Greenville, South Carolina

September 18, 2010

PGA Golfer Jay Haas Jr. married Carolyn Small on September 18, 2010 in Greenville, South Carolina.

The wedding took place at Christ Church Episcopal in front of 500 guests.

The groom walked down the aisle with his best man and father, golfer Jay Haas Sr.

The bride wore a strapless wedding dress by Lazaro, with a sweetheart neckline and embroidered bodice. She carried a bouquet of roses, gardenia and hydrangea, with her grandmother’s charm bracelet tucked into the arrangement and wrapped in satin ribbon.

The couple exchanged traditional vows in an Episcopalian ceremony.

Following the nuptials, guests waved letter-pressed fans imprinted with a note of thanks from the bride and groom as they exited the church.

Horn players led the way as guests walked to the reception two blocks away at the Poinsett Club, a historical event space known as the “red ballroom” because of its 23-foot high red damask walls.

Wedding planners Walton Event Design, Ltd. transformed the ballroom into an ethereal garden evoking Old Hollywood glamour, romance and femininity. Walls were covered with pale taupe satin fabric, and corkscrew willow, orchids and white lights were hung from the ceiling. Each chandelier in the room was given a fabric treatment along the chain, and flowers were placed at the ceiling medallion.

As guests arrived at the reception, sparkling raspberry lemonade and champagne was served, while a 10-person gospel choir performed on the front porch.

Once inside, the gospel choir led the bride and groom down a long hallway while singing “Have a Little Faith in Me” and introduced them into the transformed ballroom.

A southern-inspired dinner menu was served featuring fried green tomato sliders, okra fries, buttermilk fried chicken bites, and beef tenderloin with horseradish cream on brioche rolls.

For dessert, Kathy Allen of Kathy’s Cakes of Distinction created a special sweet potato cake in honor of the bride’s favorite flavor. Dozens of hand-sculpted sugar flowers were made to emulate Quicksand roses and cascaded down the side.

The 13-piece dance band, Simply Irresistible, played a three-hour set, and for tired feet, flip flops with their own custom shoe bag were handed out to each guest.

At the end of the evening, packaged snack mix with the label “Happy Trails” was given out.

For more information on Jay Haas Jr. and Carolyn Small’s wedding, read our exclusive interview with events planners Walton Event Design, Ltd.