Founders Hall Wedding {Rebecca + Jarrett} Monika Gauthier

I love a winter wedding, especially when some of Charleston's most sought after vendors are involved!  Francesca from Pure Luxe Bride took the lead for Rebecca + Jarrett's Founders Hall wedding while Monika Gauthier was on hand to capture all the details.  We love their romantic red, black and white color palette and our favorite addition, the bagpipes!

From Pure Luxe Bride: "This brides dream was to have a winter wedding, and that is exactly what she got. Rebecca + Jarrett had their wedding at Founder's Hall on a cool December day. Their colors were red and black with a custom black and white print incorporated into the decor. This winter classic was a great way to end the year!

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Let's start with the dress...Rebecca looked absolutely beautiful in her ball gown dress. We couldn't picture her in anything more perfect. She entered into the ceremony to the sounds of Jimmy Ryan, the bagpiper, that certainly made an entrance.

After this sweet couple said "I Do" cocktail hour took place on the patio and inside the great hall. Dinner  was a true southern meal provided by Home Team BBQ complete with pork, chicken, and delicious mac and cheese. Guests enjoyed spending time outside standing around the roaring fire pit. After dinner, the couple cut their cake which was a three tiered white cake with cranberry garnish.

As true South Carolina fans that they are, they had their mascot "Cocky" make an appearance at the reception. The guests had a blast dancing and taking pictures with Cocky and the bride + groom were in gamecock heaven.  It was certainly a great ending to a wonderful evening that Pure Luxe Bride was so happy to be apart of."

Charleston Wedding Vendors

Planner: Pure Luxe Bride  /  Venue | Founder’s Hall  /  Rental Company | Event Works  /  Caterer | Home Team BBQ  /  Flowers | Friend of the Bride - DIY /  Bar Service | Mix  /  Cake | Publix  /  DJ | Finger Snappin’ Ent.  /  Ceremony Musicians | Bag Piper: Jimmy Ryan  /  Photographer | Monika Gauthier  /  Hair & Make-up | Hair Dimensions and Paper Dolls  /  Officiant | Wayne Horne  /  Cake: Publix

Charleston Wedding Planners {Pure Luxe Bride}

I asked my gal pals (and Charleston wedding planners), Francesca and Blake of Pure Luxe Bride to help us out a bit.  With the recent wave of newly engaged ladies in search of how to kick off their Lowcountry wedding planning journey, we thought it was necessary to have them share a few tricks of the trade.  They whipped up the their top 5 things every Groom and Bride-to-be need to accomplish to enjoy their engagement and the entire wedding planning process.  Ladies, take it away….

We are so thrilled to be writing this guest blog post for A Lowcountry Wedding, and what better topic to discuss than how to get that wedding planning ball rolling?! After some serious Pure Luxe brainstorming, we came up with the five most important steps to help you get started.

1. Do your research

The very first step in planning your wedding must include research. It is very important that you weigh all your options when it comes to venues and vendors, price ranges, and of course, planners. To get married in coastal South Carolina or the church your parents were married in? An indoor or outdoor ceremony? How much does a wedding cake typically cost? These are all very important questions that your research can help you answer.

2. Discuss your budget and stick to it

After you've begun your research, you'll become more familiar with the pricing of all things weddings. You'll learn that getting married on a week day or in the off-season could cost exponentially less than a Saturday wedding in March. You'll decide whether you and your spouse-to-be prefer a band or a DJ to help you dance the night away. Discussing a budget and sticking to it is the most important aspect of wedding planning - hands down. Get your finances in order and figure out the best allocation of your resources for your special day. Unfortunately, you can't spend money that you don't have BUT you can do a lot with the money you do have. Figure out what number works for you and do your best to stay within it. Everything else will fall into place with the help of your planner and vendors.

3. Be realistic

Creating a budget is a difficult task in itself, but creating a realistic budget can be even more difficult. Your dream wedding is within reach; it just requires a creative spin and a few adjustments here and there. The worst thing to happen in your planning process is when reality becomes a distant memory, and the ideas of draping the entire tent emerge. If details like this aren't in your budget, don't even go there! A bride who's dreams become bigger than her budget makes for a disappointed bride and the last thing we want is for our brides to be disappointed!

4. Think about your guest list

One way to combine your research and budget in a realistic and all-encompassing fashion is through a tentative guest list. Discussing who the essentials, probably's, maybe's and definitely not's are ahead of time can really help you manage your budget. A huge amount of your decisions and costs will be based upon how many people will be invited/attending your wedding. Small pricing details also come into play once you're familiar with your guest count such as save the dates/invitation pricing, escort/place cards, favors and more.

5. Work as a team

As exciting as planning your wedding can and will be, it is very easy to get caught up in the craziness of all and forget the real purpose behind it all. Remember that you and your future-hubby are a team and your decisions should be joint. Include him not only in the big decisions such as guest count and catering choices, but also in the smaller details like the color scheme and florals. Chances are, he'll leave these decisions to you but he'll love that you included him and wanted his opinion. Most importantly, make sure to just simply spend some time together, sans wedding details. Have a movie night, take a cooking class, or just sit on the couch and catch up - whatever you do, make time for one another.

 You can contact Pure Luxe Bride via:

Email: francesca@pureluxebride.com

Phone: 843.412.2495

www.pureluxebride.com

Lowndes Grove Plantation {Jackie + Matt}

Okay, so I know it's late on Friday, but I couldn't not send you off into the weekend with a little Lowcountry wedding loveliness, especially when it was created by that dream team over at Pure Luxe Bride!  Jackie + Matt tied the knot this August in a traditional ceremony before heading over to the gorgeous Lowndes Grove Plantation for a real Charleston wedding celebration!  The crew at Fish cooked up a delicious seated dinner where guests had the option of chicken, ravioli or swordfish.  After, they enjoyed an evening under the Lowcountry stars where they indulged in a cigar station and the tunes of Permanent Vacation.  Thanks to Red Shutter Studio for capturing the entire day!  Oh, and how could I forget!  Happy Anniversary to my new neighbors and friends, Francesca and Justin, on their 5 year wedding anniversary!  I hope you two have a wonderful weekend!

Charleston Wedding Vendors

Planning & Design: Pure Luxe Bride  /  Catering: Patrick Properties,  /  Venue: Grace Episcopal Church (ceremony); Lowndes Grove Plantation (reception)  /  Rentals: Event Works Rentals & Snyder   /  Specialty Bar: Event DRS   /  Ceremony Music: Palmetto Strings  /  Band: Permanent Vacation  /  Flowers: Lotus Flowers  /  Photography: Red Shutter Photography  /  Videography: Film Anywhere Productions  /  Make Up Services: Paper Dolls Hair and Make Up

Alhambra Hall Wedding {Christina + Ervin}

Our friend, and new ALW Vendor, Sea Star Arts has had a pretty exciting July!  Just last week, the newly-branded Sea Star Arts (thanks to Gracious Brands!) launched a beautiful website that is sure to knock the socks off any Lowcountry bride on the hunt for a photographer. So, head on over and take a look!  If you're a lover of Charleston weddings then this gal is for you.  As if a gorgeous new website wasn't enough, I'm quite certain any bride that takes a gander will be instantly hooked when they catch a glimpse of Jeni's work.  Just take a peek when she recently teamed up with Pure Luxe Bride for Christina + Ervin's  Alhambra Hall wedding.  It's a beauty, huh?

 Charleston Wedding Vendors

 Photographer: Sea Star Arts  /  Planner: Pure Luxe Bride  /  Entertainment: Ascend Entertainment   /  Flowers:  WildFlowers Inc.  /  Caterer: B. Gourmet Catering  /  Cupcake: Cupcake

Charleston Wedding Planner {Pure Luxe Bride}

If you are tying the knot in the Lowcountry and haven’t had the pleasure of meeting Charleston wedding planner Francesca of Pure Luxe Bride, then I’m about to do you a big favor.  Francesca’s well-rounded background in the hospitality industry ranges from marketing and catering, to full-on event design, so to say she’s the missing piece in your Southern wedding bash is an understatement.  Not only is she a joy to be around, but I’ve always been super impressed with her drive, creativity and ability to execute all her bride’s dreams!  So, y’all say hi to Francesca and check out the Pure Luxe Bride gallery on ALW...

Hometown:

Williamsport, PA 

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College/Major:

St. Joseph's University in Philadelphia, PA Marketing

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

• I' m obsessed with my dogs, Paris and Ginger.
• I' m high energy all the time, spinning class is my relief at the end of a busy day! 
• I also love going to the beach when I have time. 
• I drink coffee on occasion but I usually steer away from caffeine. 
• I' m a food brat, partly from my upbringing since my Dad was a chef. I enjoy cooking myself, especially Italian. 
• I'm fortunate enough to have become friends with most of my clients. 
• I change my hair like a chameleon! I just went blonde :)
• I love to travel! Justin and I travel at least once a year to somewhere warm and tropical. 
• I would take a block of cheese any day over desert. 
• Best concert I have ever been to was Journey! However, my pandora is always set to Maroon 5 in my office! It is sacrilegious not to listen to Maroon 5 at least once a day. 

One crazy fun fact we wouldn't know about you...

You can find love anywhere, Justin and I met at a Dunkin Donuts! 

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Give us a little background on how your business came to life...

I was born and raised in the hospitality industry so it has always been in my blood, although my degree and background is in marketing. I was born and raised in hospitality but never thought I would work in the industry myself. I started the business for fun, and it evolved when I moved to Charleston. What a perfect spot for this industry! 

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What is the one tip you wish you could tell every bride?

Do the First Look! It's worth it in so many ways!

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Current favorite color palette?

Coral, Turquoise and Gold

How can a bride come prepared to her first appointment with you?

Budget is key. Once we have a budget we can talk style and vision, but budget will help us match you with the vendors that fit best!

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In three words, sum up your style...

glam. girly. romantic

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

Mani & Pedi or Massage

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Favorite wedding detail you've ever designed?

There isn't one specific detail, but I do love patterns. I like to pull a pattern from somewhere and incorporate it into several different elements. I like to keep things consistent, but not too matchy.  

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What blogs provide you daily inspiration to keep your creative juices flowing (non-wedding related)

We pull sources of inspiration from everywhere, whether it is walking through Lowe's, Target, or downtown Charleston. I often think of creative ideas when I' m not in front of my computer. 

What the most rewarding thing about your line of work?

Seeing a brides face light up when she walks into her reception for the first time

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Top Five All-time favorite TV Shows…

1. Revenge
2. Scandal
3. Lie to Me
4. Iron Chef
5. Any of the Real Housewives...

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

Anything Maroon 5

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Favorite Summer beverage...

East Side (it's a Mojito with Gin instead of Rum. Super yum!)

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Favorite Quote...

"If your dreams don't scare you, they aren't big enough"

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Must have Lowcountry wedding detail….

Monogram- it must be somewhere at least once at every wedding :)

 You can contact Pure Luxe Bride via:

Email: francesca@pureluxebride.com

Phone: 843.412.2495

www.pureluxebride.com