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Golden Beginning

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Lawton Cooper Ginn & Eric Yon; November 8, 2008, French Huguenot Church & Carolina Yacht Club (South Property)

Photographs by:

Liz Banfield

Custom-designed by The Lettered Olive, the couple’s invitation suite featured a deep eggplant band with a personalized monogram. Engraved in gold on luxurious two-ply paper, the elegant opulence set the tone for the event.

Part of the appeal of being married at the French Huguenot Church was the fact that Lawton, accompanied here by her father and stepmother, could just cross Church Street from her mother’s house to be married.

Inspired by the floral “kissing balls” in the lobby of the Wynn Hotel in Las Vegas, Lawton took her vision to the team at Soirée, who replicated them using lush white roses. The doorway to the French Huguenot church was also strung with a garland of real leaves, spray-painted gold for a fall feel.

Flower girl Caroline Oswald Ginn, Lawton’s niece, admires the bride’s bouquet of lush white peonies and roses. For her “something borrowed,” Lawton attached a cameo brooch—an heirloom loaned by family friends—to the stem.

Flower girls Caroline Oswald Ginn and Nyla Grace Lafayette, nieces of Lawton and Eric respectively, carried baskets of fresh ivory rose petals to scatter in the church.

“At least I didn’t make him wear gloves!” laughs Lawton, of her request that Eric don traditional tails for their evening wedding.

Fresh rose petals led the way to an altar where Lawton and Eric said their vows.

Golden Beginning

During cocktail hour, guests mingled near the long bar manned by several bartenders, which was a must with more than 300 guests so no one had to wait for drinks. The curtains at the far end of the space were kept closed until the end of cocktail hour to unveil the dining room to the couple and their guests simultaneously.

It was like a cafeteria,” says Kate of the convention-room-like space before the team transformed it. Handblown glass candlesticks held gold tapers, and the ceiling and walls were draped in fabric to soften the space. The head table—named Queen Street—was distinguished with peony and ribbon chair ties and set with crystal wineglasses (which Soirée later gave the couple as gift).

Set with ivory velvet linens, each table had a stunning centerpiece, some—like this--made up of ivory peonies, ranunculus, gold roses, and gold leaves in a gold garden pot.

For centerpieces, the crew at Soirée spray-painted branches to make autumnal-looking “trees” dressed with kissing balls that harkened back to the church decorations. In lieu of numbers, each table was named after a local street special to the Charleston natives.

Filled with two delectable macaroons, pretty favor boxes did double duty as place cards, minimizing the clutter on the tabletop.

Filigreed gold votives placed on side tables in the dining room held tea lights.

In honor of the bride, a signature cocktail was served to guests. “It was Firefly Sweet Tea Vodka, water, and fresh lemon, which is what I order whenever I’m out,” says Lawton.

Making the most of the view out over the Battery, Tara and Kate positioned lounge furniture on the patio and draped French doors with gold and ivory fabric that fluttered romantically in the breeze. Later in the evening, the balcony was home to a cigar-rolling station.

Pairs of flip-flops in a deep eggplant were tied with raffia and placed near the dance floor so guests with tired feet to slip into (and keep dancing)!

“A lounge area gives guests a change of scenery after dinner,” says Kate, who brought in ivory sofas and custom-made pillows and tablecloths.

Since November in Charleston can be chilly at night, the team at Soirée made sure to have a basket of pashminas on hand for guests who might have forgotten their own wrap. (Bonus: choosing a neutral like ivory means no clashing with any outfits!)

To clearly distinguish the head table, chair markers of gold ribbon and peonies were tied to the backs of the Chiavari chairs. The Soirée staff set the table with crystal wine glasses, a gift from the team to the happy couple

As alternative centerpieces, the team at Soirée spray-painted gold real branches and leaves to make gold “trees” from which to hang miniature versions of the rose kissing balls that first showed up outside the church doors

The five-tier confection crafted by Jim Smeal featured a pattern taken from the embellishments on Lawton’s Badgley Mischka dress, along with a rich plum-colored ribbon. “The cake was probably the one thing I had the most input on!” laughs Lawton. “I showed [Jim] my dress and he went from there.”

Golden Beginning

o eliminate tabletop clutter, says Kate, let your favors double as your place cards. Sets of macaroons were nestled in boxes reading “Lawton and Eric: The Sweetest Pair,” placed atop dining plates, and labeled with guests’ names.

Golden Beginning

The couple had an official send-off—with sparklers—at 10:30 p.m., says Lawton, “so our grandparents could see us leave.” After a brief stop at Lawton’s mother’s house so Lawton could put on a less formal dress, it was back to the reception again to party some more with their friends!

Lawton and Eric left their reception at 10:30 p.m. in a vintage Rolls Royce bedecked with a hand-calligraphed sign---only to return again after a quick change of clothes and join their after-party in the special “lounge” Soirée had designed just for the occasion.

Golden Beginning

Wedding Design by Tara Guerard