Jewelry designer Jane Pope first met Tyler Cooper at a Christmas party in Charleston, SC. “I had come to town to visit friends for my birthday weekend and thought he was super cute as soon as we were introduced,” says Jane. The couple dated for three years after that initial meeting, although a chunk of it was long distance. “I was moving to L.A. for fine jewelry design school the May after we met,” explains Jane. “He drove me out there, and we made a fun trip out of it, stopping in New Orleans, Austin, Telluride (where Tyler lived for a summer and two years after college). He came out to L.A. nine times in four months to visit me.”
Tyler proposed on a weekend trip to Miami in June. “Honestly, I thought it was going to happen a few times before that, and it didn’t. So for some reason, I just put the whole idea out of my head, and I was actually shocked,” admits Jane. “We had been dating for three years and had done a lot of traveling together, so I didn’t think anything of the trip. We went out for dinner and drinks, and then when we got back to our room at the Raleigh Hotel, he came up behind me and put his arm around me with the ring in his hand and popped the question. We lounged by the pool the whole next day enjoying our big news.”
The actual ring was somewhat of a complete surprise too. “I had taken Tyler to a vintage textiles show at the Gaillard Auditorium in Charleston one Saturday,” says Jane. “A vendor there was an antique jewelry dealer. She had the most incredible pieces. I tried on lots of them—including my engagement ring. And when I saw it 8 months later, I couldn’t believe it!”
The couple decided to get married in Jane’s hometown of Newberry, SC, on December 6. “I am from a very small town, and we thought having a wedding there would be really special and unique,” says Jane. “Plus, my dad made Tyler promise we would get married there when he asked if he had his permission to propose.”
The bride’s dress was designed by Lela Rose. “I found it at a trunk show. I didn’t pull it in my first round of dresses because I didn’t think my mom would like it, but funnily enough, she ended up pulling it for me to see.” Her hair was inspired by Michelle Williams’s look at the 2006 Oscars, and her makeup was light, soft, and simple for the ceremony. Jane then had her makeup artist, Emir, do a darker eye for the reception. Her fur—practically a must for a December wedding—was a vintage piece that she found while she was engaged. “After I tried it on, I didn’t try anything else on,” says Jane. “I ordered it that day!”
The wedding ceremony was at 3:00 P.M. outside in the town square. Afterwards, everyone gathered for cocktails at the Community Hall, and then guests slowly meandered back to Jane’s parents’ house for the reception. They had stations of their favorite foods, like quail and grits, little grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup, beef tenderloin and asparagus, and toasted coconut cake from Peninsula Grill in Charleston. After eating, everyone danced like crazy. “Our party favors were little Santa hats, and at one point, I was facing away from the dance floor talking and turned around to a sea of red Santa hats bobbing up and down. It was hilarious.”
After the reception, the festivities migrated to a restored firehouse downtown for the after-party. “Tyler had gotten this awesome college band, Meeting Reid, to play at my 30th birthday party the year before,” remembers Jane. “They were incredible so he got them to play our after-party as well.”
At the end of the night, a driver whisked the couple away to a neighboring city to sleep. “It had not only been 12 hours going full speed ahead, but I had been in Newberry since Monday celebrating each night with people as they trickled into town. I was exhausted,” admits Jane. “We had a little getaway to recoup and then headed home as husband and wife.”
