This wedding was from 2022 but I never got to share it on my blog! Itzel and Conors backyard wedding in Bluffton, SC just outside of Hilton Head Island, SC was such a wonderful way to celebrate. It was in 2022 – just after the pandemic started to settle down. So, having a backyard wedding made the most sense given the circumstances.
What made you choose to have a backyard wedding? What was the overall appeal/ emotion for you to have it more intimate vs a larger more official “wedding venue?”
We wanted to elope and have a nice long honeymoon, but the thought of depriving our families of a beautiful ceremony and a reason to come together made us change our minds. The truth is planning a backyard wedding was less stressful than finding a venue in 2022. With the worst of the pandemic behind us, people were suddenly able to start getting married again. It was hard finding venues, rental companies and even caterers. So we decided to have a stress free ceremony at the Giron residence and a reception at the neighborhood golf club with its beautiful views. The size of both places mandated the intimate size of the guests. We invited family and only our closest mutual friends.
Tell me more about the gorgeous ceremonial arch! I know you mentioned you and your mom made it (amazing), but tell me more about the creative process and even the history with your art.
My parents worked in the art scene in Miami before we moved to Bluffton. They restored old art pieces for various galleries and museums. That is where they learned the molding and casting process. The moulding design that was used to make the arch came from an old mold of theirs. We cast everything in plaster and had to fill in bubbles and other imperfections before we mounted the moulding pieces onto the wooden archway we had built. By we, I mostly mean my brother and my mother. Connor also helped construct the wooden archway. I helped make new molds for the corner pieces and the restoration of the pieces after they were cast. It was a stressful and expensive labor of love that took about 3 months to build.
Where did you get your flowers?
We got our flowers from a local florist at Circle of Life Gardenias in Bluffton. They really helped us with our vision. I gave them a list of flowers I hoped would be in season and a budget with full artistic freedom. We had planned to do this all ourselves, but in the end, we wanted a stress free day and let the professionals do it. It was the best decision!
Could you share any advice (something you learned) planning your wedding that you’d like to offer a future bride?
After hearing about all the little things that could go wrong on the day, I started wedding planning with a flexible attitude. Your vision might change due to time and budget constraints and that’s ok.
Prioritize what the most important thing to you and your partner is. Something will definitely go wrong though. We had beautiful platters and serving trays that were supposed to be put out with hors doeuvres but were forgotten about. Communication is key. Make sure staff knows where things are and where they should go or you’ll have plastic trays decorating your tables!
What was your favorite part of the day?
My favorite part of the day was the ceremony. I loved how everything was decorated and the music we walked to. My brother walked me down the aisle which meant the world to me. Our friend Jeremiah officiated our wedding. We didn’t want a stranger up there with us and his poetic ceremony was perfect. We shared a laugh with everyone when someone’s dog started barking in the middle of the ceremony. Connor’s vows were beautiful and our friends are still quoting them. After we walked down the aisle to Queen’s You’re My Best Friend. And then Connor and I shared a giddy moment together away from everyone. We said, “we did it! It was all so worth it!”
Where did you get your cake?
The cake was from The Purple Cow on the island. We were supposedly not going to have a cake and waited till a week before deciding on it. We realized that the desserts we had ordered from our catering company could exclude any vegans in attendance so we ordered a vegan lemon raspberry cake. It came out pretty good!
Who provided the tunes?
Our DJ Tim from JLK events and his assistant were awesome. One of them even ran to help quiet the pup that was barking during our ceremony! I had my hair and makeup done at House of Color in Bluffton, a very pretty salon with the nicest stylists. We were so happy to have found them. Serg catering did our food and desserts. Our lovely wedding planner Tracey Mancini and her crew also work for Serg. They helped us have a stress free day. I don’t think that our ceremony would have gone as smoothly without them!
Photography by TLC Wedding Photography
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