A mutual friend introduced Laura Gregory and John Lucas in 2021, when Laura was visiting Charleston, S.C., for a girls’ trip and John was completing his general surgery residency at the Medical University of South Carolina. The pair hit it off and dated long-distance for two years. In August 2023, John proposed at the Omni Grove Park Inn & Spa in Asheville, N.C. — the same place the couple had celebrated their first dating anniversary. The Blue Ridge Mountains provided a bucolic backdrop for John to pop the question. 

Their wedding was held in Nashville, the bride’s hometown, on Nov. 16, 2024. The Rev. Philip Young officiated the ceremony at Redeemer Lutheran Church, where Laura’s parents, Robert and Janeen Gregory, had married in 1989. 

Laura + John

The bride donned an ivory Italian jacquard and pearl-trimmed gown by Allison Webb and a pearl-accented veil by Toni Federici — both from The Bride Room. The groom accented his Enzo Custom tuxedo with a black feather bow tie from Charleston-based brand Brackish. 

Laura + John

After tying the knot, the couple ventured to the Tennessee State Museum for their reception. Event planner Presley Russell of EBJ & Company called on Southern Events, High Tone Entertainment and Abby Armistead (the bride’s law school classmate) for décor and The Florista for all bouquets and floral arrangements. Swinging tunes by Atlanta Rhythm & Groove effectively set the mood — as did a special drum performance by Laura’s father during a cover of Stevie Wonder’s “Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I’m Yours).” 

Passed hors d’oeuvres by Town & Table Catering primed guests’ palates for an upscale Southern dinner featuring Caesar salad, herb-encrusted strip loin, rosemary-garlic chicken, maple-roasted carrots and cheesy buttered potatoes. Dessert Designs by Leland crafted a four-tiered wedding cake adorned with flowers and icing that mimicked the jacquard print on Laura’s gown. And to satiate late-night hunger, the couple served up hot chicken sliders in honor of their aptly named goldendoodle, Hattie B.

Laura + John

The couple incorporated nods to Charleston throughout their celebration — a tribute to the city they’ll always hold dear. They invited photographer Jordyn Smalling to Charleston for their engagement photo shoot, and the bride’s mother handcrafted personalized place cards from oyster shells. Laura also gifted her bridesmaids jewelry from local Charleston stores, such as Croghan’s Jewel Box and Grace + Hudson Jewelry. 

After their wedding, the couple headed to The Lodge at Primland for a “mini-moon” planned by Hannah Lucas, the couple’s sister-in-law and owner of Alongside Travel. They currently reside in Washington, D.C., where Laura works as a nonprofit lawyer and John is completing a two-year trauma surgery fellowship at the George Washington University Hospital.