Here is a guide to attire for the various weekend events! - Rehearsal Dinner (By invitation only): This is cocktail attire. Ladies are invited to wear a cocktail dress and men are invited to wear a blazer or suit. - Welcome Party: Same attire as above. - Wedding and Reception: The events are ‘Black Tie Optional’. Tuxedos are encouraged but not required. Suit and tie is appropriate for men who choose not to wear a tuxedo. Ladies are invited to wear long or short dresses and heels.
NO! They are two separate establishments at different locations. Please note that the rehearsal dinner and welcome party will take place at Edmund’s Oast Restaurant (1081 Morrison Drive) and NOT Edmund’s Oast Brewery. Refer to the map on the wedding website.
Light bites will be served such as miniature hamburgers and crostinis. If you are someone who enjoys a particularly hearty meal, you may want to eat a snack or small dinner before you arrive.
There will be welcome bags (one for each couple) available for pick up at the front desk of the Renaissance Charleston Historic District Marriott Hotel at 68 Wentworth St. Stop by anytime!
Current reports project a high of 86°F and a 30% of scattered showers. However, temperatures can vary and may be upwards of 90°F. Check the forecast before you pack and prepare yourself for a potentially steamy weekend. A rain jacket might be helpful as well!
Unless you are part of our wedding party, no transportation will be provided for wedding guests to the church or to the reception. We have specifically selected the Renaissance Marriott for its convenient location in between the church and the reception venue.
There is some parking available at the church. Please refer to Grace Church Cathedral’s website for parking information. https://www.gracechurchcharleston.org/directions-parking Also, there is a public parking garage across the street from the hotel and one behind Hibernian Hall for the reception, both charge by the hour. Parking meters downtown are free after 6PM.
It is a .2mi (4 min) walk from the hotel to Grace Church Cathedral at 98 Wentworth Street. It is .6mi (13 min) walk from Grace Church Cathedral to Hibernian Hall. The decision to walk depends on the weather and your comfort level.
Self-addressed stamped RSVP cards are included with the invitation. Please reply by May 1st so that our vendors may plan accordingly. If your plans change and you have already sent in your response card, please let us know as soon as possible. The easiest way would be to email the mother of the bride, Gina Lesslie, at ginalesslie@gmail.com.
Please note that this is an adult-only event. Although we love your little ones, we hope this advance notice gives you plenty of time to make arrangements so that you can enjoy the evening and celebrate with us!
Unless the invitation specifically states “and Guest”, please understand that we cannot accommodate your ‘plus one’. For Covid-19 safety reasons, we have had to reduce the size of the guest list. We appreciate your understanding!
5:00PM: Arrive at church. Please plan to arrive at least 30-45 minutes prior to the start of the wedding. It is advisable to allow extra time to park and get seated. Rain or traffic in Charleston can create unexpected delays adding up to 30 minutes to your journey. The downtown area can become very congested, even more so on a holiday weekend. Expect delays. 5:30PM: Wedding Ceremony begins. Ceremony should last approximately 30 minutes. The reception immediately follows at Hibernian Hall. There will be hors d’oeuvres and drinks downstairs followed by a reception upstairs after the bride and groom arrive. The reception consists of various food stations and there is no assigned seating. This enables guests to socially distance and move around freely. 10:45PM: Send-off for the bride and groom. 11:00PM: Reception ends.
We have taken steps to make this event as safe as possible for our family and friends given the current circumstances with COVID-19. The guest list has been reduced and venues were selected for their large size. Tables and chairs will be arranged to allow for social distancing whenever possible. Non-guests: Servers and vendors will be wearing gloves and masks during the event. Sanitation: Hand sanitizing stations will be located at the entrance of the church and the reception venue. As much as we want everyone to be able to celebrate in person, we respectfully ask that if you are feeling ill, have been exposed to COVID-19, or have attended a large in-person gathering within two weeks of the wedding, please stay home and join us virtually as we live stream our ceremony. A list of COVID-19 symptoms can be found on the CDC website: https://www.cdc.gov/coronovirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/systems.html
We completely understand that our guests will enjoy varying levels of comfort with indoor celebrations. We have designed our cocktail hour to take place on the piazza of Hibernian Hall to allow guests an opportunity to say hello to the bride and groom in an outdoor setting. If you plan to only attend the outdoor portion of the celebration, please let the bride’s family know in advance by emailing your plans to the mother of the bride at ginalesslie@gmail.com. We also encourage you to join us virtually for the ceremony!
No, we are not requiring our guests who are eligible for the vaccine to be vaccinated before attending. However, we do strongly recommend that eligible guests take advantage of available FDA-approved vaccines, which are safe and effective in preventing severe COVID-19 infections. Most of the wedding party as well as many extended family members have received the COVID-19 vaccine. Remaining family members plan to get it as soon as it is available, and we are encouraged by the number of our guests who have confirmed they have been vaccinated. Please refer to the CDC website for information on COVID-19 vaccinations. https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/index.html
The family and wedding party will be tested and receive negative results prior to the event. If you choose to join us in-person, we ask that you have a COVID-19 test. Be sure to schedule your test in time to receive your results before traveling. Our goal is to ensure that all our guests are comfortable and safe while celebrating with us.
In accordance with their policy, masks must be worn at all times while in Grace Church Cathedral. The church has capacity for 600 allowing ample room for social distancing. It is advisable to bring your own mask; however, there will be masks at the church and reception for those who forget to bring one. Guests are not required to wear masks at the reception as this would make eating and drinking difficult.
If you are unable to join us in person, please use this link to livestream our ceremony! The below link will go live at 5:30PM on May 29th, 2021. If you have difficulty with the link, please try using another browser. Thank you! https://youtu.be/0ysoY7t9SNE