Kat and Kyle’s celebration on Kiawah Island was designed as four visually distinct days, each with its own aesthetic language, yet all tied together by one continuous story. A barefoot beach kickoff, a Southern rehearsal dinner, a rain-shifted ceremony, and a reception that leaned into the rhythm of a dinner party were planned by Julian Leaver. The throughline wasn’t a theme or a color palette, but intention. As the couple put it best, “Choose your vendors the way you choose your friends.” That mindset shapes the entire weekend, from how the spaces are experienced to how guests move through them, so they feel like a part of something personal.
Location: Kiawah Island, South Carolina, USA
Style: Relaxed, Coastal, Elegant
Time of planning: 1 year
Number of guests: 310
Setting: Beachfront
Season: Spring
Kat and Kyle first met at a happy hour after a young adult ministry gathering in Dallas. Kyle noticed Kat’s sneaker style and quietly clocked her confidence, while Kat recognized Kyle from the ministry’s social media posts. A week later, they ran into each other again, and that was where things really began. Their first date was at Atwater Alley, followed soon after by a black-tie gala, a very on-brand pairing that set the tone for their relationship. Three years later, Kyle proposed in their future home, just the two of them, exactly how they wanted it.
Thursday Kick-off Party
The wedding weekend officially began on Thursday evening at Kat’s family’s beachfront home on Kiawah Island. The goal for the kick-off party was simple: to immediately make guests feel comfortable, welcomed, and connected.
The setting leaned into the natural surroundings of the home, with soft hints of green, blue, and neutral tones chosen to complement the calm dunes and beach just beyond the house. Rather than introducing a formal aesthetic, the design focused on ease and approachability, setting the tone for the days ahead.
One of the most thoughtful details of the evening came through the bar setup. Guests were given cups printed with four different states, Oklahoma, Mississippi, Texas, and South Carolina, representing where Kat and Kyle knew each guest from. Each person chose the cup that matched their connection to the couple, instantly creating conversation starters and helping guests connect with one another.
The food followed the same concept, with menu items inspired by each of the four states. From the very first night, the emphasis was on shared stories, laughter, and familiarity rather than formalities.
Friday Rehearsal Dinner
Friday’s rehearsal dinner embraced a more traditionally Southern atmosphere while maintaining the relaxed energy established the night before. The evening featured fire-roasted oysters, country music, and decor that felt warm, inviting, and unmistakably rooted in the region.
The table setup was kept warm and unfussy, with printed tablecloths adding a soft, botanical layer to the setting. Each place was finished with woven rattan chargers, white plates, and printed menus, keeping everything cohesive. The glassware stayed classic and light, while low florals and greenery ran down the tables, leaving plenty of space for conversation.
The rehearsal dinner menu held a personal touch. To Kat’s surprise, her future in-laws commissioned a watercolor painting of her, which was featured on the menu design. It was one of several Easter eggs woven throughout the weekend, subtle but deeply meaningful details that rewarded guests who paid attention.
The night itself was filled with speeches from friends and family, many of whom shared heartfelt stories and reflections on the couple. The outpouring of love made it immediately clear that this wedding was as much about community as it was about the couple at the center of it.
Bride's Morning & Fashion
Kat started the day with coffee by the pool alongside a few close friends and her sister. From there, she made her way upstairs to get ready with her future sisters-in-law, mother-in-law, her sister, and her mom.
Her bridal look was from Monique Lhuillier. The dress featured a clean, elegant silhouette with a structured bodice and subtle seamlines running down the front. She paired the gown with Dior J’Adior slingback pumps in transparent mesh, embroidered with a white millefiori motif. The jewelry was custom-made by her sister, adding an intimate, familial layer to her look.
Hair and makeup were done by VC Glam Bridal, with Valentina and Salome Lopez focusing on enhancing Kat’s natural features rather than transforming them.
Before leaving for the ceremony, Kat shared a first look with her father, Mark. During that moment, he surprised her by reading aloud a letter Kat had written nearly ten years earlier, before leaving for college. In the letter, she reflected on the impact he had made throughout her childhood and expressed that it would be hard to find someone as wonderful as him. Mark had kept the letter all these years. After finishing it, he looked at Kat and said, “I would say you did it.” Kat, unaware he had saved the letter, burst into tears.
Groom’s Fashion
Kyle began his wedding day with breakfast alongside his parents before heading to The Dunlin. For his wedding day attire, Kyle chose The Black Tux, a brand he had worked with many times before while attending other weddings.
The couple chose not to do a first look beforehand, but they exchanged gifts. Kat presented Kyle with a scrapbook she had been creating since the very beginning of their relationship, filled with handwritten notes, photographs, and preserved keepsakes of their journey together. Kyle’s gift to Kat was deeply symbolic, too. He tracked down the former owner of Atwater Alley and purchased the exact barstools they had sat on during their first date, along with four martini glasses.
Ceremony
The ceremony was originally planned to take place outdoors along the riverbank at The Dunlin. Around 11 a.m., when it became clear that the outdoor ceremony wouldn’t be possible, Julian Leaver and his team immediately stepped in and activated Plan B, relocating the ceremony to the Lime House just beside the original site. Kat later shared that she felt completely at ease in that moment because she trusted Julian fully to execute the change seamlessly. And that trust showed.
Despite the shift, the vision remained intact. Large windows created a rain-speckled backdrop that caught soft natural light, illuminating the white florals lining the aisle. A natural-wood platform filled with lush white and green florals served as the altar, recreating the riverbank setting the couple had envisioned.
Capturing the entire weekend was photographer Laura Murray, whose approach deeply resonated with the bride. As Kat shared, “My photographer understood me as a person and a bride, which gave her the direction for our photos. She was so much FUN to work with.”
Kat’s bouquet was wrapped in ribbon and adorned with the couple’s friendship bracelets, exchanged within the first month of dating. The ceremony was officiated by Kyle’s cousin, Ty Lanphere, a pastor from Tulsa, Oklahoma. Having a family member lead the ceremony allowed for personal stories and a deeply meaningful message centered on faith. During the ceremony, the couple took communion together using the same martini glasses from their first date at Atwater Alley.
Reception
Cocktail hour was held just outside the Lime House, behind the reception area, in a tent filled with warm furnishings and a central bar styled with inviting, residential details. As the rain cleared, guests were able to take photos along the riverbank while enjoying cocktails and conversation.
Popular songs spanning multiple generations and genres were played by a string quartet, creating an atmosphere that felt effortlessly chic and comfortable, bridging the ceremony and the evening ahead. Before guests entered the reception space, Julian and his team allowed Kat and Kyle a moment alone inside. They took in the room together, shared a short private dance, and took communion, grounding themselves before welcoming their guests.
The reception space was designed to feel romantic yet relaxed. Brooklyn Soul’s music created a true dinner-party environment, complemented by elevated, residential-style furnishings and floral installations. Guests had the option to sit at traditional tables, booths, couches, and lounge seating, encouraging movement and conversation throughout the night.
Bars were positioned toward the front of the room, creating a natural pull toward the dance floor. The couple entered the reception to Wouldn’t It Be Nicе by The Beach Boys, followed immediately by their first dance to Dancing in the Moonlight by King Harvest.
The cake moment stayed true to the overall tone of the night. From the outside, it looked classic and understated: a tiered cake dressed entirely in white, clean and timeless. Inside was a rich red velvet, bold, graphic, and instantly photogenic.
Later in the evening, the couple changed into their second looks, easing fully into the party energy. One of the most noticeable and chic details came from Kat’s styling: a pair of green heels that added just the right pop of color and felt effortlessly cool against her clean silhouette.
When everything wrapped and the weekend finally exhaled, it was very specific moments that stuck in minds. For Kat, it was that first look at Kyle at the altar. For Kyle, it was watching Kat walk toward him and realizing this was the start of real life together. And honestly, that’s the whole story about choosing moments that feel right and letting them land.
Advice from the couple:
• Our greatest piece of advice is to select your vendors as you would your friends. Consider that you will be spending months talking with these people and working with them on the biggest day of your life! You care the most about the day, and you want vendors who will meet you there in your excitement.
PLANNING & DESIGN Julian Leaver | PLANNING TEAM Sarah Liz Kane, Grace Whitlock | PHOTOGRAPHER Laura Murray | VIDEOGRAPHER 31 Films | VENUE The Dunlin, Auberge Resorts Collection | FLORAL DESIGN Blossoms Events | MUAH VC Glam Bridal | BRIDAL RETAILER Warren Barron Bridal | BRIDAL DESIGNER Monique Lhuillier Bride | GROOMSMEN’S ATTIRE The Black Tux | STATIONERY MF Creative Designs | ENTERTAINMENT ALR Music | AFTER-PARTY DJ DJ Hydan | TRANSPORTATION GCT | TENTING McCoys Event Professionals | RENTALS Curated Events Charleston, Nuage Designs, Stradley Davidson | AV PRODUCTION Fox Audio Visual | LIGHTING Jacob Co. Creative | BRIDE Kat | GROOM Kyle
