Thank you, thank you Virgil Bunao for bringing all of us this gorgeous breath of fresh Charleston air. I don't even know if thank you is enough because this sweet soirée made my day and then some, and I am pretty sure it will do the same for all of you out there in SMP land. This timeless bride might be one of the most picture perfect ladies around, and her wedding was equally pretty. It's a Charleston classic, and there is even more pretty in the full gallery of images! (thank goodness!)
Click here to see the entire gallery of images!
From the Bride...I suppose it would have been more traditional to have our wedding in our hometown, but Charleston was our new home together, and we wanted our friends and family to experience the Lowcountry. I hadn't really grown up dreaming of my wedding. Instead I dreamt about who my husband might be, so had never really thought about what I wanted. All I knew was that I wanted to be outdoors, in a natural setting, with lots of candlelight. Patrick and I are both very laid-back, relaxed people. I wanted our wedding to reflect that, but still be an fairy-tale of a night. I wanted to evoke a soft vintagey southern charm while being elegant. At the same time, I wanted it to be different than a typical Charleston wedding. We found the perfect venue in the Legare-Waring House at the Charles Towne Landing. The live oaks draped with Spanish moss, the lagoons with alligators, and the fountains were the perfect backdrop for our celebration. After all, when your setting is that beautiful, you don’t need to add much! The park is where the city of Charleston began, and we thought it would be fitting to have our life together begin there as well.
The colors were navy and green. The girls and I chose long navy chiffon for the bridesmaids’ dresses, and their bouquets were green mini hydrangea. I began collecting antique milk glass vases for the centerpieces. I spend leisurely hours in antique stores and on EBay finding pieces that were all unique. Our florist did an absolutely beautiful job with the flowers. Peonies are my favorite, and he even added sweetly smelling jasmine to the centerpieces at the last minute when I noticed it blooming downtown on Broad Street. Patrick and the guys chose tan wool suits and we found plaid ties that matched our scheme. The week of the wedding I still hadn’t figured out what we would do for seating cards. I didn’t want them to blow around in a breeze. My mom and stepdad live on a sailboat. I knew she had hundreds of sea-beans she had painstakingly collected on deserted beaches throughout the years. I always carry one I found in Costa Rica in my purse, as a sort of good-luck charm. I thought it would be sweet to use them as seating cards. My sister penned everyone’s names and table numbers on the front and back, and everyone took them home with them. Patrick’s mother used the peppers from her garden to make homemade pepper jelly for all the guests in little mason jars as favors.
Despite my consultations with the farmers almanac, it monsoon-ed all day before our wedding. It even hailed the night before and broke our lighting and some windows in the house. We had to change our setup and throw up a tent, move the dance floor, and take some deep breaths. An hour before the ceremony the sky cleared. As my father and I were walking down the aisle, the sun came out. It wasn’t exactly how I had planned it, but it was absolutely perfect. The rain had cooled the air, sent the bugs into hiding, and set the mood for a magical night.
Wedding Dress: Rosa Clara from Gown Boutique of Charleston / Bride's Shoes: Cole Haan Nike Air / Hair: Milly Wilson of Salon Carcica / Groom's + Groomsmen Suits and Ties: Jos. A. Bank / Groom's Shoes and Belt: Allen Edmonds / Catering: New Dream Catering / Pies: 3.14 Pies / Bar: Icebox / Florist: David Singleton / Rentals: Event DRS / Lighting: Stage Presence / Music: Other Brother Entertainment / Ceremony Music: Nikolai Svishev / Band for Cocktails + Reception: Two 3 Ways / Wedding Photography: Virgil Bunao / Stationery: Wedding Paper Divas