Citadel Wedding at the Summerall Chapel by Catherine Ann Photography

If you're in the market for a natural light photographer, then you're about to fall head-over-heels in love with recent Charleston-transplant, Catherine Ann Photography, and I'm about to prove it to you with this gorgeous Citadel wedding!  For any of you ladies with ties to the Citadel, I'm certain you'll be obsessing over the shots from inside the barracks and at the Summerall Chapel...cause I sure am!

From Catherine Ann Photography: "The Summerall Chapel at The Citadel has really sentimental value for Kyle and Macie. Kyle has spent the past 4 years at the Citadel and they have fallen in love with the campus and atmosphere! Before getting dressed for the day, Macie & Kyle met up for half an hour with their pastor to pray with each other and take communion. They had a short reception and spent a lot of time mingling with their guests and spending time with friends and family who traveled from other states to be with them. Macie's favorite flower is the sunflower which was incorporated in the decor as well as the bouquets for the girls. They had a really fun and colorful candy bar set up for guests to take home as favors. Once the reception was over, Macie & Kyle romped around The Citadel and downtown Charleston for 2 hours to take photos!"

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 Charleston Wedding Vendors

Photographer:  Catherine Ann Photography  //  Floral Designer: Charleston Flower Market  //  Cake Designer: Fresh Cupcakes  //  Event Venue: Summerall Chapel at the Citadel .

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Dying for more Lowcountry Wedding Inspiration!?  Check out these beauties…

• Coastal Rice Mill Wedding from Shannon Noel Photography in shades of cranberry and peach
• Laid back, DIY Lowcountry Wedding from Jeanne Mitchum Photography with burlap and anemones
• Sequins and Peony Wedding Inspiration from the ladies at Ivory + Beau and Rach Lea Photography
• A Lowcountry Wedding Magazine filled with 13 real weddings from Charleston, Hilton Head and Myrtle Beach

Coastal Wedding at the Island House from Riverland Studios

If I could be a guest at any wedding, it would definitely be this one!  These two had fun-filled Coastal wedding to celebrate their new life together and I have a feeling the newlyweds and their lively guest list won't forget it anytime soon!  Lindsay & Tim fell in love at Clemson University. They were neighbors their freshmen year, and after a fall break trip to Charleston, they started dating. After graduating, they moved to Charleston for three years, which is why they chose to get married in this city. Even though they now live in Chicago, Charleston will always hold a special place in their hearts.  These college sweethearts got married at St. Mary’s of the Annunciation, a stunning Roman Catholic Church in Downtown Charleston.  Their reception took place at the Island House on John’s Island, one of our favorite Charleston wedding venues! This location is so scenic; there are fields of flowers and an awesome view of the Ashley River. Lindsay chose soft details, including all white linens, light pink and cream flowers, and lots of candles. Guests dined on a selection of seafood and shrimp and grits from Duvall Events and a delicious signature cocktail. They tore up the dance floor to the sounds of PlaneJane and ended the night with a group shot of all of the Clemson Alumni.

Tell us a little bit about how you met your husband…

 We met when we were both freshman at Clemson University in SC. We were both placed in over-flow housing and we were neighbors! I asked him to my sorority’s crush party and it’s been love ever since!

How did he propose?  How long were you engaged for?

Tim proposed in March of 2012 during his last year in law school. He planned it out with my boss so they would give me the day off. He proposed on Sullivan’s Island (I literally had no idea!) and than he flew us to NJ the next morning so we could celebrate with my family! We were engaged for about 18 months.

Out of the entire day, what was the most memorable moment?

The most memorable moment was seeing Tim for the first time. We saw each other before the ceremony. I walked out on a dock overlooking the beach to meet Tim. It was a moment that all at once I felt anxious, happy and excited.

Color Palette:

The bridesmaids dresses were “aluminum”. The guys wore grey.

The flowers were all blush tone colors.

Linens were all white.

What made you choose your venue? What elements drew you to it?

We were looking for a venue that would amaze our guests. This was a destination wedding and we wanted our guests to be wowed by the beauty of Charleston. The Island House definitely captures that!

Something old: My something old, borrowed and blue was one thing: my mom’s mom wedding ring. It is a beautiful ring that has sapphire stones on it. This was a piece of jewelry that I always knew I wanted to wear on my wedding day.

Describe your Specialty Drinks?

We lived in Charleston for three years while Tim attended law school at Charleston School of Law. Our favorite restaurant, Fish had a specialty cocktail that was Tim’s favorite! That was our inspiration for our signature cocktail. It was Vodka, soda water and elderflower syrup with cucumber.. it seemed to be a crowd pleaser!

 Tell us all about the details!  Did any have special meaning? What was your favorite?

We wanted our wedding to be like no other! We were really looking for that Charleston feel… Right on the water, under a tent, serving shrimp and grits!

What’s your favorite picture from your wedding and why?

Hmm.. I would have to say the one of Tim and I kissing in the wildflowers at the Island house. That was the point in the day when we felt like we could finally relax.

Most valuable piece of advice you’d give to a newly engaged bride:

I would say .. If you have a vision to go for it! I look back at the photos of our wedding day and it was exactly was I had envisioned. But throughout the whole process I kept in mind the end result: that I was marrying my best friend and no matter what, it would be perfect.

Charleston Wedding Vendors

Ceremony Venue: Church: St. Mary of the Annunciation  /  Reception Venue: The Island House  /  Photographer: Riverland Studios  /  Band: Plane Jane  /  Dress: Gigi’s Closette  /  Bridesmaids Dresses: LulaKate via Bella Bridesmaids  /  Cake: Duvall  /  Bar & Catering: Duvall Events  /  Florist: Charleston Flower Market  /  Hair & Make-up: Blushair  /  Invitations: Wedding Paper Diva  /  Officiant: Deacon James Moore.

Charleston {Kellie + Nicholas} Lighthouse on Shem Creek Wedding

Good morning!  While some of you might be enjoying your weekend recovering from a crazy week at work, we're here in the ALW office prepping for a BIG week (and year!).  Early next week, we'll be debuting your premier issues of A Lowcountry Wedding Mag on Apple Newsstand, introducing some new Southern wedding vendors to the family and sharing our top picks from 2013!.  In the meantime, we've got to keep the Lowcountry wedding loveliness coming with this beautiful Lighthouse on Shem Creek wedding from the talented Reese Moore Photography with help from MOSAIC Catering and Charleston Flower Market.  We're loving this timeless color palette, the gorgeous bridesmaids dresses and the amazing view of Shem Creek!

Charleston Wedding Vendors

Photographer:  Reese Moore Weddings  //  Floral Designer: Charleston Flower Market  //  DJ:Complete Music  //  Dress Store: David's Bridal  //  Transportation: Lowcountry Valet & Shuttle Co.  //  Caterer: MOSAIC Catering  //  Hair Stylist:Ziba Salon  //  Reception Venue:Lighthouse on the Creek

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.

 Charleston Wedding Vendors

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

Harbour Club Wedding {Jenny + Jim}

For the sake of everything taking place in the Lowcountry this weekend, I’m crossing my fingers that the weatherman’s right and we’ll be knee deep in some sunny, Spring weather!  To cap off this first week in April, we’re bringing you a Downtown Charleston wedding at the one-and-only Harbour Club photographed by Kayla Jones Photography.  Jonny Cosmetics made sure the bride and her maids were all dolled, while Charleston Flower Market created heavenly bouquets of sunflowers and calla lilies.

Charleston Wedding Vendors

Photographer:  Kayla Jones Photography  /  Floral Designer:  Charleston Flower Market  /  Makeup Artist:  Jonny Cosmetics  /  Event Venue:  Harbour Club

Dunes West Golf Club Wedding {Lauren + Andrew}

Next up, we've got Lauren + Andrew's Charleston wedding at Dunes West Golf Club!  The couple wanted their wedding day to reflect their beach-y surroundings with a touch of Southern flair, so they went with a tan and teal color palette.  Charleston Flower Market created beautiful sunflower bouquets and arrangements and Richard Bell Photography was on hand to capture the entire day!

Charleston Wedding Vendors

Photographer:  Richard Bell Photography  /  Hair Stylist:  Paper Dolls Wedding Hair & Makeup  /  Floral Designer:  Charleston Flower Market  /  Event Venue:  Dunes West Golf Club