Navy Pavilion at Patriots Point Wedding by Sweetgrass Social

If you're a Southern gal who's in the mood for a preppy affair, then sit down and take a peek at this Pavilion at Patriots Point wedding from the sweet ladies at Sweetgrass Social.  It's everything you could want in a Lowcountry wedding and so much more.  We love the navy color palette, the boys in their dinner jackets (so very T-Rav of them!), the Citadel ceremony, the charming Navy table runners and last but definitely not least, Shannon's stunning gown.  Thanks to Jamie Clayton Photography for capturing all of the wonderful details.

What is your engagement story: 

"Dan and I are high school sweethearts.  We had been dating (with the usual college ups + downs) for 10 years, 1 month, and 1 day on the day of our wedding.  So the wedding, especially the reception, was as much about thanking our family and friends for being by our sides during all those years together as it was celebrating our marriage.  We wanted to make sure they felt special and knew how much we appreciated each of them - which was what inspired the photo escort cards and the thank you place cards."

Why did you choose Charleston for your wedding?

 "Dan went to the Citadel and we have so many wonderful memories in the city from our college days. So we knew Charleston was the perfect place to "trap" all of our family and friends for a long weekend (a welcome party Friday, beach day Saturday, rehearsal dinner Saturday night) so that by the time Sunday night rolled round everyone felt like family."

What were your favorite wedding details from the weekend?

While beautiful, my mother's dress was quite different from the look I envisioned for myself; it was form fitting and all lace. Therefore, I ended up seeking out my perfect dress.  But, I knew I had to honor my mom in some way so we included the beautiful lace from her dress by wrapping it around my bouquet and my grandmother sewed a small purse for me to carry made out of my mom's dress.  My great grandmother's brooch was also pinned to my bouquet as my something borrowed.

"Selecting our readings and readers was very important to us.  My grandmothers read a poem called 'On Your Wedding Day'.  They are two of my favorite people in the entire world, and it was very important to me to include them.  The poem, which was about marriage and the new beginnings, was so fitting for the occasion, and I thought there was no one better to share that than two women who I looked up to and had great loves in their life.  We also had Dan's brother's fiance (and the mom of our adorable flower girl) read 1st Corinthians. We knew it was a popular reading, but it's message was very important to us."

What were the most memorable parts of the day?

" I would have to say the first look. On the day of the wedding we were both nervous and very excited, especially Dan.  I can't even describe the moment of seeing him for the first time, but for both of us it was like a wave of calmness and serenity ( silly as that may sound.)  I later learned Dan was very anxious and stressed which he says all went away after the first look and being able to tell me all about his morning.  I am so glad that we had the first look so he could be calm and present during the ceremony.  A close second, was our last song - Piano Man.  It has become a tradition at our New Years Eve parties to play Piano Man just after midnight.  So we decided to select it as the last song of the reception, and swaying in a quite large circle with our best friends and family singing our hearts out was such a happy, perfect ending to what really was our perfect wedding.

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Charleston Wedding Vendors

Event Planning: Sweetgrass Social  //  Venue: Links at Patriot's Point  //  Church: Summerall Chapel  //  Cake: Claire's Confections  //  Rentals: EventWorks  //  Flower: Wildflower  //  Photography: Jamie Clayton  //  DJ: http://djscharleston.com/profiles/lucas-wade/  //  Transportation: Absolutely Charleston  //  Invitations: Scott Cline Designs

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.

Orange Wedding at the Pavilion at Patriots Point by Stephanie Yonce Photography

While many women dream of their wedding day when they were little girls, this was certainly not the case for Emily, as she simply didn’t think anything of planning her wedding day. That was until she met Jack.  Their Charleston beach wedding reflected both their fun-loving personalities and causal demeanors.  With the help of The Cordial Cricket, Emily and Jack planned every detail of their orange wedding down to the mad-lib response cards. From the bridesmaids’ dresses and Jack Rogers to the starfish inspired raffia chair swag and nautical centerpieces, the wedding day details perfectly complemented the hues of turquoise and orange found throughout the ceremony and reception spaces.

Guests were given a bit of Charleston flair in remembrance of Emily and Jack’s big day. In true Southern fashion, Emily and her mother assembled a small satchel of grits along with a favored shrimp and grits recipe. Sealed with custom labels and love, this DIY wedding favor was a big hit among all the attendees.

When asked about favorite wedding day memories, Emily was particularly fond of their first look. As she shares, “This moment was so special. It was just the two of us, the ‘calm before the storm’, where we had 30 minutes to ourselves to take everything in. It significantly calmed my nerves down, and helped me to really appreciate and remember every moment for the rest of the evening. Not to mention, some of my favorite pictures were taken during this time.”

One of the biggest bits of advice Emily offers for future brides is to accept that some circumstances will be absolutely out of your control. For she and Jack, their sand pouring ceremony didn’t quite turned out as planned with the sand funnel didn’t arrive. She says that laughing it off and moving on is the best way to make an imperfect situation perfect.

 Charleston Wedding Vendors

Photographer:  Stephanie Yonce Photography   //  Makeup Artist: Charmaine Edwards  //  DJ: Choice Entertainment   //  Cake Designer: DeClare Cakes  //  Shoes:Flowers By Frankie  //  Hair Stylist: Inside Out Salon  //  Bridesmaid Dresses: J. Crew  //  Shoes: Jack Rogers  //  Band: Other Brother Entertainment  //  Invitation Designer: Paper Freckles  //  Caterer:Relish Catering  //  Equipment Rentals: Snyder Rentals  //  Event Planner: The Cordial Cricket  //  Event Venue: The Pavilion at Patriots Point  //  Dress Designer: Wtoo Brides by Watters  //  Other: OFD Consulting LLC

Submitted via Two Bright Lights

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.