Charleston Rehearsal Dinner by Clay Austin Photography

While we all love a good Lowcountry wedding, it's always fun to share  a bridal shower, bachelorette party, or in today's case - a lovely Charleston Rehearsal Dinner!  It can be easy to get consumed by the wedding planning duties but let's not forget that in most cases your wedding day is really a wedding weekend :)  This beauty took place at a private residence in the Lowcountry and was captured by Clay Austin Photography.  The crew at Out of Garden designed a chic evening of greys and neutrals while Ooh! Events handled the rentals - don't you just love those natural X-back chairs!?  Hamby Catering served up a delicious menu of Southern cuisine while Squeeze On-site kept the drinks a-flowin'.  Guests kicked off the weekend on the dance floor to the sounds of Quiana Parler & Friends!

Charleston Wedding Vendors

Photographer: Clay Austin Photography  //  Venue: Private Residence  //  Rentals: Ooh! Events  //  Tent: Snyder Event Rentals  //  Floral: Out of the Garden  //  Plants: Abide a While  //  Bar: Squeeze On Site  //  Catering: Hamby Catering  //  Band: Quiana Parler and Friends  //  Chargers, Plates, Flatware, Glassware and Wood Bowls: Polished!

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

• Coastal Folly Beach Wedding from Charleston wedding vendor Dana Cubbage Weddings
• Laid back, DIY Lowcountry Wedding from Jeanne Mitchum Photography with burlap and anemones
• Romantic Purple wedding at The Island House from Amelia + Dan Photography, Pure Luxe Bride, Branch Design Studio, Ash and Co., B. Gourmet Catering and Jenny Packham http://goo.gl/avZL0P
• Sequins and Peony Wedding Inspiration from Savannah Wedding Vendors, Ivory + Beau and Rach Lea Photography
• Isle of Palms shoot from JOPHOTO, LB Floral, Honeybee Events and PhotoVision  http://goo.gl/U7My7a
• A Lowcountry Wedding Magazine filled with 13 real weddings from Charleston, Hilton Head and Myrtle Beach

Interested in more information on A Lowcountry Wedding Magazine?  To become a preferred vendor and to learn about print and online advertising options, contact hello{at}alowcountrywed.com to request a media kit.

Lowcountry Weddings {Jamie + Holly} Amy Marie Kay Photogrpahy

Good morning, my lovelies!  As we begin the daunting task of planning for A Lowcountry Wedding Mag - Volume 2, we wanted to remind you that you can find your guide to all things Lowcountry weddings right here.   In Volume 1, you'll be inspired by 13, that's right 13, our the most jaw-dropping Hilton Head, Myrtle Beach and Charleston weddings from some of our favorite Southern vendors.  So, join in on all the fun and head on over to check out all the Fall/Winter edition has to offer.   While we get cracking on round 2, it's time we share this dreamy coastal wedding from Amy-Marie Kay Photography.  The couple tied the knot along the marsh at the Groom's grandparents house in Awendaw, South Carolina.  Before celebrating with Southern cuisine from Hamby Catering, a gorgeous cake from Connie's Bakery and music from Other Brothers Entertainment!

 

Charleston Wedding Vendors

Photographer:  Amy-Marie Kay Photography  //  Transportation: Mount Pleasant Shuttle  //  Other Brothers Entertainment: Uncle Funkle  //  Hair Stylist: Ash and co. Bridal Hair and Make up  //  Equipment Rentals: BRAVO! Events  //  Tuxedo and Men's Attire: Brittons  //  Cake Designer: Connie's Bakery and Specialty Shop  //  Dress Store: Evelyn's Bridal  //  Dress Store: Gown Boutique of Charleston  //  Caterer: Hamby Catering & Events  //  Tuxedo and Men's Attire: Jos. A Bank  //  Other: Mickey Finn's  //  Cinema and Video: Mood Videography

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.

Charleston Wedding Vendors

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

Marion's Wedding {Amanda + Nick} Priscilla Thomas Photography

Amanda + Nick's story began when the couple met at the Air Force Academy, so naturally, a ceremony at the Chapel on Base was the obvious decision when planning their dream Charleston wedding!  With the help of CiBi Events, they went with a fusion of Victorian style and country rustic for their big Lowcountry day. Tables draped in rose linen were adorned with eclectic centerpieces featuring combinations of porcelain teapots, silver platters, wood rounds, and fresh floral arrangements from Lotus Flower.  Hamby Catering treated guests to appetizers like crab cake bites, mini corn bread muffins topped with shredded sweet & sour pork, and fried green tomato bites before a buffet styled dinner. The celebration's signature drink, a John Daly, was a mixture of Firefly Sweet Tea Vodka and lemonade. The couple opted for non-traditional dessert options, while they shared a miniature cake decorated in a pale pink, soft blue, and gold then crowned with fresh flowers. A s'mores station served as a tasty palette cleanser for friends and family with an assortment of chocolates, graham crackers and marshmallows. Rustic accents appeared in wood rounds, the dark wood and coffee bean setup of the s'mores station, and the cowboy boots the bridemaids and bride wore.  Thanks to Priscilla Thomas Photography for capturing all the details!

Charleston Wedding Vendors

Photographer:  Priscilla Thomas Photography  /  Caterer:  Hamby Catering & Events  /  Event Planner:  CiBi Events  /  Floral Designer:  Lotus Flower  /  Musicians:  Charleston Virtuosi  /  Cake Designer:  Hideaway Bakery  /  DJ:  Eklipse Productions  /  Transportation:  Marquee limo co  /  Event Venue:  Marions in the French Quarter

Boone Hall Wedding {Bethany + Ryan}

Now, you know I'm a big fan of Boone Hall Plantation...and who wouldn't be?  The grounds are scattered with regal Oak trees, that are draped with Spanish moss, and at the heart of it all, you'll find a stunning, Lowcountry Plantation.  I know,  I know...sounds like Charleston wedding heaven, right?  Well, go ahead and thank Reese Moore Photography for sending this one over because you are about to fall in L-O-V-E.  Bethany + Ryan tied the knot in a vintage wedding filled with sweet DIY elements at the famed Cotton Dock at Boone Hall Plantation.  Sherry Ferguson created the beautiful flowers that went perfectly with Bethany's dreamy pink, white and ice blue color palette while Hamby Catering took care of the delicious Lowcountry cuisine!

Vendors

Photographer: Reese Moore Photography  /  Venue: Boone Hall Plantation - Cotton Dock  /  Minister: Don Bowen (Grandfather of the Bride)  /  Coordinator: Sherry Ferguson  /  Catering: Hamby Catering  /  DJ: DJ Ron