Kelli and Conrad have a wonderful story, they met in medical school because their names were near each other in the alphabet. They were friends for several years before Conrad finally asked Kelli “if she wanted to be his girlfriend” after Kelli laughed about how very middle school it was she glady accepted the role. The relationship continued to grow while they traveled the globe and choose to be stationed together for their residencies in South Carolina. It was dureing these period that Conrad proposed to Kelli. He really did a wonderful job with the proposal–she had no idea. They were suppose to go and play some “putt-putt” (mini-golf) and get dinner. Instead Conrad took her for a romantic walk on the Battery (boardwalk) and began talking about how wonderful all of their adventures together had been over the last several years. Then Conrad pulled out a palmetto branch shaped like a rose with the ring slid up the stem, placed it in her hand and asked her “if she would be his girlfriend forever”. Seriously a story that melts my heart every time I think of it.
Conrad is from Lousianna and Kelli is from Maine. The wedding was a wonderful blend of two cultures. The menu was Maine Lobster Salad, Maine Haddock, Maine Mashed Potato Bar and New Orleans Chicken with Sweet Chili, New Orleans Gumbo, and New Orleans Shrimp and Grits with bacon and sausage. There were two formal dances besides the traditional father daughter and first dances. The first is called the Dragon/Lion Dance is a traditional Chinese dance done at weddings and new year eve celebrations. It is said to scare away evil spirits and summon good luck and fortune for the future. The drums are used to awake the lion at the beginning of the dance, and for their particular dance they used a lion that has been in the family for generations. The second dance that closed out the evening and sent off the bride and groom to their suite is called the Second Line dance. It is a traditional parade dance that us popular in New Orleans and is now used at a variety of celebrations the most common of which is the wedding. It is very energetic dance and the bride and groom lead the line with their beautiful parasols. Everyone else has a handkerchief (the ones given to the guests were hand stamped with the fleur de lis) and they dance down the street waving it in the air to celebrate life.
They thought of every detail and had an amazing list of vendors: Wedding Planer Candra Piercy, Robinhood Free Meetinghouse and Michael Gagne was the one who prepared the meal, the tent was from Taylor rental, invitations were printed at Accuprint Inc in South Carolina, chapel was St. Katharine Drexel Catholic Chapel, Top Hat Photobooth, Shoes were DSW online the Estella Pump from Audrey Brooke, rings are Percision Set Geiss Jewelers, Dress is Enzoani Elisa style, hair at Beau Bella, The amazing band was Wavelength, suits were from Jos. A. Banks its the tropical blend 2 button tan tic weave, flowers created by Conrad’s aunts and bought from Flowers etc., the ribbon on the dresses is Mokuba flown in from Paris, and the bridesmaid dresses were from Bella Vista bridal, and the rehersal dinner was at the Library on Bailey Island, and the catering was Zach’s Lobster Bake.