We never tire of seeing a Charleston wedding around these parts–few places better embody the charm and history the South is beloved for. Considering Isabelle and Brent both work for the iconic Southern menswear brand, Billy Reid, I have no doubt that the magic of the South is something they hold dear, making Charleston the perfect place for their classic fall destination wedding! They met soon after Isabelle joined the Billy Reid team, and a few years plus a New York City proposal later, they teamed up with our Blue Ribbon Vendor A Charleston Bride to plan their celebration. Unsurprisingly, their wedding was full of gorgeous fashion (a love-at-first-sight Monique Lhuillier and perfect red lip for Isabelle and a Billy Reid tux for Brent), but it was also packed to the brim with memories these two and their loved ones will cherish for a lifetime. The dances at their reception were especially meaningful–don’t miss the songs they chose and why they were so very special!
Thank you so much to Ashley Seawell for sharing this stunning day with us!
Tell us about finding your wedding dress. It was the first dress that I tried on! I wish that I had a juicier tale about the hunt for my dress, but in all honesty, it happened very easily for me. I knew from the second that we zipped up my dress that it was the one. Of course, I convinced myself that I needed to try a variety of other dresses before committing, but in the end, I selected the very first one.
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? The most memorable moment for me on our wedding day was when I was walking down the aisle at the church towards Brent. I was completely overwhelmed by everything around me. I was so grateful to have my father walking me down the aisle, and I can’t put into words how overjoyed I was to see all of the familiar faces of friends and family as I made my procession in. Most notably, I will never forget the look on Brent’s face as I walked down the aisle and the feeling that I felt. It was so incredibly special. I am pretty sure that I did not stop shaking for the entire ceremony. The moment was so overwhelmingly wonderful!
What made you choose your ceremony and reception venues? Did they have any special significance to you? I am Episcopalian, so Brent and I decided that we wanted to get married in the church. Charleston has so many gorgeous churches to offer, but ultimately, we chose Grace Episcopal Church. We fell in love with the clergy and staff at Grace, and the church itself is absolutely breathtaking! For the reception, we chose the William Aiken House. We wanted a space that allowed guests to be both inside and outside. Everyone needs a little A/C break every now and then, especially during a wedding in the South in September! Once we toured the space, it just felt right. The William Aiken House has these amazing piazzas overlooking the elegant pergola in the courtyard. It was the perfect setting.
Our favorite detail of the wedding was: One of my favorite details was the lanterns hanging in the trees at the William Aiken House. The William Aiken House has these beautiful old magnolia trees in the courtyard, so I knew that I wanted to incorporate lanterns in some way. It was breathtaking to look out and see the flicker of the lanterns floating in the trees throughout the evening.
Describe your wedding flowers. My wedding bouquet was a gorgeous, loose, hand-tied mix of ivory garden roses, bells of Ireland, veronica, and Italian ruscus (among others). I wanted all of my florals to feel very organic, natural, and earthy. All of our floral arrangements incorporated a lot of greenery. For the arrangements at the reception, we incorporated nude and blush tones and a pop of aubergine, which tied back to my bridesmaids’ dresses. We also incorporated gorgeous fruit accents and chocolate artichokes into our reception arrangements, which I absolutely loved! The arrangements were lush and flowing with greenery, fruit, and flowers.
Describe your wedding cake or dessert. Three cakes are better than one, in my opinion, so we decided to have a trio of cakes! Two of the cakes were hummingbird cake with cream cheese icing, while the center cake was almond cake with almond icing. All three cakes were adorned with olive leaves for a simple and elegant look that tied back to the greenery in our florals.
Tell us about some of the songs you used throughout your wedding and why you chose them. Brent and I chose “Can’t Help Myself” by the Four Tops for our first dance. We wanted a more upbeat song to set the tempo for the evening. Our band was special for many reasons. The K-JAMS hail from Dothan, Alabama, which is my hometown. Not only are they incredible musicians, but they are also dear friends. They don’t typically perform at weddings, so we were incredibly appreciative to have them play and help us celebrate! For Brent’s dance with his mother, they chose “Wonderful Tonight” by Eric Clapton. It was such a special moment, and you could feel their love for one another. Both were grinning from ear to ear, and I can’t even count the number of times they twirled. It had to be close to 30 times! For my dance with my father, we chose “God Only Knows” by the Beach Boys. The Beach Boys were a longtime favorite for us both, and it was the perfect song. My dance with my dad was unforgettable. My father passed away shortly after our wedding, and words cannot express how special that moment was for us. I will never forget it. I feel so lucky to have experienced that moment with him, and it’s a memory that I will treasure forever.
Don’t miss Isabelle and Brent’s highlights film by Cinema 843 below!
Isabelle and Brent_Short from Virgil Bunao on Vimeo.
How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. Our meeting was serendipitous. I had recently accepted a new job with menswear designer Billy Reid in Alabama, and I was in the process of moving from Manhattan, where I had lived for two years. Brent, who also worked for Billy Reid, had just been relocated with the company to New York City a few weeks prior. Before my move down South, my boss suggested that I help out in Billy Reid’s New York store to familiarize myself with the brand. I vividly remember seeing Brent walk into the store on the morning that we first met. Unbeknownst to me, on the same day of our meeting, Brent passed a note to another Billy Reid colleague that read, “I’m going to marry her.” Our coworker had a good laugh, said “yeah right,” and crumpled up the note. It took two days for Brent to ask me out, and the rest was history.
Tell us all about the proposal! After being together for two years, Brent made plans to propose. I was on a work trip in Manhattan for men’s market, which always fell over Brent’s birthday, so we had to plan his birthday celebrations accordingly. For this particular trip, I planned to fly out of NYC on Thursday afternoon so I could arrive home just in time to take the birthday boy out on his actual birthday. Little did I know, I was about to fall into the most carefully crafted plan. On Wednesday afternoon, I received an email from my boss, asking if I could extend my trip to attend a client dinner on Thursday evening. After a few hours of apologies to Brent and several guilt trips later, Brent and I finally determined that it was best if I extended my trip and attended the dinner. I felt rotten! My boss then asked if I could select a restaurant and set up reservations. I immediately picked one of my favorites, Maialino in the Gramercy Park Hotel, which Brent anticipated that I would do. Thursday arrived, and I was on my way to the dinner. While in a cab, I received a text from my boss that our table wasn’t ready, so he was taking our clients to grab a drink nearby. I was instructed to find the bellhop, who would take me to meet my party. Once I arrived, I found the bellhop and followed his lead as we crossed the street toward Gramercy Park. As he was unlocking the gate to the park, I became very confused, and I was almost ready to turn around. That’s when he swung open the gate, and I was greeted by Brent, who had been waiting for me in the park. He proposed at sunset in my favorite park in New York. We celebrated with a dinner at Maialino and then spent the weekend in the city.
When did y’all get married? September 6, 2015
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? 175 guests
Did you have something borrowed, blue, old, and new? If so, do tell! For my borrowed item, I wore a “traveling garter” that has been passed from bride to bride among my girlfriends. Our traveling garter conveniently also has blue incorporated! For my old item, I wore my mother’s diamond earrings, and I considered my wedding dress my something new.
What is the one detail or vendor that you were so happy to have as a part of your wedding? Our photographer, Ashley Seawell, and videography team, Cinema 843, were so amazing at documenting our day, and we are so appreciative of their work. We are so thankful for all of the beautiful photographs and video footage that allow us to not only relive our wedding day all over again, but also allow us to remember our loved ones and the moments that matter. At one point during the planning process, I questioned whether it would be worth having a videographer. Looking back, I can honestly say that this is one detail that I am so happy that I did not pass up. My biggest piece of advice for future brides and grooms would be to make sure that you incorporate both photography and videography into your wedding day. You won’t regret it!
What’s next for you as a couple? What memories are you looking forward to making together? We recently moved to Atlanta, so we are looking forward to enjoying married life in our new home with our kitty, Jack! We are excited to settle into our loft on the Westside, which has some of the best restaurants in Atlanta within walking distance. We are both big foodies, so we are excited to try out all of the new places (without worrying about the pesky wedding diet)!
Photographer: Ashley Seawell Photography | Videographer: Cinema 843 | Planner and Florist: Lindsey Shanks of A Charleston Bride | Ceremony Venue: Grace Episcopal Church | Reception Venue: William Aiken House | Caterer and Wedding Cakes: Fish Restaurant | Rentals: Snyder Rental, Nuage Designs, La Tavola Linen, Polished!, and Ooh! Events | Lighting: Technical Event Company | Band: The KJAMS | Paper Products: Sweet Magnolia Paper | Bride’s Gown: Monique Lhuillier | Bride’s Accessories: BHLDN | Hair and Makeup: Paper Dolls Wedding Hair and Makeup | Bride’s Shoes: Christian Louboutin | Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Bill Levkoff | Groom’s Attire: Billy Reid | Groomsmen Attire: Charleston Tuxedo
A Charleston Bride is a delightful member of our Blue Ribbon Vendor Directory!
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