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.

Charleston Wedding Vendors

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 {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!

 Charleston Wedding Vendors

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 Yacht Club {Courtney + Adam}

We’ll don’t we have the perfect little Charleston wedding treat for you this morning!  Courtney + Adam enjoyed a gorgeous Lowcountry day along the water at the beautiful Charleston Yacht Club where they celebrated with family and friends.  Thanks to Richard Bell Photography for capturing the memorable coastal afternoon and to Bride Courtney for filling us in on all the details!  From the bride: " Adam and I have been best friends for years now, so this wedding is a long time coming. We are both outgoing people who love being on or near the water, being the beach or a lake. We are simple people as well, but we have our unique hints of creativity as a couple. We wanted to portray that in the details of our wedding when it came to our colors, chocolate brown and Tiffany blue, and our individual decorations. Mason jars are a central decoration piece of our wedding whether they be painted silver or decorated with ribbon with candles. Mason jars remind us of our Southern roots, giving our guests a feeling of comfort and relaxation. Burlap and twine are also other decoration choices that we couldn't do without. They both complement our simple style with a rustic edge thanks to Pinterest. From our window arrangements to our choices of foods, our wedding is what we would call "Savannah meets Charleston" as our love has for the past 3 and a half years."

 Charleston Wedding Vendors

Photographer:  Richard Bell Photography  //  Event Venue: East Cooper Baptist Church  //  Reception Venue: The Charleston Yacht Club

Submitted via Two Bright Lights

Introducing the Wedding Woes

Here at A Lowcountry Wedding we strive to bring to life the best of local weddings on a regular basis. With the area's skilled vendors, top of the line venues, and the incomparable beauty of the Carolina lowcountry putting together a picture perfect moment seems almost effortless. However we know from experience, just as well as you do, that a lot more happens behind the scenes as the journey to the altar progresses.

While the final result may be flawless, weddings can bring out the worst in people – from bridezilla to the absent maid of honor – its incredible the drama that can arise in the midst of all that planning! As a bride, bridesmaid, or just a friend, we’ve all found our self in the midst of pre-marital mayhem so we decided to create the Wedding Woes. The purpose of the Wedding Woes series is to share real life stories with our readers with the hopes you can relate them to your current frustrations, laugh while remembering past disasters, and at the end of the day come away a little wiser.

And as with any good story, there is always a lesson to be learned, so the ALW team will be putting together our noggins to  come up with the best way to (try!) and avoid all the drama so the special day goes off without a hitch!

So let’s hear it ladies! Email submissions to elizabeth@alowcountrywed.com. And don’t fret, absolute discretion will be enforced!

Intern {Sessalee}

So, last week we introduced Kelsey, our new Graphic Design intern, with a big ol' Lowcountry welcome, and this week, we’re hoping you do the same for our new Editorial Intern, Sessalee!  Sessalee comes to the table with an eye for style and a passion for design, so it’s no secret that we’re over-the-moon to have her join our team.  She’s got some exciting things in store for our Lowcountry brides and promises to bring them mounds of Southern wedding inspiration!

Tell us a little about yourself...and by a little, we mean a lot!

Well, my name is Sessalee and I’m from the small town of Fort Mill, SC.  I’m a lover of college football, sweet tea, country music, and Nicholas Sparks’s novels. I hold my family, friends, and two dogs extremely close to my heart. I’ve lived in the beautiful state of South Carolina the majority of my life and I wouldn’t want it any other way. Having lived in the Bluffton/ Hilton Head area my freshman year and conducting research in Charleston, I have really familiarized myself with South Carolina’s lowcountry and what all it has to offer. I’m currently a senior earning a BA in Hospitality Management with a focus in meetings and events at the University of South Carolina [GO GAMECOCKS!!]. I’ve always had an eye for design and never knew what I wanted to do with it. After taking an event planning course at the university, I found my niche. I’ve grown a passion for creating events, weddings being my favorite! I look forward to working alongside Mrs. Erin Whitsitt to further my experience and share the same love for the beautiful lowcountry. I’m excited for this journey and can’t wait to see where it takes me.

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Top Five All-time favorite TV Shows…

1.  The classic, “I Love Lucy”, is my top favorite TV show of all time. Lucy and Ricky always find a way to make any day better right before bed!
2. “Say Yes to the Dress” is my obsession on TLC. Seeing brides pick out their perfect wedding dress always gets me emotional and excited all at once! I also love getting to see all the new style of dresses that come out!
3. “Pretty Little Liars” is my favorite series to watch because it offers a taste of romance and mystery. It’s one of those shows that stay on my DVR so I can watch it over and over again!
4. “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills/ Atlanta/ Orange County” is my taste of weekly reality TV. I must say I love watching the drama unfold in these women’s lives.
5. “Big Bang Theory” is a favorite of mine and always gives me a great laugh!

 What are you excited to bring to the table this summer...

I am excited to bring to A Lowcountry Wedding my love for design and tasteful ideas to make any wedding unique and perfect! With an eye for detail, I will provide brides who are soon to “tie the knot” with all the helpful tips to make their day special and memorable! I’ve always wanted to have the opportunity to enhance my skills and knowledge in doing something I feel that I’ve been made to do. Creating blogs and shoots for this new magazine that features the best of lowcountry weddings is right up my alley! I’m so thankful for this opportunity and can’t wait to get started!

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What’s your favorite thing about weddings...

My favorite thing about weddings would have to be the venue and the overall design of the reception area. I believe that the colors and design elements at any wedding adds to the excitement and beauty of someone’s perfect day.

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It’s Friday and you just cashed your paycheck….what’s your first splurge?

Pedicures are my way of relaxing and rewarding myself after a long week of school and work. I think every girl deserves to be pampered, therefore why not splurge on a pedicure? I make sure to go to Starbucks after to get my favorite raspberry iced tea.

 If you were a major league baseball player, what would be your ‘at-bat’ song?

Darius Rucker’s version of Wagon Wheel is my favorite song to jam out to wherever I’m at, so I would have to choose that as my ‘at-bat’ song.

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Hometown

I’m originally from Tampa, FL but I was raised my whole life in a small suburb outside of Charlotte called Fort Mill, SC. Fort Mill offers a small town feel with a little bit of city life being so close to Charlotte.

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College/Major

Hospitality Management Major, Meeting and Events focus

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Favorite Item of Clothing

My favorite clothing item would have to be my brown wedges. They can be the perfect accent to dress up any outfit. Not to mention they’re easy to walk in which is always a plus!

 Favorite Summer beverage

My favorite summer beverage would definitely have to be a mojito, raspberry being my favorite! Mojitos in my opinion are the perfect summer drink because they are so flavorful and refreshing! I’m a sucker for any fruity cocktail.

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Current favorite color palette

EMERALD is by far my new favorite color palette! It can be paired perfectly with rich purples, bold blues, and stunning gold accents to create beautiful and exotic features. I assume my fascination with peacocks had a lot to do with this new favorite of mine.

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Favorite Quote

“Once we believe in ourselves, we can risk curiosity, wonder, spontaneous delight, or any experience that reveals the human spirit.”

E.E. Cummings

Intern {Kelsey}

There’s been a whole lotta awesome-ness taking place at A Lowcountry Wedding the past few weeks, and with the help of Miss Kelsey, things will just keep getting better!  Kelsey is joining the ALW crew this summer as our graphic design intern and we couldn’t be more excited to have her.  She’s been tasked with the huge responsibility of designing/creating our brand, new online publication and I’ve got a feeling you’ll be blown away by what she’s got in store for us.  So, give Kelsey a big ol’ Lowcountry welcome!

Tell us a little bit about yourself…and by a little, we mean a lot

Where do I begin? [Laughs…] Well, my name is Kelsey and I'm a glass half-full kind of girl. Ever since I could remember I've loved to draw. Once I learned that I could express myself that way, I’ve never stopped. I love romantic comedies, and I live on 90's music. I was born on February 7, 1991 in Riverside, California to military parents Chris and Ena, with one older sister, Erin. During many years, my family and I were given the opportunity to live in the states of Hawaii and California. In 2006, my parents retired and settled down in the beautiful state of Columbia, South Carolina. In high school, I was undecided about what I wanted to do until one day, during my senior of high school, I stumbled upon an ad in the Seventeen Magazine. It read: If you're interested in a creative career, The Art Institute of Charleston is just ahead. Soon after, I applied for the Graphic Design program and was accepted in 2009. That's where I was further introduced to the design industry where I learned the importance of networking and creative problem solving. In 2012, I presented my portfolio as a graduate. I am now living the next chapter of my life and believe the BEST has yet to come!

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Top Five All-time favorite TV Shows…

1) Frasier

2) Cake Boss

3) Mysteries at the Museum

4 )Four Weddings

5 )Man Vs. Food

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What are you excited to bring to the table this summer?

Vision. I hope to contribute with what makes A Lowcountry Wedding truly lowcountry. I am very thrilled to be a part of the team and to work beside the lovely Mrs. Erin Whitsitt.

What’s your favorite thing about weddings

The intimate moment when the bride and groom say "I do." The venue and decor and how wonderfully different and personal they are!

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It’s Friday and you just cashed your paycheck….what’s your first splurge?

Nothing starts off a great day at the mall than some good ol' iced coffee! It's the little things in life…

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If you were a major league baseball player, what would be your ‘at-bat’ song?

"We Are The Champions" by Queen

Hometown

Ewa Beach, Hawaii

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College/Major

BA in Fine Arts of Graphic Design

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Favorite Item of Clothing

My favorite article of clothing is typically a blouse shirt. They’re versatile, and ladylike. You can dress them up or down.

Favorite Summer beverage

Without a doubt in my mind, it has to be raspberry ice tea.

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Current favorite color palette

Anything that has cool blues and tans; I love the natural colors of the beach.

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Favorite Quote

"It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are." -E. E. Cummings

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Welcome aboard, Kelsey!  We're so thrilled to have you!

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