. The patriarch remedied that by setting the two youngsters up on a blind date and a year later, Dan was gearing up to propose.
But fate stepped in (again) and changed up the would-be bridegroom’s plans when Stephanie opened a credit card statement that showed a major—a one-in-a-lifetime kind of major—purchase from a jeweler. Dan was standing right there as it happened and broke into the hallmark of their relationship: laughter. “We both started cracking up,” says Stephanie, “because all his hard work to surprise me fell through.” Nonetheless, Dan told her to relax, that nothing would happen for a while. But later that very night, during a visit to his family’s Folly Beach home, they took a walk and Dan popped the question as dusk settled over them.
Soon after, Stephanie went about planning their wedding with the aid of A Charleston Bride and inspired by her hometown’s moodier side. “I love the way Charleston looks after a storm at sunset,” says Stephanie, “so that’s where we started—dark and stormy.” That translated into posh gray French furniture, violet florals, and black tapered candles. And for Dan? He got a “man cave” lounge area with a wall of beer taps and a cigar roller.
When the day rolled around, everyone headed back to the church where their story started, and both Stephanie’s grandfather and her father walked her down the aisle. After the bride and groom were pronounced husband and wife, the congregation headed to Lowndes Grove Plantation where Stephanie danced first with her husband, then with her dad and pappous. “The reception could have been over after those dances and I would have been a happy camper,” she says. And to that, we say opa!
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...
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 @...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
In October 2015, it was the 1,000-year flood. This year, it was Hurricane Matthew. Bummer for Big Days? We think not. See how this couple—one of many—proves love trumps any storm that rolls into Charleston
