So Sarah loves her hometown of Charleston, and Steven couldn’t be from further away, with all of his family in Guam.  The couple now enjoys the warm sand and sun of Key West.  For their wedding, Sarah wanted everyone to get a taste of her mainland home, and in true Charleston hospitality, she and Steven planned a party to make those travelers from afar right at home!

Start with some orchids, lilies and other exotics, and laid back attire.  Add in gorgeous bouquets by Country & Lace for a punch of color. Bridesmaid dresses that could be worn a million ways had a true beach wear feel while still being elegant.

Since guest were just getting acquainted, who wouldn’t love a photo booth with crazy props!  I absolutely love this photo of Steven’s dad in a straw hat a la Huck Finn.

Long tables brought everyone to family dinner, and layers of linen, burlap, satin and greens filled an otherwise empty rectangle.

To get those recipes just right, I heard Regal Catering had a Polynesian chef tucked away, and did they ever deliver with amazing dishes like pancet and full roasted pig presented luau style per the tradition.  Add in fresh fruits and other traditional recipes, and it was a feast for the eyes as well as the appetite.

Polynesian woven fans and bright rose petals really amped up the ceremony- that along with some serious shoes worn by Sarah!

Custom stationery with textured jute and a wide open view of the Charleston Harbor had everyone sensing the islands.

The real kicker came when Steven was surprised by a little treat by his wife with the talented Efrain Martinez Avila spinning fire poi to authentic Polynesian drum beats on the lawn of Alhambra Hall!

To be sure we had just enough of the fire, nothing could be better than a sparkler finish!

Two Thomas Bennett weddings in a row, but what a great way to illustrate how different a space can become depending on your personality!  Shannon Michele Photography made sure each little detail was captured on this beautiful day.

Stephanie and Kevin love the classic downtown Charleston feel, but they wanted the homey charm of the Thomas Bennett House.  Their fun personalities burst through with great little hints like these fabulous shoes for Stephane!

Ike and Ange, or Ikelina, as they came to be known in the planning process, do not get a lot of free time together.  For their May nuptials, all they wanted to do was kick up their Kentucky heels with a great day for guests in downtown Charleston.

In the planning process, ‘organic’ was a word that kept coming out with them, so we kept things simple and beautiful.

Instead of a tent, clean ivory umbrella tables fit into the lovely garden of Thomas Bennett House, which only made the surroundings pop.  I love taking my sketches to Country & Lace, because she always turns out a perfect version of the vision.

Add some bourbon lovers and the bluegrass sounds of Blue Plantation, and you’ve got a relaxed evening of good times ahead.

Fresh herbs and garden roses made things look as if they were there to stay, and the fresh local menu from Gourmet Bay was just as mouthwatering as it was fresh and light.

I loved designing this wedding almost as much as I love the images I got from Karson Photography of it!

Weddding Wire, Bridal Buds, Wedding Aces, Martha Stewart Weddings

First, I must say when Val at RIchard Bell Photography is shooting, I know the memories will be beautiful and amazing, and she did not disappoint!

Bring in Debbie at Country and Lace Florist who totally understood Jen’s need for the beautiful and different from hello.  With Jen loving so many beautiful bright florals, linens needed to let them speak, so clean wipe swept through the tent with an awesome green and white print that we whipped into satin trimmed overlays to anchor the centerpieces with a nod to all of the beautiful lawn surrounding their big day.

Being two J’s, that overtook the symbol for the day from the stationery to the moss adorning the entry to the gate.  My crazy friend Hayden at the awesome Ashley Bakery brought nice and tasty culmination of the style into their cake.

Throw in Kathleen Wilson of Aquaharp to serenade everyone through the ceremony, which ended with them being pronounced married and Spiritually Yours bursting into “Oh Happy Day” as they escorted guests across the lawn into cocktail hour.

With Cafe Catering feeding everyone and DJ Bryan cranking out the tunage, it really couldn’t be topped.

With all of those cute touches, what more could a couple ask for but a crowd of guests ready to have a good time and celebrate with them!  Luckily for Jen and Jeremy, they happily obliged.

For Michael and Sarah, having a good time on their beach vacay was #1!  Good music and good times were the focus, and did they ever let them roll.  We simply added some amazing photography to capture the fun with Indie Sunday Photography.

To keep a beach ceremony intimate, one of my favorite things is to have everyone standing clustered around you.  Add Jean Jolly, an amazing singer/songwriter and close friend, and don’t forget a curry ring bearer named Jerry, and Voila! You’ve got a super sweet ceremony.

A front beach backyard full of southern fare from Tidewater Catering and cupcake confections from Wildflour Pastry kept everyone smiling while none other than Triple Lindy rocked it out!  They are def one of my fave bands!

How they made it personal:

-the COOLEST boutonnieres handmade by a talented friend

-an officiant and guitarist who are part of their circle of friends

-a family fun enough to conga line with the craziest masks I’ve ever seen as some surprise entertainment

Congrats, Sarah and Michael!

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Special thanks to our new friends at Tumbleston Photography for capturing great memories!

Old Wide Awake was the perfect spot to celebrate a marriage, and crank up the music as loud as needed with no one around to hear!

Sweet Moments for making it personal:

-Amber showed her style with fab jewel-toned shoes

-The bride’s sister and BFF sang a sweet duet of “Til There Was You”

-Special Dances throughout the night with all of the most special people

-A gorgeous vintage stretch in which the entire guest list could have left