08 Jul Rachel & Jeremy {The South Carolina Aquarium}
I have been eagerly anticipating posting this Charleston wedding for quite some time! The bride and groom selected a venue I have been dying to share, the South Carolina Aquarium, a place I spend a fair amount of time visiting. Not only is it a GORGEOUS venue for a wedding, but it is a great place to visit and spend time with the family. The ever so charming Evan Laettner was the photographer for this swanky affair {we love his wit but also his talent!}. Rachel, the blushing bride also selected an amazing Swiss Dot gown by Melissa Sweet and had Duvall Catering and Event Design bring her wedding vision to life, so of course we swooned…not to mention, the story behind how she and Jeremy met!
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The wedding reception took place at the South Carolina Aquarium and so was themed aquatic chic by incorporating shades of blue, sea coral fabric and designed prints, white coral branches and gemstone arrangements. The decision to have the reception at the aquarium was made because of Jeremy’s love for aquatic life. He had lost his large fish tank in a house fire months before. “My favorite part of the wedding will always just be where it was held,” said Rachel. “Walking into the aquarium and seeing the way my elegant ocean theme came to life was breathtaking.”
Furniture was incorporated throughout the event space with two lounge areas of Rattan with custom blue and sea coral fabric which matched all of the designed prints including invitations and menu cards.The table center pieces consisted of coral branches intertwined with jewels and hydrangea blooms.
In addition each table was named after a different sea creature.
During the festivities Christina, one of the five bridesmaids sang and played the piano while Rachel and Jeremy danced. The couple also participated in the Jewish tradition of Hava Nagilia in which they were lifted up above the crowd on chairs. “There were no sides to hold on to and we were screaming though the whole thing,” said Rachel. “Now at every wedding we go to people are always reminding us about how we almost crashed to the floor.”
The Aquarium provided additional mood lighting for the event. “I love that looking back on our wedding pictures I see us dancing on a backdrop of glowing tanks and fish and coral” said Jeremy.
Their story…..Rachel Nathanson was fed up with dating. After many unsuccessful dating attempts, Rachel decided to go the non-traditional route and sign-up on the Jewish online dating service, jdate.com. After a week on the site Rachel received three separate emails from another jdate user named Jeremy Anspach. Feeling a little overwhelmed and uncomfortable she didn’t immediately respond to his emails. “I was about to cancel my dating subscription, thinking it was a lost cause and then Rachel emailed me,” said Jeremy. “I immediately asked her out.”
Rachel agreed to go on her first internet date but as the day approached her nerves got the best of her and she cancelled their date. “I had a lot going through my mind and it was a little scary going on a date with someone I met online,” said Rachel. ”I also felt that going on a date was somewhat pointless because I was moving to Atlanta the next month.” However, Jeremy was very charming and persuaded her to put her worries aside and go out with him.
Despite Rachel’s naturally shy nature, Jeremy instantly made her feel comfortable with him. “We had the most incredible first date, although it was a little backward,” said Rachel. The couple first went to the Charleston Place Hotel lounge and had dessert before deciding that they liked each other enough to have dinner. “I know this sounds cheesy but I truly felt like I was getting to know my other half,” said Rachel. “We had a lot in common –both of us being half Italian and half Jewish—and the night passed by without any uncomfortable silences.”
Jeremy drove Rachel home after their first date and quickly called his best friend Frank. “I called Frank and told him that I had met the girl I was å to marry,” said Jeremy. Two weeks later Rachel had canceled her plans to move and six months later Jeremy asked her to marry him. “Jeremy was so nervous as he drove me to the Charleston Battery that he scratched his plans to get out and get down on one knee and blurted out that the ring was in the glove compartment,” said Rachel. “The diamond belonged to his great-aunt, so I felt honored that his parents wanted me to have it.”
A lot of Rachel and Jeremy’s friends were skeptical of their quick engagement. “We truly felt as though the saying, ‘when you know, you know’ described our relationship. A year and a half later we have never once questioned those emotions we felt on our first date,” said Rachel.
Photographer: Evan Laettner Photography | Catering: Duvall Catering & Event Design | Décor: Duvall Catering & Event Design | Wedding Reception Venue: The South Carolina Aquarium | Florist: Tiger Lily | Wedding Cake: Elaine’s Events | Reception Band: The Mighty Kicks | Transportation: Absolutely Charleston | Wedding Gown: Melissa Sweet (this sensational Swiss Dot frock is carried at Belle Couture Bridal
