Despite having mutual friends from high school, Ashlee and James never actually met until years after college. Ashlee reached out to him on Facebook, asking if they’d ever met in person. This led to a bit of back and forth, with the two finally running into each other at Planet Fitness in Myrtle Beach. After this coincidental meeting, James offered to meet at the beach, but Ashlee blew him off at first. In another stroke of luck for the couple, a few weeks later, Ashlee updated her Snapchat and posted that she was at the beach. Luckily enough, James was also in the area and the two met in between 42nd and 43rd Avenue. Taking his opportunity, James took Ashlee’s chair and moved it next to his, handed her a Corona, and the rest was history.

The proposal was a complete surprise to Ashlee. The pair went to Brookgreen Gardens with another couple in October 2020. As they were walking along Live Oak Alley, James stopped and got on one knee to propose. For Ashlee, the moment was absolutely beautiful and perfect.

The couple were wed at Pawleys Island Community Church Chapel. It was the perfect backdrop for their 75-person wedding and celebration. The pair wrote their own vows, and Ashlee says it was everything she could hope for. The reception was held at the Magnolia Courtyard at Litchfield Beach and Golf Resort. It was a clean slate for Ashlee to decorate with classic white and gold colors with olive and greens throughout. The décor was kept very simple and clean, with a vintage/classic vibe.

The wedding was photographed by Deidre and Jon Photography, and Ashlee cannot recommend them enough. For the cake, the pair actually decided on multiple—five to be exact. There were four small, one-tier cakes, with a fifth small 2-tier cake. The flavors ran the gamut from classic pound cake, lemon blueberry, strawberry, red velvet and chocolate. They were created by Paige Price at Priceless Desserts and were absolutely delicious! For music, the pair recommend Joyful Entertainment for their ability to adjust on the fly and gave the wedding a fun vibe. Ashlee’s gorgeous dress was from The Dressing Room in Pawleys Island. The pair opted for a Day-Of wedding planner and florist, Jessie Johnson and Jenifer Fowlkes with Willow Events. Finally, lighting was taken care of by Blink! Lighting, adding the perfect ambiance to an already perfect day.

The couple live happily in Myrtle Beach where James in an insurance broker and Ashlee is a teaching assistant for first grade.

Photo by Deidre and Jon Photography