This Couple Brought New York City to South Carolina for Their Gatsby-Themed Wedding at an Art Museum

For Ovo and Robert, who experienced everything from their first date to their engagement in their current hometown of New York City, tying the knot in Charleston, South Carolina—where Robert’s parents live—presented a perfect opportunity to blend two of their favorite city styles. 

Before Robert had even proposed, Ovo had imagined holding their ceremony and reception at the Gibbes Museum of Art. After Robert popped the question in May 2023, the couple began searching for a venue that could accommodate their 100-guest wedding within the same year. “Ovo always envisioned a warm summer night in a garden for her wedding, and the museum’s ambience perfectly captured that dream,” says the couple. “With its beautiful Tiffany-style rotunda room and the lovely Lenhardt garden, it was ideal for having a ceremony and reception all in one location. When we discovered that the museum had two available dates for us to choose from, it felt like fate was guiding us towards this decision.”

The couple hired Kayla Gantzer of Southern House Events to pull together their event for November 10, 2023. “We envisioned a wedding that exuded effortless New York sophistication while also encapsulating the spirit of the Roaring Twenties in a fresh and relevant way,” notes the duo. Ovo, a fashion model, and Robert, a software engineer, chose a color palette of earth tones, burgundy, and sky blue. They incorporated Art Deco-inspired metallics, chandeliers, and design elements; added trivia about their relationship to custom cocktail napkins; and surprised guests with a day-after second line parade and brunch. “With four months to plan and wanting a black-tie event, the need for an experienced wedding planner was a priority,” they say. “Together with the help of our family and Kayla, we were able to experience the wedding of our dreams.”

See all the detail of the opulent event in these images from Lisa Ziesing with Abby Jiu Photography.

Robert’s parents hosted the couple’s rehearsal dinner at Circa 1886, one of their favorite Charleston restaurants. “After a courtyard meet-and-greet, everyone came together around one large family table for a curated tasting menu,” says Ovo. “The table itself was minimally set with the Valmassois’ heirloom candelabras and simple arrangements of magnolias and hydrangea, giving a welcoming feeling as if you were joining them in their home for dinner. Everyone was gifted sunglasses, a Giorgio Valmassoi brand made in Italy, to wear throughout the weekend.” 

The bride donned a Gauge81 dress with a Stella McCartney cape, Manolo Blahnik heels, and a Brides & Hairpins headband, while the groom chose a Giorgio Armani suit and a Tom Ford tie.

In what he describes as “attempting to keep up with my wife’s fashion,” Robert wore a shawl lapel tuxedo, bow tie, and tuxedo shirt (with cuff embroidery of the bride’s name)—all from Tom Ford—and Christian Louboutin loafers. 

“I found it to be difficult to find a nice set of shirt studs, unlike cufflinks which have infinite options,” he says; he was “very happy” to come across a black-onyx-and-diamond set from Scully & Scully. He also waited months for a Patek Philippe watch, which arrived just before the wedding. “I chose it because it features an annual calendar complication, displaying our date: FRI 10 NOV,” he says. “It’s something I will treasure forever and will remind me of the special day as I put it on for anniversaries.”

After a fruitless first appointment at their first-stop bridal boutique, Ovo and her mother-in-law were thrilled with their experience at Mark Ingram Atelier. “My salesgirl knew what I was looking for,” says Ovo. “When I slipped into my Monique Lhuillier dress, I felt like a million bucks. The beautiful lace details of the fabric accentuated every curve, while the silhouette hugged me in all the right places, exuding elegance and timeless beauty. As I looked at my reflection, I couldn’t help but feel like I was living in a fairy tale. And when she added the veil, I truly felt like a bride.”

Ovo accessorized the gown with a Mark Ingram veil, a Brides and Hairpins crown and clip, and earrings she borrowed from Robert’s mother (a custom pair made by his father for his parents’ 33rd wedding anniversary). “I’ve always admired the finger wave hairstyle, and it was exactly what I envisioned for my wedding day,” she says. “Its timeless elegance perfectly complemented my gown and the Gatsby vibe I was aiming for.” 

Roger Vivier shoes came with a playful accent: “On the bottom of the shoes, it bears the initials ‘RV,’ which, coincidentally, are the initials of my husband,” she says.

The couple’s autumn wedding date came with an early sunset—5 p.m.—so they held a first look that took advantage of the daylight hours. “It was filled with emotion and excitement for the rest of the day,” says Ovo. “Having kept our attire and styling choices a secret from each other, it was a fun time of admiration.”

The bride’s understated bouquet of white and ivory blooms from Branch Design Studio included charms with photos of her parents.

Dozens of candles lit the street-level entrance to the museum. “Having The Gibbes in central downtown lent itself to walkability from hotels, as guests were visiting from all over the world,” says Ovo, who is from Amsterdam. Inside, musicians from Rainbow Row Quartet performed “Canon in D” for the processional and “Ode to Joy” as Ovo walked down the aisle to meet Robert.

A family friend, Andrew Del Rey, officiated the couple’s ceremony. “We wrote our own heartfelt vows that stated why we love each other and the promises we are making,” says the couple. “They were written separately and heard for the first time during the ceremony. Ovo started with a joke that had the room in laughter—Robert naturally went in for a kiss right after Ovo finished her vows, before he was supposed to, and the crowd yelled ‘Not yet!’”

Two freestanding floral arrangements were designed to “pay homage to the museum's original porcelain tile floor,” vaulted ceilings, and iconic design. “As for the aisle, we went full Gatsby and sourced glass candelabras to dot the aisle and the altar, looking to bring a bit of opulence to the space without overshadowing the museum’s original light fixtures and Tiffany-style art glass dome,” says Ovo.

At the cocktail hour, guests sipped the couple’s two signature cocktails—the "New York Sour" and the "Medusa"—in a moody space accented with burgundy and gold draping, an Art Deco-inspired bar, and “larger-than-life art bust centerpieces.” “Our cocktail area was the beginning of our Gatsby vibe shift with our very own speakeasy,” says the couple. “In lieu of cigarette girls, we had wandering ‘escort card’ girls that provided guests with their table numbers for dinner. And of course, never wanting to forget we were still in a premier art gallery, we chose to highlight our favorite engagement photos along the walls as if they were always a part of the museum.”

At the end of the cocktail hour, a saxophonist led guests into the reception tent, where a 24-foot-long floral installation hung over tables draped in mauve velvet and patterned-satin clothes paired with plush seating. “Each table design was carefully curated so it provided the Gatsby opulence we desired but with a level of effortless sophistication,” says Ovo. “Our color scheme was a mix of rich cabernet hues, serene sky blues, and earth tones, inspired by the love of a blue chair and the Gibbes Museum’s stained glass dome and elaborately tiled floors.”

Cru Catering designed a menu the couple calls “an elevated taste of the Low Country,” which included local ceviche, beef tenderloin, and ricotta gnocchi.

Along with the overhead florals, the couple sourced more than a dozen Art Deco chandeliers to decorate their tent. “For our lucky guests placed at our round tables, the chandeliers were dropped so low they became part of their centerpieces,” says the couple.

An all-white wedding cake from Jim Smeal included the couple’s custom monogram and a ribbon of ivory flowers; Ovo and Robert chose lemon, chocolate Kaluah, and carrot flavors.

Fantastical Musical Situation—the couple’s favorite New York City band—traveled to Charleston to provide the music for the evening. “They are the in-house band for one of our favorite jazz spots, Casa Cipriani,” says the couple. “We picked a few favorites from their song list, but trusted them to keep the party going. The dance floor was packed the whole night. It was amazing to finally see all of the planning work come to fruition and the guests enjoying themselves.”

The day after the wedding, the newlyweds invited their guests to a Champagne farewell at Robert’s parents’ home—and then surprised everyone with a parade and brunch. “The guests were serenaded by the Andy Masker Band, a private second line band, as they began their journey through the Battery, and met with vintage trolleys to be escorted to their end destination: High Cotton,” says Ovo. She wore a Retrofête dress, an Alice + Olivia tulle blazer, and a Donna Salyer faux fur coat; Robert wore a Ralph Lauren suit and Tom Ford tie. “Once at High Cotton, they feasted on southern comfort foods like chicken and waffles and oysters while reminiscing on the night before,” says the couple. The elevated—but relaxed—event illustrated the couple’s overall vision for their entire wedding weekend. “While we wanted a touch of extravagance, we made sure it did not take away from the focus of the wedding: our love for each other,” they say.