Hilton Head Island Bridal Guide 2022

POOLS & PATIOS

NFL STAR KEN ANDERSON

HEART HEALTH

HILTON HEAD

OUR

Bridal ISSUE

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Couple’s special bond celebrated with Bluffton wedding

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BY BECCA EDWARDS | PHOTOS BY GABRIELA LOPEZ

What makes a good love story? Dylan Rosser would argue Willie and Nicole Cram do.

Officiating their wedding on Oct. 16, 2021, Rosser spoke to the 175 friends and family members in attendance and recounted the kind of love story that makes for a good rom-com complete with a happy ending and a life take-away.

Rosser knows the couple well. He introduced Willie and Nicole nine years ago, is the godfather to their daughter, Ava Kate, and is Willie’s close childhood friend. He began telling their love story with an anecdote.

“When asked about the moment they first met, under the glow of those seductive Boardroom lights,” began Rosser, “Willie distinctly remembers not just how beautiful and smart but especially how interesting Nicole was to talk to, and that for once a woman seemed to genuinely laugh at his jokes.”

Reflecting on that moment, and noting the establishment

on Hilton Head, both Willie and Nicole joked, “I guess there have been quite a few love connections made at The Boardroom.”

That fateful night and the beginning of their special bond was nearly a decade ago, when both were in their early 20s.

In his speech Rosser continued, “Flash forward to the moment they both knew that they wanted to marry the other. Nicole mentions over and over again how easy life is with Willie, with his relentless positive attitude, good energy and refusal to ever let her throw a pity party. While Willie thinks back to when he would come down to Hilton Head from Charleston to visit Nicole on weekends and hoping that each weekend would never end.”

In August of 2020, Willie decided to ask Nicole to marry him. He went to his aunt, jewelry designer Zonnie Sheik, for the engagement ring and then consulted his mother, Leisa Cram, and sister-in-law, Gretchen Cram, on the wedding band.

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“All the women in the family were very helpful,” said Willie, who laughed about the comical number of times he attempted to propose to Nicole. “It kept getting canceled. One time it got rained out, one time I became violently ill.”

There was a near miss when Nicole was looking for something in the same drawer where he was hiding the engagement ring. “I can’t believe she didn’t find it,” Willie said.

Willie’s moment came in November 2020 when he asked Nicole if she wanted to take Ava Kate bike riding on the beach.

“Ava was just starting to learn to ride a bike. I knew it was the right time, but it was typical nerves –,” he said.

“The sun was setting, and he got down on one knee.

He was so excited that he jumped back up before I could even answer. It was really sweet and so special with Ava there,” Nicole said.

Help planning the wedding came from Leisa and Nicole’s friends (like Dylan’s mom, Joni), as well as her now sister-in-law Gretchen Cram who married Willie’s brother, Cooper, in 2017 on the Cram’s Bear Island property in Bluffton.

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“It was important for us, too, to get married here. The property is so special and really reflects us,” Nicole said.

After following a sandy, leaf-laden path lined by palms and lush brush and being served a glass of champagne, the guests entered the site of the ceremony, which overlooked a marsh and included an old oak tree with the ashes of Leisa’s parents nestled in a hollowed-out nook.

The wedding party flowed in with the now 7-year-old Ava Kate walking Nicole down the aisle. The “I Dos” began at 5 p.m., just in time to see the sun set over the water and the full moon emerge to welcome guests to an outdoor reception complete with Lowcountry fare and the Lowcountry Boil band. Due to COVID, planning was difficult, but it came together beautifully and truly represented their love for each other and the Lowcountry.

“Willie’s mom, Leisa always talked about the fact that relationships are not supposed to be hard,” said Nicole.

Echoing Nicole, Willie said, “We have to be relaxed in life and know things will be what they are going to be.”

To that end, Rosser concluded in his wedding speech, “Nicole and Willie are a couple destined for a lifetime of love and happiness… shaped and supported by the other, and ultimately made better as one.”

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Getting ready for the big day

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VENDORS: PHOTOGRAPHER: Gabriela Lopez // CATERING: Lori Holland, Lowcountry Kitchen // BOUQUETS: Elaine Savarese at Fresh Weddings & Events // DRESS: Made with Love Brands // HAIR AND MAKEUP: Bride’s Side Beauty // BAND: Lowcountry Boil // TABLE ARRANGEMENTS: Sally Peterson and Joni Rosser // BEER: Lincoln & South Brewing

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Justin Johnston & Beth Milbee’s wedding was a love story 22 years in the making STORY BY BARRY KAUFMAN | PHOTOS BY ROB KAUFMAN

This past Halloween, while the island’s youngsters were going door to door in search of sugary delights, Justin Johnston and Beth Milbee were coming together in pursuit of something far sweeter than any candy.

Surrounded by family and friends and framed by the natural majesty of Mitchelville Beach House, they said their “I Dos.” And when they did, it marked the next chapter in a love story that began when two kids met at the Salty Dog Café.

It was a 22-year journey from the day they met at work to the day they were wed. But it’s clear from the last leg of their journey that the couple were eager to make things official.

“We’re both pretty last minute about stuff,” said Beth with a laugh. “We were engaged in May and married in October.”

“It was just fun. But it was chaos leading up to it,” said Justin.

Added his bride, “He only had about three mild heart attacks that last week.”

If you’re curious how a simple walk down the aisle took 22 years, you should know that there were a few detours along the way. After meeting as newly minted employees at the Salty Dog Café, the couple saw their lives headed in different directions.

“I ended up moving back to Indianapolis to go to nursing school, and we tried to do the long-distance thing,” said Beth. “We were pretty serious, but I was so young. It was just too early. That’s why the theme of our wedding was, ‘It was always you.’ The timing was just always wrong.”

In the interim, each built a life. Beth had two children, Louis and Grace, while working in nursing.

Justin stayed on Hilton Head, becoming a veteran of the F&B scene before launching the successful Bloody Point Mixing Co.

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Just a few years ago, they found each other again on Facebook.

“We started talking again at the end of 2018,” said Beth.

It didn’t take Justin long to pop the question after moving up to Indianapolis to be closer to Beth.

“I did it on my birthday, so I wouldn’t forget it,” he said, igniting another round of laughs from the happy couple.

“As a ruse, I said we have to go check out this distillery in Traverse City, Michigan. I didn’t think she’d see that coming.”

Despite it being May 4, the bitter Michigan cold was in full effect as Justin brought Beth out in front of the historic Mission Point Lighthouse and popped the question.

“It was gorgeous, but it was cold,” said Justin. “I didn’t get down on one knee because I didn’t think I’d be able to get back up.”

She said yes. And with just six months to plan the wedding, there were a lot of questions to answer. One, thankfully, was a no-brainer.

“Hilton Head Island has always had a spot in our hearts for both of us,” said Justin. “We wanted a destination wedding, and we know so many people in the industry.”

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When you’ve spent as much time as Justin has in Hilton Head’s tightly knit hospitality world, you meet a few people who know how to put on a wedding. And the F&B crowd was only too happy to help with the festivities.

“It was really special to have Dave Peck from A Lowcountry Backyard, since he hired me when I first got down here and his wife Raina hired Beth,” said Justin.

Those friendships made the days leading up to the ceremony unforgettable, whether it was Dave Kemmerly surprising the couple with a post-Booze Cruise rendition of Rod Stewart’s, “Have I Told You Lately That I Love You,” (Beth’s parents’ song) on the deck at Salty Dog, John Rybicki opening his Lincoln & South Brewery for the rehearsal dinner or close friend Dave Thorton officiating.

Beth brought in her own talent, enlisting her children as flower and ring bearers, and inviting her niece to play violin during the ceremony.

“We knew basically everybody doing the services for us,” said Beth.

And with the help of a few friends and family, these two said their “I Dos” after 22 years.

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Saying I Do

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VENDORS: EVENT PLANNER: Nikki Kolat, Carolina Weddings // CEREMONY/RECEPTION VENUE: Mitchelville Beach House // PHOTOGRAPHER: Rob Kaufman, Kaufman Photography // REHEARSAL DINNER VENUE: Lincoln and South Brewery // CATERING: Dave Peck, A Lowcountry Backyard // REHEARSAL DINNER CATERING: The Southern Peel // WEDDING PARTY HAPPY HOUR CRUISE: The Salty Dog

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BY VICKIE MCINTYRE | PHOTOS BY PHILIP CASEY

“I never grew up dreaming about my wedding,” said Beaufort native Caroline Kinard Roberts, “so I didn’t expect it to be perfect.”

Aiming for “beautiful but not stuffy,” her October 2021 nuptials to Al Roberts, of Anderson, S.C., resulted in a unique blend of formality and fun, which she calls a “highlow” celebration.

The dress code was black-tie optional, but the setting was her parents’ marsh-front backyard in Beaufort.

Her designer bridal gown, fashioned from raw silk with a thin row of buttons down the back and an optional lacey bolero jacket, came from White on Daniel Island, while her sturdy heeled shoes (hidden from sight) came from Target.

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And although the country-rock band, Tailgate Homeboys, pulsed with gaiety, the quiet prayers of the Reverend Dr. Janis J. Kent, Caroline’s co-worker and mentor, brought everyone to tears.

“Everything was such a juxtaposition,” laughs Caroline.

“It didn’t make much sense, but we had the most fun you could imagine, far exceeding my expectations.”

A quintessential wedding is full of planning and constantly reviewing a checklist, but it is often the sentimental choices that pull everything together.

Caroline and Al’s wedding is a prime example.

Every detail — from the lightest of blue bridesmaids’ dresses to the classic white and green ceremonial flowers that blended with the landscape, as well as elegant

bamboo folding chairs, table settings that featured plate linens embroidered with a Lowcountry crest by a family friend, and Al’s mother’s vintage farm truck filled with flowers and beer — reflected the couple’s goal of creating a relaxed, authentic ambiance.

Consulting tide charts, the couple chose the only Saturday in the fall when high tide was at 5 p.m., an ideal time to exchange vows with a sunset cocktail hour to follow. Shea Abramo, a painter, captured the iconic setting on canvas as the couple’s chocolate lab, Gumbo, strutted down the aisle with Al as the ceremony began.

“I’ll always remember the intense emotions of that moment, walking down the aisle with my dad,” says Caroline.

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Sentimental choices pull everything together

Embracing the feel of a family dinner party, Caroline also chose to use the blue-and-white pattern dishes she had grown up with and her great-grandmother’s cake stand.

Caroline’s aunt and grandmother adorned the cross stationed by the marsh with flowers, while her parents, owners of Jeweler’s Bench in downtown Beaufort, handcrafted Caroline’s pearl earrings as well as the wedding bands. Al, forgoing the usual knife to cut the cake, chose his Citadel sword.

Caroline raves about Amanda Rose Weddings, her dayof coordinator, and Melissa, from Farm City Flowers, who created an installation over the head table featuring sprawling

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greenery adorned with small glass globes containing candles.

Noel, from Lowcountry Produce, coordinated food stations serving everything from mounds of fancy seafood to downhome BBQ sliders, fries, and Grapefruit Gumbo, his signature cocktail for the event.

Caroline ended the evening wearing a short, white party dress. As the couple said their goodbyes, they spontaneously were hoisted into the air and carried on the shoulders of some of Al’s Army buddies.

When their feet touched ground again, they sped off in a large ATV, shocking the crowd waving sparklers.

“No one saw that coming,” quips Caroline, still smiling about her perfectly memorable day.

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What to know when honored as best man or maid of honor

BY NINA GREENPLATE

Standing up as one’s best man or maid of honor is both a sweet tribute and a time-honored position of responsibility.

Weddings are as unique as the happy couple themselves, yet much of the ‘to-do’ list comes standard.

The honor of the titles comes with some notable practices, both before and on the wedding day. Here’s to calm leadership, and a few reminders on how to help the bride and groom’s big day unfold effortlessly.

FOR THE GROOM. Prior to the wedding, the best man helps select the groomsmen’s attire and keeps the others

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on task with fittings and pick up. Organizing a bachelor party falls under his scope of duties.

Decide if the festivities will be close to home, a short drive, or an all-out trip away, including flight reservations. You’re the point person, so stay on top of all details. Remember to coordinate a gift from all the groomsmen unless everyone chooses to go out on their own.

Finally, prepare and practice the wedding toast. This is traditionally given by the best man but may be shared with the maid of honor.

FOR THE BRIDE. Prior to the wedding, have fun helping select the bridesmaid dresses and accessories. There will be countless varieties and styles to choose from.

The maid of honor will usually host or co-host a bridal shower, depending on, and working with, the bride’s mother on specifics. Planning a fabulous bachelorette party also falls under her responsibilities, and details should be discussed with the bride and other bridesmaids.

She can organize purchasing the bride’s gift from herself and the other bridesmaids, and consider helping to address wedding invitations as another kind gesture.

THE BIG DAY. On the wedding day, the best man and maid of honor should keep the happy couple, well, happy.

Assure them that all is going smoothly, and work to make that happen. No adorable ring-bearer? The rings can be held by the best man until the I Do’s are read.

During the ceremony the bride may need a hand with her veil, gown/train, and perhaps her bouquet after walking down the aisle and moving around. Her maid of honor should be alert for this assistance. The best man should also stay aware to keep the groom’s attire slick.

Both would also do well to have an emergency kit on-hand. Pack mints/gum, a small sewing kit, cologne/ perfume, Advil, Tide-to-go pen and deodorant.

THE PERFECT SPEECH. A memorable speech is a genuine sentiment from the heart. Here are a few tips.

DO: • Practice before the big day.

• Keep the toast between 3-5 minutes.

• Identify yourself and your connection to the couple.

• Thank your hosts.

• Consider including a small joke, advice, or a sweet anecdote in your opener.

• Tell how you feel about them now that they’re together.

• Be humorous.

• Give your blessing.

• Lift your glass and toast the happy couple.

DON’T • Bring up past relationships.

• Have too many inside jokes.

• Be long-winded.

• Be toasted during the toast.

There will be plenty of time to enjoy a few cocktails after the speech.

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