Christmas In July

   With temperatures reaching record highs I thought thinking about cooler temperatures might make it a bit more tolerable so I decided to highlight our last wedding of the 2010 season.
  Maria and James were introduced by a mutual friend and developed a close friendship for several years before their friendship turned to romance.  Even before the question had been asked or the answer given, Maria knew she wanted a winter wedding and knew she and James would be sharing their anniversary with her parents, Lois and John, who were married on the same day 33 years earlier.  Maria's December 18th wedding celebration was filled with Southern charm and elegance and befitting of her genteel manner and personality.  Both the church and reception venue were already adorned with gorgeous Christmas decor which was another reason for choosing the date only 1 week before Christmas.  Wanting to take advantage of the beautiful decor as well as celebrate the Season Maria purchased a variety of sparkling silver Christmas ornaments which were displayed on 2 trees at their reception and served as thank you gifts for their guests.  In addition to the embellished tannenbaums that graced every corner and grand foyer, the noble Palmetto, South Carolina's state symbol,  would also have it's place of eminence.  Pawleys Island, South Carolina has provided Maria and her family a treasure chest of happy memories and another reason Maria and James chose to begin their Happily Ever After in The Palmetto State.   It was a day of enchantment for all and filled with many memories to place in the Madden treasure chest to be relived over and over. 

Congratulations ~ Best Wishes 

& 

Happy Ever After!!

 A magical wonderland.

Maria, wearing her mother's veil,  poses on the Grand Staircase .

 A Pink Cadillac was chosen not only to carry Maria's  pink and green color scheme, but to support Breast Cancer awareness and research.

Guests got to choose their favorite ornament as a thank you from Maria and James.

Sabal Palmetto known for it's strong root system, flexible trunk and ability to withstand fierce storms is a perfect symbol of Maria and James' commitment and dedication to one another was the main element of their wedding cake and Groom and Groomsmen's tie and bow ties.

After seeing another Grand Occasion bride's "GRIT" send off knew she wanted to use the traditional Southern staple not only to represent abundance and prosperity, but because she thought it looked like snow! And besides, what could be more Southern than grits?

Maria and James' wedding has been featured in The Atlantan Brides Magazine Fall/Winter 2011 issue.  We hope to have that article available soon.

SAY YES to THE BEST.....Dress Contest

Our 2010 season began on March 12th with a rehearsal dinner at The Dunes Golf and Beach Club and ended on December 18th with two gorgeous events, a wedding at DeBordieu Colony and a Silver Wedding Anniversary celebration at Pine Lakes Country Club.  All of our forty plus weddings of the season had their own unique style and personality, but they all had one thing in common, a dress, and in some cases two!

  To kick off our 2011 season, Grand Occasions Inc. is sponsoring a SAY YES to THE BEST.....Dress contest, showcasing the gowns of our 2010 brides.  Every dress was absolutely stunning and perfect for the bride who selected and wore it, but only one can hold the title of Grand Occasions BEST Dress of 2010 and it's up to you to decide who the winner will be.  Finalists have been chosen by a panel of judges and have been posted in albums on our Grand Occasions Inc. Facebook page.   

Some of our brides had been dreaming of the perfect dress since they were very young and knew exactly what it would look like, others hadn't really given it a lot of thought until they said "I will".  Either way they all embarked on a mission to find their perfect dress and say " YES....THIS IS THE DRESS" !  They all successfully accomplished their quest!  Now it's time for you to embark on a mission and help choose "THE BEST" Dress of our 2010 season and say "YES, THIS IS THE BEST"!  Everyone is eligible to vote (one vote per person please).  To do so, please follow the link to our Grand Occasions Inc. Facebook page and "like" us then find your favorite dress from our finalists, click "like" on their album and leave a comment.  Voting ends on Friday, January 28, 2011 at midnight.  The winner will be announced on Valentine's Day.

  In the next few weeks we will be highlighting some of our 2010 weddings and the dresses that weren't selected to compete as a finalist.  This years weddings and gowns are just as spectacular and we can't wait to share those with you throughout the year.  We hope you will enjoy them as much as we do.  

 Good luck to all of our SAY YES to THE BEST.....Dress contestants!

Please follow the link below and "LIKE" us, then vote for your favorite! 

Grand Occasions Inc. Facebook link

Introducing Chopper

Wedding season has officially begun here in Myrtle Beach. This weekend I will have my 5th event of the season. Last weekend, however I had my first of the year, a doggie ring bearer. I would like to introduce you to Chopper, the English Bulldog who proudly carried her mommy and daddy's rings down the isle dressed in her doggie finery that coordinated with the bridesmaids attire. Chopper took her job very seriously and was one of the most well behaved ring bearers I have ever had the pleasure of working with. Way to go Chopper, let's hope the other 3 doggie ring bearers we'll have this year do as great a job as you did!

Kick Off!

Lisa & Justin

Grand Occasions wedding season 2010 will officially begin at 5:00 p.m. on Friday, March 12th at The Marina Inn at Grande Dunes. After a year and three months of planning Lisa and Justin will be just hours from becoming Man and Wife. Family and friends have started arriving in Myrtle Beach and are preparing for a weekend filled with fun and excitement beginning with a trolley ride to the rehearsal dinner on Friday evening and ending with a scrumptious brunch at The Marina Inn on Sunday before heading back to their home states.

Grand Occasions would like to say

Welcome to Myrtle Beach!

and to those who have never visited Myrtle Beach before, we hope you will return to the Grand Strand to enjoy many Grand Occasions of your own!

Casual Elegance

The incredible beach cake was not only beautiful, but delicious.


















When Deana and Will chose the South Carolina coast as their destination wedding venue they knew they wanted their special day to carry a low country theme and be filled with Southern Charm. You won't find a place filled with more Southern Charm than DeBordieu Colony. The elegant Georgian style clubhouse was the perfect setting for their casual yet elegant low country reception. From the exquisite Low Country cuisine to their one of a kind "grit" send off, the evening was filled with casual elegance as well as low country Southern charm.


Grits were chosen in place of the traditional rice or birdseed
to be thrown as the newlyweds made their exit.

Myrtle Beach Weddings

The number one trend in weddings today is the Destination Wedding. A destination wedding is the perfect choice for the couple who wants to make their special day a memorable experience.

Are you dreaming of saying "I Do" in a romantic seaside ceremony with sand between your toes, surrounded by a warm ocean breeze and the sound of the waves? Tropical paradise accurately describes the white sandy beaches, vibrant blue waters of the Atlantic and the breathtaking golden sunsets of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Or maybe your dream is one of enchantment, defined by southern charm and grandeur amidst brilliant magnolias and stately live oaks draped with Spanish moss.

Whether an intimate wedding on the beach at sunset, a grand affair out of the pages of Gone With The Wind, filled with Southern charm or something in-between, you are sure to find the perfect location for your dream wedding along the Grand Strand of Myrtle Beach.

We would love to help you make your special day the very best it can be. Call for your free initial consultation and start planning your Myrtle Beach wedding.

Family Affair

Just because your budget isn't grand doesn't mean your wedding can't be. Why not consider a small, intimate wedding on the beach surrounded by your immediate family. That's what Lynette and Michael decided to do. After scheduling their family vacation in Myrtle Beach for July, they decided it would be the perfect time to say I do. Their ceremony was followed by a cake cutting and toast on the beach then off to a local restaurant for a nice dinner. A larger reception was planned once they returned to Ohio.

View more pictures of Lynette & Michael's July 7, 2009 beach wedding on our web site @ www.grandoccasions-inc.com

Together Fore-ever!

It was a blue Saturday for Bethany & George, but the only tears were tears of joy as the happy couple said I DO on the beach with the blue Atlantic as their backdrop. Bethany's love of femininity and Georges love for golf were combined to create a beautiful and whimsical wedding theme for their blue wedding. Under a cloudless blue sky and surrounded by a warm ocean breeze guests celebrated with a couple that was made fore each other!

Instead of glass beads, golf balls were used in the centerpieces to incorporate the grooms love of the sport and reflect his personality. Submersible lights provided additional illumination after the sun set.

Refreshing "Blue Hope" signature drinks continued the blue theme and were named in honor of the bride whose middle name is Hope.

Always time for another round of golf....even on your wedding day.

Cupcakes provided a variety of options for the guests.

Sparklers lit up the night sky in congratulations to a couple who are a perfect match while solid white chocolate golf balls and milk chocolate putters and golf bags along with personalized tees made par-fect favors.

Congratulations to a tee-riffic couple!

Bethany & George

April 25, 2009