The Perfect Blend

Brandie Leigh Nary & Shane Alan Richardson
Malden | 6.18.22

PHOTOGRAPHED BY THE OBERPORTS

Brandie, a Charleston native, and Shane, from nearby Dunbar, fell in love online. The pair dated for a number of years before Shane decided to propose during a weekend trip to Asheville, North Carolina. The engagement ring burned a hole in his pocket as they toured the famous Biltmore Estate. They finally sat for a rest in the perfect spot: the shade of some trees on the shores of a picturesque lake. Shane proposed, and Brandie offered an emphatic “Yes.” They planned an intimate ceremony only with close family. For attendants, the couple’s two daughters would serve as flower girls, and their son would bear the rings. The bride chose a light, flowery dress with thin straps and a long, flowing veil.

Floral shades of baby blue, orange, pink, purple, yellow, and white in her bouquet were carried through the decor and lent a vintage feel to the entire day. The groom wore a blue suit and vest with a floral tie. The pair exchanged customized traditional vows. In a unique schedule, their ceremony was immediately followed by a dinner in which ceremony guests dined on filet, sea bass, Boursin whipped potatoes, roasted summer vegetables, and lavender honey crème brûlée.

Afterward, they all joined a larger group of guests for a celebratory reception, where everyone enjoyed heavy appetizers. The couple had their first dance together as husband and wife to “Shallow” by Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper. The wedding cake was a two-tiered masterpiece with a baby blue painterly effect along the bottom of each tier. Guests received as wedding favors bags of locally roasted coffee beans with stickers that read, “Brandie and Shane, The Perfect Blend.” The couple honeymooned in Bora Bora. They reside in Charleston, where Brandie works as a case manager and Shane works as a software developer.