05 May Margaret Grubbs & Matthew Molony Legare Waring House
Written By Emily Storrow
Photographs By Anne Rhett
When she moved to Charleston for work in 2016, Margaret “Meg” Grubbs didn’t know a soul. So when a Charleston-born acquaintance offered to connect her with a childhood neighbor who lived in town, she gladly accepted. Meg met Matthew Molony downtown for drinks, and the two bonded over a shared love of traveling and the outdoors. Little did they know, it was the first taste of their burgeoning relationship.
Two years later, the couple was celebrating the holidays in Meg’s hometown of Blowing Rock, North Carolina, when Matthew proposed on Christmas morning at her parent’s home. “We had just finished opening presents and he told me he had one more gift for me,” Meg recalls. He asked Meg—clad in a Christmas onesie—to join him outside, where he got down one knee.
They set their sights on a Charleston wedding, an easy choice not only as the place where they met and fell in love, but also one with stunning scenery and talented vendor pool (something Meg knows well, thanks to her job as an event sales manager at Cannon Green). Fully taken with its canopy of live oaks festooned in Spanish moss, the couple found their perfect venue in Legare Waring House. They chose May 2020 for their nuptials—but would soon learn the pandemic had other plans. After bumping their date not once, but twice, their day came a year later. Still, Meg sees the silver lining: “It meant I had all the time to plan and envision what I wanted!”
Inspired by the natural splendor of Legare Waring House, the wedding vibe was decidedly garden party chic: light and airy, with decor that complemented the lush Lowcountry setting. “Being from the mountains, I really appreciate natural beauty. I didn’t want to distract from Legare’s with fussy, over-the-top florals,” Meg says. Baby’s breath felt like just the ticket.
On their big day, all the pieces fell into place. “It felt surreal it was finally happening,” Meg says. But the couple soaked it up, basking in the joy of being surrounded by family, friends, and the Lowcountry landscape they love.
Farm tables set with vintage china chargers and doused in baby’s breath spelled garden party chic, a theme echoed in the subtle floral overlay of Meg’s Lela Rose Bridal gown and elegant orchid bouquet.
Florals were designed to play off Legare’s natural beauty, instead of competing with it. “I told our wedding planner, Amanda Gosnell at Duvall Events, that I wanted all the baby’s breath,” Meg says. “To make it happen, I think we bought up all of it in Charleston!”
Ethan Woodring, one of Meg’s oldest friends and a member of her bridal party, donned a crisp suit that matched the ladies’ Show Me Your Mumu gowns. “The tie was a last-minute Etsy find!,” Meg says.
Even Lucy, Matthew’s 15-year-old border collie, wore baby’s breath.
For Meg, changing into a second dress was a no-brainer. “Everyone who knows me knows that I love comfort!,” she says. “I wanted to get into something I could move in.” The white Golden Goose sneakers were the perfect finishing touch.
Vendors
Planning & design: Duvall Catering & Events
Venue: Legare Waring House
Images: Anne Rhett
Catering, bar & florals: Duvall Catering & Events
Stationery: Paper Refinery
Bride’s attire: Lela Rose Bridal
Beauty: Meg Workman
