Carrie Jean Duncan met Page Crozer in Atlanta in September of 2009 through mutual friends. “Our first encounter was a blind date over dinner at a quaint Italian restaurant,” explains Carrie. “Page—having been on a few blind dates before—was used to choosing the restaurant. After he emailed to setup the date, I suggested some other spots. I guess he liked my initial take-charge attitude because deciding on where to go for dinner is still one of our favorite debates.”
The couple dated for a year and a half before they were engaged. “We are both very on-the-go people, so in the beginning we had lots of scheduling conflicts but always managed to squeeze in a weekly date,” says Carrie. “This caused us to have a mature courtship from the beginning. We both grew up playing golf, so being able to share that was a lot of fun. I was the first woman he’d ever played with, and he probably thought before we played that I was going to be terrible!”
Page also managed to convince Carrie (the former brand identity manager of Spanxx) to take up hunting. “He taught me to appreciate the beauty of just being in the woods. I would never have imagined I’d become a huntress, but I can’t picture my life now without those adventures. Being able to learn something from a man you love is special to me. Both our parents valued spending time with one another, and being the best of friends. We’re lucky to mirror their great relationships.”
The couple got engaged on Good Friday. After a long work week, Page, his brother, William, and Carrie were flying to the Crozer’s hometown, Thomasville, GA, for Easter weekend with both of the couple’s families. “We’d had many gatherings before with our families, so it didn’t occur to me that this could be THE weekend. After working most of the 45-minute flight, I had just closed my laptop when the pilot announced we had to circle back to check out a fire in the area,” explains Carrie. “Having never heard the pilot make announcements on the intercom and curious as to why we had to see this fire, I found it a bit odd, but was too distracted with work to think too much of it. Then moments later, the pilot told me to look out the window and I saw letters on the ground below. There was a message to me: CARRIE, WILL YOU MARRY ME? spray painted on one of the pond damns on their hunting plantation. As that registered, I immediately turned to Page who by then had grabbed my hands and was kneeling down. He told me how happy I’d made him and asked me to marry him. Everything stopped in that moment, and it was just incredible. William had been there to take pictures and capture our reactions to it all.”
Page had two round family stones from his dad’s mother and really wanted a unique center stone, so he chose a canary cushion set diamond with the help of a family jeweler in New York.
The couple chose to get married in Palm Beach in the spring. “Having been born and raised in West Palm Beach, I spent a lot of time on the island growing up,” says Carrie. “We chose a historic private club in Palm Beach noted for its old world charm and elegant style.” The wedding was black tie as the couple wanted a classic, very formal feel. The flowers at the church were a mix of our hometown roots, literally—pine and magnolias leaves, along with palm branches were mixed with white hydrangeas and calla lilies. The reception was a romantic dream filled with white cherry blossom branches, smaller white floral arrangements, lighted trees, and candles. Blue and white porcelain vases with florals were on display throughout the club’s entryway.
Carrie’s “Georgina” dress was designed by Vera Wang and is now part of their iconic collection. “I actually tried my dress on in Atlanta but didn’t love the back bustle,” says Carrie. “I tried it on again in New York, and it so happened Vera Wang’s Head of Design was in at that moment, and after chatting it up, he said they would customize it for me. After visiting several bridal salons, nothing felt as magical and fit as well as that dress. I loved that it was timeless, yet modern. I knew having a dress I could easily move around in was key as I usually never leave the dance floor at weddings, especially my own!”
As for makeup, Carrie opted for a minimal look. “I wanted to feel like myself but more glamorous,” explains Carrie. “My hair was pulled back into a low chignon. I was inspired by Grace Kelly who just epitomizes classic American beauty to me. I had a satin caplet made that mirrored one of her Oscar’s look after seeing it in Oleg Cassini’s The Wedding Dress, a fabulous book someone had gifted to me. I knew I wanted to leave on my dress but wanted to add something unique and have a keepsake that I could wear 10 or even fifty years later if I wanted.”
Self-proclaimed foodies, Page and Carrie really enjoyed planning the menu. “We had a raw bar during cocktail hour in the courtyard while guests enjoyed a jazz quartet and my favorite mini pimento cheese toasts among other passed hors d’oeuvres. Guests then were seated in the ballroom for dinner. While it was a large wedding of 350 people, I wanted it to feel intimate so we used a mix of long and round tables. Dinner began with a caviar and salmon tower on potato cake, an elegant presentation of a Caesar salad, brussels sprouts in a copper pot plated with filet mignon and potato gratin. Guests danced to Rupert’s Orchestra in the ballroom under the retractable roof until 1:00 a.m., and then after we departed in a familiar mode of transportation—a golf cart—we ended the night at The Breakers Hotel.”