Elise and Craig welcomed their guests on Friday night with a swanky party at McCrady’s Restaurant. For those that don’t know, McCrady’s has been around since 1788 and is home to James Beard award winning Chef Sean Brock.

Guests arrived in trolleys from Kiawah. (Craig & Elise’s Sunday wedding was held at the Sanctuary.) As guests entered the Gallery at McCrady’s, they were welcomed with a blues guitarist and mounds of fresh seafood to whet their appetites. This crowd was not afraid of dancing and they cut the rug after dinner as Craig and his groomsmen headed outside to enjoy their cigars.

It was a great party and an excellent way for everyone to get to know each other as the weekend of fun began!

Craig & Elise upon arrival.

The Gallery at McCrady’s

It is only fitting that McCrady’s should happen to be on “Unity Alley”!

Calvin Taylor is an excellent musician!

Craig’s mom tears up the dance floor.

Soon to be husband and wife…

Smoking cigars in the alley

Chris and Elise chose a beautiful (and popular!) weekend to get married here in Charleston. In October, the humidity finally breaks here and that always makes the groom and groomsmen happy as it’s much cooler for them in their suits and tuxes.

They were married in one of the most beautiful churches in Charleston, the French Huguenot Church. One of the neat things about this church is that the girls typically get ready in the church’s house on Queen street, less than half a block away. There’s a cute little garden in the back that is perfect for pre-ceremony photos.

After the ceremony, butterflies were released outside of the church to celebrate Chris and Elise their new beginning. The wedding party then boarded an Old Charleston trolley and headed for the reception at the Mills House. Elise’s extended family sang a couple of beautiful songs for she and Chris at the reception. It was one of the sweetest things I’ve ever seen. You could hear the love they had for the newly married couple.

Here are a few shots form the day! Thanks to Jebb Graff for all of his great work as the 2nd photographer.

Elise and her bridesmaids and mom walk to the French Huguenot Church

Elise’s brother with his adorable son, the ring bearer. His brand new 2 week old daughter was there too, but just for photos!

Chris and his groomsmen in front of the Dock Street Theatre

Inside the French Huguenot Church

“I Do”

Chris & Elise

The wedding cake is by Ashley Bakery

The dance floor was the hot place to be that night!

The Mills House at night

Yesterday’s post featured Jen and Andy’s ceremony, today’s post is all about their reception at the William Aiken House. Guests arrived to this gorgeous historic venue, which was just noted as one of the hottest destination venues by Martha Stewart Weddings, for cocktail hour on the lawn. After their libations and nibbles, they were invited inside for a sit down dinner.

Toasts followed and friends and family gave a great insight and true testament to the love Jen and Andy share. And then they smashed a little wedding cake onto each other for dessert. Out on the dance floor, they did their first dance and got the party going. Andy and his buddies had a little surprise up their sleeves. Half way through the reception, they donned festive orange and red tuxedo jackets that they’d had custom made in Vietnam to wear. They were quite the hit!

At the end of the night, Jen and Andy ran through an arch of sparklers and dashed away in a pedicab, Charleston style!

Thank you to Jebb Graff for helping me photograph their amazing day!

Jennifer

The William Aiken House at night. The dance floor waits while the guests eat.

Let them eat cake!

Jen and Andy’s first dance

Flowers by Branch Design Studio are fun to photograph by day and by night.

Toasts after dinner

Andy and several of his friends from VMI had custom made tux jackets made when in Hoi An, Vietnam recently. They were quite the hit at the party! Very dapper.

Farewell Mr. and Mrs. Clark! Congratulations!

Being a wedding and children’s photographer is such an intimate job. People hire me to come into their personal space and to be a part of these historic moments. I am in awe of getting to have that “fly on the wall” perspective as well as mingling amongst the guests to get the fun candid shots of life as it is happening.

One of my favorite parts is learning about a couple through the toasts that people give to them at the rehearsal dinner and wedding. It is an insight into their relationship from people who admire them the most. What I learned from Jen and Andy’s guests is that these two have a rock solid relationship build on respect and trust. And that this day has been 7 years coming!

They brought their guests to historic Charleston for their destination wedding. The ceremony took place at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, the first “free” church in in the country. This means that the pews did not have to be rented or sold to families, anyone could come worship here for free.  Besides being a beautiful church built in 1836, it also has a gorgeous garden complete with a Charleston joggling board, which is fun for photos! (see below)

Stacey Fraunfelter of Red Letter Events coordinated the wedding weekend for Jennifer and Andy and their 80 or so guests. From a photography perspective, in regards to when the sun sets, the timing of everything could not have been better! The flowers by Branch Design Studio were so vibrant that people walking down the street were stopping to admire them!

Below are photos for the first half of their day. Tomorrow will showcase their reception at the William Aiken House! Thank you to Jebb Graff for helping me photograph their amazing day!

St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church on Anson Street

You know your wedding church is historic when the Charleston carriages trot by and point it out with a bit of history.

I photographed her bouquet, by Branch Design Studio, in front of the church door, which is painted”Charleston Green”. I love all the colors that the high gloss pain reflects!

The gorgeous bride!

Andy and his ushers

I feel like i can hear the birds chirping and angels singing in this one! I love the light!

The (in)famous joggling board.

Another special aspect to Jen and Andy’s wedding is that they brought their friend and officiant down with them to marry them at St. Stephen’s.

The junior bridesmaid’s bouquet by Branch Design Studio

The anticipation moments before the ceremony begins…

…and the joyous moments after!

Big smiles!

Jennifer and Andy chose a gorgeous spot to entertain their out of town guests the night before their wedding in Charleston. They held their rehearsal dinner at the newly renovated River House at Lowndes Grove. It’s a gorgeous little venue right on the Ashley River with a perfect view of the sunset. Even though Andy is a VMI grad, he and his fellow alumni didn’t seem to mind too much that the Citadel was right down the river.

Jen and Andy have been together for close to seven years and I picked up the vibe that this wedding has been a long time coming! But as their friend and officiant noted, the timing is perfect. Everything happens when it is suppose to.

Triple Lindy was there to provide a little atmosphere and bluegrass during the rehearsal dinner. Guests enjoyed the Southern fare and I even heard a lady ask, “What’s a hush puppy?”. That made me chuckle.

Stacey Fraunfelter of Red Letter Events customized the entire wedding weekend for Jennifer & Andy. Stacey is always fun to work because she has a way of making everyone, vendors and guests alike, feel like old friends. She also puts together stunning events that have a great flow. She even ordered the perfect weather for the entire weekend.

The River House at Lowndes Grove

Jennifer & Andy

I love taking candid cocktail hour shots

Warming up the banjo for a little bluegrass

For dessert, guests were treated to little mini shots of banana pudding. They were the cutest things I’d ever seen!

A killer sunset over the Ashley river.