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Sadly, yesterday marked the unofficial the end of summer (pack up your white pants and bring out your monogrammed scarf!), but the good news is that Tate and Davis’ cheerful wedding will make summer feel a little bit longer! While Tate and Davis only lived in Charleston for a year, their time spent on the Charleston Harbor made the Historic Rice Mill the perfect venue for a sweet celebration with their family and friends. I’d have to agree with Tate on her favorite element of their wedding–she loved their family-style meal because it reminded her of her favorite holiday, Thanksgiving! I know our own Kristin would be tickled, since she also had a Thanksgiving-inspired wedding day meal!

Big thank you’s and a pumpkin spiced latte to Aaron and Jillian Photography for sharing this wedding with us!

People fail to warn you how crazy stressful dress shopping can be! Trying on ill-fitting sample dresses to find the perfect one that makes your body look bangin’, fits your price range, is timeless, AND wins the approval of your family is super challenging. I wanted something a little different, but still classic, that wouldn’t dwarf my petite figure. My Wentworth Street gown by Carol Hannah was exactly that. I even got a discount because I asked to buy the sample.

While we are always so smitten with the father/daughter moments at weddings, I love this sweet father/son moment too!

We did a first look because I am not superstitious and I loved the opportunity for more photos. I think waiting to see each other until you walk down the aisle can be a little more stressful than it needs to be. Seeing each other beforehand ensured that we both stayed present during the ceremony.

What made you choose your ceremony and reception venues? Did they have any special significance to you? Davis and I love Charleston! It is a wonderfully romantic city and holds a special place in our hearts. We lived in Charleston from 2011 to 2012 and spent our weekends and afternoons on the boat in Charleston Harbor. The Rice Mill, being right by the marina, was a perfect fit!

Did you write your own vows? If so, what was your favorite phrase, verse or line? We did not write our own vows, but we did design our own ceremony that was performed by my father. My favorite part of our vows was: “Do you pledge to help each other to develop your hearts and minds, cultivating compassion, generosity, ethics, patience, enthusiasm, concentration, and wisdom as you age and undergo the various ups and downs of life, and to transform them into the path of love, compassion, joy, and equanimity?”

We chose our reading from The Irrational Season By Madeleine L’Engle because it very much represents our relationship and how we view our marriage commitment. “But ultimately there comes a moment when a decision must be made. Ultimately two people who love each other must ask themselves how much they hope for as their love grows and deepens, and how much risk they are willing to take. It is indeed a fearful gamble. Because it is the nature of love to create, a marriage itself is something which has to be created, so that, together we become a new creature. To marry is the biggest risk in human relations that a person can take. If we commit ourselves to one person for life, this is not, as many people think, a rejection of freedom; rather it demands the courage to move into all the risks of freedom, and the risk of love which is permanent; into that love which is not possession, but participation. It takes a lifetime to learn another person. When love is not possession, but participation, then it is part of that co-creation which is our human calling, and which implies such risk that it is often rejected.”

What Southern details or traditions did you include in your celebration? What was Southern about your wedding? Dodeline Design created a custom monogram that incorporated our initials and elements of Davis’ family crest. It looks kind of like a harp, and no one could really figure it out, but I thought it was kind of cool. We were also THRILLED about our joggling board guest book that is covered with the sweetest notes and sentiments from our loved ones. Joggling boards are so Southern and SO Charleston. I love the cool history behind them. One of our artsy friends even painted our monogram on it and made it exceptionally special!

Our favorite detail of the wedding was: My favorite element of our wedding was the family-style meal. Enjoying a meal with your closest friends and family is one of life’s greatest pleasures. It also reminds me of Thanksgiving (my all-time favorite holiday) because it is a time you can tell your friends and family how grateful you are for them. I also liked the “thank you haikus” we displayed at each place setting. It was super dorky, but after thinking about it, we knew that if we were to thank our friends and family in letters, we could end up writing pages! Keeping our thank you notes to short haikus allowed us to say what we wanted with just enough words.

Describe your wedding cake or dessert. We had the most fabulous pink ombre cake! I love pink and anything ombre, so the cake was a delicious dream with three layers of red velvet, lemon, and dulce de leche cake. I was a little nervous that Davis wouldn’t like it because it was on the girly side, but he said “it tasted really good!”

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. Davis and I first met at a friend’s concert in 2006–Davis grew up with the band’s lead singer (who was later a a groomsman in our wedding). The band would let Davis ham it up on stage and play the tambourine, while my friends and I loved “front-rowing it” (i.e. dancing as close to the stage as possible), so we inevitably ran into each other. We both attended North Carolina State University and share a love for the Wolfpack, adventures, and of course, our friends.
Tell us all about the proposal! Davis began shopping for the engagement ring three years before he proposed. In the spring of 2013, right before our seven-year anniversary, we took a last-minute trip to New York City, where Davis proposed early on a Thursday morning in the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. Needless to say, my girlfriends knew exactly why I was calling so early, before they even picked up the phone!
When did y’all get married? June 21, 2014
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? 110
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? We had a challenging time keeping our guest list small, because we knew our budget couldn’t handle a large party. Our rule of thumb was that if we could write each guest a letter telling them exactly why we wanted them to attend our wedding, then they would be invited–that idea is where our letter-style invitation came from.
What was one way you saved money or cut costs at your wedding? I saved a lot on my wedding dress by buying the sample. We also didn’t get a fancy getaway vehicle because we preferred spending money on things that our guests would enjoy. We kept the contents of the welcome bags to strictly “consumables” (snacks and waters), because the last thing people need is extra “stuff.” I fell in love with a vintage consignment wedding band at Croghan’s Jewelry Box in Charleston–Davis actually purchased my wedding band months before he bought my engagement ring.
What is the one detail or vendor that you were so happy to have as a part of your wedding? After interviewing four other Charleston wedding photographers, we hired Jill and Aaron after an eight-minute phone conversation. We clicked instantly! They asked the right questions and really seemed to care about our event. Every interaction with them was extremely positive and fun! I would hire them again in a heartbeat.
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? Davis says our first look. I’d say the moments after the ceremony taking photos on the dock and dancing to Iggy Azalea’s “Fancy” with all my best friends.
What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? Always try to remember what is most important to you as a couple. The first thing Davis and I did when we got engaged was to make a list of the ten most important things we wanted in our wedding. When one of the 100+ random things that weren’t in the original budget came up, we could refer back to that list to help keep the budget under control. I would also recommend making a list of all the random things you want to do on the wedding day, because things move so quickly. Give the list to a trusted person who will be with you on the day of. For example, I planned to give my dad a gift and get a few father-daughter photos pre-wedding, but I never found the time to do it.

Photographer: Aaron and Jillian Photography / Videographer: Life in Rewind / Planner: Southern Protocol / Venue: Historic Rice Mill / Florist: Charleston Stems / Wedding Cake: Charleston Cakes / Caterer: Good Food Catering / Rentals: EventWorks / Band: Unkle Funkle / Paper Products: Dodeline Design / Bride’s Gown: “Wentworth Street” by Carol Hannah / Hair Stylist: Katherine Bailey / Makeup Artist: Stuart Laurence / Bride’s Shoes: “Gilda” by Kotur / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: “Style 418” by Wtoo / Groom’s Attire: Brooks Brothers

marissa Written with love by Marissa
2 Comments
  1. avatar Southern Weddings Feature » Aaron and Jillian Photography reply

    […] featured on the fabulous Southern Weddings website today!  Seriously, over the moon!  Check out their SW feature HERE and their full wedding post on our blog HERE!  It’s filled with gorgeous bright florals, […]

  2. avatar Stacy {Woodsy Weddings} reply

    Her dress fits her beautifully and I love how it gathers at her hip.

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Emily and I just got back from a road trip to a V7 shoot, and there’s nothing quite like driving across a little stretch of the South to remind me how truly special, unique, and beautiful this place we call home is! I was further reminded of that fact by the beauty of Palmetto Landing, where Caitlin and Sam said their vows and then celebrated their marriage under the stars. From the palms and oak trees that are so signature to South Carolina, to the views of the river in the background, it was a breathtaking place for this outdoors-loving couple to start their new life together!

Thank you so much to Aaron and Jillian for sharing Caitlin and Sam’s special day with us!

Tell us all about the proposal! It was November 2013, and Sam and I were living in Greenville, South Carolina. We missed our friends in Colorado, so we planned a trip to go visit them. He took me to go see our former coworkers at the Trail West lodge, while unbeknownst to me, our friends were down at the barn hiding and waiting for us. After we left the lodge, Sam and I headed out for a horseback ride. Just as I was about to go get the saddle, Sam stopped me and said he had something to show me. I looked down, and he was holding the journal that I had given him in 2011 from Florence, Italy, where I had traveled abroad for a semester. I found out that he had been writing in it to me since the previous December. As I was looking at the journal, Sam got down on one knee, said some very sweet things to me, and asked me to be his wife.

What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? I would relive that day in a heartbeat. Waking up that day was probably the best feeling ever, knowing that it was the day I got to marry Sam. Getting ready with my mom and all my friends was so much fun, but the best moment was probably our first look. I will never forget Sam’s face. It was so sweet and just the perfect moment–I’ll never forget it.

We had two readings that were both Bible verses. One was from Ruth, and to paraphrase, it says “Where you go, I will go. Your people will be my people.” The other reading, from 1 John, talks about the importance of making Christ the foundation of your marriage.

Tell us about finding your wedding dress. It was very important to me that my mom was there when I found the dress, so she flew in during one of the last weekends of November and we prayed that I would find the dress then. After finding absolutely nothing at the first store, we went to an upscale consignment boutique for wedding dresses. I saw my dress hanging outside of my dressing room for me to try on, and immediately knew it was the one. Before I came out to show my mom, mother-in-law, sister-in-law, and niece, I said “Y’all, just warning you, THIS is the dress.” I loved it…and it had pockets!

Our favorite detail of the wedding was: I loved the café lighting. Our entire wedding was outside, because Palmetto Landing is too pretty to do anything else. We had café lighting over the dance floor and the reception space, and it was just magical.

Sam and I love being from the South. We take it pretty seriously, and especially having a wedding in South Carolina, which I personally feel is the ultimate Southern state, we had to include some Southern touches! Our guests ate chicken and waffles as hors d’oeuvres during cocktail hour, and we served our specialty cocktails out of a mason jar.

Tell us about some of the songs you used throughout your wedding and why you chose them. Sam and I are big fans of the band Kings of Leon. One night, after we had just eaten dinner at Moe’s, Sam told me he had a song he wanted me to listen to for our possible first dance song. He played me “Beautiful War” and we immediately knew this song was it. We danced in the parking lot together outside of his Tahoe.

Sam and I aren’t huge cake people, so we bought several pies from Publix! It turned out to be a huge hit. A close family friend baked a mixed berry cobbler just for Sam and I to eat, and I wanted to devour it!

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. We met in Buena Vista, Colorado in 2010 while working as horse wranglers at Trail West, a Young Life family camp. It wasn’t love at first sight, but it was friends at first sight. We truly were just best friends for the summer. After a few more summers of working together and being apart during the school year (he went to Clemson and I went to Harding University in Arkansas), I finally decided to make my move! So in the middle of the summer 2012, I asked Sam to go get ice cream with me. Ironic, because neither of us really like ice cream. I told him I had feelings for him, and soon after that, it was apparent that the feelings were mutual. We started dating that August and have never looked back!
When did y’all get married? May 10, 2014
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? 185
What range did your wedding budget fall into? $25,000-$50,000
What was one way you saved money or cut costs at your wedding? The fact that Caroline, our wedding planner, knew that I had a budget I needed to stick to was a huge help. She would switch vendors, find me the best options for our budget, and she just understood. Also, looking at a consignment shop for wedding dresses was such a great idea! It saved SO much money.
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you most looking forward to about married life? Married life is wonderful! We are still getting settled into our little tiny house in downtown Greenville and we are loving it. Marriage is tough, but it’s a beautiful thing. We are not sure what is in store for us, but we love traveling, eating at new restaurants, and being outside!

Photographer: Aaron and Jillian Photography / Videographer: Nat Gove / Planner: Caroline Wright of Palmetto Landing / Venue: Palmetto Landing / Dessert Baker: Publix Bakery / Caterer: Royal Grand Events / Band: The Company Band / Bride’s Earrings: BHLDN / Hair and Makeup Artist: Charleston Events Hair and Makeup / Bride’s Shoes: Copper Penny / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: J. Crew / Men’s Attire: Smith & James

lisa Written with love by Lisa
2 Comments
  1. avatar Kim @ Hello Wedding reply

    This wedding literally brought tears to my eyes it’s so pretty and simple (and as always you make me want to move to the south!).

  2. avatar Nicole reply

    Beautiful! I think I wore the same gown. Mori Lee. It wasn’t what I thought I wanted style wise, then I put it on, put my hands in the pockets, and fell in love. http://www.stephendevriesweddings.com/blog-post.php?p=2480

    Congratulations to you and your husband!

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