Ashley and Andrew… I feel like I could TRY to talk about how cool they are, how beautiful, how friendly, how fun… but a picture speaks a thousands words, right?

So- we’ll just let these hauntingly beautiful images by the equally kind and talented Caroline Ghetes tell their wedding day story speak for themselves. The whole day was captured to perfection and we are excited to share their day- start to finish- with these beautiful images.

(Note: all images copyright of Caroline Ghetes Photography, please do not copy or save without permission)

(how about that dress? Vera Wang from Maddison Row)

(STUNNING flowers from one of Ashley and Andrew’s personal friend {and ours!} Sara York Grimshaw of SYG Designs) 

(Could these two be any cuter? Seriously??!??)

(awesome lighting by TEC) 

Ok, now you’re interested in these two a little more, right??

Caroline Ghetes described the bride and groom + their wedding weekend best on her blog-

“In my personal life, I love to surround myself with people who are creative and can laugh about anything. Andrew is a ridiculously talented photographer in Charleston (website HERE). But the best part about him is his ability to light up a room with his smile and his witty banter and jokes.

Then there’s Ashley, owner of yesUmay and Cose Belle in Charleston. This girl can bake AND dress! She’s a beautiful, creative fashionista. She likes to jump. A lot. And she likes to laugh. A LOT. And what was real endearing was watching her laugh at everything that came out of Andrew’s mouth. Some people get tired of their spouse’s same jokes over and over again, but not Ashley. She just lets Andrew be Andrew, and loves him for it. Throughout the day, I would catch Andrew just looking at Ashley, without her knowing. And I could see how much he truly loved her. And he never failed to tell her he loved her that day. Over and over again.

The best part of the entire day for Alin & I was when, during the ceremony, Ashley was all choked up on her words, and Andrew stopped everything, turned her around to face her family and friends, hugged her from behind and reminded her of everyone who was there. That they were all there because they loved her and cared.

Being around Andrew & Ashley’s friends and family that day made me realize how much these two were, in fact, loved. Their friends were loyal to them. And any one of them that had a talent, gave of themselves on the wedding day; from the DJ to the planner to the caterers. I have a feeling that Alin & I have found us some real new friends here and we can’t wait to spend more time with them again.”

Sweet

A few more vendors…

Venue: Poplar Grove

Ceremony Music: Elise Testone

DJ: Josh Silverman

Catering: Woody’s + charcuterie by Cypress Restaurant

Transportation: Absolutely Charleston

During the planning process Beth was struggling to hone in on a color scheme that she loved… in those discussions we discovered that she really was most excited about a white wedding! I love that. Here is a sneak peak of Marni’s gorgeous photos of our gorgeous bride and make your way over to The Wedding Row to see the rest…

In leiu of a more formal “rehearsal dinner,” these two opted to invite everyone to a welcome party at Mingo Point to enjoy oysters, a sunset and a bonfire. And I’m sorry but if these photos don’t make you want to hop on a plane, jump in a car or even ride a bike out to Kiawah Island ASAP then I don’t know what is wrong with you! Mingo Point is so beautiful and everyone looks like they are having the time of their lives.

Here’s a photo summary of the evening from a friend and talented photographer Jenna Walker:

Green (AKA my favorite color of all time) was permeated throughout the event from the printing to the glassware to the crystal accents on the chandeliers to the lighting in the bar area. I feel like an accurate description for this event would be “rad.” Ha!

Our dear friend Josh Drake took the photos that day- be sure to check out his blog post here. He was the perfect personality for these hipsters and I feel like he captured some awesome candid moments. Take a look!

Isn’t she gorgeous? So calm waiting to go down the aisle!

It was an emotional ceremony… I love to see a groom with sweet tears!

And of course, everyone busts out their iphones

Ellen came up with this great idea to use some green crystal accents on the chandeliers… I think it was such a sophisticated touch with the green glassware on the tables!

Beautiful flowers by SYG Designs and printing by Studio R:

The birds and flower tattoo was even carried into the cake design by Jim Smeal…

The beautiful bar/lounge area, lighting courtesy of TEC:

I love the girl on the right lounging with her feet up. Just what that’s there for!

These two were Maui-bound and we’re all a little jealous… have fun and CONGRATS, Amanda and Sam!

I thought it would be a welcomed break from my rambling to view a wedding from a photographer’s point of view… seeing the photos she chose to share and hearing a bit more of her insight on the big day. Melanie hails from Livingston, Montana (I know, I know… I’m a little jealous, too) and flies all over the world to shoot weddings, travel and editorials. We are so thankful that she came in to document Amanda and Jeff’s wedding…

Hannah Alexander: You are from Montana. The bride and groom from NYC. The wedding in Charleston. How does shooting a destination wedding affect your photography?

Melanie Nashan: When I shoot destination weddings there is an unfamiliarity that I think adds to the excitement that I capture in weddings.  Although I speak to my clients on the phone, I often don’t meet them until their wedding day or rehearsal dinner.  The newness of the experience makes me see things freshly.  I try my best never to approach weddings with a preconceived notion or plan.  By doing so I am able to capture things very spontaneously, which is one of the things that I love about wedding photography.

(bride and groom in a reflection from a mirrored table)

HA: What is your favorite part about shooting in South Carolina?

MN: South Carolina is one of my favorite places on earth.  The history, hospitality, food and personality of the people who live in the area is so different than any place I have been.  I love shooting in South Carolina and incorporating the aspects that are truly indicative of the low country. By including architectural elements, environmental details of the water or the fauna in the photographs hopefully people can see why it is such a special place.

HA: This was basically an all white wedding. Does something so neutral make your job easier or more difficult in capturing the details?

MN: It was one of a few monochromatic weddings that I have photographed.  From a technical point of view it can be a bit difficult to shoot an all white wedding but from and aesthetic perspective I think it is amazingly beautiful.  Your exposures have to be right on when shooting details of an all white wedding.  It has an ethereal feel that is so beautiful, festive and elegant.

HA: The wedding was also outside on a very blustery evening. How do you work through weather conditions in photography? Any tips and tricks for the average guest trying to get their own photos at an outdoor wedding?

MN: It was a VERY blustery day and I think it is very important to work as quickly as possible in those situations.  When I photograph people in uncomfortable weather I try and redirect their attention on each other than on the weather.  Asking a couple to kiss or walk alongside the river makes them enjoy each other or the beautiful surroundings, rather than the uncomfortable elements.   If you are a guest and shooting some photos here are some tips that should help make your photographs a bit more beautiful:

1.  Shoot with the sun behind you.

2.  When possible try to photograph people in open shade.  They won’t be squinting and there aren’t any harsh shadows.

3.  Try and capture candid moments when people don’t know they are being photographed.

4.  When composing your photograph ask yourself if everything you have included adds something to the photograph.  If not get rid of it.  Walk in closer or change the angle of your photograph until you have a photograph that only includes things that are beautiful or that add interest to your image.

(can’t even tell the wind was blowing!)

HA: Do you use and special lenses/apertures/etc in shooting an outdoor wedding with lots of sun?

MN:I sometimes will use a hood on my lens to remove some of the glare and lens flare that happens on really sunny days.  It gives a richer color to the images.  I don’t use any particular lenses when shooting in lots of sun.  It does change the ISO that I use which allows me to use whichever aperture I prefer.

HA: The bride and groom were gorgeous, huh? Easy subjects! She told us how relaxed you made her feel… How do you make a bride/groom/families/wedding parties look and feel relaxed in photographs?

MN: Amanda and Jeff are beautiful people and were so easy to work with. Their wedding party was also gorgeous, and everyone was so happy so that makes my job easy.  When working I try and be myself and blend in with the group as mush as possible.  Over the years I have gained a lot of experience at weddings and find that being relaxed and trying to diffuse any stress makes people feel at ease.  When I am shooting I try not to interfere or orchestrate what is going on.  I find that after a few minutes people ignore my presence and that makes me able to capture more candid photographs.  The only time I orchestrate the composition of my images is during the posed photographs.  I try my best to get the family photographs done quickly and comfortably and then have more fun with the wedding party and couple.

HA: There were lots of personal touches with this wedding. What were your favorite to photograph and what advice would you give brides who want to include little, inexpensive touches that will really enhance the look of their wedding in photographs?

MN: Some of my favorite things to photograph include the monochromatic table settings, including the variety of frames used for table numbers, the outside living room, her fabby shoes, the honey jars and labels, the great cakes the reaction of people watching the video that Jeff’s brother made, and the environment that they chose to get married in.   I think details personalize weddings.  They really give a feel of who the couple is and what they enjoy.  Think about what you want to share with your friends and family and then collaborate with your wedding planner to find something unique and interesting.  They will help you present it in a beautiful way that will help me photograph it for you to remember it.

HA: We loved having you here to capture this wedding? Any favorite shots that we are posting here today?

MN: Thank you.  I always LOVE working with you ladies!  You create such beautiful environments, and gorgeous details that reflect the style and personality of your clients.  Some of my favorite photos of Amanda and Jeff include their portraits reflected in the glass table, the wedding party photos in the outdoor living room that I LOVE, the photos of Jeff walking by the river, Amanda by the wall before the wedding, the interior details of the dining area, including some of the table details, the photos of the flowers on the banister, and finally the photos of the two of them in the entryway hugging.

Thanks, Melanie! Stay warm out there and we can’t wait to have you back here soon!

She and her wonderful fiance Ben worked with us to plan both their November wedding at Lowndes Grove and Rehearsal dinner at the Carolina Yacht Club... you know… the place with the gorgeous views right on the edge of the Battery on East Bay Street?! With a larger-than-most guest count for the pre-wedding celebration (about 150 guests), we knew that we had to create a feel in the large room that was intimate and cozy.

We kept the linens simple solid navy and white poly from Snyder Event Rentals and the flowers streamlined (deconstructed arrangements from SYG Designs) but went bold on the lighting by TEC in installing lanterns over every singe table. This really brought the high ceilings down and helped us create the cozy feel of the night.

Allison designed all of the BEAUTIFUL printing (I think she described it as “french nautical”) and brought her own french nautical touches for the night as well… including the sea glass balls used on the dessert table and for every guest’s place card. I LOVED these beautiful touches!

It was a great night. My husband and I are friends of the couple and so we were able to actually attend as guests, too! And even though I was nearly 38 weeks pregnant, I still had a blast and relished being a guest… what fun! I ate delicious food, mingles with fun friends, I laughed, I cried (during both of the fathers’ speeches- what great dads these two have!)… it was a blast.

Juliet Jones came out to take photos- it was wonderful that we had someone to document the beautiful space as well as all of the fun moments. Make sure to at least consider hiring your photographer for your rehearsal dinner, too! I know after seeing these photos you’ll see why we always recommend it:

First, the invite… really set the tone for “french nautical,” don’t you think??

Love the beers in the old boat!

Here are Allison and Ben. Gosh, they just could not look more joyful about getting married, I just adore their smiles here and how they stayed on their faces the entire night!

The bride and her dad…

Everyone loving their place card favors!

Allison’s gorgeous mom… seriously, is she really her mom??

Ben’s dad, the host of the party along with his sweet mom, gave the most wonderful toast I think I have ever heard at a rehearsal dinner. It was genuine, heartfelt, poignant but concise. It had me crying that’s for sure! Ben and Allison could not have better parents to celebrate with and I think we ALL saw this that night.

Of course, there was room for some laughter with all the friends toast… Allison, I loved to find out that you stop every single morning at the same gas station to get your 1/2 coke, 1/2 diet coke mix. How quirky and funny!

And then there was the dancing… this little pregnant chica didn’t hit the dance floor as much as I usually do, but the Travis Allison Band had the rest of the guests dancing until the stroke of midnight and beyond. The perfect way to end a most celebratory night!

Stay tuned… wedding details to come next!!

Amanda and Jeff’s wedding at Lowndes Grove was pretty much just total perfection in every way, but the flowers were a particularly stunning part to me! While I really do absolutely adore all the color and different combinations that can and are used these days in weddings, there is something about a white wedding day that will never NOT make me swoon.

Thanks to Andrew at Heirloom Creative Photography, we have a few photos to share already from the November 6th wedding…

Enjoy! And stay tuned for more details from this wedding to come…

Marni took the photos for us and she just always blows us away with both the photos that capture all the candid emotion of the people and also all the beautiful details of the setting… thanks for passing these along, Marni!

And head on over to The Wedding Row to read about all the fun details… I always love her collages from the blog and they really bring the details to life.

Here’s a peak of the lovely October affair…

Congrats, Whitney and Daniel!

Flowers: Sara Grimshaw Designs

Cake: Jim Smeal

Venue: William Aiken House

Photographer: Marni Pictures

Catering: FISH

The WED team invited a few close friends in the wedding business and gussied up the upper room at Cru Cafe with gorgeous blooms by our favorite Sara Grimshaw to serve an absolutely delightful lunch (of course the menu designed by our favorites at Studio R Design) to celebrate my sweet little baby-to-be. He’s coming soon (in two months!) and I could not be any more thankful for WED and our amazing team, our sweet brides and clients and all of our vendors for your encouragement and friendship as this new phase of life begins…

And a special thank you to another favorite, uber-talent Marni Rothschild Durlach for both attending and taking these sweet photos!

Rebecca and Robby’s wedding was just one of my favorites and NOT just because we worked on one of the most beautiful places in the entire world with some of my favorite vendors like The Sanctuary, Dahlia Designs, Wedding Cakes By Jim Smeal, TEC, Studio R and Snyder.

What really made it incredible for our whole staff was the graciousness and loveliness of the bride and groom, Rebecca and Robby. They are hip professionals living now in North Carolina who were just a true pleasure to work with every single day. I loved to talk with Rebecca about her wedding vision and loved that she trusted us to carry that through for her. Her style was timeless and elegant but with a good dose of fun thrown in there, too. What a great weekend it was on Kiawah… take a peek for yourself:

The stunning bride…

The groom “getting ready” for the wedding…

Both SO excited to see each other!

…A beautiful spot we found on the way out to Kiawah!

This little lady who was hanging out on The Sanctuary lawn was mesmerized by the bride, telling her, “You are soooo beautiful” and “I’m going to be a bride, too.” Precious. I think she would have participated in the rest of the photos if she could have.

Congrats to the new Mr. and Mrs.!!