Karen Lopez Jordan & Carl Sobocinski

July 11, 2020

It’s tradition for Carl to have drinks with his friends on Christmas Eve—an event that would result in meeting his future wife. Nearly seven years ago, Karen was having lunch at Smoke on the Water with her mom. She was told to be festive and put on lipstick. It seems the festive vibes worked, because Carl sent over a glass of wine, which sparked the pair’s first conversation. About six months later, Karen’s sister, Olivia, proposed a Table 301 partnership to Carl for a well-known Greenville favorite, Southern Pressed Juicery. He agreed, along with a counter proposal to take Karen out on a date. Karen and Carl dated long-distance, but she ultimately found her way back to Greenville for good.

The day of the marriage proposal found the pair at their lake house, set to have their usual sunset cruise after dinner. Their three girls—Bella, Lexie, and Camila—were all in on the surprise and sent the pair off on the boat alone. As Carl got down on one knee, Karen could see the girls spying from the shore. During the wedding at Pretty Place chapel, Carl’s children, Bella and Lexie, read passages, and Karen’s daughter, Camila, sang a song from The Greatest Showman.

As a fitting touch for the founder of Table 301 and his lovely bride, their reception included a grand feast. Guests swooned over an Italian-themed smorgasbord and danced (socially distanced) into the evening with a band led by Shakira’s lead percussionist. Karen and Carl continue their work in Greenville, and look forward to raising their family as husband and wife.