We all have fears. For many of us, the dreaded Monday work day is toward the top of that list. But at PPHG, we’re bringing about the end of the Sunday Scaries! Welcome to Sunday Scaries to Sunday Married, our new blog series where we share experiences from actual couples who made the decision to say ‘I do’ on a day of the week that has gone unappreciated for far too long. Get an inside look at their big day, why they chose Sunday, and all the perks that came along with that decision!
Without further ado, meet our first Sunday Married couple, Lauren + Chris, who tied the knot at Lowndes Grove in October <3
Why was Sunday the right choice for you?
“Having our wedding on a Sunday opened up a window of opportunity for our guests to have ample time to both attend multiple wedding events AND explore Charleston! Some of the bridesmaids even had time to take a quick walk on the beach on Saturday! A Sunday wedding also allowed us to pick a date in the month we were hoping to tie the knot in, and the cost savings of a Sunday allowed us to allocate those funds to other special touches – like the American Theater sign!”

Would you share more about your guests’ experience while in Charleston?
“Our guests had the best time exploring Charleston! We had the recommendations on our website that our guests took advantage of for things to do and places to eat. Favorites of our guests included shopping on King Street, wandering the side streets south of Broad, visiting the Battery, special dinners at restaurants like Zero George and Lewis BBQ (our fav!), and, of course, laying eyes on the sign at The American Theater.”
Why was PPHG was the choice for you?
“Like I shared earlier, in the late 1800s into the early 1900s, my ancestors, the Wageners, were the owners of Lowndes Grove, so it has been my dream since I was a little girl to have my wedding there one day – it was truly a dream come true! From our tasting, to the hands-on expertise on the big day, the PPHG team took great care of us, and we would highly recommend them!”

Do you have any feedback/advice you can share for couples considering a Sunday wedding?
“Yes! With 13 months to plan and a Sunday wedding date, even in October’s wedding busy season, we were able to secure our wish list of vendors and truly think the Sunday date helped make the wish list a reality! This also allowed for 3 full days with our family and friends, which was incredibly special and made the long distance many of our guests had to travel feel worth it! Monday flights out were more affordable for our guests as well and allowed them to really maximize their time in the lowcountry.”

Did your guests end up staying in Charleston longer than you originally thought they would?
“Yes! One of our favorite guest stories is that Lauren’s friends Calli and Spencer, who now live in Cincinnati, brought their 1-year-old daughter to Charleston for the first time, and they spent the week out at Folly Beach with her and some friends. The Sunday wedding date opened up their schedule to be able to make this trip a possibility and allowed their little girl to run on the beach in the state they met in.”

Tell me about your wedding weekend! What kind of events did you host for your guests throughout the week?
“Having our wedding day on a Sunday allowed for a full weekend of festivities leading up to the big day! Several of our guests are from out of town, and this was their first visit to Lauren’s hometown of Charleston, so we decided a casual, down-home welcome party full of bbq, lowcountry boil, oysters, cornhole, and southern music on the marsh would give a warm welcome. Several of Lauren’s family members are Citadel alumni, including her father, so we knew the Swain Boating Center at The Citadel would be the perfect spot for our welcome party. The most serendipitous and memorable moment was when we spotted the rare comet flying across the October night sky, truly a once-in-a-lifetime moment for us and our guests! On Saturday, our guests visited The American Theater throughout their day exploring downtown where we had a surprise for them – the marquee read ‘Welcome to Charleston! Love, The Xus 10.20.24’, which provided an amazing photo opp. Saturday morning, my aunt and cousin hosted a Bridal Luncheon at The Mills House, and it was perfect weather for mimosas on their porch. Chris was a surprise visitor, delivering macaroons to Lauren (something he brought to her on their second date). Our rehearsal dinner was at the Palmetto Cafe at the Charleston Place Hotel. We started with a cocktail hour in the courtyard, and once everyone went inside for dinner, Lauren slipped into a traditional Chinese Qipao from a mom-and-pop custom shop in New York’s Chinatown to surprise Chris as a way to honor his family and their cultural background. Then it was wedding day, and all of the bridesmaids arrived at Lowndes Grove to find a beautiful, crisp October day. We all spent the morning singing and running around like kids on Christmas, watching the reception space come to life! We got our hair and makeup done in the upstairs of Lowndes Grove, which was so incredibly special, as my family (the Wageners) owned the home in the late 1800s into the early 1900s after immigrating to the U.S. From there, the bridesmaids and Lauren rode in a vintage trolley to [the church] where we had a beautiful and meaningful ceremony, full of so much heart and emotion. After the ceremony, our guests arrived at Lowndes Grove for the first time, and we were told there were audible gasps when they saw the space. After cocktail hour on the marsh, we settled in under the clear top tent to begin a night of great conversation, southern hospitality, and so.much.dancing! Our send-off with streamers into a vintage convertible was the perfect celebratory end to the best day of our lives! Post wedding, we spontaneously met up with our closest friends at The Blind Tiger and went to the newly opened resort, The Dunlin for two nights for our mini moon.”




































































Want to learn more about planning your big day with PPHG?
Reach out to our expert sales + planning teams today at [email protected] or 843.853.1810.
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