Summer Wedding at Lowndes Grove in Charleston: CeeCee and John

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Summer Wedding at Lowndes Grove in Charleston: CeeCee and John

August 1, 2012

There were so many amazing and beautiful things about CeeCee and John’s July wedding that I am not sure where to begin. I suppose that first and foremost, I want to mention the incredible bond that CeeCee and John have. They are high school sweethearts and you can just tell that they have grown up together. Of course there were the pre-wedding jitters that come with inviting all of your friends and family, but I doubt that they were too nervous about saying “I Do”.

Candice Hilse of Yoj Events was their event planner and designer and I was so impressed with the team she had working with her. Donned in fancy headsets, they were thorough, efficient and put on an incredible event full of fun details.

CeeCee is a graphic designer and her fresh color palette of yellow and blue and her modern style were right up my alley. Seersucker, billy balls, succulents, chevron, cocktails named after their pups, a photo booth, heirloom flower girl dresses, sparklers and a Rolls Royce- you name it and I loved it!

John & CeeCee were married on the front lawn at Lowndes Grove and then their reception followed in the house and under an air-conditioned tent, ahhhh! Blue linens along with grey and white chevron linens for the bar and photo booth kept the atmosphere fun and modern.

I get so excited when we get to incorporate a photo booth into a wedding reception. It’s such an asset on several different levels- in addition to adding another fun element to the party, it is a perfect way to make sure you get the smaller group shots of you and your friends, it’s like a mini-portrait session. The photos range form silly to serious and no one ever regrets having a photo booth at their wedding.

Keep scrolling for more love and details…!

Fish created their wedding cake and designed the flowers based on CeeCee’s wedding dress.

No wonder Lowndes Grove is featured in every wedding magazine imaginable. It has incredible rooms such as this one in which to hang her wedding dress.

The younger flower girls wore heirloom dresses that their moms had worn when they were flower girls.

I love this photo of CeeCee and her summertime bouquet made by Branch Design Studio. The bouquet is wrapped in linen from one of John’s baby bibs. How sweet is that!

John and his 3 brothers

They were married on the lawn in front of Lowndes Grove on a summer’s day.

The best thing about flower girls and ring bearers is that they make your guests smile. Whether they run down the aisle or dance on the sidelines, they always bring light and fun to a wedding.

I will not lie, it was a hot day and these Arnold Palmers (Firefly sweet tea vodka + lemonade) surely hit the spot!

The wedding party!

Mr. & Mrs. Cassidy

A picture perfect wedding cake!

A few details from their wedding including the programs that CeeCee designed!

The combination of succulents, billy balls and all the yellow flowers that Branch Design Studio used was perfect for this summer wedding.

This is the kind of candid moment I love. Awesome light, action, smiles and cool sunglasses.

The presentation of these sliders by Fish is so cute with the gherkin and cherry tomato on top.

As far as detail shots go, this is one of my all time faves.

Soaking it all up! (ps- LOVE this new dock at Lowndes Grove!)

I can’t resist a few silhouettes of the trees along the Ashley River.

The cake-cutting Cassidys

The photo booth is such an awesome way of getting group shots in lieu of the standard “grip and grin”. Every wedding should have one! These shots were taken by Jennifer Bearden who is a whizz at wooing in guests for fun photos!

I love the guys in the band, Two Three Ways and they were gracious enough to let the wedding party take over!

Jennifer Bearden took this shot of the sparkler exit from the balcony at LG. What an awesome vantage point!

I was pretty excited about this shot too. Love that Rolls and all the action. (Thanks to TEC for letting us try out a video light at the end of the night!)

Event Planner & Designer: Candice Hilse of Yoj Events

Ceremony & Reception Venue: Lowndes Grove

Makeup: Pamela Lesch

Hair: Charlotte Belk from Elysium Salon

Flowers: Branch Design Studio

Catering: Fish

Cake: Fish

Photo Booth : Leigh Webber Photography (Thanks to Jennifer Bearden and Jennifer Hitchcock for their helping shooting that night!)

Rentals: Event DRS. & Snyder

Lighting: TEC

Band: Two Three Ways

Tags: Absolutely Charleston, Branch Design Studio, Classical Charleston, Events DRS, Fish, Lowndes Grove, Photo Booth, PPHG, Snyder, TEC, Two Three Ways, Yoj
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William Aiken House & Mount Pleasant Presbyterian Wedding: Laura and Jack

June 5, 2012

Laura and Jack are one of the sweetest couples I have enjoyed photographing this year. They remind me of royalty with their manners and grace and I felt as if I were helping to document their family legacy by photographing their wedding.

Laura is a graduate of Converse College. I could tell in listening to the speeches at their rehearsal dinner that that experience and the friends she met there were very influential in Laura meeting Jack. One thing I know for sure, especially after listening to the rehearsal dinner speeches- Laura and Jack were surrounded by friends and family on their wedding day who supported them and believed whole-heartedly in their marriage. That’s a wonderful way to start!

On the wedding day, Laura and her bridesmaids got ready at the William Aiken House. Cacky’s Bride + Aid was on hand to steam all of the girls’ dresses and help Laura with the final touches. She is absolutely worth her weight in gold (perhaps platinum as she’s quite svelte) and I recommend her for every bride. My pal Allison Long of Bella Bridesmaid was also on hand, as a friend of the family, to help the ladies into their bridesmaid dresses, from where else but Bella Bridesmaid!

Together, Affair Hair by Tanesha worked Laura’s blond locks into an elegant updo and EQ Makeup applied her touches. Gerlyn Vereen of Shear Color Salon was also on hand for onsite hair and makeup services.

Laura makes for an incredibly stunning bride even without their help! A friend of the family, Don Nixon, did the flowers for their wedding. The bridesmaid bouquets were very Charleston and had sweet grass flowers along with monogrammed handkerchiefs for each girl.

Jack and his groomsmen also wore the Southern inspired boutonnieres, but they included cotton from Jack’s family’s farm in Stuckey, SC. How incredibly special is that? Mary Susan of Southern Protocol was the event coordinator and helped them put together an incredible day. Not even the potential for a tropical storm rolling in ruffled her feathers.

After the wedding at Mount Pleasant Presbyterian in the Old Village, the reception followed at the William Aiken House. It was full or warmth and hospitality and lots of family photos. Scroll for more inspiration and to see the beautiful setting.

Laura found her dress at Maddison Row here in Charleston.

The girls got ready in the carriage house. I love this shot!

Gorgeous x a gazillion!

… and a six pence in her shoe.

Every thing was all laid out and waiting for them in the red room upstairs at the William Aiken House. What a wonderful room to walk into!

Happy Girls

Monogrammed bouquets

I felt a little sneaky taking this shot, but it’s a modern classic with the cell phone and all!

There were some good looking gents too!

Welcome to the cermeony!

Such a special bond between these two!

“I Do!”

I love this… the parents-in-law all hugged each other after the ceremony. So sweet.

Congratulations Mr. & Mrs. Jack Murphy!

My second shooter, Jebb Graff took this photo. I love how the leaves frame Laura and Jack as they stand on the portico of the church.

You know you are in the South when…. You are gifted hand-stamped and monogrammed bags of grits to take home with you at the end of the night

I was so lucky to have Jennifer Hitchcock swing by and take some of the detail photos for me of the William Aiken House while we were off to photograph the ceremony in Mt. P! I love these monogrammed pillows and comfy outdoor seating.

Family photos… need I say more. Just think, your wedding photos may be displayed at your own great-granddaughter’s wedding one day.

Despite the potential for TS Alberto to show up, luckily we still had wonderful evening weather.

Ever thoughtful, they made sure to have a special piece of cake and sing happy birthday for one of their close friends who turned 34 on their wedding day before they cut their own wedding cake.