The standing success rate of having a good friend of the opposite sex usually isn’t too high. It’s a precarious line to cross—or not to cross—without getting tangled.

Cheris and Kevin McPherson, however, are proof that a long friendship can walk down the aisle into true love. After Kevin and Cheris were set up on a blind date by a mutual friend in the golf mecca of Augusta, Georgia, the couple remained friends for the next four years before they began dating.

“I think because we established a very strong friendship it allowed us to really get to know each other, so we knew it was the real deal,” says Cheris.

About a year after they’d begun dating, Kevin planned a weeklong star-spangled beach vacation in Murrells Inlet with both families in tow and, unbeknownst to Cheris, a marriage proposal planned. Just before sunrise on the Fourth of July, Kevin took Cheris on a boat ride out to the jetties.

“He had mimosas, muffins and music and, after taking in a sunrise second to none, the iPod started to play ‘Marry Me’ by Train,” says Cheris. “I turned around to find Kevin on one knee and I nearly fainted into the ocean—and said yes!”

She adds that the sudden burst of cheering from across the water meant that everyone but Cheris had known of the proposal throughout the week and managed to keep it top-secret.

Nearly a year later, on June 28, 2014, the two were married at the picture-perfect DeBordieu Colony on the circular green behind the clubhouse that overlooks the marsh. After Kevin, brother of pro golfer Kristy McPherson, had accepted a position as head men’s golf coach at Coastal Carolina University, bride and groom knew their wedding location should stay coastal-local.

“I had never heard of DeBordieu, but I’m so glad we had our wedding here,” says Cheris. “The staff were such a huge help and made our Big Day organized and flawless.”

Well, almost. She says she and Kevin wrote their own vows—one of the most special moments of the day—but the pastor stumbled over his words and Cheris’ bustle fell on their first dance. But, on the other hand, the heavens didn’t open with an afternoon downpour until right after the guests were shuffled inside for the reception.

“Truly, my focus on my wedding day was not to stress about the details. It was not on the veil or the dress or the flowers, but it was about having a great time with family and friends,” says Cheris, “which we did until 11:30!”

“For me, the key to keeping my head out of fairytale land and in reality, when Pinterest and so many other bridal sources had my head spinning with ideas, was to take a step back,” she adds, “and remember that the majority of the ‘save-the-dates,’ the invitations, the party favors, the centerpieces and the other froo-froo would be tossed into the garbage to disintegrate, but what would be taken away from this one day of celebration was a lifelong marriage of commitment.”

The McPhersons used a tagline to capture this throughout the wedding day and on keepsakes like their wedding program: “A celebration of true love.” “Those words speak volumes for both Kevin and myself,” says Cheris.

Highlights of their celebration included a tasty spread of sirloin meats, a pasta bar, hors d’oeuvres like brie and shrimp cocktail and a four-tier to-die-for cake layered with lemon and raspberry filling. Nods to golf were incorporated, including The Masters theme song and a card box handcrafted by a friend that was a reproduction golf course, complete with carts.

Cheris sang high praises for NTranze Band. “There was never a moment when the dance floor was not packed,” she says.

Kevin and Cheris McPherson, a massage therapist and water aerobics instructor, live in Murrells Inlet.

Key Vendors:
Ceremony: DeBordieu Colony
Photographer:  Images by Heidi and Anne
Cake: Cakes by the Sea
Flowers:  Lazelle’s Flower Shop
Band:  NTranze Band