CHRISTINE & DUSTIN

Magnolia Plantation Wedding on the Veranda

Charleston, South Carolina

Our Story: Dustin and I met online, our own version of "You've Got Mail" with Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan. Dustin has the charm and wit like Tom Hanks but I am nowhere near as calm and put together as Meg Ryan. After dating for two years, one (very) warm morning in July, Dustin got down on one knee at Magnolia Plantation on the White Bride. My response to his proposal was, "Are you serious?" and "Is this real life?" After that, we spent the next year and a half planning our perfect wedding, with the help and guidance of the best wedding planning team in Charleston (and the world) Cindy with Engaging Events. We got married at Magnolia Plantation, the same place Dustin proposed on November 2, 2019.

Our Wedding Day: Our wedding day was absolutely perfect! Surrounded by our close friends and family, we had all morning to hang out, drink champagne, and relax. Because our wedding planner, Cindy, had everything sorted out and handled prior to the big day, the only thing I had to worry about was, "I hope we don't run out of orange juice for the mimosas" (we didn't).

Dustin and I decided to do a first look and I am so glad we did! Neither Dustin nor I wanted to do a first look (we wanted to keep it traditional) but we did and it made all the difference. It eases nerves, it gives the bride and groom a moment that is just their own and it's a brief moment of quiet / calm in the middle of a busy day.

One of my favorite moments of the day was arriving to the venue, after the first look, with the entire bridal party on a party bus. Dustin looks at his best man and gives him the signal, then all of a sudden "Let's Get Married" by Jagged Edge ft. Rev Run starts blaring on the speakers. Our entire bridal party broke out into a pre-wedding dance party. It was the perfect moment to set the scene for the rest of the night!

Our vision: My wedding vision was an outdoor southern wedding surrounded by towering Live Oak trees with dangling spanish moss and flower everywhere. I wanted everything light blue and white with touches of peach and subtle blue and white patterns. Bridesmaids would wear light blue, the groomsmen would wear navy blue suits. I wanted the flowers to be a show stopper, and they were (thanks to the Engaging Events floral team)! I wanted a big white fluffy dress, a simple cake, delicious southern food, tables full of people eating and laughing, and a massive dance party to end the night!

I wanted my guests to feel welcome and comfortable as if they were invited to my own home. I wanted everything perfect and in place but not in a "trying too hard" way. I wanted a night filled with close friends and family eating and dancing the night away!

Advice for future brides: The small moments are what will stick with you when you look back at your big day. If something goes wrong, it is not the end of the world. As long as your fiancé is there, nothing else matters! Enjoy the moments with your fiancé, your friends and your family. Thank everyone as much as you can for being there.