Flower Power

Mindy Whitt & Gary Ostroski May 28, 2022 • Lowndes Grove Maryland natives Mindy Whitt and Gary Ostroski knew each other back in high school, when Gary played in a band with Mindy’s older brother. The two went their separate ways after graduating, but stayed in touch through social media. During the pandemic, Mindy, by then living in Charleston, saw that Gary was relocating to Raleigh, North Carolina. She reached out to suggest he make the drive down for a weekend visit. (Or, as Gary tells it, she “slid into his DMs”—and the rest was history.) From that initial meeting in June, the two were inseparable. They spent every weekend together through December, when Mindy suggested she join Gary in Raleigh. It was a whirlwind, she admits, but they just knew it was right. They share the same roots, but independently grew into people who happen to fit remarkably well together. “We connect in a way neither of us had before,” she says. Little did they know, just around the corner awaited the surprise of a lifetime. On the heels of a cross-country road trip with friends, Mindy started feeling nauseous after eating. Soon, it was confirmed: they were going to be parents. As they prepared for the next chapter of their lives, Gary started planning an unforgettable proposal. Surrounded by the thousands of daffodils abloom in Raleigh’s Dorothea Dix Park each spring, he dropped to one knee and asked Mindy to be his for the rest of their lives. They popped a bottle of booze-free bubbles to celebrate. For their summer wedding, Charleston felt like a no-brainer. It’s Mindy’s favorite place she’s lived and also where she and Gary first said “I love you.” Plus, it would be an opportunity to not only have their family and closest friends in one place, but to show them the city through the couple’s eyes. The grand grounds of Lowndes Grove would serve as the perfect backdrop for it all, they decided. And on their big day, the historic venue sprung to life with bright blooms and other pops of whimsy, including disco balls and The Co-Op’s frosé trailer. Vendors Planning & Design: Wild Heart Events Photographer: Sean Money & Elizabeth Fay Venue: Lowndes Grove Florals: The Bearded Florist Catering, Bar, & Cake: Patrick Properties Hospitality Group Frosé Trailer: The Co-Op Rentals: Curated Events, Melodic Entertainment, Snyder Events Bridal Attire: Samantha Wood (ceremony), Nouvelle Amsale (reception), Mac Duggal (after party) Beauty: Paper Dolls Entertainment: The Charleston Wedding Band Signage: Velvet Fox Designs