Just a couple of weeks ago I spent an amazing Saturday afternoon and evening celebrating Mandy and Tyler’s wedding at the Seibels House in Columbia, South Carolina! To say that I had a blast would be a vast understatement – after all, it’s not every wedding weekend that I actually SING WITH the band (Hott Gritz – phenomenal musicians, by the way)! Depending on the crowd, I usually love it when I get the opportunity to dance and let loose! What better way to capture the vibe than actually being a PART of it? :) This wedding was a TRUE celebration… everyone was on the dance floor having a good time, including grandparents! I mean it when I say that these folks knew how to have FUN! Read more and see more below!

Mandy and Tyler met in high school through a mutual friend during the days of MySpace and had their very first date at Barnes and Noble. The next day, Tyler informed Mandy that he had begun seeing another girl, which devastated Mandy. Not being one to give up so soon, Mandy waited for the perfect opportunity to snag him. As soon as she found out he was available again, she made her move…patience truly IS a virtue! :)

I asked Mandy to share a little bit about how Tyler proposed, and of course some of the vision they had for their wedding day…

– How did Tyler propose?

So, we were going to San Francisco for a work conference. He wanted to plan dinner the first night but we were on different flights and he wasn’t getting in until late, which was even later since we are used to EST. We ended up cancelling our dinner reservations and decided to just walk around San Francisco to find something to eat. We walked around what is essentially the worst part of San Francisco and found a decent diner type restaurant to eat (imagine Asian “Spas” and street “walkers” everywhere). So – he didn’t pop the question that night! The next night we went out to a nice dinner, and were supposed to go out with some co-workers. He kept insisting that we go back to the hotel so I agreed. We got back to the hotel and sat down for a few minutes, and then while I am just looking my phone, he comes around and places the ring right in front of me. Honestly, I thought it was a joke. But, it is so true to our style, laid back and low key.

– What made you choose the Seibels House as the perfect venue for your wedding?

When we first started the wedding planning process, we both thought it would be great to have a fall wedding in Asheville, NC. I spent about a month researching, and planning site visits. We visited about 5 venues in Asheville, and realized planning a wedding away from home was going to be a lot more difficult, stressful, and expensive than we ever thought. On the way home we decided Columbia is the place we were going to get married. About a week later, we toured the Seibels House and absolutely fell in love. It was so easy to set up a wedding, and the gardens do all the talking. In addition, the money for the rental goes back to the Historic Columbia Foundation which was really important to us!

– What “feel” were you going for as you planned your wedding day?

We were going for classic elegance, but with a fall twist. We focused on crisp white, cream, and grey. We wanted the wedding to have a laidback vibe but also feel put together.

– What were you looking forward to most on your wedding day?

This question is so hard, and I feel like I would be lying if I said there was one specific thing I looked forward to the most. Weddings are a really interesting thing, you plan it for so long but when it comes, you cannot believe it has arrived.

Although, the day of the wedding, I could not wait to see Tyler. It felt so odd not being around each other before such a big event in our lives. I feel like we are a unit and face the world together and all I wanted before our first look was to talk to Tyler.

– What was the biggest challenge you faced when planning your wedding day?

Honestly, trying to stay on track with budgeting and saving for the wedding. We paid for the majority of our wedding and didn’t charge a penny (#humblebrag). We lived very, very lean the year leading up to the wedding to ensure we didn’t start out our new lives in debt. I had to make a few sacrifices, but in the end everything was perfect!

– What is the most important piece of advice you’d share with other brides?

Okay, so this is my real life advice. Take the time in the months before your wedding and work on your relationship. Completely open up communication, have the “hard” conversations about money, kids, parenting, etc. I think our relationship grew so much in the months leading up to our marriage because we put in the hard work to make sure our future together is better than ever.
But, I’ll also include a few “wedding planning” type tips I picked up on the way.

I LOVE how down-to-earth and level-headed these two are. Mandy really hits the nail on the head when she talks about the hard conversations and, ultimately, the importance of communication. That’s what it’s all about!

Mandy and Tyler, I am so honored to have been there to capture your wedding day and had SUCH a blast getting to hang with you two!

Dress: Modern Trousseau Couture in Charleston, SC
Shoes and Accessories: Ivanka Trump & Francesca’s
Hair: Cline’s Vista Salon in Columbia, SC
Wedding Coordinator: Marnie Hudson for Jessica Rourke
Venue: The Seibels House in Columbia, SC
Cake: Parkland Cakes
Catering: Southern Way Catering
Rentals: Party Reflections
Lighting: Ambient Lighting
Florist: Something Special