Dianne & David’s Wedding!

Right now, Dianne and David are honeymooning in Morocco, and will head to Italy at the end of the week… I am totally jealous, and although we tried to figure out how to squeeze into their luggage, it just didn’t work. Anyway, I know they are eagerly checking in whenever internet is available so I want to get these posted for them asap!

Gosh! Where do I start in their story??? Dianne and David are the kind of people who make (and keep!) life-long friends. Dianne and I have literally known each other for all our lives, and were pen pals back in the days before email. Our moms have been friends since they were in the fourth grade! Dianne and her matron of honor have known each other since elementary school, and we talked to so many guests of the wedding who have been friends with either Dianne or David for years. Ironically, Dianne and David just barely missed meeting each other for decades: they both grew up in the Charleston area; he dated a girl that went to her high school; they both attended the same medical school and did their residencies within two hours of each other; they lived within five miles of each other for several years in Jacksonville, had mutual friends, and even attended the same church! But when they finally did meet, they spent an entire evening talking like old friends, and were immediately smitten with each other.
(Want to see engagement photos? They’re HERE.)

As Dianne was having her hair and makeup done, I asked how she felt: excited or nervous? She said nervous, but only about their choreographed first dance. She said “the forever part” didn’t scare her at all because she knows what a wonderful man David is.

The girls got dressed at the reception site, and we had a little time for photos before the limo arrived to take them to the church.

Dianne and David chose not to see each other before the wedding, but they did text each other.

Meanwhile, David eagerly awaited Dianne’s arrival…

St. Paul’s By-The-Sea, the church where David and Dianne call home, is a very uniquely shaped church, with “tabby” concrete (mixed with tiny seashells) walls, an amazing acoustical ceiling, and a huge pipe organ. Their ceremony was beautiful and meaningful, and included a sweet time of blessing for Dianne and David and their two children, Jack and Natalie, as they became a family.

I am a mother, which means I am an expert in cute kids.
So I can say with authority that Natalie and Jack may just be the cutest e-v-e-r. (Except for my own, of course!)

The guests went on to enjoy cocktails and appetizers at the gorgeous reception site, Palm Valley Gardens, while we stopped at a little park for some sweet photos of the newly married couple. Kudos to David for scouting this place out on the way to the church that morning!

Despite concerns about that first dance, they performed their waltz and cha-cha routine like pros, and the guests loved it!

The cake perfectly reflected the style of their wedding, and was mighty tasty, too! The favors were Hershey’s kisses — because the night was full of kisses — tied up with adorable little personalized tags and a palmetto charm, since they are both from South Carolina.

After a fabulous reception, with delicious food and lots of dancing, Dianne and David were joyfully sent off amidst a shower of lavender!

But that’s not all!
Since they weren’t leaving for that enviable honeymoon until Monday, we met them the next morning bright and early — and COLD — at the beach for an after-session… check out tomorrow’s post for those photos!