Cody and Abby’s vision of a classic Lowcountry wedding came to life when they said their vows beneath the majestic oaks of Charleston’s beautiful Boone Hall Plantation. Their outdoor ceremony gave way to a celebration inside the Cotton Dock, where Beautiful Brides Events and The Purple Magnolia created an elegant atmosphere with glimmering chandeliers and swaths of greenery. Their perfect blend of rustic elegance was beautifully captured by Ava Moore Photography!
In their own words
What is your proposal story?
At the time, Cody was stationed in Ft. Hood Texas and I had planned a trip to visit him. During the visit, Cody told me he had planned a night out for us. Our night began at Zilker Botanical Gardens with a walk through the gardens. When we reached a waterfall within the garden Cody got down on one knee and popped the question! Much to my surprise, the entire proposal was caught on camera by a hidden photographer! After the initial shock and questions, we began taking engagement photos (another part of the surprise!). After photos were taken at various locations in the garden, we left and headed towards downtown Austin where Cody had made dinner reservations at The Driskill, followed by a horse and carriage ride through downtown Austin and more engagement photos! Needless to say, it was a night I will always remember.
What was the most important to the two of you while planning? Was there anything that you chose to splurge on or skip?
The most important things, aside from the venue of course, were the photography and flowers. We wanted the memories from the day to be captured beautifully and Ava Moore Photography did just that! We could not have picked a more perfect photographer to capture our day. Ann from The Purple Magnolia made beautiful flower arrangements, and since I knew I wanted the reception decorations to be centered on that we made sure to allot enough for that as well. One thing Cody and I did decide to splurge on was a beach house for everyone to get ready in the day of. The girls had the entire top floor to themselves and the boys had the downstairs. It worked out perfectly and we never saw each other! One thing we decided to skip (that in hindsight we regretted) was air conditioning at The Cotton Dock for our reception. We thought the breeze off the water would be enough, but it did not really cool off the area inside.
Tell us about your attire choices.
With Cody being in the military we knew almost immediately that he would wear his uniform. To compliment him, we decided on navy for the men and little boys as well. I also wanted my flower girl, Bella, to have a dress that mirrored mine and ended up finding hers on Etsy. It was custom made to match the blush, white, and lace of my dress. As for the bridesmaids, I selected dresses from the same designer, but in different silhouettes to best fit each girl. I wanted my maid of honor to stand out so I thought the gold accent we had chosen throughout our decor would be a good color choice for her dress.
Do you have any advice for couples planning their weddings now?
Remember to keep each other and your relationship at the center of the planning. After all, this day is about your love for one another! Try not to stress about the small stuff and come the day of, just relax and enjoy it because it will fly by.