Given that the Bride was living in London, the Groom in New York and most guests were from either North Carolina or New Jersey, this was truly a destination event. Travel logistics aside, we also had the challenge of bringing the Groom's Greek Orthodox heritage into the Wedding. While it was a lot of work, the result was a beautiful, fun weekend in the perfect setting.
Guests arriving to Charleston were greeted at the gracious Mills House Hotel in Charleston's Historic district.
The Mills House was perfect not only due to the fact that it is so close to the many wonderful sites in Downtown Charleston including exceptional restaurants such as Magnolias and SNOB. I must say these are my favorites in Charleston and I definitely had to add a couple of notches to my belt after this visit! The other great feature of the Mills House is that it was directly adjacent to the Reception venue, Historic Hibernian Hall.
After guests arrived they were transported to the rehearsal dinner at Middleton Place Plantation along the Ashley River. If you ever get to Charleston a visit to the old plantations along Ashley River Road is a must. You really do get a feel for the grandeur of the old south. Guests for this dinner were treated to traditional southern cuisine courtesy of Duvall Catering and able to stroll through the magnificent grounds of the Plantation.
The day of the wedding was the type of warm, sunny day that you expect in the South. The wedding began with a traditional Greek Orthodox ceremony at the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church.
The Bride was stunning in her Oscar De La Renta gown and the happy couple and their bridal party were able to take advantage of the beautiful weather and all of the gorgeous parks and spectacular settings for photos that can be found throughout Charleston. From the waterfront to all of the historic buildings, Charleston provides ample photo opportunities that are perfect for a wedding. For Cate and Mike, Shannon Michelle was the perfect photographer to capture all of their wedding images.
Following the ceremony guests were escorted to their white trolleys, provided by the terrific staff at Absolutely Charleston. They were then taken back to Hibernian Hall for a grand Southern reception. The Bride wanted to keep the floral and decor simple and traditional. With a beautiful historic space we did not want the decor to be overpowering and kept the colors light, and the atmosphere garden like. Light pinks and green were the dominant colors and the room looked beautiful yet simple, just what the bride wanted.
East Coast Entertainment provided the band and the 200 guests kept the party going well into the night.
Overall it was a beautiful destination wedding in a truly charming city. Thank you Charleston for being so accommodating!
Until the next great destination..........
Cheers!
Amazing pictures! Love the atmosphere! Just shared it on my facebook :)
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