Kate and Tim, winners of Monthly’s 2011 Bridal Photo Contest

Meet the 2011 Contest Winners!

PHOTOGRAPHS BY ALISON REISZ PHOTOGRAPHY

Last year's big winners at Hilton Head Monthly’s Bridal Show give us a look into their magical day.

For Kate Weppner and Tim Nolan, a trip to last year’s Hilton Head Monthly’s Bridal Show was just the beginning of their amazing journey together. For being chosen the lucky winners at the show, the couple gets two pages to share the rustic Lowcountry charm of their wedding day with you.

“Honey Horn was the only venue Tim and I looked at for our wedding,” said Kate. “The huge oak trees and historic buildings encompassed the piece of paradise we love about Hilton Head. We are not your country club couple, so being outside in the elements was exactly how we wanted to spend our special day.

“I can honestly say that Tim and I planned the wedding down to every detail and hired the right people to make sure it was everything we ever wanted,” she continued. “The most important factor was that we didn’t get carried away—we set a budget, painfully stuck to it and everything turned out more than perfect.”

But don’t let their meticulous planning fool you—the day was full of surprises, from homemade lemoncello (“I have to admit there weren’t any leftovers,” said Kate, “but we snagged a bottle to enjoy on our anniversary!”) to the nagging threat of rain.

“On Saturday morning I woke up and saw an overcast sky,” said Kate. “I checked my phone to see a text message from my dad saying ‘Don’t worry; it will be sunny by noon’—and it was!”

So with their dream wedding now behind them, what advice do the Nolans give to new couples planning their big day?

“Its so simple: Do not lose sight of what the day is really about. This is your chance to have the day that you’ll remember for a lifetime,” Kate said. “Tim and I had a bunch of ‘if’ factors in planning an outdoor wedding, but at the end of the day we would always tell each other, ‘Regardless of what the weather decides to do, we’re getting married.’”

We wish the Nolans all the happiness in the world in their life together, and look forward to meeting next year’s winners at this year’s Hilton Head Monthly’s Bridal Show.

The people behind the scenes at Kate and Tim’s big day:

Wedding Coordinator: Ashley Rhodes
Catering: Granville Catering
Photographer: Alison Reisz Photography
Florist: Emily Wynn Wildes Floral Design
Cake/Bakery: Jane Norris
Bridal Gown: Ulla Maija
Bridesmaids Dresses: J. Crew
Suits/Tuxes: Joseph Abboud
Jeweler: Heritage Jewelers
Officiant: Rebecca Albright
Band: Two 3 Ways
Ceremony Musician: Sean Driscoll