A Family Affair

Candice Broyles & Louie Soffner November 12, 2023 / Kiawah River Farmhouse When Charlestonians Candice Broyles and Louie Soffner set out to plan their wedding, the pair sought quality over quantity. “We wanted to focus on what mattered most—our marriage and honoring our parents and siblings,” muses Candice, who works in the wedding industry (for Gregory Blake Sams Events). She enlisted the help of close friend Heather Barrie, owner of Gathering Events, to help with the intimate 12-person wedding, which included just family. “Kiawah River was where Louie first told me he loved me,” says Candice, and the couple knew the property was where they wanted to say “I do.” So they made a weekend of it, with the whole family staying on-site. “It was like a family retreat,” remembers the bride. The celebration was full of intention and thoughtful touches, from overflowing seagrass welcome baskets to reception cocktails personalized for each guest’s specific tastes. Small does not automatically equate to inexpensive, however, so the couple put their budget to work where it counted. Candice and Heather picked out custom china from Paris that’s now in the Soffners’ home. “I got to choose the china I would have for the rest of my life,” says Candice. “It’s more special than registering for a pattern anyone else can have. It really made the table, too,” says the bride, recalling how Heather adorned the tablescape with candles, cloches, nuts, seeds, and frilly blooms. The couple splurged on a three-week honeymoon in Bali, then kept their nest egg for the down payment on a new home. And they didn’t have to forego celebrating with all of their friends, who threw them a huge shower prior to this unforgettable wedding weekend. Top Tips • Think outside the box for your ceremony site. Heather Barrie of Gathering Events helped choose the location under a big oak tree by the river, “a spot no one would’ve imagined getting married,” she says. She and her team mowed a path, created a nook, and built an island of flowers and seats into the landscape. • Surprise the groom. Like a lot of grooms, Louie didn’t have much to say about the wedding décor. But Candice did take his request for a hint of camouflage seriously and had baker friend Sunny Crutchfield hide the pattern inside their wedding cake. • Light up the night. It’s wise to consider how lighting will change as the sun sets. Heather placed battery-operated votives and pinspot lighting among the branches of the oaks. A lamp on the bar also added a warm glow. Vendors Planning, Florals, & Design: Gathering Events Venue: Kiawah River Farmhouse Photography: Marni Rothschild Durlach Catering & Bar: Harvest Catering Cake: Sunny Crutchfield Stationery: Hatch Cove Designs Rentals: Snyder Events, Emerson James Linens: BBJ La Tavola Table: Marie Daâge (china), Sabre Paris (cutlery) Entertainment: Tea for Two Live Music Lighting: Technical Event Company, Visual Comfort Bridal Attire: Elizabeth Dye (gown), The Sentimentalist (boutique), Jane Pope Jewelry Beauty: Ash and Co. Groom Attire: Jos A. Bank, Banana Republic (tie)