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Here’s a little confession, y’all: Emily and I Instagram-stalked the preparation of today’s beautiful wedding for weeks last year! After seeing sneak peeks of the meaningful details Beth Ann and Wesley were incorporating into their celebration, set against the stunning backdrop of Wesley’s family summer home, we were overjoyed when Jacin of Lovely Little Details sent it our way. This wedding is drop dead gorgeous, no doubt about that, but what we love most are the ways they nodded to their love story (the monarch butterfly release, in honor of the butterflies Beth Ann claims she first got around Wesley!) and to the life they want to create together (like the ceremony doors that they hope to include in a future home). When your story stretches all the way back to childhood, like Beth Ann and Wesley’s does, there’s certainly plenty to be inspired by!

Thank you so much to Tec Petaja and our Blue Ribbon Vendor, Jacin of Lovely Little Details, for sharing this magical day with us in V7!

From Jacin: This wedding took place at the groom’s family’s private plantation in Georgetown, South Carolina. The plantation was actually used in a movie, and is an idyllic location right on the water, but far enough down a beaten path road that you might not even know it was there. We even had baby alligators in the pond next to cocktail hour–having someone come to relocate the alligators to another watering hole is something I never thought my job description would entail!

Tell us all the basics of your wedding! We were married during Memorial Day weekend at Wesley’s family’s second home, Whitehall Plantation. The home overlooks Winyah Bay in Georgetown, South Carolina. The wedding took place at 6:00 P.M., and was black tie optional. he weather could not have been more perfect. The evening was in the high 70’s and there was a light breeze. We chose the family summer house because it has always been a special place for Wesley, and we spent many happy times there during our dating life. It was also where Wesley proposed. We buried a bourbon bottle exactly one month before the wedding, and the groom and groomsmen dug it up and did shots the day of the wedding. We will swear by this Southern tradition forever, since our weather couldn’t have been more perfect.

Tell us about finding your wedding dress. What was your favorite thing about it? I went shopping in Atlanta with my sister, my mother, and my fiancé’s mother. My dress was one of two that I quickly narrowed the selection down to, but the one I picked was so comfortable and felt so light that I knew it was the one. The designer was Anna Maier, and the detail I loved the most was the blush-hued slip that complemented my skin tone.
Describe your bridesmaids’ dresses. How did you choose them? We chose Amsale dresses in champagne chiffon. I let each of the bridesmaid pick the style they liked the best.
What did the groom and groomsmen wear? They wore off-white dinner jackets with traditional tux pants and black cummerbunds and bow ties–a very traditional, Southern look.

The flowers were loose, indigenous blooms that featured the season. There were lots of lush peonies, ranunculus, Queen Anne’s lace, garden roses, viburnum, poppies, scabiosa, anemones, and clematis in shades of blush and cream with pops of hot pink, paired with blueberry branches from a local farm down the street. Our planner, Jacin, traded jars of her homemade jam in exchange for being allowed to go to the farm and clip branches to include in all of our arrangements and boutonnieres.

Bride’s favorite detail of the wedding: There are so many to choose from, but the old doors that we bought and used for my father to walk me through as we entered the ceremony were so special. We hope to one day to use them in our home in some way. My other favorite detail was the wine that Wesley and I made on a trip in Italy the summer before the wedding. We had the wine labels designed to match our invitation and served it at the wedding.

The ceremony was special for several reasons (besides marrying the love of my life). The groom’s first cousin partnered in the officiating, which was very special. My sister and maid of honor surprised us with a box of beautiful monarch butterflies that we opened during the ceremony, and we included a wedding prayer that had been read at my parents’ wedding 29 years ago. We concluded the ceremony with a surprise for the audience of a Southern choir bursting into the song “Your Love Keeps Lifting Me Higher.”

From Jacin: The bride and groom’s families have been friends forever, and their love started at an early age. The bride cites she felt butterflies for the first time and knew he was the one, so we brought this detail in through a surprise butterfly release at the end of the ceremony.

Groom’s favorite detail of the wedding: I was absolutely blown away by the dinner tent. The custom made floor was unbelievable. Also, I am a big fan of bourbon whiskey, so Beth Ann planned a bourbon bar at the wedding. It was a huge hit with everyone, and I loved it. It had a dark wooden bar with various fine bourbons to sample and boxes of cigars to smoke. It had the feel of an old-timey lounge.

What was your reception like? A fairy tale! Stations were set up so that at each corner, guests had another surprise in store for them. The grounds were surrounded by the most beautiful live oaks, which are such a signature element of the Lowcountry. Each was up-lit and many chandeliers were hung from the trees. An incredible circular bar was built around the base of one of the biggest oaks on the grounds, which served as the center for the dance floor. A bourbon and cigar bar and a photo booth were also set up in different areas.

What was the design inspiration for your reception? From Jacin: We had guests start with the ceremony on one side of the plantation, then slowly move around to each next portion of the night, delighting guests with the details that remained cohesive, but still brought the element of surprise. Dinner was held in a custom built 50′ x 150′ tent, which we built to mimic a dining room. From hardwood floors that were placed plank by plank just days before the wedding, to draping from ceiling to floor in a sheer ivory silk, allowing the lighting and mossy oaks to be seen from inside, but masking the dance area until it was time, to driftwood logs we had holes cut to fit wine bottle candles at the entrance (the bride and groom made their own wine in Italy the summer before, and the wine bottles were a nod to that), the tent was one of my favorite places. 470 guests can be a daunting head count, but the overall response we heard was that they felt like they were in a dining room with their closest friends–mission accomplished!

From Jacin: We wanted to play on the natural setting of the plantation, with nods to the Spanish moss and beach grass, and with a few pops of blue from the ocean. We brought in those accents subtly, from individually painted invitations depicting the plantation view, to a canoe beer bar during cocktail hour, to oyster and mussel shells at each place setting for salt and pepper cellars, to driftwood place cards with names hand lettered individually. The first time I visited the venue with the couple, I noticed a blueberry farm down the street. I kept that farm in my mind through the entire process, and called them a month or so before the wedding to see if we could come by and clip some greenery to use in the floral arrangements. I loved how the blue/green leaves looked with the blush pink peonies and delicate clematis, and the greenery was the perfect accent to pull the florals together. I actually ended up trading a few jars of homemade jam with the blueberry farm owner in exchange for the greenery–it was quite the barter!

What are you most looking forward to about marriage? We are so excited to begin our life together. We’ve been through every stage of our growing up years together in some way or another, and to continue this journey as a couple makes me feel so blessed to be spending the rest of my life with my best friend.

How did the two of you meet? Tell us your story. We are childhood friends turned high school sweethearts. We continued our relationship through our years at Clemson University. Both of our families are very good friends, and have traveled together a lot. Our first kiss was during a game of truth or dare when we were just kids, and our families were on a cruise together.
Tell us about the proposal! It was June 7, 2013. Beth Ann and I were scheduled to go to Puerto Rico with her family the next day. I had picked up the ring two days before, and it was burning a hole in my pocket–I knew I could not keep the secret for very long. I wanted to be able to celebrate our engagement with our families, but unfortunately, there was a tropical storm over the coast of South Carolina, and the weather was terrible. Even though it was bad, I asked Beth Ann if she wanted to go have lunch with me at Whitehall (the future venue for our wedding). Although she was reluctant at first, she agreed. As soon as we got there, there was a break in the weather, and the day turned beautiful. Before we could even eat, I got down on one knee and asked her to marry me. It was the perfect moment when she said yes (although it took her a minute or two to because she was crying). We then called our close friends and family to tell them we had gotten engaged. Later that night, we celebrated with everyone at a local restaurant.
When did y’all get married? May 24, 2014
Three adjectives that describe the day are: Magical, intimate in all its grandeur, and unexpected (thanks to with surprises that my parents had in store)
How many guests attended your wedding? 478
What were some of the highlights of the reception? Edwin McCain was great, but the band, Sol Fusion, was equally impressive. Their music was awesome and they were so patient with our wedding party, because we all got on the stage with them for the last half of their time. They just kept on playing and singing–it was epic. We broke the stage!
Were there any family traditions you included in the reception? We had a table set up with photographs of both sets of grandfathers, who had passed away. We also hung both of our mothers’ wedding gowns on a display for everyone to see.
Best advice or most memorable comment someone made to you during the wedding celebration: We got so many compliments but one of our close friends said this: “The night was absolutely spectacular! With all its extravagance and magic, which was amazing, at its heart, it was a simple wedding with a simple message of love!”

Photography: Tec Petaja / Planning, Design, and Florals: Lovely Little Details / Paper Products Design: Momental Designs / Paper Products Printing: Southern Fried Paper / Calligraphy: Traci Green / Catering: Cru Catering / Videographer: Shaking Hands / Photo Booth: Michael Newton / Officiants: Tim Surratt, Christin Norman / Cake Baker: Myra Ranta of Incredible Edibles / Cocktail Hour and Reception Musicians: Sol Fusion / String Quartet: Classical Charleston / Gospel Choir: Voices of Deliverance / Logistics: Dovetail / Tent, Flooring, and Rentals: Snyder Events / Lighting: Production Design Associates / Linens: La Tavola / Hair and Makeup: Team Hair & Makeup / Valet: Shoreline Valet / Trolley: Sunway Charters / Limo and Shuttle: Carolina Limo / Restrooms: Nature’s Calling Inc. / Draping: Duvall Events / Driftwood Arch and Driftwood Wine Bottle Candleholders: Lee Arthur / Antique Doors: Ted Watts / Venue: Whitehall Plantation / Bride’s Gown: Anna Maier / Bridal Salon: Joan Pillow / Bride’s Shoes: Jimmy Choo / Bride’s Jewelry: Yael Designs / Bridesmaid Dresses: Various styles in Champagne by Amsale / Wedding Dinner Wine: Made by the bride and her family at Castello Monterinaldi with winemaker Fabrizio Benedetti

Lovely Little Details is a delightful member of our Blue Ribbon Vendor Directory!

lisa Written with love by Lisa
9 Comments
  1. avatar jacin reply

    i LOVED playing a part in beth ann + wes’ wedding. their families are so dear to my heart and i was honored to help them bring their story to life!

  2. avatar Allister Freeman reply

    These are beautiful, love the colours and tones

  3. avatar Stacey Hannan reply

    Beautiful, love everything about this wedding.

  4. avatar Abby reply

    WOW! As a long time reader, this is honestly one of my favorite weddings to date. Every detail was executed to perfection and you can just feel the joy and love through the pictures!

  5. avatar Southern Wedding Magazine Featured Georgetown Wedding – reply

    […] See more images of this classic Southern soiree  here. […]

  6. avatar Emily reply

    HOLY COW!!

  7. avatar liam smith reply

    beautiful photographs, what an awesome location to shoot

  8. avatar 10 Wedding Registry Tips & Tricks | Wedding Wednesday | B E I N G // B R I D G E T reply

    […] image via […]

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Brides aren’t the only ones looking for guidance and inspiration before the big day! I’m willing to bet that many of y’all are (or have been, or will be!) the best gal beside the bride, trying to do everything you can to make sure her engagement is sweet and her wedding day smooth. We teamed up with our friends at Weddington Way and a few of our favorite Nashville ladies, including former Bachelorette Kacie Gaston, YouTube star Julia Sheer, country artist Katie Armiger, and lifestyle blogger Caroline Acree, to offer some advice for those of y’all walking down the aisle just before the bride!

Southern Weddings: What’s your best tip for fulfilling the role of bridesmaid?
Kacie Gaston: Let the bride know you are available to help with anything during the wedding planning process. The day of, give her a token of your friendship to let her know how excited you are for her special day!
Katie Armiger: Just have fun and enjoy it! Do all that you can to ensure that the bride is taken care of. It’s her special day, and you want to make sure that it goes as smoothly as possible.
Julia Sheer: Go with the flow, no complaining, and always have some tissues on hand for the criers.
Caroline Acree: This day is about celebrating the happy couple. The bride and groom should feel support and love from everyone around them. A bridesmaid should not only add to the happiness of this exciting day, but make herself useful whenever possible. Attend to the couple, the wedding party, and the guests in the most genuine and courteous way possible. Go the extra mile and offer to handle planning details for the bride. Let her enjoy her happy day to the fullest.

SW: If you were getting married tomorrow, what would you have your bridesmaids wear?
Kacie: I would have Weddington Way send me a mixture of the gold dresses and lace in styles that complement the bridesmaids’ body types. I love mixing textures and colors!!
Katie: I would choose either a deep navy or a black dress. I love the classic darker colors.
Julia: I would have them wear a mixture of different dresses in the same color range.
Caroline: I’ve always loved the idea of an all-white wedding, but I’ve never liked bridesmaids wearing the same dress. I’d let them choose their own shape, neckline, length… even fabric! Just as long as each bridesmaid felt beautiful in her dress, I’d be happy!

SW: Do you have a favorite memory from your time as a bridesmaid, or with the bridesmaids at your wedding?
Kacie: Really, my favorite part of being a bridesmaid and on my own wedding day is the quality time you get to spend with those who are closest to you. It means so much to share such a precious time with all of those who have built and shaped you into who you are!
Katie: Just hanging out with best friends at their wedding, laughing and reveling in the happy day. It is a day of celebrating life and love, after all.
Julia: My favorite time as a bridesmaid was when I got to be in my older sister’s wedding about 6 or 7 years ago. It was so fun to get to be a part of all the bridal showers and celebrations even though I was much younger than most of the people in the bridal party. It was a great way for all of my sisters and I to bond more.
Caroline: I’ve actually never been a bridesmaid, and I’m not married! :)

Big hugs to all of these fabulous Nashville gals for sharing! You can follow along with them here: Kacie | Katie | Julia | Caroline

Friends, be sure to check out Weddington Way to get a closer look at the bridesmaid dresses these gals are sporting! Their current collection includes more than one thousand beautiful options from leading designers.

Photographer: Tec Petaja | Set + Floral Stylist: Jessica Sloane | Calligrapher/Menu: Chelsea Petaja | Beauty and Hair: Babe Beauty Bar | Model Agency: Amax (Danielle Maltby, Mary Elizabeth Clark, Sydney Chiyoko)

emily Written with love by Emily
4 Comments
  1. avatar Nichole reply

    I’m using weddington way for my bridesmaid dresses! I’ve loved working with them so far & can’t wait to see the dresses all together.

  2. avatar Christopher Clare reply

    Superb images. Loving every bit of them. Thanks for the opportunity to view them.

  3. avatar Andreina | Fly Away Bride reply

    Love the navy dresses.

  4. avatar Michael and Carina reply

    This is just perfect! Thank you for sharing!!!

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!

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I must say, y’all, I’m extra excited to share the behind the scenes of V7’s A Bushel and a Peck because this is by far the best my hair has ever looked at an editorial shoot! ;) It was such a blast to be on both sides of this shoot–one of our biggest of the year, with incredible vendors who flew in from across the country to take part, including our photographer, Tec Petaja, and florist/stylist, Rhiannon of Hey Gorgeous Events. Our Blue Ribbon Vendor, Nancy Ray Photography captured all of the magic that went on behind the scenes, from invitation styling and film rolling, to bug spraying and table setting!

Oh, how we love Fearrington! There are so many beautiful nooks and crannies in the gardens that we took full advantage of.

I just have to pause for a second because the photo below makes me smile so much–thanks for protecting me from mosquitoes, fiancé! :)

Spending time together and with friends doing something we love so much is one of the best things about shoot days. Kristin drove down from Virginia to be on hand, and Rhiannon flew all the way from Michigan to style and create the most amazing floral arrangements for us.

After wrapping up at Fearrington, we packed up in about five cars and headed an hour west to the perfect peach orchard we had selected. It was the loveliest setting for our table, plus a bunch of bride and groom portraits!

Ladder-less, Tec had to climb onto a very precarious stack of crates to photograph the food! We did our best to spot him and make sure he didn’t fall face down into the peach galette :)

The day ended the way all the best shoot days do: hot, sweaty, tired, and bugspray-scented, but overwhelmingly happy, grateful, and excited about creating something truly meaningful and inspiring. Stay tuned for more editorials coming up over the next few weeks, and don’t forget to order your copy of V7 here!

lisa Written with love by Lisa
4 Comments
  1. avatar Kat reply

    Can’t wait to see it in V7!!:)

  2. avatar Kirsti reply

    When I interned with Brides of Oklahoma magazine, I remember shoot days ending pretty similar – hot sweaty and tired! It’s so rewarding seeing the beautiful creations after a hard days work!

  3. avatar Kyla Fetzner reply

    You look beautiful Lisa! I’m loving that y’all are sharing a look at the making of V7. One of my favorite behind-the-scenes photos is the one that shows the moment when Tec captured the cover shot :)

  4. avatar Rhiannon reply

    I love this post so much :) So much love and heart in one place!

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!

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