Navy and pink Sputh Carolina Aquarium Inspired Shoot with nautical details by Dana Cubbage and Pure Luxe Bride.
Charleston {Kellie + Andrew} USS Yorktown Wedding
As you drive over the Cooper River Bridge from Downtown Charleston, on your way into Mount Pleasant, you'll see the majestic USS Yorktown docked in the Charleston Harbor. As eye-catching as it is from the Bridge, it's nothing compared to the view you'll see once you step foot on the massive ship. It's ah-mazing. You get a gorgeous view of the Holy City and as you look to your right, the Cooper is in the background. It's unreal and makes for the perfect setting for a beautiful Charleston wedding. Kellie + Andrew recently tied the knot on the flight deck for an unbelievable nautical-themed, military affair. The couple's red, white and blue bash was planned by the talented crew over at Intrigue Design + Events while Monika Gauthier Photography captured all the details of this charming USS Yorktown wedding!
Photographer: Monika Gauthier Photography | Wedding Coordination and Design: Intrigue Design & Events | DJ: Creative Sound | Cake: Ashley Bakery | Rental: Snyder Events | Floral: Distinctive Events | Catering: Jim n’ Nicks | Bar: Spike Bar
Charleston Weddings {Brian + Christen} Legare Waring House
Charleston Weddings {Jenna + Adam} Old Exchange Building
I know you ladies love your Southern weddings, but when it comes down to it, you're always craving Charleston weddings! Lord knows we can't blame you and I have a feeling this Old Exchange Building stunner will do just the trick. Carmen Ash Photography teamed up with the talented team at Southern Chic Weddings for this formal Lowcountry affair and we're loving every minute of it. Thanks to Carmen for filling us in on all the details...
Adam and Jenna met in February 2008 after Duke played a rugby game at Elon. Covered in mud and sporting a fading black eye, Adam convinced Jenna to take him to her sorority party afterwards. At the end of the night, Adam went back to Duke and didn't call. Once Jenna made the first move, they met up a few weeks later. Adam spent the next five weeks wooing her before she would agree to go to his fraternity formal in Williamsburg. She finally agreed, and they had a great time.
Fast forward two years through rounds of parties, formals, homecomings, trips to Myrtle Beach, and graduations. Jenna went backpacking in New Zealand and Adam came to visit. Adam got sent on an assignment to China with his job, and came home for a wedding in July. On July 19, 2010, the morning after the wedding, Adam took Jenna for a picnic at the Sarah P. Duke Gardens on Duke's campus. Taking a walk to cool off, Adam stopped under a trellis and dropped to one knee. Jenna was all too happy to accept.
Both had moved around growing up, and neither had a home town to default to. The obvious choice was a wedding in Charleston, South Carolina- Jenna's favorite city . Jenna took several trips to Charleston in between trips to China, working with vendors from 12 time zones away. They chose the historic Old Exchange Building for the reception. They picked a florist, a planner, and a caterer with one meeting, then found other vendors strictly using the Internet. Jenna ordered the perfect wedding dress from Amsale- complete with a big bow and pockets. With a few local friends including another bride, everything started falling into place. Then Jenna and Adam moved from China to Colorado. Another quick trip to Charleston to solidify their plans brought them to choose the Confederate Home and College garden for their November ceremony. Little did they know that the weekend before their I Do's, Steven Spielberg would be sitting in the same garden at Susan Sarandon's daughter's wedding.
Photographer: Carmen Ash Photography // Transportation: Absolutely Charleston // Hair Stylist: Affair Hair by...Tanesha // Makeup Artist: Bellelina // Caterer: Cafe Catering // DJ: Charlie Roberts Duo // Cinema and Video: Creekhouse Productions // Cake Designer: DeClare Cakes // DJ: Finger Snappin' Entertainment // Equipment Rentals: Snyder Event Rental // Event Planner: Southern Chic Weddings and Events // Event Venue: The Old Exchange // Floral Designer: WildFlowers Inc.
Submitted via Two Bright Lights
Lowcountry Wedding {Morgan + Austin}
Thanks to our beautiful new online magazine, we are SEVERELY behind when it comes to blogging all of our favorite Lowcountry weddings which may have been a bad thing the past few months, but you’re all in for a treat now! Over the next few weeks prepared to be thoroughly spoiled with some serious Southern wedding inspiration starting with Morgan + Austin’s amazing Lowcountry wedding from the talented Jeanne Mitchum Photography. This South Carolina stunner is the epitome of everything we love about the coastal South. It’s effortlessly dreamy, wonderfully charming and makes us wish we were right there to enjoy that Lowcountry breeze. We can’t get enough of this earthy green and brown color palette and rustic details, not to mention the burlap-laced vases, that amazing anemone-filled bouquet and all of that natural sunlight!
From the Bride: We got married at my husband's parents' house off Abapoopa Creek on Johns Island. I made every decoration and all the favors by hand with ideas from pinterest and etsy. I spent hours googling free printable templates for heart shaped fans, gift basket tags etc. I have to say that the pictures are so beautiful due to the the amazing light we had and our amazing photographer. We were also very lucky in the weather department.
Photographer: Jeanne Mitchum Photography // Musicians: Charleston Virtuosi // Equipment Rentals: Snyder Rental Company // Floral Designer:Tiger Lily Florist // Cake: D'lish // Programs: Darling Girl Paper // Guest signing tree: Harvey Grey // Headpiece: Virginia Geiger Jewles // Groomsmen ties: Me and Matilda // Sign: AndtheSignSays // Hair: Stuart Laurence Salon
Thomas Bennett House Wedding {Sara + Joe}
Charleston Wedding {Erin + Steve} The Island House
I went weak-in-the-knees for every single Lowcountry wedding that has graced the pages of our premier issue! They're all stunning! But I have a special place in my heart for Erin + Steve's Island House bash. I'm not sure if it's how their amazing photographer Virgil Bunao captured all the details, or maybe how Ooh! Events dreamed up this eclectic color palette with eye catching flower arrangements, or what sounds like the perfect menu of libations and Southern dishes from Cru Catering that the duo treated their guests to, but I adore every last detail of this Charleston wedding. Thanks to Erin and her talented mother for adding all the personal touches to their big Southern wedding day! Even though we tried, we couldn’t include everything in the magazine, so to find out a little more about Erin’s big day you can read her answers below, but to see ALL the details check out the Mag here!
How did he propose? How long were you engaged for?
I think I may have the best proposal story ever. In August 2011, we'd planned to spend a weeklong vacation with Steve's parents in New Hampshire. The night before we were supposed to leave, Steve handed me a piece of paper. It took me a minute to realize that it was an itinerary for a surprise trip to Madrid - leaving the next day!! He'd planned everything - and had even done my laundry so I would have plenty of clothes for the trip! During our first day in Madrid, we roamed around the city and even went back to the place where we had our first kiss. The next day, he took me a private Spanish cooking class, and then to the Retiro park. He proposed in the park, and then told me we were going to spend the rest of the week on an engagement-moon in the Basque Country! It was like a dream.
What made you choose your Charleston wedding venue? What elements drew you to it?
I grew up in Chesterfield, SC and Steve is from New York, but we currently live in San Francisco. We knew we wanted to get married in South Carolina as a nod to my childhood, and we chose Charleston because we'd traveled there together and made some amazing memories. We looked at a ton of venues, and we really wanted to find a place that celebrated the natural beauty of the lowcountry. When we saw the Island House for the first time, we both knew it was where we wanted to get married. The proximity to the water, the wide open outdoor space, and the simple beauty of it all took our breath away.
Specialty Drinks?
Steve and I are cocktail aficionados, and the team at IceBox exceeded all our expectations (plus they let us do a really fun cocktail tasting ahead of time!). Our specialty cocktails were: Holiday in Spain (nod to our engagement and where we met - it was a jalapeno and cilantro margarita with macerated red peppers for a reddish tint) and the Johns Island Cider (Rum, Spiced Apple Cider, Mint, Ginger Beer).
What’s your favorite picture from your wedding and why?
That's really tough - mainly because Virgil is incredible. There's a picture of Steve and me holding hands out on the dock that I really adore, and then a party shot with us in front and all our friends behind us rocking out (and wearing neon glasses!).
Tell us all about the details! Did any have special meaning? What was your favorite?
-My mother handmade a lot of my favorite details from the wedding - homemade peach bourbon jam for the wedding favors, travel-themed placecards, and homemade pralines and benne wafers for our welcome bags. She worked so hard on everything, and it was so beautiful (and delicious!) so her creations were some of my favorite details.
-I really loved using table names instead of numbers. Steve and I love to travel, so I used chalkboard signs to write the names of places Steve and I have traveled together. People really got a kick out of sitting at the Reykjavik, Iceland or Zanzibar, Tanzania table
-The brooch that I pinned to my bouquet was particularly special to me. It's from a set of jewelry made by Tiffany's in the 1800s as a replica of the jewelry designed by Abraham Lincoln for Mary Todd to wear on her wedding day. I was the 5th generation in my family to wear this jewelry on my wedding day.
Tell us a little bit about your Charleston wedding menu…We are obsessed with good food, and Cru Catering made the wedding dinner of our dreams. For appetizers, we had a yellow tomato gazpacho shooter with habanero crema, collard green wontons, and a raw bar. We served a tomato and muskmelon salad with candied pecans, and a choice of ginger seared wreck fish or pomegranate glazed cornish hen. Objectively (or maybe not), this was one of the best meals of my life.
We did wedding pies instead of a wedding cake, and I couldn't have been happier with how it turned out! Lauren from Wild Flour Pastry blew us away with bourbon pecan pie, key lime pie with gingersnap crust, walnut derby pie, triple berry pie with oat streusel, and a banoffee (banana-toffee) pie! I heard that one older lady went back to the pie table five times to try all the varieties!
Something old: The family heirloom brooch I put on my bouquet.
Something new: My parents gave me diamond earrings, and my gorgeous Badgley Mischka shoes!!
Something borrowed: A sapphire and diamond bracelet from my grandmother
Something blue: Lots! My sapphire engagement ring and the sapphire/diamond necklace Steve gave me as a wedding day present.
Photographer: Virgil Bunao / Flowers, Décor & Design: Ooh! Events / Coordination: Ooh! Event, Emily Miller / Venue: The Island House / Ceremony Music: Classical Charleston / Reception Music: Atlanta Party Band / Catering: Cru Catering / Bar: IceBox / Wedding Pies: WildFlour Pastry / Tent & Rentals: Atlantic Tent / Photo Booth: Oh Snap! / Hair & Makeup: Jennifer Fernandez
Charleston Wedding {Ashley + Brian} Creek Club at I'On
I adore Ashley + Brian's Creek Club at I'On bash. Not only did it take place at one my favorite Charleston wedding venues, but the navy color palette with pops of emerald is bound to make any seafaring lady swoon! The Burlap Elephant designed an effortless Lowcountry evening complete with farm tables, patterned table runners and vibrant arrangements from Charleston Flower Market that set the tone for one helluva evening as The Boomers took the stage! Even though we tried, we couldn’t include everything in the magazine, so to find out a little more about Ashley’s big day you can read her answers below, but to see ALL the details you can purchase a digital edition of the Mag here!
Tell us a little bit about how you met your husband…
Brian and I met in an alley behind a pizza place in Washington, DC. (Explaining that one to my mother was fun!) We were in a running club that met up around the city.
How did he propose? How long were you engaged for?
Last summer I traveled to Costa Rica to become a yoga teacher. Brian surprised me in the jungle on my 30th birthday and proposed 2 days later on our favorite beach, right where the ocean crashes into the rocks to create a stunning spray. We were engaged for 8 months.
Out of the entire day, what was the most memorable moment?
For me, it was walking down the aisle with my dad towards Brian. The sun was shining, I had my dad supporting me and I was walking towards my best friend.
When the band announced last song, I wasn't quite ready for the party to end. But our guests started chanting for "one more song," formed a dance circle, and the band obliged--it was exactly what I needed. One more all out crazy moment to celebrate. And then I was ready to get on the boat and start our married life...
What made you choose your venue? What elements drew you to it?
We loved the Creek Club because it felt rustic yet refined. We knew we wanted our wedding to be outside, and the lawn offered a beautiful space right on the water. I fell in love with the big, wide porch on the Club and the exposed beams inside. It was an intimate space that connected our guests to us and each other. It was so naturally elegant.
Tell us all about the details! Did any have special meaning? What was your favorite?
I included special details for my grandmothers. On my bouquet, I pinned a brooch from my dad's mother, Mary, of two swans, which partner for life. I also borrowed a fur stole from my mother's mother, Betty (my Grammy!), which was embroidered inside with her initials.
For the Groom's cake, I had The Cake Stand recreate the Patagonia logo. Brian and I love being outdoors and have collected more than our share of rock climbing, camping, hiking, rain, etc. gear. Brian has at least 4 different brown fleeces from Patagonia, so it was a nod to our adventures.
We left the reception in boat, headed out towards to the Charleston harbor because we decided to move to Charleston after the wedding. It was a stunning way to end the night and start our new life here in Charleston!
At the Creek Club, we displayed pictures of our grandparents' and parent's weddings. It was important to us to share our family, especially those who are no longer with us, with our guests (and fun to see how wedding styles have changed!)
What’s your favorite picture from your wedding and why?
Our first kiss. The wind caught my veil as Brian kissed me--the image captures the joy we both felt on our wedding day. We were thrilled to be married, surrounded by our best friends and family and blessed with a bright blue sky and sunshine.
Tell us a little bit about your menu…
Lowcountry flavors and favorites (Cheddar Biscuit with Caramelized Onion Jam!) The best part was the amouse bouche-shrimp and grits! It was two bites of seared local shrimp and andouille sausage over stone ground grits with tasso cream.
How many guests attended: 120
Color Palette:Classic Navy Blue and White, accented with Bright Emerald Green
Something old: Grandmother's Swan Pin
Something new: Handkerchief with my new initials
Something borrowed: Grandmother's fur stole
Something blue: Kate Spade Shoes
Most valuable piece of advice you’d give to a newly engaged bride...
Brian reminded me throughout the planning process: "Keep the main thing the main thing." It didn't matter if we had the right flowers or the best band, at the end of the day, we would be married. That perspective helped me remember what I was really planning and kept me sane when I ran into struggle.
Vendors: Event Planner: The Burlap Elephant / Floral Designer: Charleston Flower Market / Reception Venue: The Creek Club At I'on / Rentals & Decor: Ooh! Events / Photographer: Jennings King Photography / Ceremony Music: The Palmetto Strings / Reception Music: The Boomers / Dress: Jim Hjelm From Hayden Olivia Bridal / Bridesmaids: J. Crew / Groomsmen Ties: Collard Greens / Invitations: My Personal Artist / Cake: Publix / Groom's Cake: The Cake Stand Charleston / Hair & Makeup: Vanity Salon
Charleston Wedding {Kristen + Jake} Boone Hall Plantation
You know how sometimes a wedding catches your eye and just makes you smile? Well that's exactly what happened when this insanely awesome Charleston wedding designed by Ashley Rhodes made its way into my inbox! Mixed with a little chevron, this vibrant color palette of bright pinks and blue with pops of orange brought a whole lot of sass to the lovely Cotton Dock! Even though we wanted to, we couldn't include everything in the magazine, so to find out a little more about Kristen’s big day, check out her answers below and to see all the details you can purchase a digital edition of the Mag here!
What made you choose your venue? What elements drew you to it?
Boone Hall Plantation was one of the most well rounded venues we could find. The drive in with the Avenue of the Oaks was the perfect scene we wanted to set as our guests drove in. We wanted a mix of indoor and outdoor, with a beautiful backdrop to give our guests a true taste of Charleston. We started out with just renting the Cotton Dock for our reception site, but then after touring the entire property, we knew we wanted to get married on the front lawn in front of the beautiful plantation house. The back patio offered the perfect area for our cocktail hour also.
Tell us all about the details! Did any have special meaning? What was your favorite?
We wanted to make sure that the entire weekend was focused on the guest experience.
We rented a gigantic beach house on the Isle of Palms, and stayed there with all of our bridesmaids, groomsmen, and their dates. It was only 2 blocks from the beach, it had a swimming pool and hot tub, and basketball court, a putting green, you name it! To kickstart the weekend, we had all of our family over Friday night for a cook out and just a chance to let everyone meet each other and relax. Our rehearsal dinner was on Saturday, and we did a catered dinner downtown at Granville's Catering, and then took our guests on a sunset cruise through the Charleston Harbor on the Palmetto Breeze. That was Jake's favorite part of the entire weekend!
At the actual wedding, we had a lounge out front of the Cotton Dock with cigars, craft beers, and custom made cornhole boards that were a truly family effort. Jake's brother made the boards, Jake and I painted them to fit our look, and my mom made the bags. We also had a candy bar, and koozies as our wedding favors. My favorite detail of the entire evening was all of the custom made linens that my mom made - the napkins, the runners, and the backdrop for our photo booth. Jake's favorite detail was the bottom layer of our wedding cake -funfetti - which is our absolute favorite!
Tell us a little bit about your menu...
We used Granville's Catering for our wedding. Trae's style is true Southern cooking, but elevated. We served she crab soup, cajun style shrimp and grits, crab cakes, fried green tomatoes with a balsamic reduction and crumbled goat cheese, and my absolute favorite which is Trae's grandmother's specialty - angel hair mac and cheese.
Specialty Drinks?
We didn't do any specialty drinks, but we did have an open bar. Out front in the lounge area, we did serve specialty craft beers.
What’s your favorite picture from your wedding and why?
Our photographer was absolutely incredible - it would be very hard to pick just one photo. The one I love the most of just the two of us is in the rose garden near the front lawn. The sun was starting to set, he kissed me, and Carmen captured the moment beautifully.
Out of the entire day, what was the most memorable moment?
Leading up to the wedding, the one thing I was soo nervous about was the actual ceremony. I was so afraid I was going to be a teary, mumbling mess, and wouldn't be able to get any of the words out. In actuality, the entire ceremony was the most memorable and special part of the entire day. We were both just grinning ear to ear, looking into each other's eyes, and committing our lives to each other.
Color Palette
My color palette was a bright coral watermelon, tiffany blue, and tangerine. My entire color palette was created from a picture I saw of a bouquet on Pinterest - it was love at first sight!
How did he propose? How long were you engaged for?
From Jake's perspective:
I had decided for months that I wanted to propose to Kristen on the Pitt Street Bridge in Mount Pleasant where we had our first date. The trouble was, trying to figure out how to get her there without my plans being too obvious, as we had moved to, and were living in Savannah, GA. I planned the engagement for the weekend of her 29th birthday, and we had purchased tickets to visit a tiger preserve in Myrtle Beach. Perfect! It also just so happened that my Aunt Jessamine's birthday was the same weekend and (like the mastermind that I am) I had my cousin, Lynne, send us an invitation to a "surprise party" that was being thrown on.....the Pitt Street Bridge.
So I made the arrangements; I was freaking out because the ring was taking longer than they had originally told me, and I wasn't able to pick it up until that morning. Kristen was dropping the dogs off at the kennel, and we were going to meet there and drive up to Charleston together. So of course when when we go to leave the kennel, the battery to the car was dead. At this point I was about to rip every hair out of my head....
Finally, we got the car jumped and drove to Charleston. We got to the bridge and started walking down to the end where there is a dock (I told her that is where the surprise party was, and thats why we didn't see anyone yet). I was walking slowly, trying to let my cousin, DuBose, catch up with us as she was going to sneakily meet up with us to take photographs.
Once we got to a good spot, I stopped Kristen so that we could look over the Charleston bay together; it was sunset and a beautiful site. I let her know that there really was no party taking place. I got on one knee and let her know that the last four years together had been the best of my life, and I couldn't imagine my life without her there to share it with. I asked her to spend the rest of her life with me.
Tell us a little bit about how you met your husband…
We were both working at Enterprise Rent A Car, in the city that we both love: Charleston, SC. We knew of each other through work, but hadn't really ever hung out. Some of our mutual friends put together a surprise birthday party for one of my best friends (and now bridesmaids), Nicole Miles. We hit it off immediately, and literally stayed up the entire night talking and laughing, and getting to know each other. The next day Jake called and asked me out on an afternoon date. So he picked me up, along with my dog, Zoe, who has ALWAYS been my most loyal companion and took us to a place I had never been before... the Pitt Street Bridge. The Pitt Street Bridge is a beautiful waterfront view in the "old village" of Mount Pleasant. We spent the afternoon just walking, talking, and soaking up the sun. Feeling a little adventurous, Jake took Zoe down to the marsh to wade through the water, sniff around, and explore. While they were down there Zoe stepped in the pluff mud and cut her paw on an oyster shell! It wasn't a bad cut but she got a few little bloody paw prints in my new company car! I still give Jake a hard time about it to this day, and let him know he is lucky I stuck around, haha!I The Pitt street bridge is still one of our favorite places in Charleston, and holds a very special place in both of our hearts.The last 4 1/2 years have been spent pretty much the same - continuing to get to know each other, making each other laugh, and making wonderful memories along the way!
Photographer: Carmen Ash Photography / Event Planner & Stationery: Ashley Rhodes Events / Venue: Boone Hall Plantation / Rentals: Amazing Event Rentals, Ooh Events, Snyder Event Rentals / Lighting & Dj: Jlk Events / Catering: Granville's Catering / Floral: EWW Floral Design / Ceremony And Cocktail Music: Charleston Virtuosi / Cake: Ashley Bakery / Photobooth : Coast Photo Booth / Hair/Makeup: Salon Capelli / Officiant: Reverand Rich Robinson / Bridal Shop: Gown Boutique Of Charleston
Charleston Wedding Winter Fashion {Zero George}
A few weeks ago, thanks to the hospitable ladies of Easton Events, I had the pleasure of spending an evening knee-deep in Charleston wedding fashion (just how I like it!) at the lovely Zero George. If you’ve never moseyed on over to the quaint hotel on the corner of George and East Bay, you’re simply missing out. It’s effortlessly luxurious vibe made me feel like I had stumbled upon a little hidden secret in the heart of the Holy City. It was the perfect backdrop to enjoy a collection of swoon-worthy gowns from Maddison Row and their dreamy counterparts from Bella Bridesmaid. Charleston Events Hair and Makeup finished the off the looks with show-stopping hair and makeup while Sara York Grimshaw designed elegant arrangements throughout. As always, thanks to the talented Virgil Bunao for capturing all the pretty!
Venue: Zero George / Gowns: Maddison Row / Dresses: Bella Bridesmaid / Event Design: Easton Events / Florist: Sara York Grimshaw / Photographer: Virgil Bunao / Accessories/Styling: Stacy Smallwood of Hampden / Beauty: Dana Armstrong and Jennifer Fernandez of Charleston Events Hair and Makeup / Invitation Artwork: Happy Menocal / Invitations: Dulles Designs
William Aiken House Wedding {Kelsey + Brian} Southern Protocol
We always go gaga for a Charleston wedding at the swoon-worthy William Aiken House but this beauty designed by Southern Protocol is just what we need to get over that Tuesday afternoon hump. It’s elegant and preppy with a vibrant punch of color that keeps us wanting more. We’re digging Bride Kelsey’s stunning strapless gown and her man’s dapper attire (get a load of those shoes!), not to mention that killer cake from Delicious Desserts! Thanks to the talented Jennifer Bearden for sharing this gorgeous William Aiken House wedding.
Photographer: Jennifer Bearden Photography // Event Planner: Southern Protocol // Reception Venue: The William Aiken House // Cake: Delicious Desserts // Lighting and Audio: AV Connections
Charleston Weddings {Ashley + James} William Aiken House
The ladies at Ooh! Events always take my breath away when they send over stunning Charleston weddings, especially when they take place at the lovely William Aiken House, and I’m so excited to send you off into the long weekend with such a pin-able masterpiece. The mix of graceful peony arrangements with a touch of dusty millers and mercury glass sprinkled throughout gave an effortless elegance to this Summer affair. Not to mention lanterns hung from the trees! Thanks to the talented Brandon Lata Photography for capturing this timeless Lowcountry wedding! Oh, and is that not the most adorable flower girl you've ever seen!?
Venue: William Aiken House / Photographer: Brandon Lata Photography / Cakes: DeClare Cakes / Catering: Fish / Florist: Ooh! Events / Hair: Meg Workman / Makeup: Ellina Mile
Boone Hall Plantation Engagement by Dana Cubbage Photography
Rachele and Bobby actually tied the knot in Jamaica, but decided they wanted to do an engagement session while in Lowcountry for a friend's vow renewal ceremony...so after meeting Charleston wedding photographer Dana Cubbage at Rachele's cousin's wedding, they knew she was the person for the job! Dana said, "Getting up early for a sunrise session paid off, as we dodged the rain that day and were able to get some great shots around downtown Charleston + Boone Hall. Rachele + Bobby were complete naturals in front of the camera + I loved watching them together. They truly have something special."
Photographer: Dana Cubbage Weddings
Submitted via Two Bright Lights
Lowndes Grove Plantation Wedding by Branch Design Studio
Who doesn’t love kicking their Monday morning off with a cheery Charleston Wedding! With the help of that talented team over at Breeze, Michelle + Jeremy tied the knot at one of our favorite venues, Lowndes Grove Plantation, where they were married outdoors on the banks of the Ashley River. Branch Design Studio whipped lovely arrangements with punches of pink and orange, while Fish treated the guests to their signature cuisine! As always, we thank STUDIO 1250 Photography for capturing all the lovely details!
Photographer: STUDIO 1250 // Floral Designer: Branch Design Studio // Event Planner: Breeze LLC // Transportation: CHARLESTON BLACK CAB COMPANY // Musicians: Classical Charleston // Cinema and Video: Life in Rewind // DJ: Other Brother Entertainment // Caterer: Patrick Properties // Heirlooms and extras: The Borrowed Heirloom // Event Venue: Lowndes Grove Plantation // Officiant:Your Charleston Wedding Officiant //
Submitted via Two Bright Lights
Charleston Engagement {Kayla + Dan}
After an awesome weekend at Clemson, attempting to cheer on the Citadel Bulldogs, I'm gearing up for the week and thought what could be better on this cold Sunday evening than a gorgeous Charleston wedding engagement from Taylor Rae Photography! Thanks to Taylor for filling us in on all the details... "This engagement session was taken in downtown Charleston on a very warm January day! As you can see, Dan wasn't so prepared for it to be 80 degrees :) Dan and Kayla brought along their pooch Harper to join them in a few of the photos. When we were meeting to talk about their wedding photos, they let me know that for their engagement shoot, they didn't want anything too posed and unnatural. Because of that, we just strolled around downtown and I let them interact with each other to really bring out their love for each other. You can tell how in love they are by the way they smile at each other!"
Photographer: Taylor Rae Photography // Other: Downtown Charleston //
Submitted via Two Bright Lights
Boone Hall Plantation {Jessica + Ryan}
Jessica + Ryan tied the knot this summer at one of the Lowcountry’s most-sought after wedding venues, Boone Hall Plantation. A lively color palette of pinks and greens thoughtfully accented all of their Southern details, starting with the lovely, navy LulaKate bridesmaids dresses and continuing with the bride’s shoes, flowers, and groom’s cummerbund and bow-tie. Playing a key role in their charming Charleston wedding day were their lovable pups who were dressed to impress in studly bow-ties! Jessica arrived to the ceremony in a fairytale-style horse-drawn carriage as she strolled down the aisle lined with mason jars of local cotton. Thanks to Riverland Studios for capturing their perfect Lowcountry Wedding!
Photographer: Riverland Studios // Reception Venue: Boone Hall Plantation // Cake Designer: Cakes by Kasarda // Cinema and Video: Charleston Video Service // DJ: Jay Maxwell's Music By Request, LLC // Bridesmaid Dresses: LulaKate // Caterer:Tidewater Catering // Hair Stylist: Wedding Hair By Charlotte // Floral Designer: WildFlowers Inc. // Officiant:Your Charleston Wedding Officiant
Downtown Charleston {Megan}
Bride Megan and I had been emailing back and forth when she inquired about submitting some images from her wedding, and I didn't click with me, until I opened the folder, that she was the Megan from this jaw-dropping, downtown Charleston bridal season that Juliet Elizabeth captured. I'm kind of obsessed with it! So, I squealed as I flipped through the images because I just knew you guys would go crazy over them, especially if you're a dog lover :)
Palmer House {Megan}
Today, we're hooking you up with not one, but TWO gorgeous Holy City bridal sessions from two wonderfully talented Charleston weddingphotographers. First up, a beauty at the Palmer House from Jeanne Mitchum Photography! Bride Megan stunned in a strapless gown with a lovely bouquet from Wildflowers Inc.!
Photographer: Jeanne Mitchum Photography // Reception Venue: The Palmer Home Bed & Breakfast // Floral Designer: WildFlowers Inc.
Submitted via Two Bright Lights
McCrady's Wedding {Tiffany + Preston}
Bride Tiffany is just adorable. She was the epitome of a Southern Belle as she strolled down the aisle in her pearls, perfect smile and big, beautiful ballgown where she met her husband, Preston, to say "I do". Tiffany's bridesmaids donned navy dresses, nude heels and light pink bouquets of roses while the gentlemen were dressed in grey. After an intimate, outdoor ceremony, the couple made their way over to McCrady's for a lovely reception with their closest friends and family members. Thanks to CM Photography for capturing their beautiful Charleston Wedding day!
Photographer: CM Photography // Reception Venue:McCrady's
Submitted via Two Bright Lights
Society Hall Wedding {Jenn + Stewart}
Normally, I try to set the tone for a charming Charleston wedding, but I think it sounds better coming from today's beautiful Bride Jenn. So, I hope everyone has a lovely Lowcountry weekend and until we get there, let's kick off this Friday morning with a gorgeous Society Hall wedding from the fab photography team at Sean Money + Elizabeth Fay...
From the bride:Why Charleston? Well aside from the obvious answers – we love the city, my family is there, it is easy to get to – we thought, and have always thought, that Charleston embodies in one place the things we hold dear, the things we have in common, and the way we want our lives together to be. Elegant and deeply Southern, with just a hint of adorable quirkiness and cool vibes; passionate about history and heritage while always striving to move forward; wonderful food and shopping wrapped in a gracious welcome – this is Charleston for us. So it was the perfect place to have what we ultimately wanted – am intimate, traditional affair that highlighted our beloved South, family and friends.We are both very traditional romantics.
As such, we knew we wanted all of the elements of a traditional wedding (church ceremony, music and dress, reception), but we also wanted to imbibe it with our personality. Hence the bagpipes for the processional…I am very Irish on "one side!" We are both what people call "old souls" who long for the elegance and glamour of a different age, and we are both very proud of our Southern heritage. We love being Southern, and since most of our guest list was from parts outside the South, we wanted our guests to feel the warmth and hospitality at every turn. So we kept things formal, but chose a buffet style reception to keep the feel of being invited to a big party.
I think at one point I explained it to the caterer as "black tie meets Sunday supper," or something of the sort. Our old souls took the music from jazz during the cocktail hour to Motown for the dance party. White tablecloths, silver candle sticks (all collected on Etsy or "borrowed" from family collections), southern flowers (hydrangeas, roses, gardenia, magnolias) and a buffet highlighting barbecue, shrimp and grits, biscuits, she crab soup, and fried green tomatoes combined with the stately elegance of Society Hall to create the exact vibe we were hoping for.
From the open house cocktail party on Thursday to the gentlemen's skeet shoot and ladies luncheon (complete with sundresses and hats) to the seafood rehearsal dinner to the signature cocktail (with Firefly vodka), to the last song, to the farewell brunch, our guests were welcomed into our comfort zone with all the Southern elegance and hospitality we, and Charleston, could muster.
All good things come to those who wait, it seems. We've known each other for 22 years. We had one disastrous date in 1993, but decided the timing was bad. Through businesses, career changes, other relationships, tragedies, and everything else you could throw at someone in life, we stayed friends. Best friends. And then one day, when all the debris clears, you look around and realize that the person you want to be with forever is the person who has always been there for you...that the "forever" you'd always imagined is waiting there for you with someone you've known "forever" already...that true love isn't always found down the road you have been on, but it is exactly what you have. And you want to keep it in your heart and by your side.
Ceremony venue: Church of the Holy Communion / Reception venue: Society Hall / Photography: Sean Money + Elizabeth Fay / Accommodations: Charleston Place Hotel and The Mills House Hotel / Bands/DJs: Lee Edwards Entertainment / Catering + Bar Services: Hamby's Catering / Cakes and Dessert: The Cake Stand / Celebrants/Officiants: Father Dow Sanderson / Ceremony Musicians: Organ - Clara Godshall; Bagpipes - Jimmy Ryan / Florist: Tiger Lily Florists / Favors: Firefly Vodka / Hair and Make up: The View Salon and Spa / Planners/Designers: Krissi Harris / Transportation: Low Country Valet