Written By Melissa Reardon
Photographs By Lucy Cuneo
A transplant from Virginia, Weston “Wes” McAfee vividly remembers the first time he saw his future bride-to-be. Charleston native Dana Elaine...
Sighhhh … was that loud enough for you? We are trying to convey to you in any and every which way possible how truly marvelous Elise and Mike’s rooftop Dewberry wedding was. As soon as this baby hit our inbox, we knew it was headed straight for the center stage of the blog. Enough teasing. Let’s hear more from our Elise. Take it away, gal.
The Wedding Row: OK, ya cuties. Tell us how you met each other.
Elise: Mike and I met in Chapel Hill, NC when we were undergrads at the University of North Carolina. Thanks to some match-making by our mutual friend, Hinson, who hosted elaborately-themed house parties and invited us both to attend, Mike and I had the chance to meet and spend some time together… (ah, college romance). We quickly became friends and started dating soon thereafter. We’ve been a couple for over seven years and have more or less grown up together, as our careers have taken us up and down the mid-Atlantic. We are so grateful to make Charleston our home now, as Mike finishes his medical degree.
TWR: Best of luck to you both. Now, why the Dewberry? Why Charleston for that matter?
Elise: There’s something truly magical about this city with its charming cobblestone streets and row homes, new-school southern cuisine and world-class hospitality that puts you immediately at ease. After several romantic get-aways here, we were hooked on this city and could not imagine a better setting for our wedding. When it came to choosing a venue, Mike and I were both keen to seek something sophisticated and fresh with a modern southern vibe. Most importantly, we wanted our guests to feel special, well-loved and well-taken care of. The Dewberry’s aesthetic and commitment to guest experience met everything we were looking for (not to mention the best views in the city!).
TWR: No doubt about that. Can you recap some fave moments from your wedding?
Elise: Hard to choose just one favorite memory, as everything from getting ready and sharing our first look at the exquisite 86 Cannon property, to the stunning rooftop and courtyard settings at the Dewberry brings a smile. A rogue downpour drowned our planned ceremony on the roof minutes before we were to begin. In the last minute scramble, Mike and I ended up by accident in our honeymoon suite together, literally waiting to learn when and where our ceremony would now take place. We wouldn’t have otherwise been together in the last moments before walking down the aisle, and while the downpour wasn’t a high note, riding up in the elevator together to the new location and walking hand in hand to start our ceremony was really special. The night certainly had its fair share of laughs, too. For our first dance, Mike and I wanted to spice things up a bit we, so we surprised our guests with a spontaneous rendition of Justin Bieber’s “Despacito.” It was a blast, though it turned out not to be the only surprise of the night. As I started my sentimental dance with my father, instead of our planned music, we began dancing to the music from the musical Annie. It was my dad’s playful homage to my days in theatre — including the role of Annie — and led to us twirling and laughing hysterically in the center of the ballroom. A bit untraditional, but I wouldn’t have had it any other way.
Venue: The Dewberry Charleston | Planning: Ooh! Events | Florals: Out of the Garden | Photography: Anagram Photo
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