Christie and Thomas’s sister, Kady, were best friends in college, so she met her future-husband while he was visiting Madison at the University of Wisconsin. They remained friends throughout the years, and on the night of Kady’s wedding, where Tom officiated and Christie was a bridesmaid, they finally shared their first kiss under the stars in Montauk. After about three years of dating, he surprised her with a trip to Savannah, Georgia and got down on one knee in Lafayette Square.
While visiting family in Charleston, the New York-based couple fell in love with the city for their wedding— “not to mention Charleston and Savannah are sister cities,” Christie says. They chose The Governor Thomas Bennett House for their venue— “200-year-old oak tree, Spanish moss, pineapple fountain… True southern charm!” To help plan their big day, they hired Rebecca Woodland Weddings.
Christie fell in love with the first wedding dress she tried on at Panache Bridal of New York. She worked closely with designer Michael DePaulo, who even named the gown after her. Gingko leaves, which hold a deep connection to the bride’s grandmother, were hand-embroidered on the long-sleeve design too. And as her “something blue,” Christie wore her mother’s diamond and sapphire bracelet, which originally belonged to her late great-grandmother.
In the house’s Crescent Garden under the oak tree with Spanish moss hanging down, the bride walked down the aisle to “Canon in D.” The fall ceremony was officiated by Tom’s sister— the person who brought the couple together. After saying, “I do,” cocktail hour began in the house and on the piazza.
Cru Catering took care of the passed appetizers of mini lobster rolls, garlic seared scallop lollipops, and savory pop-tarts and was responsible for the delicious seated dinner. The meal concluded with an almond wedding cake with white chocolate mousse filling and vanilla almond buttercream frosting.
During the father-of-the-bride speech, Christie’s dad performed “Brown Eyed Girl” by Van Morrison with the band— his and his daughter’s shared favorite song. The white guitar that he used was later used as a guest book for people to sign their well wishes.
After the reception finished, the newlyweds made their exit in a vintage car that took them around the city before re-joining everyone at the after-party. Christie made a quick change into a dress designed by her childhood friend and bridesmaid, Dana K. Greechan, who is a head designer at Eliza J. And the celebrations continued in full swing at Blind Tiger Pub— “a local favorite dating back to 1803, featuring a charming brick-walled courtyard.”
