It was a chance meeting at an Atlanta Greek picnic that brought Karl and Sydnie together. But it took four years for them to finally start dating!
From there, things moved quickly. Within a year, they made a momentous decision to build a house together. Sydnie shares, “Karl and I decided to build a house together toward the end of 2018. We finally moved into our home in March the following year. This was a big move and a very big decision for us both, but it felt right and neither of us had any hesitation! It was here in our home that Karl proposed to me surrounded by a few of the people I love most in this world.”
After Karl’s romantic proposal, they started the anxiety-inducing task of planning a wedding during a pandemic. But they kept the faith and worked through cancellations and limited venue options to plan a gorgeous wedding that honored their love and Karl’s Haitian roots.
See the stunning details below.
- Couple: Karl-Eric Solius and Sydnie Solius
- Occupations: Pharmacist and Project Manager
- Wedding date: 10.16.2020
- Wedding Location: Dallas, TX
Quick Facts
- Bridesmaids and groomsmen gifts: I gave my girls robes, personalized leather makeup bags, a bracelet, earrings, a personalized rose gold tumbler, and a candle with our picture on it! Karl gave his guys the flags that they wore during the wedding, personalized flask, bullet shot glasses, and metal ace card bottle openers.
- Gifts for one another: Karl created and printed a beautiful book that told our amazing love story (illustrations and all). I gave him personalized cuff links with Je T’aime beaucoup etched in them in my handwriting. Karl speaks French and Haitian Creole, Je T’aime beaucoup means I love you so much in French.
- Ceremony entrance song: We started down the stairs with Int’l Players Anthem, and danced to the dance floor to Wicked by future.
- First dance song: I Found Love (Bebe and CeCe)
How did you meet?
We met at the Atlanta Greek picnic in 2013 (Karl is an Alpha and Sydnie is an AKA). I (Sydnie) had just moved to Birmingham, AL and was in a serious relationship. So, we exchanged numbers, parted ways. Karl followed me on every social media platform you can think of (yes even Linkedin :)), keeping up with me over the years and sending the occasional message to see how I was doing.
In May of 2017, I moved to Dallas, TX for a new job opportunity, and with the move came the end of my relationship. So, like most people, I deleted all of my old photos and videos of my ex from my page, and that was Karl’s que to swoop in LOL! After a summer of missed calls, text, and random messages on LinkedIn, we finally connected in August and Karl made his first of many trips to Dallas in October. He had the weekend planned out from beginning to end, complete with reservations and a full itinerary! He did this for every trip he made to TX and the same when I would visit him in Miami. In March the following year, Karl transferred and made the move to Dallas (Texas had always been a next stop for him) and the rest is history! :)
Tell us about the proposal.
Karl and I decided to build a house together toward the end of 2018. We finally moved into our home in March the following year. This was a big move and a very big decision for us both, but it felt right and neither of us had any hesitation! It was here in our home that Karl proposed to me surrounded by a few of the people I love most in this world (my best friend, who flew in, my mom, my sister, my grandmother, and his brother and sister-in-law via facetime). There were candles all over in the shape of a heart with rose petals surrounding them, and there was Karl in the middle of it all. His words are some that my friends and family still talk about today. So beautiful, so sweet, and meaningful. Every girl dreams of how they will be proposed to, the ring, who will be there, everything! I’m no different, I did the same thing. I must say it was nothing I ever imagined, but everything was far greater than anything I could’ve ever dreamed!
Describe Your Wedding Style.
Karl and I have a fun, modern, but different style. From our home to how we dress. So, we wanted our wedding to reflect who we are. My dress was super simple but gave me the princess feel I always wanted. My second dress was the full out bedazzled, fun look I always imagined myself dancing the night away in. Karl wanted something simple that complimented the color of the wedding. His suit and his groomsmen’s suits were handmade in Miami, FL. It was important to Karl that his and his groomsmen’s Caribbean culture was represented in some way. They added the flags of their countries to the sleeves of their suites. It was such a beautiful idea and made for brilliant, fun pictures.
What was the wedding shopping experience like for you?
It was crazy stressful! Not the planning aspect of it, but dealing with the stress of the world in 2020! Everything around us was getting canceled or pushed back and our options were limited with our venue. Planning and building the wedding was easy for me because I manage large projects as a career and my wedding is something I’ve dreamed of since I was little. But, even I had more breakdowns than I can count. But, I think all of the tears made the day even more meaningful and beautiful!
I went to pick my dress out with my mom, sister, best friend, and one of my favorite aunts. Those two days are two days I will remember for the rest of my life! They were crazy and hectic with all of the appointments and the heavy decision to make at the end, but the moments of tears and laughter were amazing!
Did you incorporate any culture into your wedding?
Yes! The Haitian/Caribbean culture was fully represented at our wedding. From the colorful additions to the groomsmen’s suits to the lively music that we all danced the night away to. Being from Mississippi, we had a few down south hits as well, but our guest LOVED the Caribbean beats so much more!
What is your best memory from your wedding?
My best memory looking back is the first deep breath Karl and I took as we looked at one another. It was immediately following the ceremony as we took a second before we were whisked away to start taking pictures. In that very brief moment, we smiled at each other and said, “we did it.” That moment, though brief was so special to us both because it was our first opportunity to embrace the magnitude of what just happened moments before.
What is the best wedding advice you can give to engaged couples?
Love and support each other every step of the way! Even though I wouldn’t wish the circumstances of this year on anyone, I can honestly say that dealing with the ups and downs, the constant decision making, and things changing every day stressed us both out. But, it also brought us even closer together and made us realize more than ever before that the day was truly about Karl and Sydnie. It wasn’t about who couldn’t make it or where it happened. But, it was about us committing to one another and to God our promise of forever. We cared this with us to the altar and will carry it with us throughout the duration of our marriage. All built on the solid foundation of love and support we shared during one of the most stressful times of our lives.
Vendors
- Photographer: Teshorn Jackson Photography
- Planner: Christy Record of Swank Soiree
- Cake: The London Baker
- Venue: Knotting Hill Place
- Hair: All Things Glam by Jee (IG:allthingsglam_byjee)
- Makeup: Hanady Cruz (IG: artistryiseverything)
- DJ: Perfect Beats Events Patrick Dunlap
- Videographer: Eyeconic Visuals (IG: Eyeconic.Visuals)
- Violinist: Gabrielle Clover (IG: clovertheviolinist)
- Caterer: Low Country Quisine
- Florist: Event Stems Floral
- Rentals: Belle Decor
- 2nd Dress: Matopeda
Leave a Reply