Written by Ronnell Hill, My Wedding Group Office Manager,
We have the best clients. This has always been true, but it was really reinforced the day Daniel and Kelly got married.
-Josh Ament of DreamShots Photography
Gassaway Mansion weddings are nothing short of stunning.
With a gorgeous Southern castle as your base, the Wheelers (the folks behind the wedding venue), plan, decorate, & present something beyond your wildest dreams.
Dan jokingly said to Kelly, “Hey, want to get married in a mansion?”
And that’s exactly what happened.
During a visit to one of Greenville’s Wedding Festivals shows, Kelly won a free engagement session from one of our favorite Greenville wedding photographers, DreamShots Photography.
They penciled it in their calendars and a friendship blossomed.
THE COUPLE: KELLY + DAN
Kelly + Dan have got to be the sweetest couple.
The two met at Florida State University & the rest is history. Holding teaching degrees, both share a love for music. Kelly being a Music Teacher and Dan a Music Therapist.
“It’s fun. I work in hospice, so I go & play for all our communities—we have about 15 in the area that I work for—and it depends on what the patient needs. Sometimes it’s for pain reduction.
We can do stuff to help with pain, cognitive stimulation, and I do a lot of stuff for memorial planning.
I play & sing guitar for most of them.
I have several patients that are over 100 so it’s songs from the ‘10s! The 1910s. So, when I play Elvis, they’ll say, ‘Oh, that’s what teenagers listen to!’
I can’t even play the Beatles for probably 20 more years.”
THE PROPOSAL
“You tell it, cause I was oblivious.” -Kelly
FROM DAN: I had all these grand plans & could never find THE location. I’d gone hiking with my brother & friends and found it! When you get there, it’s an incredible overlook over this huge valley with a waterfall off to the side. . . and I knew that’s where I was going to do it!
I got the ring & I couldn’t wait.
Her family was included and the plan was to say we need to get out of the house & get some air. So, we all decided to “go on a hike.”
Her parents & grandparents knew, so I suggested it & her Dad goes “Yeah, let’s go for a hike!” When I said the place to Kelly, she said, “That’s too far!” and her Dad played along too well. But, it happened!
As we got closer, her family held back. I started proposing and Kelly looked at me like, “Wait... what? What’s happening??” It took a second, but I did it and then the tears came. From her. Then, her Dad. Then, her Dad some more.
I think there wasn’t a moment at the wedding where he wasn’t crying.
THE PHOTOGRAPHER: DREAMSHOTS PHOTOGRAPHY
Kelly met Lory + Josh of DreamShots Photography at a Greenville Wedding Festivals expo with her mom. She entered into their free engagement session giveaway and won!
"During the session, we felt super comfortable with them. They would give us hand motions guiding & helping us pose better for the pictures. There was such a great back-and-forth with them that, by the wedding, we had this understanding & connection with them.
We took our engagement pictures at Falls Park in Downtown Greenville (& brought our dog, Darcy!). This was during Fall For Greenville, so Downtown was packed with people! But, DreamShots did such a great job! You wouldn’t even know there were other people there.
Our favorite photo was of us on the bridge. It was so beautifully taken & edited. And my foot was popped! We used it for our wedding website."
"There was such a great back-and-forth with [Josh and Lory] that, by the wedding, we had this understanding & connection with them."
THE VENUE: GASSAWAY MANSION
It’s gorgeous! We stumbled onto it.
At the time, we were looking in Asheville & everything was way too expensive. We found it on a website and I joked --- cause we thought it would be well out of our budget.
That’s whatKelly liked so much. I went with her mom (MOH) and her and they said, "Come back & you tell us the colors & theme you want and we’ll do the rest!" They get the ball rolling & run it by her.
KELLY: “I’m kind of a hands-off bride and I’m not going to stress whether it’s a lily or a rose or a daisy, as long as it’s pretty. That’s what I needed.”
They were able to take that direction & make it what we wanted.
We went for a vintage, purple, classic, & fall-y wedding theme. With touches of travel! Our wedding favors were cardboard luggage boxes filled with chocolates. We set them up on a table in the foyer of the mansion.
I love to travel, but we haven’t traveled much together. . . yet. For our honeymoon, we went to Cozumel, Belize, & Mexico exploring the ancient wonders of the world.
During the ceremony, we played music from the movie, Up. We just love it, expecially the first 10 minutes. It’s one of the best love stories. And, on our honeymoon, we met a dolphin named “Ellie.”
THE CAKE: COUTURE CAKES OF GREENVILLE
‘It was awesome.’
KELLY: We got a little cake for ourselves & cupcakes for everyone else.
Dan loves raspberry, but it’s my least favorite flavor.
During our tasting with Couture Cakes of Greenville, we were able to mix & match the cake flavors, icing, & fillings.
Dan created a Raspberry Lemonade and we both LOVED IT!
On the wedding day, our little cake was coconut.
And my Dad was eating at our anniversary cake while we were on the honeymoon!
FROM THE PHOTOGRAPHERS:
We have the best clients. This has always been true, but it was really reinforced the day Daniel and Kelly got married.
Each moment their eyes met, an electricity passed between them, speaking volumes in an instant. Their confidence in each other, the trust they shared, and the special bond Kelly and Daniel have reminded me how important it is to keep our own spark alive, and how rare it is to be able to see this kind of relationship grow into the perfection they deserve.
The Gassaway Mansion was dressed to the nines, as usual, and under Colleen Wheeler’s watchful eye the ceremony went off without a hitch.
My favorite time of the whole day was during the couples portraits, where they got to be alone for the first time since the day before, and how excited they were to make those images.
It’s so lovely to see how much they’ve grown closer in the months since, and they never fail to check in and say hi to us from time to time.
This business is a lot of blood, sweat, and tears, but there’s nothing like the fulfillment of forging lifelong friendships with the people we get to capture at the height of joy, on the best day they’ve had yet, every week.
We truly have the best clients. ❤️
THEIR WEDDING GROUP:
Photography | DreamShots Photography & Video
Venue | Gassaway Mansion
Floral Design | Gassaway Mansion
Catering | Gassaway Mansion
Cake | Couture Cakes of Greenville
Rentals | Gassaway Mansion
DJ | Complete Weddings + Events
