Most of us can’t get enough of new love on Valentine’s Day but this February 14^thwe want to celebrate a pair of veterans in marriage. These two have been married for 23 years and have always put a lot of time, work and thoughtfulness into their relationship. Loving each other in this way has left them with a lifetime of lovely stories but just wait until you hear how this bride (and Charleston Wedding Planner) shocked her unwitting husband with a wedding gift he never expected.

Let’s set the scene. It’s a warm spring day in Charleston, South Carolina. Cindy, founder and owner of Engaging Events Charleston, and her husband (then boyfriend) Tom decided to take a drive downtown. They wanted to take advantage of the beautiful day, not to mention Tom would seize every opportunity to whip around in his cherished, yellow, 1974 Volkswagen Thing. They had made this drive many times snaking up and down the most charming streets of Charleston. While taking in the low country sights they soon found themselves headed towards the beach. The warm spring sun and the cool water air made for a lovely walk on the beach. After walking a ways, they found themselves seated side by side and as Cindy snuggled up to Tom trying to keep warm she noticed the ring. Tom, who had been carrying this beautiful engagement ring around in his pocket for months, had finally settled on this perfect moment to pop the question to the love of his life.

Cindy and Tom had discussed marriage in the past but Cindy was still totally surprised by Tom’s sandy proposal! As they had already decided marriage was in the cards for them, their engagement was short and they were married that same summer.

They kicked off their wedding festivities at Shem Creek in Mount Pleasant with a welcome party for all their friends and family. The Ceremony took place the next day in the courtyard at The Mills House Hotel. Two talented Gullah singers were hired to perform the ceremony music and after the service the singers, in true Charleston fashion, lead the party down Meeting Street to the couple’s reception located at South Carolina Society Hall.

The second half of Cindy and Tom’s perfectly southern wedding was decorated with colors of light grey, pale yellow and light blue, effortlessly complimented by Battenburg lace overlays. Passed champagne and Strawberries, and hors d’oeuvres welcomed their guests to the hall, and a traditional southern station style reception. Although this traditional couple decided against a wedding cake, they made up for it with a stunning array of desserts. For those who have yet to visit Society Hall, the ballroom is adorned with an impressive pair of large center pocket doors. When guests started winding down from eating, the staff closed the pocket doors, and prepared the dessert table. Unbeknownst to Tom, Cindy had organized a sneaky surprise to be unveiled on the dessert display. She commissioned Brian, with Ice Age Sculptures, to create a perfect replica of Toms beloved 1974 Volkswagen which took center stage when the staff finally pulled back those double doors in a bona fide grand reveal.

Most of us are the one’s waiting to be swept off of our feet during Valentine’s Day, proposals, weddings, and other romantic moments but this year let’s all take a page out of Cindy and Tom’s book and work on being that thoughtful partner instead of being the one simply waiting for our story book moment to happen to us. Take charge, be loving, be proactive and be selfless! Happy Valentine’s Day!