Weddings

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By Sarasota Scene |

Couples on Their Wedding Day

By Jacqueline Miller

December 31, 2019
Carolyn Dorothy Rush + William Mobley Crouse

While their life stories start in Sarasota, their love story began nearly fifteen hundred miles to the north. Both were born in the same Sarasota hospital, went to local schools and were raised by wonderful families. But it was at a mutual friend’s party in Boston years later, that the saga of William and Carolyn began.

Carolyn is the daughter of Juliann Finegan Rush and Charles Walton Rush. She graduated Cardinal Mooney High and Auburn University in Alabama. William, the son of Laura White Crouse and John Leist Crouse VI, graduated Out of Door Academy and Southern Methodist University in Dallas.

After college, Carolyn moved to Washington D. C. to start her career. She helped build the Worn Agency, a company that builds brands helping women-led companies grow through strategy and design. William, a documentary film producer, chose to start his career in New York City.

Their introduction happened at a surprise 21st birthday party in Boston for mutual good friend Hillary Hawkins. After the party, the fun continued with a “pub crawl”. Carolyn didn’t have with her the two forms of identification required in Boston to get into the pubs, so at each stop, William chose to stay outside the bar with Carolyn and the two would talk. Given there were several “crawl” stops, the couple talked a lot and got to know one another. Their connection was instant, but with the geographic challenges of living in two different cities, both wondered what their fate would be.

Carolyn finally got her sign. Her business partner asked if she would move to New York City to help grow the Worn Agency. Carolyn and William also saw it as the opportunity to grow their relationship. They would build their lives and careers in Brooklyn and on September 21, 2019 they decided to get engaged and enter 2020 united as one surrounded by the people they love. Given the September engagement date, this fun-loving couple belted out Earth Wind & Fire’s “September” as they pledged their forever love.

According to Carolyn, “anyone who knows the Crouse family knows that they throw the best and most thoughtful gatherings. William is the youngest of four boys and he and his brothers go out of their way to make every big moment in each other’s lives very special.”

Williams’s brother, Edward, is an accomplished chef who owns a Charleston restaurant called Baba’s on Cannon. Rather than just catering the rehearsal dinner (a BBQ with line dancing at the White Buffalo Saloon), he had a better idea. He contacted a farmer outside of Charleston, got a hog and rented a smoker. He loaded up the hog and smoker, and along with 300+ bottles of wine that his wife, Marie Stitt, sourced from her company, Grassroots Wine, they drove to Sarasota a few days before the wedding and dropped off enough food and wine to feed 250 people twice! He had to be back at his Charleston restaurant the next morning, so he immediately hopped on a plane back to Charleston. Says Carolyn, “If that’s not love, I don’t know what is!”

The family show of love, however, started the night before the rehearsal dinner during a Crouse family tradition—a dinner dubbed by Laura Crouse as “The Welcome Party.” The Crouse and Rush families gathered at the Field Club to “soak up the love and feel each other’s presence,” said Carolyn.

“If I could give anyone advice on how to make the most of your wedding, I’d suggest they hold a family dinner. Each of our siblings, we have five between us, are married to the loves of their lives, and both our parents are happily together. It felt really special to be around so many incredible role models, people we look up to and call our family. We are so proud to be from the families we are from, and for us, the wedding was all about making memories with them.”

Their New Year’s Eve wedding ceremony was held at the Church of the Redeemer—the church the Crouse family has attended for years and were very involved with. Father Fred Robinson presided; beautiful music by the incredible organist and choirmaster Ann Stephenson-Moe filled the church; and, there was a wonderful solo by Carolyn’s father’s best friend from childhood, David Johnston. The party followed at the Ritz-Carlton.

Carolyn and William honeymooned in St. Lucia two days after their wedding. Carolyn highly recommends a day of rest between the wedding and honeymoon so wedding stories can be shared from everyone’s perspective. They stayed on a sailboat, followed by a few nights at the dreamy Sugar Beach Resort. 

December 14, 2019
Madison Siegfried + Shane Ahles

Both Sarasota raised, the life path of this beautiful couple united them during their college years.

Madison, the daughter of Tom and Judy Siegfried, went to Cardinal Mooney High School, the University of Alabama, and then the University of South Florida where she earned a master’s degree. She is a mental health therapist at The Florida Center for Early Childhood.

Shane is the son of Brian and Sandy Ahles. He went to Sarasota High, and then to the University of Florida. This proud Gator is now a history teacher at Sarasota High School.

On a trip home from college in July of 2016 to visit her parents, Madison and her good friend and eventual maid of honor, Ali Stallings, went to the popular Beach Club bar on Siesta Key. That’s where she met Shane. They made an instant connection. The hour plus drive to Tampa would not deter the smitten Shane. He would visit Madison in Tampa while she was finishing getting her master’s degree at USF.

For her graduation, Madison’s friends and family came to celebrate at her parent’s waterfront Siesta Key home. Just before they were set to leave for dinner, Shane proposed near the waterfront, while friends and family, hiding behind the bushes, popped out after quietly witnessing this beautiful moment.

For this typically non-traditional couple, tradition became a big part of their wedding day. Madison honored her father’s wishes of a church wedding at St. Armands Key Lutheran Church. Since Madison’s cousin, Kelsey Burnsworth, passed away in her teens of leukemia, it was very important to Madison to have something of Kelsey with her on her special day. She placed a photo of Kelsey in an angel charm on her bouquet.

Also adding to the emotions of the day was a book of letters presented to Madison. The letters were from the many people who touched her life through the years including her parents and grandparents, other family members, friends, her new in-laws, and of course, Shane! Reading them made her day even more special. Maid of Honor Ali also surprised Madison with a very special jean jacket with sentimental embellishments.

Now for the merriment!

The couple dubbed the theme of their wedding reception “Drunk in Love” given that they met in a bar. After the church ceremony, the wedding party stopped and celebrated under the Ringling Bridge with shots of Don Julio Tequila and flutes of Veuve Clicquot Champagne. Then they went on to party in the ballroom with family and friends at the Ritz-Carlton. For their song, they chose “Say You Won’t Let Go” by James Arthur, which appropriately is about a couple who met in a bar.

Given the beautiful deep colors of the velvet fabrics that were used in the ballroom décor, Madison and planner Maria Brady were set on bold colored flowers to enhance the look. For Madison, Darin and Daniel and the team from Tailored Twig nailed it, as did Alisa Sue, the photographer, who captured just what she wanted and had the perfect personality to handle the 18 large and, according to Madison, crazy bridal party!

Knowing how much their friends like to party, and not wanting them to have to think about where to go after the ballroom reception, Madison and Shane hosted an after-party in the Ca’ d’Zan Room at the Ritz-Carlton where everyone danced and partied the rest of the night.

For their honeymoon, Madison and Shane went to South Africa for two weeks leaving on Christmas Day. They started on safari in Londolozi, then traveled to Cape Town, and then went on to Franschhoek to visit its centuries-old vineyards and taste some great wine.

For this exuberant couple, it’s easy to imagine that their life together will be filled with lots of happy times and wonderful memories. Their cup definitely runneth over!

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