Long Distance No More

Kathleen Reilly & Harry Booth October 22, 2022 • Lowndes Grove Katie Reilly met Harry Booth in 2017 at a Christmas party hosted by Katie’s parents in their DC-area home. He was in the US from England for his brother’s wedding to a grade school friend of Katie’s. They hit it off so well that Katie quickly made plans to visit Harry, who was working as a ski instructor in Switzerland. The two started a romance highlighted by trips across the pond to see each other. Their distance was exacerbated by the pandemic—Harry was unable to travel to the US two out of four years of the courtship. But the couple made the most of it, meeting up in Switzerland, Croatia, and Spain. On flights, they started a tradition of watching the musical film, The Greatest Showman. In honor of that, Katie walked down the aisle to “Rewrite the Stars,” from the movie’s soundtrack. In September 2021, after five long months of separation, Katie went to England, where Harry proposed on a rooftop overlooking the Ipswich waterfront, accompanied by music and candlelight. As to where to celebrate their big day, Katie was drawn to the Lowcountry. After all, she graduated from the College of Charleston in 2014, and her parents were married and began their life together in the Holy City. She had long had her eye on Lowndes Grove as a wedding goal. “We visited after our engagement, and Harry fell in love with the city and Lowndes Grove just as I had,” she says. The couple welcomed family and friends to Charleston with a groom’s cake, featuring Saas Fee, Harry’s favorite mountain in Switzerland, and topped with an exact replica of his skis and a Liverpool FC flag. Irish singer Aaron Rowe, who Katie watched perform during a bachelorette trip to Ireland, flew in from Dublin to sing at the party. Planner Lauren Fox incorporated bursts of pink, Katie’s favorite color, into the setting, along with gold and emerald green, honoring her Irish roots. After a dinner of shrimp and grits, chicken and filet, guests were treated to music by Steel Toe Stilettos. Massive gold balls hung over the dance floor, and green velvet couches with pink pillows invited weary dancers to rest. Says the bride, “The dance floor was nonstop from the first song, til the very end.” Vendors Planning & Design: Fox Events Photography: Perry Vaile Venue: Lowndes Grove Florals: On A Limb Bar: Bubbles and Brews Custom Bar: Fox Builds Cake: Wedding Cakes by Jim Smeal Beauty: Ash and Co Entertainment: Steel Toe Stilettos Stationery: Rachael Blessinger Calligraphy: J.Lily Designs