Southern Weddings

There aren’t enough good things to say about this South Carolina wedding held at The River Course at the Kiawah Island Club, but can you tell what we really love about Ashley + Craig’s nuptials?  We’re a little bit obsessed with the bright, full blooms from Dalia Design, and I’m an especial fan of the bride’s decision to offset her bridesmaids’ dark pink bouquets with fresh, white blooms of her own.  Fun + sophisticated, all at the same time!  Props to day-of coordinator Emmy Loyd Brooks of Peacock Events for pulling the beautiful details together! Though a loyal subscriber to the wow-power of the LBD, I’m liking the call for rich, navy bridesmaid dresses (like the Twobirds Bridesmaid frocks Ashley chose for her attendants) more and more every time I see it.  The alternating navy and white table coverings were the perfect way to accent the bridesmaids’ dresses and the bride’s Jean’s of Mount Pleasant gown and, of course, it’s the bright peonies that really complete the elegant Cakes by Kasarda four-tiered confection.  Special thanks to Heather Forsythe Photography for sharing her awesome work with us!

How did the two of you meet? Tell us your story. We met at a wedding in Manhattan on June 19, 2004.  I was living in Chicago at the time and Craig was living in Charleston.  We dated long distance for a little over a year, seeing each other only about once a month, before I made the move to Charleston in December of 2005.  
Describe the proposal. Craig proposed one November afternoon while we were taking our dogs for a walk on Folly Beach.  I knew he had the ring hidden somewhere in the house for a while, but was thankfully surprised when he finally popped the question. It was perfect.
Three adjectives that describe the day are:  Fun, overwhelming and magical.
What was the design inspiration for your wedding?  Simple, but elegant.
What was your favorite design element of your big day?  The carpet of bright pink flower petals lining the aisle.
Our favorite detail of the wedding was:  Our outdoor ceremony.  It was a perfect Spring day on Kiawah Island.
Tell us about finding your wedding dress: My first dress was one that my mother had purchased for me in Scottsdale, AZ.  I had this dress for about six months before we were engaged and I just figured it was the dress I would wear on my wedding day.  I had it altered and had even purchased shoes and accessories, but, about four months before the wedding, I freaked!  I tried on the dress, shoes, veil, and jewelry to see what I might look like on my big day.  When I looked in the mirror, I started crying.  I immediately realized this was NOT the dress for me.  I got online to find a bridal shop that does not require an appointment and raced over to Jeans of Mt. Pleasant.  I tried on just a few dresses before finding the ONE!  Yes, it was off the rack, but perfect and brand new to the store so it was in pristine condition with few alterations required.  
Describe your wedding flowers: I carried a bouquet of ivory peonies and roses mixed with other ivory flowers.  My bridesmaids held bright pink bouquets of peonies and roses.
Describe your wedding cake: Fantastic!  The wedding cake had four tiers of alternating almond and vanilla cake with butter cream icing.  It was a simple white cake adorned with pink flowers.  We served with raspberries.  Yum!     
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? Not spending a fortune on my dream wedding!
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? Walking down the aisle with my father while admiring all of my amazing friends and family, and then focusing on my future husband.  He looked scared to death!  
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you looking forward to in the future? We are thrilled to be married and enjoying life with our dogs on Johns Island, SC.  We look forward to having children one day!

Congratulations, Ashley + Craig!  Enjoy this special time together as husband and wife!

One look at Lindsey + Drew’s lovely South Carolina wedding and I know exactly why our pretty Emily loves this wedding: Leo Patrone.  Indeed, Leo is a first-rate photographer and he definitely didn’t disappoint with this wedding.  (That said, it probably didn’t hurt that this couple had some equally first-rate details to shoot!)  If I’m in love with the flower girls’ (and groom’s daughters!) almost-peach frocks and the bride’s vintage-inspired J.Crew gown with sweet flower embellishments, I can only imagine how excited Emily must have been when this gem popped up in her inbox.  Emily would kill me if I didn’t remind you to check out the rest of Leo Patrone’s work, so be sure you visit. 

P.S. Leo tells us Lindsey found his work through the SW site — that makes us so happy!

P.P.S. Four more days ’till Christmas!  *Insert embarassing squeal of excitement here*

How did the two of you meet? Tell us your story. Drew and I met shortly after I had moved to Nashville for a job. We knew of each other but had never met until the night we both attended a book signing for a mutual friend of ours. I arrived late, and the only seat not taken was one at Drew’s table. I nervously approached him and asked if I could sit there. He said I could, and the rest is history. We started talking that night, went out on our first date a week later, and we’ve been inseparable ever since.  Drew has two precious daughters from a previous marriage, and I have grown to love them like my own. So, our story is unique in that our wedding day was more than just the two of us getting married: it was the four of us becoming a family. It’s difficult to explain the special tenderness that comes with that. 
Three adjectives that describe the day are: Intimate, humble and momentous.
What was the design inspiration for your wedding?  The venue was unbelievable. We were married at a home in South Carolina that has been in Drew’s family for generations. The place is so special and has a historic, rustic and magical kind of beauty.  You really can’t dress it up too much. You just have to let it be what it is. 
Our favorite detail of the wedding was: I loved, loved, loved my dress!
Tell us about finding your wedding dress: By the time we settled on a wedding date and venue, we were only two months away from the big day. That meant buying a dress from a bridal shop in town was out of the question; there just wasn’t enough time for shopping and shipping and fittings and alterations. I knew I had to find something — and quickly — since every detail of the wedding would be designed around the dress and I needed to start planning right away. I spent a couple of weeks poring over used dresses on OnceWed but, in the end, just couldn’t bring myself to spend so much money on a dress I wouldn’t be able to return.  So, I turned to J. Crew and finally broke down and ordered the dress I had been eyeing all along.  The dress was whimsical and unique, and I loved the flower detail on the waist, but just didn’t know if I could pull it off. I held my breath when it arrived: it was my last dress option and I didn’t know what I was going to do if it didn’t work. I was actually shaking because I was so nervous when I tried it on. But when I did, it fit like it was made for me, and in it, I just felt like me. I knew it was the one.
Describe your wedding flowers: Oh, man. They say something goes wrong in every wedding, and for us, it was definitely the flowers. I was going to do the flowers myself. In the end, though, I felt overwhelmed and decided to take a chance on a florist I didn’t know. It was a huge mistake. I ordered sparse, abstract arrangements of dusty-hued roses and lily of the valley for the centerpiece, but, instead, I got thick, tacky and hot pink arrangements. I was in such a rush getting ready for the wedding that I didn’t see the flowers until I came out to walk down the aisle. When I saw them I froze. The flowers could not have clashed more than they did, and they were bright and big and everywhere! At that point, however, the ceremony had started and it was too late to do anything about it. I was so disappointed; such a crucial element of the design was ruined. But I moved past it, realizing that, ultimately, the wedding day was about so much more than flowers. It was a lesson in accepting that things don’t have to be perfect to be lovely… and that if you want something done right, you’ve got to do it yourself!    
Describe your wedding cake: It probably sounds crazy, but I’m not a big fan of cake. Maybe that’s why I’ve never really felt sentimental about the tradition of cutting the cake. I knew I wanted something extremely simple and inexpensive with a homemade feel. We went with a tiny little buttercream cake and served plain cupcakes with vanilla frosting. It was very understated, but I did find the cutest vintage, pink glass cake stand that made it look pretty enough for me.?
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? There are two moments that stand out the most. First, the emotion on Drew’s face as I walked down the aisle to him. It was the sweetest, most vulnerable and holy moment.  I will never forget that as long as I live. Second, an impromptu slow-dance with my dad to a song we used to sing together driving in the car when I was a little girl.
What’s next for you as a couple?  What are you looking forward to in the future? We are living every day we’re given, loving each other, grateful for the journey that has brought us to this point and anticipating with hope the journey ahead.  

Congratulations, Lindsey + Drew!  We hope you enjoy your first holiday as a family!