By popular demand, here are a few more shots from the Chamberlains’ December 5 nuptials!

Richard Bell Photography

Richard Bell Photography

Oh boy!  So Jill and JB are fun, and on top of that, they have fun friends.  With a crowd like this , focus on amazing lighting and food and let them do the rest!

(c) 2009 charophoto.com

Things started off with an elegant ceremony at historic St. Luke’s downtown.  Charo was on-hand early, so not a second of the day would be missed, and she caught some FAB shots!

(c) 2009 charophoto.com

Every element of the day was about providing guests with a memorable party from the fab cocktails that greeted them at the entrance to the Boone Hall Cotton Dock to adding some time to allow for lots o’ shaking tailfeathers!

(c) 2009 charophoto.com

Throw in a classic black mustang driven by 7-year itch Marilyn, and you have to be fun to have a tiered cake of funfetti!

(c) 2009 charophoto.com

Rick Dean Photography

After dinner things got crazy and all of the beautiful people hit the dance floor.  It was not an option to leave out these amazing shots of the action!

There is nothing more amazing than the sound of the waves as a back drop to your ceremony.  Not so in love with the sand and shell decor that tends to be par for the course?  Nix it!

For Cheri and Bob, the ocean and colors of the setting sun were some of her faves colors so we deepened them and pumped things up with some rich fabrics to offset the chill in the air on the December 5 big day!

Gorgeous starfish and the Citadel Beach House still made an appearance to give their guests the souvenirs and memories they needed for their trip, of course.  Driftwoods were traded for darker woods like manzanita.

Finally, with a beautiful backdrop, sometimes it’s cool to leave it just as that, so a simple bamboo arbor and moss  and ivy  didn’t block the ocean view.  Naturally, Yoj ordered up the perfect weather!  Hello!  We take care of it all.

Be on the lookout for more details in later blogs including some awesome details from Cru Catering, Ashley Bakery, Super Deluxe, Country & Lace, specialty furniture rentals from Duvall and a serious party crowd

Special Thanks to Evan Laettner’s amazing photography!

Vintage does not mean stuffy in any sense, and when I met Lacey and JB, vintage came out of her mouth about 20 times.  She conveyed her thoughts about their style by saying she wanted it to feel like a grandma’s estate.  This being the most hilarious description of a formal Charleston wedding, I was thrilled she chose to work with us!

When you grow up in Louisiana, grandma’s house can definitely have some cool style, and Lacey and JB wanted their guests to get a taste of Charleston but feel right at home.  We focused on rich colors and fabrics, warm lighting and creating a beautiful outdoor room with a tent the likes of the William Aiken House had never seen!

The moving frescos of St. Mary of the Annunciation created the romance desired and permitted an evening ceremony.  With such beautiful surroundings, I was a kid in a candy store picking candlesticks and rich colors and fabrics to fit the beautiful period style of the house.

A True Keeper of a Guestbook: Lacey and JB love their good juice, so guests left memorable messages on corks to fill one wall of their new downtown kitchen.

Favors for Fun: Crowd pleasing custom-banded cigars are much better than a matchbook!

Everyone danced the night away, and Lacey amped up the late night party with her change from the elegant custom dress from White into a sassy minidress by LaRoque!  OF course those amazing Lella Foster pearls stayed on all night.

As the witching hour approached, the blaring horns of The Second Line let everyone know it was time for a true New Orleans-style departure; complete with hankies and umbrellas.  We had a great time, Lacey and JB, and as they say in the Big Easy “L’aissez les bons temps rouler!”

Want a beach wedding but your hopes and dreams are dashed by weather or some AWFUL permitting rule at your fave spot?  Bring the sea inside!

After a beautiful downtown ceremony at St. Luke’s Chapel, Allison and Davis found the perfect blue already covering almost every surface of the Citadel Beach House, so pop in some sand, shells and amazing music, and you’re are set for a party to remember.

My fave pic is Allison’s “do Not trash my dress’” pic.  Thanks for capturing great memories, Kim Graham!

Ok, so it’s like amazing how many people are putting out planning guides these days.  Go to any Barnes & Noble and you could spend hours flipping through planning guides and trying to figure out what you need.Of course, my fantastic partner Erin will be planning my wedding, but with all the decisions to be made, a girl has to have a book!  So there are a few things your planning guide should have, according to moi:-Vendor section: go for one with note sections for a few of each so you can keep all of your interview notes together-decor: lots of empty space for drawing writing, etc and graphing-style paper is a plus.-guest and bridal party:  easy to copy sheets and a separate section for your bridal party-timelines to help (always check with vendors in your area for accuracy)-binder style to add remove and juggle things around and there must be POCKETSAfter some fun in the section, I went with what has been my fave for a few years, the Karen Bussen Simply Stunning Planner.  It has all my requirements and runs for about $20.  Not expensive.  My wedding planner…once again, Erin herself, will keep tabs on the black and white but it’s beautiful and functional for what I need. 

What do you get when you combine a crazy, huge Greek family and a group of rowdy Steelers fans from Pittsburgh–one heck of a party!  On July 25, 2009, after a beautiful ceremony at Greek Orthodox Church of the Holy Trinity, 225 guests packed the dance floor of the Country Club of Charleston to break it down.  1st Class Band played a mix of Motown favorites and traditional Greek music was intertwined to please the crowd.  Crystals hung from the centerpiece trees and created a romantic backdrop for all the guests as they danced into the night.  Even after the candles had burned guests stayed to send off the couple as they drove away in their vintage model T.  What a night–all the guests got their workout in for the week!

Click here for more pictures: megan and brian’s wedding

Charleston offers amazing venues–plantation homes, harbor views and historic buildings–so why cover them up?  Shelley and Jon celebrated their wedding on Memorial Day weekend at Stella Maris and reception at the Thomas-Bennett House in Downtown Charleston.  The Thomas-Bennett House has a vibrant garden that is covered in vines, blossoming trees and lush grasses.  With such an amazing space for their wedding day, the couple really wanted to show it off!  Choosing a neutral color pallet of tan, white, and green allowed the guests to focus on the amazing colonial home and grounds.   From the moment I met Shelley and John their main focus was that their guests had a great time.  The recipe for their happy guests: a rockin’ band, huge dance floor, and 5 hours of party!  It was a success!  Every guest danced their heart out and sang along with the band.  The combination of simple decor and a focus on the guests blended for a stunning day in the sun.   

If you love bright, bold color, USE IT!  Use it we did with Jamie’s fave hot pink and turquoise.  The couple wanted to fully enjoy their Charleston wedding beach-style, haveing made the trip from Indianapolis for the big day!

To pull it all together, have your accent color a more pale print.  Accessories in funky clear glass and simple loose arrangements are a must or no arrangements at all to stay away form being too busy.  Jamie and Matt were a fun couple, anyway, but how could you not have a good time with all of the happy color!

A night on the town deserves some shine!  Since I covered my cell phone with my self-made rhinestone encasement in high school (back then we did not have 50 fun covers for our Zac Morris phones),  rhinestones have always been a fun way to take things over the top.  If you’re looking for elegance and want to take it up a notch, a little bling, goes a looooong way!  Take a great old ballroom into the 21st century some shine and the light to make it happen.   Sparkles take the cake against clean white lines. I Love napkin rings.  They make the best tea light holders. Up lights and custom art define the space as yours and no one else’s. Click for details.