Southern Weddings

Friends! Apologies for the later start this morning. We have a good excuse, though — we were running around the countryside yesterday in these gorgeous gowns for our fabulous team photo shoot!

Thought y’all would enjoy a sneak peek! Now on to today’s wedding!

The only thing that would have made our fabulous shoot yesterday even better, although it would be difficult, would be Adrienne’s sparkly dancing shoes! While my Jacks were nice, I think these would have complimented my gown just a bit better!

I adore the relaxed yet completely overflowing-with-joy feeling this adorable couple achieved by adding sweet accents like Adrienne’s just-gathered-from-a-field bouquet, dapper gents in grey suits, and even a goat on their drink menu. (Confession: Nicole and I may have had a little squeal in the office over that detail!) And my own grandmother would be quite disappointed if I didn’t mention Adrienne’s beautiful family heirloom cameo as her something old and borrowed!

Big thanks to 13:13 Photography for sharing this lovely day with us!

Did you have something borrowed, blue, old, and new? If so, do tell! For some of these details, I chose to honor both of my grandmothers who I really wish could have been there at my wedding. I wore my maternal grandmother’s blue cameo ring on my right hand, and had her Marine Corps pin on my bouquet. From my cousin, I borrowed a beautiful cameo brooch pin that belonged to my paternal grandmother. I put that on my bouquet as well. I felt amazing on our big day in my new dress and gold glittery Kate Spade heels.

We decided to do a first look to make sure we could capture that beautiful moment perfectly by having the photographers stage it. We also thought that it would be better to get through that first nervous moment together and be able to enjoy and remember the short ceremony more calmly. We were able to take pictures together and with our wedding party before the ceremony too, so we could join the party sooner after the ceremony.

What readings, if any, did you have at your ceremony? We compiled our ceremony together, using fairly traditional vows, but also adding in our own pieces to be sure it was personal. Our very favorite part was the reading from “The Alchemist.” Many of our friends and family commented afterwards about how beautiful and thought-provoking the reading was.

Describe your wedding flowers. For myself, I had a natural, just-gathered-from-a-field bouquet with blush pinks to complement the wedding colors. It was gathered with a ribbon and had strings of gold sequins hanging from it. We decorated the tables with simple white flowering plants that we planted in vases I had purchased from Goodwill and spray-painted in an array of metallic colors and white. My bridesmaids carried matching clutch purses from an Etsy shop instead of bouquets. I planned for the groomsmen to wear fabric boutonnieres I also purchased from Etsy, but at some point in the pre-wedding activity, those were left behind! They were very cute!

Tell us about some of the songs you used throughout your wedding and why you chose them. Our processional was Gerry Rafferty’s “Right Down the Line” because it makes us think of each other, our future, our parents at our stage in life, and being young and so in love. We always tear up when it comes on the radio. We also loved it for our wedding because it’s upbeat, light-hearted and familiar. I walked out to “I’ve Just Seen a Face” by The Beatles, and we walked down the aisle newly married to “Home” by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, both songs we will always love.

I can’t get over the little goat on this bar menu! What a fun way for A + B to incorporate Goat Island into their decor!

Our wedding celebrated the beauty of coastal South Carolina. Our guests were able to enjoy a boat ride over to the island with marsh and waterway views, complete with pelicans flying overhead, ocean breezes and sparkling water. We enjoyed an afternoon under the oak trees, sipping sweet tea. It doesn’t get much more Southern than that!

Describe your wedding cake or dessert. A dear friend offered to bake our wedding cake for us, so we designed it together. The cutting cake was a two-layer, round funfetti cake with white pearl fondant and white polka dots. My bridesmaids and I made the topper of gold glitter hearts. For the guests, we had funfetti and chocolate cake balls, which were designed to complement the cutting cake. The cake balls were a big hit with our guests.

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. I first saw Bryan while lounging by the pool at a work friend’s birthday party. He walked in (also as a guest of the party), and I thought, “Wow, that’s the kind of guy I’m looking for!” I asked my friend to introduce us after she informed me he was single and that Bryan makes amazing barbecue. Although we exchanged a few timid glances at the party, we didn’t meet that day by the pool. We finally met the following week at a local barbecue place (naturally!) with some other friends and had our first official date not long after. While neither one of us would say we knew for sure at that time that we had met the one we would marry one day, we both felt from the beginning that the other was someone very special and recognized that possibility.
Tell us all about the proposal! Bryan and I have a “spot.” It’s no secret that the Old Pitt Street Bridge is a gorgeous, romantic place. It’s an old railroad bridge that has been converted into a little park that overlooks the Charleston harbor from Mount Pleasant. We had an amazing time when we had a picnic dinner at sunset there early in our relationship, and we always talked about how it was a lovely moment in our love story. On November 2, 2011, just over a year after that first romantic picnic together, Bryan planned an even more special picnic there. When we had finished eating and were lying on the blanket admiring the spectacular view, Bryan proposed. He chose to give me his dear grandmother’s engagement ring, since she had given it to him long ago with the understanding that he would give it to the woman he would marry one day. I now also wear her wedding band. Although I never had the pleasure of knowing her, I’m so touched that he gave me her rings, and I love that my rings have a beautiful story to tell.
When did y’all get married? October 20, 2012
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? 110
Tell us about finding your wedding dress. We were married on Goat Island, an island across the intracoastal waterway from Isle of Palms. It was all outdoors, and the island is only accessible by boat, so I had to consider that when choosing my dress. After just one day of shopping with two of my dear friends, my mom, and my then-future mother-in-law, I had my bridal moment with happy tears and all. I chose a 1950s-inspired strapless, champagne-colored, tea-length, tulle ballerina gown by Amy Kuschel.
Our favorite detail of the wedding was: We had the wedding on Goat Island on the property of some family friends. It’s quiet and peaceful and feels like another world out there. We’ve always loved it, and it was amazing to share that magical place with all of our closest friends and family on such a beautiful day.
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? It was a challenge to find a caterer that was willing to make the trip by boat with all of their crew and supplies, and to spend the day out on the island. Bricklane Catering accepted the challenge, and gave us exactly what we had envisioned.
If you are comfortable responding, what range did your wedding budget fall into? $10,000-$25,000
What is the one detail or vendor that you were so happy to have as a part of your wedding? We are so thankful to have been able to work with Sarah and Yessy of 13:13 Photography. We love their style and eye for pretty little details. They were so gracious and friendly, and they were able to capture the casual, light-hearted, intimate feeling we experienced spending the afternoon on the island with our nearest and dearest.
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? When the ceremony began and I walked out from the wooded pathway to the open area where we had the ceremony, I was overcome with gratitude to see all of the smiling faces of the lovely people we are fortunate to have in our lives. I was so thankful in that moment that so many friends and family members were able to join us for the wedding. I’ll never forget that feeling.
What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? I was overwhelmed at times by all of the options and choices and decisions to make and all of the DIY details that I could’ve done. We tried to just keep it simple and make sure to include the most important details. Our day was awesome because we made it our own and prioritized what we thought was most important. Also, our coordinator Katherine Miller (YoJ Events) helped to make sure our wedding day went smoothly and that we didn’t have to worry about anything except getting married and enjoying ourselves. I highly recommend hiring a planner to take over two weeks before the wedding so you don’t have to stress out.
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you most looking forward to about married life? We look forward to traveling more together, building a home together, and having children one day. We’re a team now, and I’m so excited to have started our many adventures together.

Photographer: 13:13 Photography | Katherine Miller from YOJ Events |  Ceremony Venue: Family friend’s property on Goat Island | Florist: Buy The Bunch | Wedding Cake Baker: Friend of the Bride and Groom | Caterer: Brick Lane Catering | Rentals: Snyder Event Rentals | Bluegrass Band: The Green Levels | Bride’s Gown: Amy Kuschel, “Paige” Dress | Paper Products: Designed and made by the Bride | Bride’s Earrings and Shoes: Kate Spade | Hair Stylist and Makeup Artist: Emily Pence from Stella Nova | Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Chosen individually by Bridesmaids | Groom’s Attire: Ermenegildo Zenga | Groomsmen Attire: Chosen individually by Groomsmen | Transportation: Barrier Island Eco-Tours

Written with love by Marissa