Elegant Outdoor Lowcountry Wedding

It is impossible for a wedding at Charleston, South Carolina’s Lowndes Grove Plantation to not be gorgeous Lowcountry perfection. Laura and Thomas chose the gorgeous setting for their entire affair, starting with a ceremony beneath moss-draped trees and ending with an outdoor reception that highlighted the jaw-dropping sunset. We are stunned by these images from Richard Ellis Photographer! Laura’s amazing Jordan gown is a fitted silhouette that gives way to a full ruffled skirt, and we adore the look! One-shoulder silvery blue Siri bridesmaids dresses are shimmery like the sea and paired with simple baby’s breath bouquets by Branch Design Studio. Laura’s bouquet of white orchids is spiked with bright yellow blooms that also grace the elegant reception tables, details that Southern Protocol helped her plan. We also love the textured icing detail on the couple’s cake from renowned Charleston restaurant and catering company Fish. There’s not a single detail Laura and Thomas overlooked—visit the gallery to see them all!

The first word that comes to mind when scrolling through the images from Kelly Sauer, Photographer of Rebecca and Joseph’s Charleston wedding is “lush.” Everything, from pink and white florals by Gayla Harvey of Tiger Lily to gold glitter and sequin details and filmy bows on ceremony chairs, is so sophisticated and perfectly done. Rebecca and Joseph held the entire affair, indoors and out, at the beautiful historic William Aiken House. To complement the pink and gold touches, bridesmaids wore elegant blush-colored gowns from Nordstrom. We can’t even talk about Rebecca’s Allure Bridals gown without our jaws dropping open; it’s that fabulous! We love that she paired such a dramatic gown with simple glitter ballet flats from J.Crew! We’re just enamored with every single part of this soiree that Lindsey Shanks of A Charleston Bride helped plan and style. Rebecca wanted to incorporate the color scheme into every element, including the cake from Fish, which is accented with gold leaf and fresh blooms. This is simply a delicious day filled with romance and sophistication!

To visit gorgeous Charleston, SC is to enjoy classic Southern charm at its best! Susan and Charlie—who attended medical school in the charming town—chose Charleston’s historic Lowndes Grove Plantation for their elegant soirée, which featured lush lavender details, including beautiful arrangements from Gathering Floral + Event Design. Susan and Charlie are adventurous eaters who wanted an unexpected element in their reception dining, so they chose Fish restaurant to prepare favorite dishes. Their cake—a modern square shaped confection topped with lavender flowers—was created by Wedding Cakes by Jim Smeal. Susan’s Vera Wang gown, simple and elegant, looks so fabulous with her flowing cathedral-length veil, and blue silk bridesmaids dresses from J.Crew are the perfect complement to the Lowcountry setting! We can’t get enough of these stunning images from A Bryan Photo!

Brent and Lydia were married on a glorious Virginia spring day. After a ceremony at Church of Our Savior at Oatland’s Plantation (where the couple went on their second date, and where he proposed), the celebration continued at The Hillsborough Vineyard. Theirs is a wedding which gives a nod to the traditional, but was peppered with intimate and personal details throughout. Not a detail was left unfinished, from the scent of the church to the favor signs. Lydia, a talented artist, hand-painted the illustrations for the place cards, programs, favor tags, and table signs, which were named after significant places in the couple’s relationship. The day couldn’t have come together without the help of family. Lydia’s aunt handmade the gorgeous blue toile tablecloths as well as Lydia’s stunning veil, while Lydia’s parents opened their home to those visiting for the wedding. We’re positively in love with Lydia’s gown, a vintage piece purchased by her grandmother for her mother. Loose flowers and greenery designed by Melle Fleur echoed the day’s palette of aqua, blue, and green. The overall effect of all of the planning is ladylike and elegant, and is beautifully captured in these images from Sarah Bradshaw Photography!

Lowcountry weddings don’t get more sophisticated than Suzanne and Stephen’s! The Southern setting of Lowndes Grove Plantation is perfect for an outdoor ceremony and elegant tent reception, with pink and cream florals by Stems and styling by A Charleston Bride. Suzanne’s lace Allure Couture gown, with a satin-and-rhinestone sash and V-cut back, is chic with a slight vintage feel. A pretty but neutral color scheme, like blush Wtoo bridesmaids dresses and gold and cream ceremony details, are beautiful in these images from Richard Ellis Photographer. The placement of a lovely confection from Wedding Cakes by Jim Smeal is just right at the front of the tent swathed in blush and cream linens and adorned with luxe gold chandeliers. This affair is breathtaking—view all of the classic Southern charm in the gallery!

Tiffany and Jim’s lovely wedding in Ann Arbor, Michigan, is filled with soft details and pretty blue accents. The silk draping near the altar of St. Mary Student Parish matched the bridesmaids dresses from BHLDN and the groomsmen ties with their Jos. A. Bank suits. Forming a lighter palette were the florals by Chelsea Flower Shop, LLC, which paired nicely with the lace touches on invitations and tables at the Michigan League Ballroom reception. We love all of the classic elements Heather Jowett captured, including the timeless cake design by Decadent Delight. And, in a fun twist, Tiffany swapped her gorgeous Maggie Sottero gown for a shorter tulle dress before she and Jim left their reception to begin a new life together.

There’s nothing better than a good outdoor Southern wedding! Lauren and Jeff held theirs at the Atlanta Botanical Garden, the perfect backdrop for an effortlessly elegant ceremony. And even though the surroundings were stunning alone, Robert Long Flora Design stepped in to create lush bouquets in whites and blues that complemented the garden plantings. Lauren’s gorgeous Priscilla of Boston dress is the stuff our dreams are made of—check out the lace scallop detailing! Navy bridesmaids dresses from Ann Taylor grounded all of the lighter colors—we adore the flattering ruching at the top.  Melissa Schollaert Photography captured every last detail of this classic affair, and we’re drooling over all of the pictures—especially the one with the Frosted Pumpkin Gourmet, Inc., cake wrapped in Tiffany blue satin ribbon!

The pastoral beauty of the Clifton Inn in Charlottesville acted as the backdrop for Jen and Joseph’s outdoor ceremony, and they couldn’t have asked for a more gorgeous Virginia day! We adore the soft green, gold, and blue color palette inspired by the seaside, and the beautiful floral table runner. All of the simple but elegant details, from lush hydrangea bouquets by Southern Blooms to Jen’s lovely strapless scalloped gown, were captured by the impeccable Katie Stoops and we are utterly in love.

Looking at these pictures of Emma and Nathaniel’s Sarasota ceremony at The Church of the Redeemer makes us feel like we’re peering through a gauze-covered lens at an Old Florida movie set—sweetly romantic details abound at every turn! From blush-colored Christian Louboutin shoes to pale pink bouquets dotted with hydrangeas, roses, and ranunculus by Beneva Flowers, the day was pure perfection. A reception at The Field Club continued the swept-away vibe with robin’s egg blue-and-white centerpiece arrangements that matched an intricate five-tier cake in the same palette from A Slice of Heaven. “During the last hour of the reception Nate and I snuck off to soak in the whole day together,” says Emma. “It did go by so fast.” Just be sure to scroll slowly through these beautiful photos from Jessica Lorren Organic Photography!

I’m not sure I could envision a more beautiful lakefront wedding than Amber and Andy’s Michigan nuptials. The view was so gorgeous at their ceremony they were worried an arbor would distract from the view, so BLOOM created magnificent hydrangea-and-rose-filled urns to line the aisle. The perfect complement to such a beautiful ceremony! The elegant ballroom at The Inn at Bay Harbor was decorated with coral and peach flowers and touches of nautical details. Amber and Andy are the most gorgeous couple and we are utterly in love with these images from Amy Carroll Photography!

Kathleen and Patrick brought the feeling of a French Chateau to the mountains of North Carolina in their wedding at the Biltmore Forest Country Club. Incorporating their French and Irish heritages, the four-leaf clover and a fleur-de-lis were blended into a unique logo that was used as a label for the elegant wine bottle candelabras which sat in the center of each table. I absolutely love Kathleen’s custom lace and silk dupioni gown by New York Bride and Groom. A huge thank you to Jere and Ashley Dotten for these gorgeous photos!

Anna and Eric met while working on the musical RENT, so along with all the personal touches they included in their dreamy Charleston wedding, they were also sure to include a nod to their love of Broadway. Flower girls tossed small hearts punched from sheet music, and guests were given CDs covered with the sheet music of “Seasons of Love” from RENT. Their whole color palette was inspired by a sapphire and diamond pendant Eric gave Anna their first Christmas together and the vibrant blue of the bridesmaids dresses worked beautifully with the pops of color in their beautiful bouquets by Stems. Oh, and I could go on for days talking about the beauty of Charleston and the Legare Waring House, but I’ll let these wonderful photos by Paige Winn Photography do it for me!

Lily and Bobby were married at the gorgeous Santaluz Club in San Diego. The venue provided lots of inspiration for them and their wedding planner, Thomas Bui, created a beautiful and romantic event with just a pinch of rustic thrown in. Any event that incorporates big fluffy peonies and succulents is for sure to be something I love and the florals by Adorations Botanical Artistry certainly did not disappoint. These photos by Vallentyne Photography are gorgeous and yet again make me long for my own California wedding!

Jules and Nick both hail from the South, and both have ties to Charleston, so a destination wedding in the Lowcountry was an easy choice! They selected Lowndes Grove Plantation, as Jules had always dreamed of getting married outside under the trees. The location, lined with oak trees right on the Ashley River, could not have been more perfect. Their vision of a romantic, Gatsby-inspired soiree was brought to life working with Mac and B. Events. They selected a color palette of champagne, ivory, and gold. Tables were adorned with ample florals by Branch Design Studio, in soft metallic vases, adding a bit of shimmer to the clean white tents. Glimmering chandeliers wrapped in greenery completed the scene and the result is exquisite! This sunset stunner from Sean Money + Elizabeth Fay is one for the ages!

Lowndes Grove Plantation set the stage for Anna and Woody’s gorgeous Charleston wedding. The couple worked with the always-fabulous A Charleston Bride to bring their vision of an elegant, light, and airy event to life, and as Anna says, “Everything was absolutely perfect!” The plantation’s stately oak trees served as the ceremony backdrop, with a wooden cross passed down from Anna’s brother’s wedding as the centerpiece. After a cocktail hour on the lawn, guests made their way to the stunning reception designed by A Charleston Bride and Stephanie Gibbs Events. A dramatic chandelier, blush and gold lounge area, and chic cake table greeted everyone at the entry to the tent, and the scene was only made more spectacular by the amazing South Carolina sunset. Every small detail is perfectly attended to, and their timeless and elegant wedding is one for the books! Get ready to swoon over the gorgeous images from Jennings King Photography!

Charleston’s Old Wide Awake Plantation is a beautiful and serene setting, exactly the environment that Jennifer and Bradley envisioned when planning their Lowcountry soiree. Jennifer’s father and brother built the arbor for their ceremony, which was set amongst the plantation’s oak trees with dripping Spanish moss. The couple let the location take center stage and selected a neutral color palette of khaki, white, and gold. The outdoor reception in the warm summer air featured string lights and flowers that Jennifer arranged herself with blooms from Fifty Flowers. We love the sweet Southern touches, including hand-stamped muslin bags of grits as favors and a sweet potato wedding cake from Kathy and Company. Every image from Amy Arrington Photography is undeniably lovely!

We just love the fun Old Florida-meets-glitz vibe of Emily and Kyle’s wedding. The gorgeous Bay Preserve at Osprey in Sarasota hosted the fabulous affair, where bright flowers by Elegant Designs Floral Art Studio were a bold contrast to black and white stripes and gold accents. Bridesmaids in black dresses from J.Crew continued the color scheme, while Emily’s Lazaro gown and veil were fairy tale perfect! We’re smitten with the elegant stationery with black and white details from Write-On Sarasota, which coordinated with the palette of the day, too. NK Productions ensured all the details came together for the look Emily and Kyle envisioned, right down to the light bulb place cards that reflected Kyle’s pro lighting business. Even the golden sunset and the gold-dusted cake from The Short Giraffe complemented the decor. All of these images from Justin Demutiis Photography are simply fabulous!

A classic, elegant twist on Americana was the theme of Ginny and Matt’s DC wedding, and we love the crisp, pretty vibe of it all. Their ceremony was held at St. Patrick Catholic Church—the oldest parish in the district—which features gorgeous stained glass windows and a pretty stone exterior. Bridesmaids held to the simple, classic scheme in navy dresses from J.Crew, while Ginny wore a column style Mikaella gown from Betsy Robinson’s Bridal Collection paired with a cathedral length veil made by her mother. The reception at DAR Constitution Hall included more classic decor, including cream florals from The Enchanted Florist, enhanced with pops of greenery and gold details. We adore the combed icing on the cake by Pastry Xpo, which also features a whimsical wooden bride and groom on the top. Enjoy these lovely images from Marta Locklear!

You know when two wedding photographers are getting married, it’s bound to be spectacular! And such is Sarah and Matt‘s magical affair at Salvage One. The industrial, whimsical locale was perfect for pastel florals from Fleur, romantic candlelight, and vintage decor from BHLDN. We adore their invites, elegant but fun with silhouettes, from Love vs. Design. Sarah said no to traditional bridesmaids and matching dresses, and instead focused on a gorgeous classic gown from J.Crew for herself paired with glittery Kate Spade shoes. Special touches at the event, coordinated by Liven It Up Events, included desserts from Molly’s Cupcakes, mini burgers from The Slide Ride food truck, and custom cloth napkins by Dot & Army. We’re swooning over the amazing images by Pen / Carlson and we know you’ll agree that it’s one of our favorites of 2013!

We love the pretty pastels woven throughout Su and Ray’s outdoor wedding at Promontory Point in Chicago’s Burnham Park. Lush bouquets of pink and cream ranunculus and peonies mixed with dusty miller by Vale of Enna are the perfect complement to romantic coral bridesmaids dresses by Jarlo. Su’s Vera Wang gown is hands-down one of our favorites ever, with a big structured bow taking the focal point of the gown’s front. To celebrate their heritage, Su and Ray incorporated a tea ceremony into the celebrations, and the red dress Su wore to cut the cake from Bridgeport Bakery is simply stunning! We are swooning over these beautiful images from Kina Wicks!