USCB Dream Wedding: Students Plan Staff Member's Nuptials
Christian Pickerel and Sam Haering pose on USCB’s Hilton Head Island campus.
Bride-to-be Sam Haering is taking USCB Sand Shark pride to a new level: She’s letting a group of students plan her wedding.
Hospitality, Resort, and Tourism Management (HRTM) students interested in event planning are getting real-world experience as wedding planners. Haering, who works in the university’s Student Life department, is their first client.
Juniors and seniors enrolled in HRTM 350 “Wedding and Special Event Planning” are studying the business model behind weddings by organizing Haering’s and Christian Pickerel’s nuptials. The students are involved in planning, budgeting, promotion, client service, staffing, wedding etiquette and more.
Dr. Eva Smith, chair of the HRTM department, teaches this course and supervises the students as they work with the bride, groom, venue, and local vendors to produce a USCB Dream Wedding.
“Experiential education is one of the most important components of a degree from USCB in Hospitality, Resort and Tourism Management. The students are getting hands-on experience in a popular and growing field. We are thankful that Sam and Christian allowed us the honor of hosting their special day. It really will be a dream come true,” Smith said.
Some brides would be a nervous wreck, but Haering, who is USCB’s Coordinator of Leadership & Service, isn’t phased.
“I have complete faith in the students’ ability to do a good job with my wedding,” she said. “I’m pretty laid back.”
The wedding is later this spring at Mitchelville Place on Hilton Head Island, and local vendors include New York City Pizza, Omega Graphics and Print, Lincoln and South Brewery, The Sugaree, Royal Restrooms, and A Dual Perspective Photography. The partnership between USCB’s Hospitality department and the Center for Lowcountry Hospitality Education (CLHE) has been instrumental in securing vendors and community outreach.
The students who are planning the USCB Dream Wedding are almost as excited as the bride and groom.
“The ability to help organize a wedding, in one of the most unique places on earth, sounded like a perfect opportunity,” said freshman and Hospitality major Toby Brock, a member of the Event Planning class. “We are able to get our names out there and meet and grow relationships with vendors around the Lowcounrty. I helped connect the bride with a local bakery, The Sugaree, which resulted in her finding the perfect wedding cake.”
Haering started working at USCB in 2020 as an academic adviser. She is originally from Chalfont, Pennslyvania. Her mom Maria, dad Carl, and little sister Madison will come for the wedding, among other guests. In her free time, she enjoys running, traveling, volunteering and thrifting.
Pickerel is an Assistant Golf Coach at Lincoln Memorial University. He is originally from Athens, Georgia. When he isn’t working, he enjoys playing golf, watching videos about golf and playing video games. His family is also coming for the wedding, as are many of the couple’s college friends.
Haering and Pickerel met at Wingate University, where Haering majored in Biology and competed on the cross country and track and field teams. Pickerel majored in Exercise Science and competed on the golf team. They started dating in March 2016.
Together, they love to travel, go to the beach and play games including Gaelic Football and other sports (there will be cornhole at their wedding). Haering and Pickerel have two rescue dogs, Buddy and Stella.
Congrats to the happy couple and best wishes at their upcoming nuptials — from everyone at USCB!
Christian Pickerel and Sam Haering.
