Southern Weddings

What a gorgeous color scheme!  How about the groom’s peacock feather boutonniere?  The bride’s maiden name is Peacock, so the color scheme and beautiful plumes were a natural choice.   Ceremony and reception at South Carolina’s lovely {Boone Hall}.  Event planning by Monique Semper Flynn of Weddings by Monique. Bridesmaid dresses and bride’s sash by Allison Long of {Bella Bridesmaid}. Catering by Katie Preigel of {Mediterra Catering}.  We thank {Blue Nalu} photography for sharing these images with us.  For more, be sure to visit Blue Nalu’s {Blog}. Happy Monday!

How did the two of you meet? Kate’s roommate, who was a friend of Sean’s, introduced us. Sean lost his ride home and crashed on Kate’s couch. That night, we ended up talking all night.
Describe your engagement: Sean proposed on February 17, 2007 during a morning walk on the beach. It was so cold, and finally Sean asked if I was ready to go back. I said “We can do whatever you want,” and Sean said, “Well, then I want to marry you!”  From there, it’s been a wonderful whirlwind!
What attracted me to my husband was: His smile, his goofy jokes, and his absolute confidence.
What attracted me to my wife was: Her eyes and her caring for others.
A date we went on that well always remember: The first “real” date was when we went to Fish in downtown Charleston. We hadn’t even made it to dinner before we’d been honked at for standing on the corner kissing!
The weather was: Hot but with a beautiful breeze on the dock.
Did you have a theme for your wedding? Simple, natural and Southern.
If so, what inspired the theme? The beautiful setting of the Dock House at Boone Hall inspired the theme.
What colors did you choose for your wedding? Since Kate’s maiden name is Peacock. We chose to use the shades of peacock feathers: plum, eggplant, lavender, sage, and apple.
Describe your wedding flowers: We went with beautiful green and lavender hydrangeas, ferns and bells of Ireland, hyacinths and hypericum berries. The flowers were all beautiful, simple and almost from a fairy tale. Lisa Thomas from the Shop Out of Hand had the vision and created our beautiful flower arrangements and décor.
Describe your wedding cake: It was simply beautiful with curling leaves and flowers. It was a carrot cake and so yummy.
Our favorite detail of the wedding was: It was the beautiful little antique bottles on the mantle, holding flowers from Boone Hall’s gardens, such a special little detail! Also, although we didn’t get to taste it until much later, the food! Katie Preigel at Mediterra Catering created an amazing menu of Southern cuisine. As my cousin said “How did you know to have all of my favorite foods here?”
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? It was teaching school and coaching cheerleading at the same time. I felt like I had three jobs! I think Sean’s greatest challenge was dealing with me.
Where there any special family traditions you included in the wedding? We decorated our guest table with photographs of our parents and grandparents, from wedding days and other special events.
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? Definitely it was our first kiss as husband and wife. Also, Sean said seeing me walk down the aisle was amazing.
Scariest moment? Trying to dance with our feet all tied up in my dress!
Funniest moment? Fifteen of our friends standing behind the photographers, taking their own pictures, during our sunset photo shoot. We felt like celebrities chased by the paparazzi!
What were your something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue items? My godmother, Linda Rich, actually gave me all of my old, new, borrowed and blue items as an amazing gift.  The old were pearl and gold scatter pins, in the shape of peacocks, which had belonged to her mother. The new was a pearl bracelet from China. Borrowed was Linda’s own pearl ring, which she said was on loan until I have a daughter who gets married and that daughter would inherit it. The blue was my garter! I wore a new blue garter to throw, and my grandmother’s blue garter for keeping.
Why do you love your husband? He makes me smile, he holds me close, and he is the most positive person I know.
The most unexpected event on our wedding day was: Sean’s brother, Todd, our best man, making an amazing speech that was funny, poignant, touching, and simply amazing. We had been warned that if would be a very different kind of speech!
How was your wedding different than the way you’d always imagined it would be? I never realized all the love we would feel in one room. The hugs and smiles, all the people that traveled from all over the US and even cousins from Canada. It was truly amazing!
Three adjectives that describe the day are: Exciting, beautiful, and full of love.
Did you write your own vows? Our amazing minister, Reverend Dianne, wrote our vows. We thought they fit us perfectly, and were so meaningful. In fact, many of our guests commented to us on the beautiful vows. My mother’s advice was to “Read them often.”
What advice would you give to someone planning their wedding? Get a wedding planner! Monique Semper Flynn was my planner, and her help and guidance were invaluable. Enjoy all the little moments, don’t worry about what’s traditional, and really make it yours.

Congratulations to Kate + Sean!  We wish you a lifetime of joy!