Google+ lowndes grove plantation Archives - Page 3 of 4 - Southern Weddings

Southern Weddings

Tag: lowndes grove plantation

One thing I love witnessing at weddings is the unabashed vulnerability of the couple and their guests, whether it’s a groom who just can’t contain his tears after first seeing his bride, or the emotion of the first look with the bride’s daddy. There is just something so beautiful about the raw emotions. I think that’s why I love this line from Molly and Kevin’s sweet secret letter so much. We Southern women are a strong (and strong-willed!) bunch, which makes Molly’s sweet vow to Kevin so romantic and vulnerable, all at the same time! She said “You are my leader and I will gladly follow wherever you go.” Oh my stars! I’m sure their ceremony at the beautiful Lowndes Groves Plantation was a joy to witness, and their reception looks like it was a blast, too!

Big hugs to Caroline Ro for sharing Molly and Kevin’s wedding with us!

Tell us about finding your wedding dress. In April 2014, my sister, two bridesmaids, my mother-in-law, my mother, and I enjoyed two appointments and about 50 dresses. At the first shop, I tried on about 30. It was an amazing experience and I got very very close to saying yes to one, but then my mom told me I needed to attend both appointments before I decided. Thank goodness I listened to her, because the next morning, we showed up at White on Daniel Island. I was about 10 dresses in before I tried on the one. I knew right away that this was it, and so did my family. It’s true that you do get that feeling, “This is my dress!!!”

My wedding flowers were absolutely stunning, filled with chocolate orchids, eucalyptus, a white rose in honor of the Thayer women (these ladies all carried 13 white roses on their wedding days), white hydrangeas, purple hellebores, dusty millers (my favorite), and ivory ranunculus. My bouquet was wrapped in my grandmother’s blue handkerchief and I pinned a picture of each of our grandmothers to the stems.

Tell us about some of the songs you used throughout your wedding and why you chose them. Kevin didn’t want me to tell him what I was walking down the aisle to, so I surprised him with my processional to Gabriel’s “Oboe.” I chose this song because it reminded me of my grandmother. She loved her instrumental music and I remember sitting in the back of her car listening to it. She was so excited for our “big Southern military wedding.” Unfortunately, she passed away just a few short weeks before Kevin and I got engaged. She and my mother were my inspirations for our entire wedding.

We did not write our own vows, but our pastor had us write secret letters to each other prior to our wedding, and he read a few passages from each. We didn’t get to read the whole letters until right before we left on our honeymoon. My favorite line of Kevin’s was: “You have been, and will continue to be, the center and foundation of our relationship and household. Being the man of the household means nothing without a solid foundation”. Kevin’s favorite line that I wrote to him was: “You have taught me to give my heart fully and have made me realize that I cannot do this life without you. You are my leader and I will gladly follow wherever you go.”

What is the one detail or vendor that you were so happy to have as a part of your wedding? Our pastor was amazing!! He is the pastor at Kevin’s church in Greenville, and we have known him for years. His passion and message brought out the true message of the day: commitment. Lowndes Grove was also amazing, and their staff, coupled with the location, made it a day we’ll never forget. The hand-rolled cigar bar was a huge hit with everyone and was an awesome way for everyone to take a break from dancing.

Describe your wedding cake or dessert. We prioritized the flavor rather than design. We kept the design simple, and chose a lemon cake with buttercream icing and red velvet with sweetened cream cheese icing. We cut the cake with Kevin’s Marine officer’s sword, which added our own little flair to the tradition.

Lowndes Grove Plantation was the first and only place we really looked. Kevin had been to a wedding there before, and, having grown up in Charleston, I knew how amazing of a place it was. The way the setting sun shined across the water and through the Spanish moss on the trees epitomized my mental picture of a Southern plantation. When it came to the food, we had good old Southern barbecue, shrimp and grits, bacon-wrapped scallops, and some great bourbon to bring it all together.

There are so many moments, but the most memorable was when Kevin and I were able to break away from everything and look over our wedding as outsiders. We followed the advice of some of our friends and have passed it on to all of our friends with upcoming weddings because it meant so much to us. We went all the way to the back of the tent and stood up on the brick ledge, holding each other close and just watched everyone having a fabulous time at this beautiful setting. It was magical, and the “snapshot” in time will remain with us forever!

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. Kevin and I met at Clemson University in 2007. He was the big bad senior, and I was the new freshman looking for fun and adventure. We were introduced during the Sigma Nu Mountain Weekend at Camp Wayfarer by my roommate, who knew him from high school. The moment I met him, I knew he was going to be someone special in my life, but of course, we were there with different dates! We saw each other occasionally after that, and I invited him to the Alpha Delta Pi Mallard Ball. Our on and off dating continued until 2011, when he returned from his first deployment to Afghanistan and I graduated from nursing school. After being separated by so many miles and for so many months, we knew we wanted to start taking things seriously. During his second deployment to Afghanistan, he called and asked me to move with him when he was to be reassigned to Quantico, Virginia when he returned home. We have been living in Fredericksburg, Virginia since November 2012. We bought our boxer puppy, Reagan, in February 2013, and I kept hinting to Kevin to make it official–I would tell Reagan in front of Kevin how jealous I was that he had the same last name as daddy! Kevin got the hint and proposed on January 24th, 2014!!!
Tell us all about the proposal! From Kevin: My plan: have a nice dinner, have some good convo, head back to the car, propose, go get a celebratory beer, and surprise Molly with all of our friends there. Throughout dinner, I blamed my fidgeting in my chair on being sick. The topic of conversation led to our friends who were recently engaged, which caused Molly to drop the bomb on me of “Well, I guess they know what they wanted…” Boom, the ring in my pocket got exponentially heavier while we continued to converse. Following dinner, we made our way back to the car to drop off our leftovers, and on the corner of the street, I pulled her close and told her how much I loved her and how much she meant to me. I then started to drop to a knee and grabbed her hand. Molly said, “Kevin, what are you doing? The ground is wet! What are you doing?” I pulled out the ring and asked her to marry me, to which she replied, “Kevin…what is that??? Who is that for?? What is that???” I asked the question a second time, to which she finally replied with a teary “YES!” We then went to get a celebratory beer from Capital Ale House, and Molly was surprised again with a tremendous cheer and applause from all of our friends who were waiting for us.
When did y’all get married? December 13, 2014
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? 200
If you are comfortable responding, what range did your wedding budget fall into? $75,000-$100,000
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? From Kevin: The second I was allowed to turn around and see Molly coming down the aisle. Even as a US Marine, it took everything I had to not cry. She was so absolutely stunning as she made her way down the aisle that I was completely tunnel visioned. I can’t even remember the song that was playing for her processional.
What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? Even if you are not very close with your soon-to-be mother-in-law, like I am with mine, get her involved. Invite her to your dress shopping appointments, fittings, bridal showers, etc. You won’t regret it, and she will never forget it. My mother-in-law is a mother to three boys, so doing all the girly things just made her year! Also, get a videographer. I fought my mom on getting one, but she insisted. I now watch our wedding video at least once a day!
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you most looking forward to about married life? Having known each other and been together for so long prior to marriage, we are ready for the ultimate big step: building our family! This is the reason we went to Africa for our Safari honeymoon–we asked ourselves prior to booking: what would we regret not doing before having kids? We had a once-in-a-lifetime adventure!

Photographer: Caroline Ro / Videographer: Dock House Digital / Planner: Megan Chandler of Ooh! Events / Venue: Lowndes Grove Plantation / Florist: Out of the Garden / Catering and Cake Baker: Fish / Rentals: Snyder Rentals and Ooh! Events / Lighting: Ooh! Events / Band: Men of Distinction from EastCoast Entertainment / Paper Products: Lydia’s / Bride’s Gown: “C207” by Allure / Hair and Makeup: Charlotte Belk / Bride’s Shoes: Badgley Mischka / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: “Style 485” in Plum by Bill Levkoff / Ceremony String Trio: Classical Charleston

East Coast Entertainment is a delightful member of our Blue Ribbon Vendor Directory!

Follow our blog with Bloglovin

marissa Written with love by Marissa
7 Comments
  1. avatar Occasions In Print reply

    Just a gorgeous wedding and I love the men in their uniforms!

  2. avatar Kimberly reply

    My beautiful daughter and now son in law are so lucky to now share a fabulous life together! The wedding day was filled with so many luscious memories for me! Everything was perfect.

  3. avatar Charmaine reply

    Grilled finger sandwiches … yes please.. Beautiful wedding

  4. avatar Charleston Wedding Videographer reply

    Such a beautiful day and beautiful couple. We were so honored to capture Molly & Kevin’s special day on film!

  5. avatar Jeffrey newton reply

    It was a beautiful wedding! Please tag us for the transportation :)

  6. avatar Megan Chandler reply

    So excited to see this stunning wedding shared! Love this couple!

  7. avatar Molly+Kevin // Married // Charleston » CarolineRo // Blog reply

    […] to top everything off, Southern Weddings kindly featured Molly and Kevin’s day […]

Southern Weddings reserves the right to delete comments which contain profanity or personal attacks or seek to promote a business unrelated to the post.  And remember: a good attitude is like kudzu – it spreads.  We love hearing your kind thoughts!

Reply to:
close

I couldn’t stop smiling as I read through Leanna and Ike’s interview. These two just got it right–not because of the beautiful details at their wedding (though there were plenty of them!), but because of their attitudes about their special day. I love the way Leanna dreamed of a wedding at Lowndes Grove, even before she was engaged, the fact that she and her dad had the song she’d walk down the aisle to picked out for years, and her cherished memories of dress shopping with her mom. It all warms my heart right up, and I can’t think of a more special way to start the week!

Thank you so much to Jamie Clayton for sharing this lovely wedding with us!

Finding the dress was one of the best parts of the whole wedding process for me! My mother and I went to two places and tried on about ten gowns before my heart was stolen by a beautiful Monique Lhuillier gown at Maddison Row in Charleston. The saying is true–when I put it on, I knew it was the one. It was made of silk organza and had a sweetheart neckline and a fit-and-flare silhouette. My favorite detail was the subtle jacquard pattern you could only see up close, like a special hidden surprise that made it even more beautiful. Aside from finding my perfect gown, the best part about the experience was the time spent with my mother. I will cherish it forever!

We had a bagpiper play a song about our family’s clan from Scotland to start the ceremony. My dad and I walked down the aisle to Canon in D, which we have had planned for years, ever since we first watched “Father of the Bride” together. It has always been a favorite of ours–we watched it before the wedding and even called my dad George Banks during the big day! We recessed to “Here Comes the Sun” by The Beatles, which was perfect, because that’s what it truly felt like–the beginning.

I used to live in a neighborhood behind Lowndes Grove. I would often pass by there on my runs and think “One day…” I lucked out and it really happened! Ike and I both love the outdoors and the water, so it was the perfect venue for us. I also loved that we could have the ceremony and reception in the same location. It made it easier on the guests and gave us more time to celebrate!

Describe your wedding flowers. Our wedding flowers were stunning! We got married in the winter, so our options were limited, but luckily the flower I had to have was in season. Calla lilies have always been my favorite, so the bridesmaids carried mini eggplant callas and I carried a bouquet of all-white ones. Eucalyptus became the main theme of the wedding after Jacqueline, our wedding planner, presented it to me as an option. I was obsessed! It was just the detail I was looking for to make the modern/rustic wedding I had dreamed of come to life. We had eucalyptus garlands strung across the tent, as runners on the tables, and on our head table chairs. We also had a mix of all-white flowers, tons of candles, and antlers (an homage to my hunter husband!). It was really magical!

Our favorite detail of the wedding was: Just having everyone together was honestly our favorite part. It’s so rare to have all your friends and family together, and your wedding is really the only day you have to celebrate finding your soul mate, so to have everyone there was so special. Also, the way everything came together into the most wonderful representation of the two of us as a couple was truly amazing!

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. We met through a mutual friend on Valentine’s Day 2011. I remember shaking his hand and knowing something about him was different and special. This is a total cliché, but it was love at first sight and the rest is history!
Tell us all about the proposal! I was driving home from work on Thursday, March 7, 2013, and Ike kept calling me to see when I would be home. I thought it was strange but didn’t think too much about it. Little did I know, he was planning a big surprise! I walked in the front door to find rose petals all over the house that led to a glass of prosecco and a note saying to meet him outside. Somehow, I still didn’t get it! When I walked outside, he was there on one knee, and before he could even speak, I was in tears. After some celebration and phone calls, he cooked us a delicious dinner. It was the most perfect, intimate proposal, and a total surprise!
When did y’all get married? February 1, 2014
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? 300
Did you write your own vows? If so, what was your favorite phrase, verse or line? No, we wanted a traditional Methodist service.
Tell us about some of the songs you used throughout your wedding and why you chose them. Ike and I danced to a song he picked out, “I Never Knew How Much” by the Allman Brothers. It’s a classic, and the second he played it for me, I knew it was our song. My dad and I danced to “The Way You Look Tonight” by Phil Collins, a song he has had picked out for years. I cried during both songs!
Describe your wedding cake or dessert. The wedding cake was inspired by a picture I saw in a wedding magazine. I had looked at so many pictures and wasn’t finding many cakes I liked, and at the last minute, I stumbled across that picture and loved it! I decided to keep the cake all-white and classic so I wouldn’t have any regrets about it later. It was red velvet (our favorite) and delicious! I had it for breakfast the next day!
Did you have something borrowed, blue, old, and new? If so, do tell! Yes, I borrowed my mother’s diamond earrings, my dress was new, I had on blue undies, and I had a penny in my shoe that my mom had in hers at her wedding–she and my dad have been married for 35 years!
What Southern details or traditions did you include in your celebration? What was Southern about your wedding? Our food! We wanted Southern food, but not your typical shrimp and grits. We had snapper, braised short ribs, biscuits, Carolina gold rice, and succotash. Also, the groomsmen wore bow ties from Brackish, which were made out of wild turkey feathers. Another homage to Ike’s hunting! I gave Ike a gun as his groom’s gift–you don’t get more Southern than that!
What was one way you saved money or cut costs at your wedding? Instead of printed programs, we had a calligrapher write the details on a mirror from my parents’ house. We added a mini soup station instead of another full catering station, which was perfect for the weather! We were also able to order the sweaters for the bridesmaids through our clothing store, The Resort Shop.
What is the one detail or vendor that you were so happy to have as a part of your wedding? The ladies of Sweetgrass Social and Patrick Properties. They were all amazing to work with and gave us the wedding of our dreams! We also loved having family wedding pictures displayed at the ceremony. It felt like those who couldn’t be there were watching over us. It was a really special and personal detail.
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? When the doors opened for the first time, seeing Ike and all the guests at the ceremony. It was overwhelming emotional to know everyone was there to see me marry my best friend. My heart felt so full!
What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? Hire a wedding planner! Jacqueline from Sweetgrass Social was beyond helpful, and I don’t know what we would have done without her! Even if you can only spring for a day-of planner, do it. You won’t regret it and you will be a happier bride! Also, don’t follow trends or opinions of others–stay true to yourself and what you want for your wedding.
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you most looking forward to about married life? The day you get married is the day you start your own family, and that’s what we are most looking forward to: being together as a family and hopefully one day soon, expanding the Boatwright clan! Oh, and traveling! Ike caught the travel bug on our honeymoon and we are now planning our next trip to Italy.

Photographer: Jamie Clayton / Planner: Jacqueline Volz of Sweetgrass Social / Venue: Lowndes Grove Plantataion / Florist: Sara York Grimshaw Designs / Catering and Cake: Fish / Rentals: Snyder Rentals and Eventworks / Lighting: Technical Event Company / Band: GrooveTown / Bride’s Gown: “Peony” by Monique Lhuiller / Paper Products: Mac and Murphy / Hair and Makeup: Stella Nova / Bride’s Shoes: Jimmy Choo / Bridesmaids’ Sweaters: 360 Sweaters / Bridesmaids’ Skirts: Ceremony by Joanna August / Bridesmaid Salon: Bella Bridesmaid / Bridesmaids’ Necklaces: Theodosia / Bow Ties: Brackish

lisa Written with love by Lisa
6 Comments
  1. avatar Charmaine reply

    How romantic are those centerpieces

  2. avatar Emily reply

    Those tables are gorgeous! And the blankets – what a sweet touch for a winter wedding.

  3. avatar Jamie Clayton reply

    Ladies, y’all are my absolute favorite. Please come to Nashville ASAP!

  4. avatar Occasions In Print reply

    So beautiful! Love the bouquets!

  5. avatar Flashbacks of 2014: The Year in Review | Sweetgrass Social reply

    […] In early February, Leanna and Ike celebrated with a glam rustic themed wedding with an elegant tented affair at Lowndes Grove. You can see more of their wedding on Southern Weddings. […]

  6. avatar Sarah reply

    Hello, can you please tell me where the candelabras are from? I would love to rent or buy them.

Southern Weddings reserves the right to delete comments which contain profanity or personal attacks or seek to promote a business unrelated to the post.  And remember: a good attitude is like kudzu – it spreads.  We love hearing your kind thoughts!

Reply to:
close

I love how Sara + Dom chose to separate the dinner from the dancing portion part of their celebration. (And oh my, what a celebration it was!) Tara and the team at Lowndes Grove worked together to create a dinner party feeling through estate tables, romantic chandeliers and low floral arrangements, then utilized modern lighting and a fun lounge area to create an upbeat space for dancing and more celebration. I love how ecstatic these two look in Liz’s photos!

Thanks again to Liz Banfield for capturing S + D’s soiree!

Dom is a big collector of matchbooks, so we had custom matchbooks made with our married monogram!

Did you have a cocktail hour? If so, what was it like? Our cocktail hour was fantastic.   As you entered the house, you saw a gorgeous old-fashioned champagne tower.  There was also an oyster bar, cheese trays and delicious shrimp and grits in edible spoons.

One of the biggest hits was a soup sampler we served as part of dinner.  There were three different soups served together that people could not stop talking about: gazpacho, curry crab, and split pea.  The split pea and gazpacho were served cold, so they were also refreshing.

I’m smitten over these chargers – the cut-out detail is simple yet ornate all at the same time. I can see pairing them with my grandmother’s vintage china for an Easter brunch!

We always knew we wanted to separate the dinner and dancing portions of the evening.  We wanted dinner to feel like a dinner party and then we wanted to create a much more upbeat atmosphere for the dancing part of the evening.  The two spaces were adjacent to each other and as dinner ended, the dancing tent with the dance floor and lounge floor was unveiled for all to see.

I saw the idea for mini cakes in Vogue, and could not wait to re-create it!  I thought the idea of having individual cakes for everyone was so different, and also delicious.  We had three different flavors: carrot cake, caramel, and chocolate.  The cake tower that held them all looked perfect.

As soon as Kristin and I both saw Sara’s getaway dress we absolutely flipped! This girl is ready for a party!

We had rented an old Rolls Royce that had to cancel at the last minute so we ended up with a vintage green Lincoln coupe convertible and it was even better!  We left through the house doors and ran through the sparklers to the car and drove off to everyone cheering.  We went for a ride around the battery before heading to our after party.  It was an amazing feeling to drive around the battery as every car we passed by honked and people were wishing us well.  We were just trying to take it all in and enjoy the best night of our lives.

And please enjoy this film of the day from Joel Serrato!

Tell us a bit about your first dance. We danced to “Stand by Me” by Ben E. King.  We went back and forth on many different songs as we wanted as we wanted something that was a little upbeat.  “Stand by Me” turned out perfectly.
Favorite design element of your big day: My whole idea for dinner was to have the feeling of an intimate dinner party surround by friends.  That was executed with the long tables, lit candles, and the beautiful chandeliers hanging from the tents.
What was the funniest moment?  What was the scariest? Our funniest moment was when one of our friends was dancing on the stage with the band and jumped up and came down into a split.  The crowd could not believe it and when he showed up at our brunch the next day, the room gave him a standing ovation for his incredible dance moves.
What was Southern about your wedding? The location, the plantation, the food, and the specialty cocktails.

marissa Written with love by Marissa
4 Comments
  1. avatar Lauren reply

    I love the beautiful fabric draped ceiling. It’s so whimsical and delicate and paired with the gray and blue accents it is perfection.

  2. avatar Emily reply

    I adore their champagne tower and monogrammed table linens!

  3. avatar Friday Fresh Squeeze | Floridian Weddings reply

    […] Tara Guerard is of my all-time favorite planners and this is why! […]

  4. avatar An Ultra Elegant Charleston Wedding | Wedding Resource reply

    […] elegance never goes out of style for weddings. Take a look at this gorgeous Charleston, SC wedding on Southern Weddings to find out why. From the swanky cocktail hour to the bride’s Kenneth […]

Southern Weddings reserves the right to delete comments which contain profanity or personal attacks or seek to promote a business unrelated to the post.  And remember: a good attitude is like kudzu – it spreads.  We love hearing your kind thoughts!

Reply to:
close
Top