LaCharles & Brianna, August 2018

16th August 2018....We had the greatest pleasure to be part of this wonderful and loving couple’s wedding, LaCharles and Brianna! Enjoy their beautiful love story…

LaCharles and Brianna met on Southern Illinois University Carbondale's (Illinois, USA) campus. She was completing her Master's degree in Linguistics, and he was pursuing one in Communication Studies. They met over a mutual love (and need) for coffee--the Starbucks at the student center. After a two-minute conversation, they ran eagerly to Facebook what was the enigma of each other. As they talked more and more, she was attracted to his intelligence, kindness, and passion for fairness, and he to her kind heart, love for words, and free-spirited personality. They talked about a mutual love for literature; similar and dissimilar tastes in music, film, and TV; and their differing intellectual paths. They went on their first date in January, 2012. The rest, as they say, is history.

The Proposal

On a 2016 summer trip to Chapel Hill, North Carolina, LaCharles had something shiny up his sleeve, unbeknownst to Brianna. Brianna had never been to North Carolina, but always wanted to visit. After a day of walking around University of North Carolina's campus, roaming around and taking pictures in the botanical garden, they headed off to dinner reservations for Asian fusion fare at the small, locally sourced restaurant, Lantern. Brianna is all about intimate moments rather than pomp and circumstance, and so the dimly lit cozy table by the window was the perfect spot for LaCharles to get down on one knee, present the beautiful solitaire ring, and ask her to marry him. Upon LaCharles' request, the restaurant was prepared with champagne, congratulations, and the uncorking of a bottle of Oregon Valley's Acrobat that LaCharles had brought specifically for the occasion. This bottle had special significance, as it was an exact replica of the Pinot Noir they shared on their first date three and a half years prior. He is always attentive to those small details. Needless to say, this was one romantic meal that will never be forgotten. They smiled, kissed, and soaked up the North Carolinian heat well into the night, gleefully! 

The Wedding

After visiting venues around the Chicago area, the couple knew that holding their wedding in the States wasn't for them. Why Greece, you might ask? Good question! The couple have both loved traveling and seeing new parts of the world. The history and beauty of the Mediterranean has always been on their destination "to-do" list. For its ability to gesture to history at every turn, its marvelous summers, delicious food, inviting culture, and unique architecture, Greece was it! It is also one place that Brianna, who has traveled Europe extensively, had never been to before. Since they had already planned to honeymoon in Greece, and they wanted a small, intimate wedding, they ultimately decided to exchange vows on the island of Santorini to launch their life together in the most interesting and mesmerizing of places. Think of the blue-topped domes, yeah, we know! 

Wedding Ceremony: Santa Irene Villa
Wedding Reception: Pyrgos Restaurant
Photo: Nathan Wyatt
Live Music Ceremony: Local Musicians - Vassalakia 
Flowers Arrangements: Betty flowers
Wedding Cake and Sweet Table: Petran Art - The Family Bakery