Stefany (she/her) and Britt (they/them) said “I do” in their November nuptials at Lace House in Columbia, South Carolina. The lovers dressed separately and then gathered in the garden for their first look. (Read more below for their sugar-sweet reactions to seeing each other in their wedding attire!) Stefany and Britt chose a palette of navy and rust for their colors, which Britt showcased in their phenomenal floral pocket square worn in their blazer pocket. Some of our other favorite highlights: Britt created a special recorded gift for Stefany for her to listen to while she got ready, and later, Stefany surprised Britt with a broom’s cake with a shark coming out of it.
Although this was an indoor wedding, Britt and Stefany chose to have their first look outside on the Lace House grounds. They actually meant to have their wedding ceremony outside originally but thankfully there was an indoor backup plan at the Lace House. Before it was time to say their vows, it was super important for Britt and Stefany to have some sweet portraits with their wedding party and families.
FIRST SPARKS
We met on Tinder. Britt had just moved to NY and was new in town. (Stefany is originally from Queens.) It was a super lucky right swipe for both of us! Our first date was coffee and a walk in Prospect Park that turned into hanging out all night and having dinner at a really cool diner in Brooklyn. The conversation never ceased to end and we just hit it off right away. We both thought, “Wow! Someone who talks as much as me!”
THE PROPOSAL
Britt proposed at Socrates Sculpture Park in Astoria. It was the first time we saw anyone besides each other after quarantine began in NYC. We were meeting up with family (Stefany’s mom, dad, sister, and nephew) to celebrate Mother’s Day. While posing for a picture for a picture Britt got down on one knee! People all around were clapping! Stefany’s mom brought champagne for a toast afterwards (since Britt had filled them in on the engagement plan when asking for Stef’s hand in marriage).
WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT EACH OTHER?
We love being comfortable being ourselves. We love each other’s love of music. It’s something we’ve bonded over since we met. Britt never thought they’d meet a New Yorker who loved bluegrass as much as them!
Really, we are both big dorks and are happy that we found someone who gets each other’s weird/dorky sense of humor. There is a Seussism that sums our love up perfectly. “We are all a little weird and life’s a little weird, and when we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall in mutual weirdness and call it love.”
THE WEDDING DAY
We wanted our day to encompass Southern charm without the stuffiness—comfortable elegance, if you will. The Lace House itself is such a gorgeous backdrop. We didn’t want to spend too much on decorating it since it’s already so pretty.
Our wedding day definitely wasn’t what we had planned. It was unseasonably cold and rainy, but we didn’t let that bring us down! We moved the ceremony inside, put up a tent and put out heaters on the dance floor so the party didn’t skip a beat. Our special day was in November, so we went with an autumn color palette of rust, navy blue, and a hint of sage green. These colors along with the chilly autumn weather really blended well. We are a proudly queer couple and really wanted to make sure we were able to create a safe atmosphere. Rather than using terms like groom and groomsmen, we went with broom as Britt is nonbinary and uses they/them pronouns. We made sure to create a gender-neutral ceremony script, which also had a few comical lines included. Despite the weather set back, our vendors worked very hard to make our special day beautiful and fun. Mission accomplished! On top of this Jessica Hunt Photography did an amazing job of capturing all of the special moments, so that we will always remember the day we said “I do.”
WEDDING DECOR
Along with the florals, we incorporated our color palette by using navy blue tablecloths on the dinner tables and rust table cloths on the cocktail tables. To add a little pop, ginger jars were used for the centerpieces.
THE FLOWERS
Andrew with WAS designs did a phenomenal job transforming the (already beautiful) Lace House into something even more beautiful. From the table’s centerpieces and the ceremony’s backdrop to the groom’s pocket square, Andrew captured our vision and then some. He was able to bring all of our color palette into his floral design with flowers of burnt orange, blush pinks, and blues with a touch of greenery to really tie it all together.
HOW DID YOU PERSONALIZE YOUR DAY?
We opted to use a classical guitarist for pre-ceremony, ceremony, and cocktail hour music. We requested a mix of classic rock (Beatles, etc.) for music outside of the ceremony. We both love the Beach Boys and wanted to incorporate that into our ceremony. Stef walked down to “God Only Knows” and we exited to “Wouldn’t It Be Nice.” We also chose to keep our bridal party small and only included our siblings. Stef’s sister was her maid of honor, and Britt had their brothers as their best men. The wedding favors for our wedding were delicious and beautiful cookies made by One Smart Coquí. They were shaped like the states of NY and SC to represent our roots. They were a huge hit! Everyone loved them! We wish we could eat them all the time, and we still think about them whenever we have a sweet tooth. They were truly as pretty as they were tasty! Our favorite part of the wedding was spending time with our families and bringing both sides together. Stef’s family came from all over the U.S. Some even came from as far as Hawaii to share our day with us. Being able to create memories with our families is what we will remember the most.
WEDDING ATTIRE
Britt wanted to bring a modern classic feel to themselves and their broomsmen. By choosing a lighter navy and camel Oxford shoes and belts, they fulfilled this want. Bow ties were custom designed to pull together the rust and sage with the blue. Stefany’s Wtoo by Watters gown was an off-the-shoulders dream dress come true. With shirred sleeves, a full skirt for romantic movement, and a peak of eyelash lace as an added elegant detail to the bodice, Stefany’s gown made her feel like she was in a fairy tale! Stefany wore open toe block heels with large chiffon bows, jewelry by Alexis Russel and Kate Spade, and had her hair and make up done by none other than the amazing Antonia Scott Beauty and Gregory Garrett from Metropolis Salon.
WHAT WAS THE MOST ANTICIPATED MOMENT OF YOUR WEDDING DAY?
For Britt, the first look was the most anticipated moment. The anticipation of FINALLY seeing Stef in her dress was overwhelming, but worth it. She really blew them away. For Stef, finally seeing her stunning bouquet was the moment she had been waiting for. Not only this, but sharing the dance floor with her two favorite people, Britt and Antonio (her nephew), is something she will never forget.
HAVE ANY WEDDING PLANNING OR MARRIAGE ADVICE FOR OTHER COUPLES AND MARRIERS?
Plan, plan, plan! We booked most of the vendors about a year in advance which helped us get our first choice. Also, have a contingency plan especially if you plan on having an outdoor wedding. We were lucky to have a planner and vendors who worked as hard as they did to move our ceremony inside at the last minute.
Search our directory of LGBTQ+ inclusive vendors.
Photographer: Jessica Hunt Photography
Equipment Rentals: Party Reflections
Invitation Designer: Minted
Hair Stylist: Metropolis Salon
Makeup Artist: Antonia Scott Beauty
Caterer: Capital City Catering
Lighting: Big Time Entertainment
Bakery: One Smart Coqui
Event Venue: The Lace House and Governors Mansion
Cake Designer: Bonnie Brunt Cakes
Floral Designer: WAS Design Works
Event Planner: Alexis Doktor Designs
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