Southern Weddings

With its big wraparound porch and brightly colored interior, Katie and Brett knew the William Aiken House would be the perfect venue to show their friends and family how beautiful Charleston historic houses can be. After nine years of living in downtown Charleston, I’d say these two could take us on quite the gorgeous tour! Katie and Brett complemented the classic Southern details of the home with the perfect neutral color palette of gold and taupe neutrals, plus a subtle pop of coral brought in with the bridesmaids’ dresses and florals. I especially love the floating floral installation that accented the gazebo ceremony backdrop!

Hugs to Dana Cubbage for sharing K + B’s big day!

My dress, Babs by Hayley Paige, was the first one I tried on at the first store I went to! A few weeks after Brett proposed, I went to try on dresses with some of my bridesmaids and absolutely loved the first dress. I tried on about twelve more, just to see, but I knew that Babs would be the one. I immediately called my mom and begged her to come to Charleston the next week to see it, so she happily drove down from Richmond!

Describe your wedding flowers. My bouquet included peonies, roses, and ranunculus, and was tied with an ivory ribbon. The boutonnieres were coral ranunculus with a touch of greenery, and Brett’s had a white flower in it as well. Each one was tied with twine. The bridesmaid bouquets were mostly white and ivory with a touch of color and greenery, finished with an ivory ribbon. The centerpieces were ivory, coral, and blush flowers in gold vases. We also attached greenery to the lounge chandeliers and tent poles.

We did decide to do a first look, as most of our married friends and our photographer recommended it. I had my doubts, as I wasn’t sure I wanted Brett to see me before the ceremony, but on the day of, I was thrilled we decided to do it. I was extremely nervous and it helped to be able to see Brett and calm my nerves. It was also nice to get the bridal party pictures finished so that after the ceremony, we could just enjoy our reception!

What made you choose your ceremony and reception venues? Did they have any special significance to you? I’ve lived in Charleston for nine years now and have always lived downtown! It has a special place in my heart and I have walked past the William Aiken House tons of times. Once in college, I even said that I would love to get married there someday. After we toured a few other venues, we decided it was the best spot for our wedding. It had plenty of space, and we could do the ceremony and reception at the same venue, which was important to us.

What Southern details or traditions did you include in your celebration? What was Southern about your wedding? The house itself is so Southern! It has a big wraparound porch and panel doors, and the interior is full of bright colors and antiques. It really reminded us and our guests how beautiful Charleston historic houses can be. We also had shrimp and grits with fried green tomatoes as one of our food stations!

Describe your wedding cake or dessert. We had a four-tiered lace cake with a ribbon on the third tier that matched the sash on my dress. It even had a real peony flower, just like the flower on my sash! The first and last layers were hummingbird, the second layer was red velvet, and the third layer was carrot cake, all finished with cream cheese frosting.

For our first dance, Brett suggested “Come Away With Me” by Norah Jones, and when he played it for me, I knew that it was the one. Her voice is stunning and we both love the song! For the father/daughter dance, I let my dad choose the song, and he picked “Forever Young” by Rod Stewart–I’m the youngest!

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. Brett and I met at a mutual friend’s party when I was a freshman and he was a sophomore at the College of Charleston. We were good friends for almost a year and then started dating at then end of summer 2003. We graduated in 2005 and 2006 respectively and then moved to Greenville before moving back to Charleston in 2009–we missed it so much! We were together for nine years before we got engaged!
Tell us all about the proposal! Brett proposed the Thursday before Memorial Day weekend in 2013. He had asked about going to dinner at a new jazz club, The Mezz, earlier in the week, which I was excited about. On that Thursday, I was feeling tired, so I emailed Brett at work to suggest that we go over the weekend instead. Brett insisted that we go that night, because we had company coming in for the weekend. I have to admit, when he said this, I though, “Hmm, he’s never insistent on dinner plans…could this be the night??” Once that popped into my head, I finished work and went to get my nails done, just in case! :) When I got home, Brett asked me to come up to our rooftop patio for a pre-dinner drink. It was a gorgeous night and he started talking about how long we’d been together. We could even see my college dorm from where we were, and we laughed about the memories from that time in our life. After saying a lot of very sweet things, Brett got down on one knee and proposed!! I immediately said yes and was so happy! Afterwards, we called our friends and family and enjoyed a lovely dinner at The Mezz.
When did y’all get married? March 22, 2014
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? 150
Did you have something borrowed, blue, old, and new? I borrowed the pearl necklace I wore from my mom (it was originally my great grandmother’s, and my sister also wore it at her wedding). My something blue was the blue “I Do” undergarment I wore. My something olds were my pearl bracelet and earrings, and my something new was my dress, of course!
Tell us about some of the songs you used throughout your wedding and why you chose them. Walking down the aisle, I chose “Canon in D” by Pachelbel, because I think the song is so joyful and beautiful! Walking back up the aisle, we chose “The Wedding March” by Felix Mendelssohn. We had a string trio play the songs at both the ceremony and the cocktail hour.
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? I think the hardest thing about planning a wedding is picking out each little detail and then just hoping it all fits together! Hiring a wedding planner was the best decision we made.
What was one way you saved money or cut costs at your wedding? The groomsmen bought suits from Jos. A. Bank during the buy three, get one free sale, so they were heavily discounted, which was especially great considering we needed ten of them! We also ordered ties from TieBar.com, which were beautiful silk ties for only $15!
What is the one detail or vendor that you were so happy to have as a part of your wedding? Our band! They made the reception so much fun, it almost felt like a concert!
Our favorite detail of the wedding was: We made a fun sign with our wedding hashtag on it. Not very traditional, but it allowed us to see everyone’s pictures so easily!
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? My most memorable moment was walking out the door towards the aisle and seeing all my friends and family smiling back at me. My heart was pounding–I was so nervous, but so excited. I can still picture everyones’ faces, including Brett’s!
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you most looking forward to about married life? We are hoping to buy a house in the near future, as we’ve been in our two-bedroom condo for almost five years. We are most looking forward to spending the holidays with each other–we have been together for nine years and have never seen each other on Thanksgiving or Christmas! I am now glad we kept holidays separate, because it gives us a lot to look forward to and we will be able to create our own memories and traditions together, as a married couple.

Photographer: Dana Cubbage Weddings /Videographer: KLC Video Productions / Planner: Alexandra Caldwell Fisher / Venue: The William Aiken House / Florist: Tiger Lily / Cake Baker: Ashley Bakery / Caterer: Fish / Rentals: Snyder and Event Works / Lighting: Innovative Event Services / Band: The Dickens Band / Bride’s Gown: “Babs” by Hayley Paige / Bridal Salon: White on Daniel Island / Paper Products: MerryMint Designs / Bride’s Hair Clip: Stella Nova / Hair Stylist: Shayla Battle of Paper Dolls Wedding Hair & Make-up / Makeup Artist: Kristen Brown of Paper Dolls Wedding Hair & Make-up / Bride’s Shoes: “Veny Wedge Pump” by Vince Camuto / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: “Zoe” in Terracotta Silk Shantung by Lula Kate / Men’s Attire: Jos. A. Banks / Bow Ties: The Tie Bar / String Trio: Classical Charleston / Calligrapher: Paige Tanenbaum / Save The Dates: Wedding Paper Divas

Dana Cubbage and A. Caldwell Events are delightful members of our Blue Ribbon Vendor Directory!

Written with love by Marissa