We’ve been part of Sabrina and Elijah’s matrimonial journey since their Secret Garden Engagement shoot last year. Getting to know this lighthearted and fun loving couple, we were overjoyed when asked to photograph their wedding at the breathtaking Lowndes Grove Estate. Sabrina is an interior designer, so we anticipated the aesthetic would be swoon-worthy. Don’t shy away from admiring every deliberate pop of color or touch of interior artistry in this gallery — it reflects the bliss you feel dancing in your finest summer clothes, with your favorite people, at the most iconic wedding venue in town.

Sabrina and Elijah met at Auburn University, where they happily remained friends for three years before realizing they wanted to spend every moment together, and more. After graduation they endured two years of long distance love, and many exciting airport rendezvous where Elijah would greet Sabrina demanding “kiss me, you fool.” The couple and their two pups eventually settled down in Houston, all the while knowing they wanted to celebrate their wedding in the Holy City.

The forecast was not the most promising, but even under grey skies, Lowndes Grove is a timeless beauty, the parameter of the property enclosed with ancient oak trees and the wide salt marshes of the Ashley River. The couple and their planner splashed this historic venue with a bright, effervescent color palette, and modern touches, such as neon signage that stated “kiss me, you fool” (also the inscription on Elijah’s wedding band!). It blended seamlessly, with Sabrina in her tiered tulle Vagabond dress and floral bridal headband as the centerpiece of the entire scene.

Sabrina was quietly distressed about the weather, but her bubbly bridesmaids were persistent in their optimism. For the couple’s first look, we set them up on the second floor piazza of the mansion. The bridal party and family members grabbed their first row seats, and peered through the porch windows. In his dapper white suit and Brackish bow tie, he nearly came apart when he saw Sabrina. His glowing bride and all of the onlookers melted at his reaction. It wasn’t the most intimate first look, but it was the most charming.

The sky opened up right before the ceremony, but the show must go on! The guests raced out of the rain and into the refuge of the sperry tent. Festoon florals helped to create a bright, cheerful atmosphere with technicolor bouquets placed throughout the seating area. We had a good laugh watching Sabrina and Elijah’s pup happily sitting outside the tent in the pouring rain. The orchestra began to play, and the honorary guests made their way across the wet lawn, and down the aisle. Sabrina’s bridesmaids were a fabulous confection of pink hues, patterns, and fabrics, each carrying a whimsical baby’s breath bouquet. With her father by her side, and a chivalrous wedding planner pacing behind them with an umbrella, Sabrina made her way through the rain, over to Elijah. By this time she was laughing, knowing that this stormy ceremony would one day be a cherished memory. Sabrina and Elijah exchanged their vows and their wedding bands, and like two fools, shared their first kiss as Mr. and Mrs. Pickard.

Overlooking the coastline, under the protection of the open-air veranda, the wedding guests happily gathered in their seats, awaiting the bridal party’s entrances. Elevated with effervescent pops of color and wild, floral centerpieces, the space felt like a flirtatious country chateau. The dining tables were adorned with powder blue taper candles, rustic bamboo folding chairs and juicy pigment provided by lemons and oranges in white bowls. After the bridesmaids and groomsmen strutted to their seats, the ecstatic couple made their way to the front for their first dance. They had the time of their life dipping, spinning and laughing to Josh Turner’s uptempo country bop “Why Don’t We Just Dance.”

The wedding party dined on Southern bites and reveled in the dreamy atmosphere enhanced by good company and stunning interior design. With the couple and their guests eager to tear up the dance floor, Midnight City commenced an energizing performance. As a tribute to Christmas in July, the band sent the wedding party into a tizzy of sing-along ecstasy with Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You.” Per Sabrina’s request, they learned Taylor Swift’s “Best Day” (an ode to the precious days a young girl spends with her mother) and Sabrina invited her mom forward for a mother-daughter dance. Elijah sang along to every song and played a wicked guitar solo on a bottle of Miller Light, prompting a cleansing sweat that his buddies quickly addressed by pressing icey drinks against his face.

Like a rockstar in her chunky retro silver heels and beaded fringe party dress, Sabrina and her hubby took to the stage and thanked all of their loved ones for an unforgettable night. Fueled on endorphins, Jeni’s ice cream and the couple’s impeccable powder blue wedding cake, guests were ready to give this couple an enthusiastic send off. The glow stick sea parted and Sabrina and Elijah made their way through a tunnel of their favorite people in the world. High on love and laughter, they drove into the stormy night with their hearts overflowing with joy.

Congratulations you two! Rain or shine, your love is the greatest force of nature!