When only a Southern Destination Wedding will do!

Transcription

When only a Southern Destination Wedding will do!
Charleston Wedding
1/20/08
2:01 PM
Page 1
destination wedding
only in charleston
ONLY IN CHARLESTON
When only a Southern Destination Wedding will do!
PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRIAN K. CRAIN
WWW.BKCPHOTO.COM
Eric Wolfe & Lindsay Leonard
July 14, 2007
The Francis Marion Hotel
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston Wedding
1/20/08
2:01 PM
destination wedding
Page 2
about charleston
ONLY IN CHARLESTON
For the same reasons that the Charleston area is a memorable
place to visit, the beautiful churches, historic buildings,
cobblestone streets, and the Lowcountry cuisine, Charleston is
one of the top destination wedding cities in America. The
coastal beauty that has inspired notable authors and the
southern ambience that has evolved through hosting a few
hundred years of Saint Cecilia Society Balls, commands
recognition. The calm dignity and elusive charm of the Old
South has survived in Charleston making it possibly one of
the most romantic cities in our country.
By Lynne Leonard
and garden tours, and Lowcountry festivals keep the hotels
and bed and breakfasts busy year round. Be prepared to
secure your guests rooms, reception site, and all other amenities well in advance as the demand for Charleston wedding
services is very competitive. To avoid disappointments, choose
several suitable vendors as your preferred resources. Not to
worry, few brides leave this magical city wishing for a more
elegant wedding day.
Contact Charleston Convention and Visitor Bureau at
www.CharlestonCVB.com to order an official visitors guide.
The visual images in this old city provide a kaleidoscope of venues for your destination wedding. From the historic churches to
the antebellum plantations, the chic hotels to the quaint bed
and breakfasts, the tucked away formal gardens to the pristine
beaches, and the grand historic ballrooms to the intimate parlors of private mansions, Charleston offers unique diversity
pleasing the most contemporary bride.
The city is teaming with professionals to plan, orchestrate,
and capture your Charleston wedding day. A word of advice,
if a church wedding is part of your agenda, be flexible, plan
early, and be advised that many of the churches are booked
more than a year in advance for the prime wedding seasons,
the spring and the fall. High summer temperatures and
humidity should be considered before planning outdoor wedding events in June, July, and August. Beach and plantation
garden weddings are often planned here. For a more formal
affair, consider the hotel ballrooms, the Historic District land
marks or The Carolina Yacht Club.
For all your guests that join you in Charleston, the welcome
bags should include brochures for walking tours, bus tours, and
self-guided tours through the streets, alleyways, waterways and
neighborhoods of historic Charleston. Listening to the guide’s
captivating tales, seeing the beautiful architecture adorned with
foliage, and discovering the wealth and culture of the local citizens make these city tours enjoyable for all ages. The classic
Charleston experience includes horse and carriage or antique
trolley rides through the streets. These leisurely trips usually
begin and end at the Straw Market, located at the intersection
of Church and Market Streets. Here, you can watch the famous
Sweet Grass Baskets being hand-weaved by local artists and
stroll through the two-block open air market. Charleston’s
Historic District is a great venue for the shoppers on your guest
list. From antiques to designer clothing, the shops on King,
Market, and East Bay Streets are easy walks from the most
popular hotels and award-winning restaurants.
Charleston hosts many annual events drawing visitors from all over the world. Art, music, sporting events, home
Romantic Destinations Spring/Summer 2008
27
Charleston Wedding
1/20/08
2:01 PM
destination wedding
Page 3
only in charleston
Bridal Parties
KIAWAH ISLAND
By Sarah Christine Bolton
THE PROPOSAL
Eric proposed to Lindsay in one of the most romantic spots in Memphis, Tennessee,
the Peabody Hotel, but when it came time to choose a wedding location, they knew
they wanted to have a destination wedding. “Eric and I love to travel,” Lindsay says,
“and Charleston was perfect because it is not too far away.”
Still, Charleston was far enough away that Lindsay decided to hire a wedding planner
to coordinate everything. “I could have never planned the wedding without Sara
Cavallon from Something to Celebrate!” Lindsay says.
IN CHARLESTON
As family and friends started to arrive, members of the bridal party found time to
unwind before the festivities of the weekend began. Eric and his groomsmen played
some golf at Kiawah Island Golf Resort while Lindsay and her bridesmaids enjoyed an
elegant brunch at Poogan’s Porch, one of Charleston’s oldest and most reputable
restaurants. Eric and Lindsay showered their attendants with gifts to show their
appreciation for the distance traveled.
POOGAN’S PORCH
BRIDESMAID GIFTS
28
www.romanticdestinationstravel.com
GROOMSMEN GIFTS
Charleston Wedding
1/20/08
2:01 PM
Page 4
Romantic Destinations Spring/Summer 2008
29
Charleston Wedding
1/20/08
2:02 PM
destination wedding
Page 5
only in charleston
Rehearsal Dinner
LOWNDES GROVE
30
REHEARSAL DINNER
GROOMS CAKE:
The rehearsal dinner was at the historically beautiful Lowndes Grove sprawled
on the banks of the Ashley River. The
property’s first owner bought the plantation in 1701 and it has been listed on the
National Register of Historic Places
since 1978.
The cake was custom designed by Ashley
Bakery and featured a monogrammed
TCB (Taking Care of Business) and lightning bolts, in honor of one of Eric’s
favorite artist Elvis Presley.
As guests arrived by bus, they were greeted
by sounds of bluegrass music provided by
Common Ground. Tents were lit with
hanging lanterns and a dance floor was set
up with a gorgeous view of the river. The
menu had a Southern flair with Lowcountry boil, fried chicken and lemonade served
in mason jars.
To celebrate in style, a cigar tent was set
up by the riverbank allowing guests to
watch the final stages of cigar creation
and pick out their own cigar to smoke as
the sun went down over the river. Coastal
Cigars teamed up with Other Brother
Entertainment and Duvall Décor to present the tent.
www.romanticdestinationstravel.com
CIGAR TENT
CIGAR TENT:
GROOMS CAKE
Charleston Wedding
1/20/08
2:02 PM
Page 6
Romantic Destinations Spring/Summer 2008
31
Charleston Wedding
1/20/08
2:03 PM
destination wedding
Page 7
only in charleston
GETTING READY
The morning of Lindsay and Eric’s wedding dawned bright and a
bit damp, as a slight drizzle came down outside. Lindsay and her
bridesmaids prepared at the Francis Marion Hotel while the
flower girls got ready at the salon Whispers on Wentworth.
BRIDAL ATTIRE:
Lindsay wore a strapless silk satin A-line gown made by Enzoani.
Her cathedral length veil was custom-designed by weddingveil.com
to match the beading on the dress neckline. She wore hand-strung
pearls by Aphrodite pearls. As her something old, Lindsay wore the
shoes her mother wore at her wedding ceremony.
BRIDESMAID ATTIRE:
The bridesmaid dresses were strapless cross-dye dupioni dresses
with matching shoes from Ann Taylor’s Celebration Line. They
also wore custom-designed pearls created by Aphrodite Pearls.
FLOWER GIRLS:
The flower girls wore custom dresses from The Briar Patch and
carried Sweetgrass baskets.
32
www.romanticdestinationstravel.com
Getting Ready
Charleston Wedding
1/20/08
2:03 PM
Page 8
Romantic Destinations Spring/Summer 2008
33
Charleston Wedding
1/20/08
2:04 PM
Page 9
destination wedding
only in charleston
The Wedding
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH
THE CEREMONY
The wedding ceremony was at First Baptist Church, the oldest Baptist Church in the
South circa 1682. When decorating the church, Lindsay and Eric tried to embrace
the historic beauty of the church.
THE FLOWERS
The baptistery had a romantic arrangement of white hydrangeas, large calla lilies,
peonies and orchids. Fragrant gardenia blooms lined the windows, and the historic
pew boxes were emphasized by candelabras tied with white hydrangeas and calla
lilies. The bridesmaids carried hand tied bouquets of assorted peonies and mini calla
lilies. Lindsay carried a bouquet of cattleya orchids, mini calla lilies, phalaenopsis
orchids and peonies hand tied with a monogrammed ribbon. The bridal party
flowers were created by Charleston Flower Market.
FAVORS FOR THE GUESTS:
Guests were handed Sweetgrass fans and a program as they entered the church.
Sweetgrass weaving is a craft that was brought to the Charleston area by descendants of
African artisans and is now a part of Charleston culture. Even Gone With The Wind's
Scarlett O'Hara had Sweetgrass baskets on her shopping list as she visited the Charleston
Market! The baskets for Lindsay and Eric’s wedding were made by Mary Waterman.
34
www.romanticdestinationstravel.com
Charleston Wedding
1/20/08
2:04 PM
Page 10
Charleston Wedding
1/20/08
2:05 PM
destination wedding
Page 11
only in charleston
FRANCIS MARION HOTEL
THE RECEPTION
The monogram of Lindsay and Eric’s
soon-to-be shared name, Wolfe, was
incorporated throughout many details of
the reception and was even projected
on the dance floor.
“Lindsay was looking for a modern,
romantic look for the reception lighting,”
says Todd St. Onge, Project Manager at
PDA Lighting and Sound. “We chose a
warm color palette and lit it in accent color,
so the décor wasn’t overstated. To give the
room a soft, diffused glow, we lit the ceiling
and brass chandeliers.”
Cascading orchid arrangements designed
by Charleston Flower Market lined the
tables dressed in signature linens from
BBJ. The couple chose the Mike Veal
Band from Lindsay’s home town of
Atlanta for the entertainment.
TRANSPORTATION:
The wedding party was transported in a historic 1920’s bus and the wedding guests
were transported in trackless trolleys provided by Absolutely Charleston. The couple
exited by horse and carriage.
FOOD:
The food had a strong Charleston flair and
featured items like crab cakes, a shrimp and
grits station, and fried green tomatoes.
36
www.romanticdestinationstravel.com
CAKE:
The wedding cake was designed by
Ashley Bakery and matched the design
of Lindsay’s gown.
JAZZ HOUR:
Before the reception, guests were served
the signature drink, Mojitos, and passed
appetizers.
GUEST BOOK:
Instead of signing a traditional guest book,
guests signed “wish notes” and dropped
them into glass bowls.
FAVORS FOR THE GUESTS:
Guests were given a Godiva Couture
miniature chocolate wedding cake with a
monogrammed tag tied to it.
FAVORITE MOMENTS:
Lindsay: “Giving Eric a high five after
we signed our marriage license!”
Eric: “When I saw Lindsay coming through
the doors for the first time.”
FUNNY MOMENTS:
Real “wedding crashers” came into the
reception from another wedding, but
since they were all wearing matching
tuxedos, it was easy for wedding planner
Sara Cavallon to notice they didn’t belong
and quickly escort them out.
The Reception
Charleston Wedding
1/20/08
2:05 PM
Page 12
Charleston Wedding
1/20/08
2:05 PM
destination wedding
Page 13
planning guide
WORKING WITH EXPERTS
LONG DISTANCE IS ESSENTIAL
Planning a wedding can be so much fun but it
can also be so stressful, especially when you
are trying to make the plans for a destination
wedding. When you have your event at home
it is so much easier to research your vendors
and get references on all of them from friends
and family, but when you are doing it from a
distance where do you start. It is so important
that you get vendors that are efficient and reliable. So how do you find those vendors to take
away your fears and make your event the one
of your dreams?
1ST STEP: RESEARCH.
Contact the local Convention and Visitors
Bureau or Chamber to see if they have a
preferred vendor list for the area. Do internet and magazine research but beware if a
website is beautiful and tells you exactly
what you want to hear it may not be the
perfect person for the job.
2ND STEP: GET REFERRALS
FROM VENDORS.
Request contacts for past clients that had
positive and negative experiences so you can
get a real feel for their work. Also ask other
vendors about each other to get a feel for
those that have worked together in the past.
3RD STEP: SETUP INTERVIEWS,
EITHER BY PHONE OR FACE
TO FACE.
It is so important that you feel comfortable
with the people that you choose to work on
your event. I always say that you have to
make sure that you really get along well with
your wedding planner and your photographer because you are going to spend the
most time with them.
4TH STEP: FIND SOMEONE TO
REPRESENT YOU LOCALLY.
You can ask family or friends or you can
hire a wedding planner. They are there to
represent you when you can not be in town.
They will direct you to the best vendors that
the area provides that are going to fit in with
your budget and that will help you achieve
the look and feel of your event.
Sara Cavallon
www.MySomethingToCelebrate.com
38
www.romanticdestinationstravel.com
BRIDESMAID /
GROOMSMEN DAY OUT
LOCATIONS
Kiawah Island
Charleston, SC
800- 654-2924.
www.kiawahresort.com
Poogan’s Porch
Charleston, SC
843-577-2337
www.poogansporch.com
GIFTS
Pina Colada Co* (towel wraps)
410-252-5198
www.pinacoladaco.com
Wedding Belle Favors*
(mirror, flip flop cards, nail kit, travel bag)
1-888-91-BELLE
www.weddingbellefavors.com
Pamela’s Parasols*
(parasols pictured)
888-333-0733 x 4
www.pamelasparasols.com
Coastal Cigars* (cigar boxes)
843-225-5233
www.coastalcigars.com
Robert Redd* (golf shirt)
877-696-7333
www.robertredd.com
REHERSAL DINNER
EVENT PLANNER
Something to Celebrate*
Charleston, SC
843-697-7008
www.mysomethingtocelebrate.com
CIGAR ROLLING TENT
Coastal Cigars*
Charleston, SC
843-225-5233
www.coastalcigars.com
Duvall Catering & Event Design*
Charleston, SC
843-766-9164
www.eventsbyDuvall.com
Other Brother Entertainment*
Charleston, SC
843-225-5621
www.otherbrotherentertainment.com
FLOWERS & DÉCOR
Charleston Flower Market
Charleston, SC
843-795-0015
www.CharlestonFlowerMarket.com
GROOMS CAKE
Ashley Bakery
Charleston, SC
843-763-4125
www.ashleybakery.com
WEDDING
CEREMONY LOCATION
First Baptist Church
Charleston, SC
(843) 722-3896
www.fbcharleston.org
SANCTUARY FLOWERS
Lisa Ferguson
Charleston, SC
843-722-3896 / 843-571-3084
BRIDAL/ BRIDESMAID BOUQUETS
Charleston Flower Market
Charleston, SC
843-795-0015
www.CharlestonFlowerMarket.com
REHEARSAL DINNER LOCATION
Lowndes Grove
Charleston, SC
843.723.8438
www.lowndesgrove.com
TRANSPORTATION
Absolutely Charleston*
Charleston, SC
843-747-4448
www.absolutelycharleston.com
ENTERTAINMENT
Other Brother Entertainment*
(Band: Common Ground)
Charleston, SC
843-225-5621
www.OtherBrotherEntertainment.com
PALM LEAF FANS / MONOGRAM
Bliss! Wedding Market*
866-445-4405
www.blissweddingmarket.com
TRANSPORTATION
Capitol Bus Lines*
803-794-9661 / 800-777-9766
www.capitol-tours.com
RECEPTION
EVENT PLANNER
Something to Celebrate*
Charleston, SC
843-697-7008
www.mysomethingtocelebrate.com
Charleston Wedding
1/20/08
2:05 PM
Page 14
destination wedding
RECEPTION LOCATION /
ACCOMENDATIONS / CATERING
Francis Marion Hotel
Charleston, SC
843-722-0600
www.FrancisMarionCharleston.com
WEDDING CAKE
Ashley Bakery
Charleston, SC
843-763-4125
www.ashleybakery.com
FLOWERS & DÉCOR
Charleston Flower Market
Charleston, SC
843-795-0015
www.CharlestonFlowerMarket.com
ENTERTAINMENT
Mike Veal Band*
Atlanta, GA
770-451-7764
www.mikeveal.com
VIDEOGRAPHER
Hart to Heart Media, Inc.*
843.278.2667/ 843.828.4188
www.harttoheartmedia.com
CARRIAGE COMPANY
Charleston Coach
Charleston, SC
843-709-0988
www.charlestoncoach.com
LINENS
BBJ Linen*
Atlanta, GA
404-875-8788 / 800-995-7415
www.bbjlinen.com
LIGHTING DESIGN / EFFECTS
PDA*
Charleston, SC
843-554-3466
www.pdastage.com
INVITATIONS
Shara’s Paperie
www.sharaspaperie.com
FAVORS
Godvia*
www.godiva.com
planning guide cont.
VEIL
Wedding Veil*
www.weddingveil.com
FLOWERGIRL DRESSES
The Briar Patch*
www.shopbriarpatch.com
BRIDESMAID DRESSES
Ann Taylor*
Celebrations Collection
www.anntaylor.com
BRIDAL/BRIDESMAID JEWELRY
Aphrodite Pearls
901-491-0624
www.aphroditepearls.com
MOTHER OF THE BRIDE GOWN
Amanda’s Collection
Pawleys Island, SC
www.amandascollection.com
TUXES
Men’s Warehouse*
MW Tux
www.menswearhouse.com
HAIR & MAKE-UP
Misfit Hair
PJ Suttle
Charleston, SC
843-813-2058
www.misfithair.com
Christopher Rickett
Charleston, SC
843-875-9190
Whispers on Wentworth
Charleston, SC
843-577-6516
www.whispersonwentworth.com
Disclaimer:
The bride and groom and/or third
party supplied all vendor information
to Romantic Destinations. Romantic
Destinations cannot take responsibility for misinformation that was provided. This is not a paid adverisement
but a courtesy to share as a resource
to Romantic Destinations readers.
FASHION
BRIDAL GOWN
Enzoani*
www.enzoani.com
*Notes a vendor whose products are
available nationwide or whose services
are available for travel.
Romantic Destinations Spring/Summer 2008
39