Lee Patterson Burch & James Andrew Stiles Jr.
June 15, 2019 • First Presbyterian Church and The Dunes Golf & Beach Club

Before their holy matrimony on June 15, 2019, Patterson and Andrew met on a blind date in the Holy City. 
Actually, the matchmaking took place a couple months prior to that, when Patterson returned to her hometown of Myrtle Beach for a friend’s bridal shower. The bride’s Aunt Mary asked if she could give a friend of the family, Andrew, Patterson’s number, since they both lived in Charleston.

“Andrew called and asked me out for drinks at a rooftop bar and, for whatever reason, I didn’t think to look him up on social media beforehand and, when I was face-to-face with the hostess, I realized I had no idea who I was looking for,” recalls Patterson. “Thinking quickly, I decided to call him and looked for the guy who answered his phone. The hostess seated us at a table and, before we knew it, we had been there for three hours!”

Two years of dating later, and Andrew and Patterson find themselves in Key West (one of Patterson’s favorite places in the world) in early summer 2018, before Andrew had to be in Miami for business. After a day of snorkeling, parasailing and jet skiing, they headed back to the resort. Andrew disappeared from the room to the front desk and Patterson disappeared into cyber shopping at Nordstrom—so much so that she didn’t notice Andrew’s return with two bottles of champagne, a ring box (he had the ring shipped to the resort) and Eric Church’s Carolina playing from the balcony. 

“I joined him on the balcony for champagne. We were discussing how hot it was and he jokingly said he was going to strip down on our balcony within view of several other couples on their balcony,” says Patterson. “When he got up and pretended to take off his swimsuit, I looked away, appalled, and, when I looked back, he was down on one knee, with clothes on—thank goodness! I have no idea what he said, but remember asking if he was serious. He said yes, and he jumped up, put the ring on my finger, and we embraced.”

About a year later, the two would embrace and kiss as bride and groom at the end of the aisle in First Presbyterian Church of Myrtle Beach. Patterson was a vision, walking down the aisle in a silk gown by Alexandra Grecco accented by a silk tulle cathedral-length veil edged with pearls. Andrew waited for her in a suit that stood out with a traditional white dinner jacket, Guinea Brackish bowtie, and miniature pineapple boutonniere. 

“Going into the wedding planning process, it was very important that the day be representative of our style, interests and things most important to us as a couple,” says Patterson. “For our theme, we channeled two of our favorite places to travel, Hawaii and the Greenbrier. We incorporated tropical greenery and florals into a Dorothy Draper-inspired color scheme of bright pinks and greens and touches of black and white.”

Patterson’s bouquet, for example, was a burst of all-white flowers, including white orchids. Her bridal party, draped in palm green floor-length dresses with varying necklines, carried bouquets of colorful tropical flowers and palm leaves.

The theme continued throughout the reception at the Dunes Golf & Beach Club, with a bar layout inspired by the Greenbriar lobby bar, featuring a pineapple-style monogram, black-and-white striped tablecloths and cake, mini pineapple boutonnieres, and light-up leis. 

During cocktail hour on the lawn, guests were served candied bacon, mini tomato pies, and shrimp and grits in martini glasses. The seated dinner menu was a lovely chopped house salad, grilled filet drizzled with bordelaise sauce and roasted halibut with citrus beurre blanc, plus creamy risotto, French beans, and house-baked rolls. The couple’s signature drinks were the Aloha Casual for Andrew, the Main Squeeze for Patterson, and the Blushing Bulldog, in honor of their 2-year-old English bulldog, Heather Penelope.

“One of the most popular guests of the day was our beloved Heather Penelope,” says Patterson. “Our florist, Gale Baker Richardson, made her the most perfect and on-theme floral collar to wear. Following the ceremony, we immediately got a few pictures with her and then sent her to the cocktail hour, where she freely roamed and greeted our guests. Drink stirrers with gold bulldog silhouettes and bulldog bride and groom wedding cake toppers were all to honor Heather, and the day would not have been complete without her being a part of it.”

Also unique to Patterson and Andrew’s special day were their parting gifts for their guests: miniature bride and groom bears, each filled with honey from their families’ beehives. 

“Honey bees have been an important hobby for generations in both of our families, and it was unbelievably ‘sweet’ to be able to give our guests such a special departing gift,” says Patterson.

The couple departed in style in a 1937 Rolls Royce.

Lee “Patterson,” director in the Quality Department of MUSC Health, and James Andrew Jr., executive at Phlow Corporation, a pharmaceutical company, currently live in Charleston.

Key Vendors

Photographer: Kristy Roderick Photography
Ceremony Venue: First Presbyterian Church of Myrtle Beach
Reception Venue/Catering: The Dunes Golf & Beach Club
Planner: Memorable Moments
Dress: Lovely Bride of Charleston
Hair: Freddie Rose Salon
Makeup: Glam by Amanda
Cake: Priceless Desserts
Florist: Gale Baker Richardson
Entertainment: Soul Jam
Transportation: Carolina Limousine
Getaway Car/Rentals: RSG Event Design
Monogram Design/Wedding Calligraphy: Bree Moore Design & Calligraphy
Invitations: The RSVP Shoppe
Videography: Jake Newton Videography 
Wedding Dance Painting: Artistic i Wedding