The honour of your presence

Olivia&James

September 14, 2026

Charleston, South Carolina

Kindly replyOpen the reply card
Enter the correspondence

September 14, 2026 · Charleston, South Carolina

The Letters

It began with a letter.

We met at the bar of an old hotel on Meeting Street, on a rained-out Friday — Olivia with a marked-up manuscript, James holding the wrong umbrella. He wrote his number on a cocktail napkin in fountain pen. She corrected his punctuation before she called.

Six years of letters, long dinners, and slow walks south of Broad followed. James proposed in the garden courtyard on Legare Street, under the same brass lanterns where we marked our first anniversary. So we'll marry at the Ashbourne, where it all began.

We wanted an evening our grandparents would recognize, down to the candlelight.
The couple where their story began

Plate I · The beginning

A quiet moment between the couple

Plate II · The road here

The programme

Order of the evening

Kindly join usSeptember 14, 2026
  1. 01

    4:30

    Ceremony

    The Ashbourne Hotel · Garden Courtyard

    Vows beneath the live oak as the courtyard candles are lit. Kindly be seated by 4:00.

  2. 02

    5:30

    Cocktail Hour

    The Brass Bar

    Champagne, oysters on ice, and a jazz quartet in the hotel's original 1887 bar.

  3. 03

    7:00

    Dinner

    The Magnolia Room

    A seated dinner by candlelight — four courses, place cards written by hand.

  4. 04

    9:30

    Dancing

    The Ballroom

    A twelve-piece band beneath the chandeliers. The last dance is called at midnight.

An enclosure

Travel & stay

Venue01

The Ashbourne Hotel

Ceremony, dinner, and dancing all under one roof — the courtyard, the Magnolia Room, the ballroom.

116 Meeting St · ceremony in the courtyard

View particulars
Stay02

The Palmetto House

Our room block is held under the Olivia & James wedding through August 14. Mention us at the desk for the rate.

3 blocks from the venue

View particulars
Stay03

The Gadsden Inn

A smaller inn with piazza rooms, a short walk from the hotel and the harbor.

5 min walk from the venue

View particulars
Travel04

Getting there

Fly into Charleston (CHS), twenty minutes from downtown by car. Once you reach the historic district, everything is walkable — leave the car and follow the lanterns.

CHS

Volume I · September 14, 2026

Photographs for keeping

The couple beneath a live oak on Legare Street
South of Broad, 2020
A hand-written letter on hotel stationery
The first letter
Evening light in the garden courtyard
The courtyard
Walking past gas lanterns at dusk
The proposal evening
Two glasses on the brass bar
Our usual corner
Morning coffee on a piazza
Church Street mornings
The couple beneath a live oak on Legare Street
South of Broad, 2020
A hand-written letter on hotel stationery
The first letter
Evening light in the garden courtyard
The courtyard
Walking past gas lanterns at dusk
The proposal evening
Two glasses on the brass bar
Our usual corner
Morning coffee on a piazza
Church Street mornings

A small note

Gifts, if you wish

Your presence is the part that matters. For those who asked, a few ideas are enclosed.

Before the evening

Particulars

What is the dress code?

Black tie invited. September in Charleston stays warm into the evening, and the ceremony is on brick and grass — a lighter fabric and a steadier heel will serve you well.

May I bring a guest?

Your invitation is addressed to everyone we have seated. If you are uncertain about your party, write to us — we would rather answer than assume.

Are children invited?

We adore your children, but the evening will be adults only — a late dinner, a later band, and candles on every table.

What if it rains?

September can bring an afternoon shower off the harbor. The courtyard is covered within minutes, and the ballroom waits either way.

When should I reply by?

Kindly reply by August 1, 2026, by the enclosed card or the form here, so we may finalize seating and the menu.

R.S.V.P.

The favour of a reply

Kindly send your reply using the enclosed card. We look forward to receiving your particulars.

Will joyfully attend
Food, stay, access