This South Carolina Wedding Was Filled With Details Reflecting the Couple’s Love Story and Honoring Their Roots
When Houston Rhodes received an invite from fellow NYC investment banker, Ade Okunyade, to meet him at a wine bar in the West Village back in August 2019, she assumed it was to discuss business. “I thought he might be planning to poach me from my bank,” Houston remembers, laughing. “Little did I know this would turn into our first date.” Despite both studying at Duke, the pair’s paths had never formally crossed—she was a gregarious varsity cheerleader majoring in anthropology, while he was focused on finance and economics—so even as they sat inches apart in a romantic bistro and the conversation moved to deeper topics, Houston still had a hard time determining if he was, in fact, flirting. But any doubt she initially had faded before night’s end—she remembers confiding in her mother afterwards, “I think I found my soulmate.”
Three years later, Ade arranged a romantic trip to Italy for the couple with the intention of asking Houston to be his wife. After spending months finding ways to make every detail of their three-destination trip special, everything was almost derailed when an impending passport expiration nearly halted his ability to leave the country. (Just like in any good love story, however, Houston’s godfather stepped in to help and was able to help the two narrowly escape the disaster.) After a quick stop in Rome, the couple landed in Sorrento to stay at the Grand Hotel Excelsior. Ade stepped away from the room under the guise of a work call for last minute preparations, while Houston was too blissful to suspect anything. “I didn’t even notice we were the only people dining at the restaurant that evening,” says the bride. “It wasn’t until eight courses in, when an engagement ring was revealed underneath a dessert cloche, that I finally realized!” After saying “yes,” the couple FaceTimed their families, then stepped out onto a balcony overlooking the Sorrentine Peninsula to watch Ade’s final surprise of the night as fireworks lit up the night sky.
When beginning their wedding planning, the couple quickly decided they wanted to tell their love story by honing in on Houston’s South Carolina heritage and Ade’s Nigerian background, and pay tribute to their ancestors through symbolism around nature, traditions, and love standing the test of time. Ade’s full name, Adetunji, translates to “return of the crown,” which soon became a theme for the impending nuptials—the couple wanted to lean into the regality of cultures that have been disempowered for hundreds of years.
When brainstorming venue locations, the couple knew they wanted to showcase their Lowcountry roots. To achieve their vision, they worked with photographer Mo Davis, who helped them compose a team of vendors capable of realizing the depth of storytelling that the couple was hoping to produce. Davis recruited wedding planner Michelle Norwood to ensure each guest’s experience was seamlessly coordinated, Joy Proctor to design the weekend, and Kelsey Willis of Grey and Cake for the stationery.
To honor South Carolina’s coastal culture, and Houston’s love for her “pearl in a sea of muddy oysters” (an early nickname she gave Ade), the couple knew an oyster roast was the perfect way to kick off the weekend with their guests. Houston wore a Dries Van Noten sleeveless gown from the designer’s final womenswear collection which embodied the theme of regality with its shimmering foliage embroidery, draped skirt, high neckline, and princess seams. Lowcountry musician Dean St. Hiliare serenaded guests all evening long, while the tables were adorned by Blossom Bay with silver platters topped with local vegetables from Houston’s grandparents’ farm including okra, collard greens, and the local persimmons from Houston’s childhood memories.
Houston collaborated with stylist Lisa Von Weise on the rest of her wedding day looks. Going into the design process, the bride knew two things: she wanted her looks to feel classic and timeless, and she wanted to incorporate lace into every piece to honor a tradition shared by her mother and grandmother on their wedding days. “One of the most rewarding and unforgettable processes that I experienced was designing my wedding gown with Alison Miller, owner of Monvieve,” says the bride. “Her knowledge of fabric, quality, and tailoring is unparalleled.” She worked closely with Alison to add French Chantilly lace underneath, using a couture process, to create a high neckline and long sleeves, ultimately making it more appropriate for a chapel setting. Meanwhile, Ade wore a custom Grey Clothiers black tuxedo with an ivory vest, Tom Ford Edgar patent leather loafers, and pearl cufflinks.