While Ashleigh Frank was out on a first date, the man’s best friend, Robert “Rob” Kaplan, showed up and crashed the date. “I thought she was beautiful,” smiles Rob. “I ended up chatting a lot with her until my friend kindly asked me to leave because we were talking too much on his date.” Months later, she and Rob ran into each other, and he asked for Ashleigh’s phone number. 

“Unfortunately, Covid hit a week or two after, and we both left the city. We did not end up going on a first date until almost a year after our initial meeting,” explains Ashleigh. Lucky for Rob, fate continued to take its course, and years after their memorable meeting, he found himself proposing to his beloved at his family’s majestic mountain home at The Greenbrier. 

Planning a celebration for 250 loved ones was no easy feat – “It was like a second job!” admits Ashleigh – so the couple hired a wedding-planning team to help make the process smoother. The bride and groom were extremely thoughtful in selecting their wedding location and sat down together to discuss their choices. 

“I had always dreamed of a tented wedding near the beach, while Rob wanted a location that was easy for our family and friends to travel to and where they could all stay on property,” shares the bride. “Rob had spent many summers going to Kiawah Island Golf Resort with his family to celebrate his grandfather’s birthday each year. It checked all the boxes, and we booked the location immediately!” 

Settling on a coastal theme showcasing blue-and-green accents and prints that would capture the beauty of the surroundings, the couple also wanted florals that lent a lush, organic feel. “For the ceremony, we created a ‘planted’ aisle with tall delphiniums and beautiful ferns leading to a natural trellis filled with climbing garden roses, branches, and additional delphinium blooms,” illustrates Ashleigh. “It was as if it had been growing there forever.” 

A string quartet played James Taylor songs as a nod to Ashleigh’s late father’s favorite musician. The bride held a bouquet of peonies, ranunculuses, Veronicas, sweet peas, hellebores, and garden roses in shades of crème brûlée, and she was a vision in a timeless, strapless ball gown. The live tune of “Carolina In My Mind” played softly for her procession as guests looked on in awe. Ashleigh met Rob beneath the chuppah bedecked in fresh florals and verdure with a memorable backdrop of seemingly endless sprawling grassy fields of the golf course. 

“It was so nice to see how many family members and friends traveled to Kiawah to celebrate our special day and just how excited they were to be there.”

The reception décor was elegant and stylish, with intermingling hues of green and blue, along with floral creations featuring fluffy blooms in varying heights. “I think the concept created a vibe that felt very natural and complemented the gorgeous landscape of the ocean course,” adds Ashleigh. “Large wooden arbors delicately embellished with trailing vines created a movement with the wind that brought everything together in a chic and effortless way.” 

A remarkable 10-piece band that the groom handpicked played everything from Motown to Top 40 to EDM. “I wanted an amazing band with a horn section that would get the party going,” Rob says. “I knew we would have a very fun crowd!” Ashleigh was equally impressed with the live musicians. “The energy in the tent was amazing,” admits the bride. “It was so nice to see how many family members and friends traveled to Kiawah to celebrate our special day and just how excited they were to be there.” 

Following the sit-down supper, guests were offered slices of the gorgeous chocolate-chip confection iced in traditional vanilla buttercream and crafted into a pattern that matched that of the embroidery details on the bride’s dress. “It was the most beautiful wedding cake!” exclaims Ashleigh. 

The newlyweds offer honest advice on how to have a perfect day, with the new Mrs. emphasizing, “Things will go wrong, but the small details won’t matter. You will, however, remember how you felt. The best advice is once the weekend starts, enjoy it, enjoy every moment!”

This real wedding was originally published in the Spring 2024 issue of Inside Weddings magazine. 

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