Olivia & Sam | Magnolia Plantation & Gardens



After dating for three-and-a-half years, Olivia and Sam were visiting her family in Columbia, South Carolina, for the Fourth of July when the whole crew decided a day trip to Charleston was in order. “We ended up at the Charleston Marina,” says Olivia, “because my dad told us he had to meet a work client there to drop off some paperwork.” (Don’t you just love it when your sweetheart is in cahoots with your padre?) The couple wandered out onto the docks and suddenly there was a photographer, there were both sets of their parents, and there was Sam on bended knee, asking Olivia to marry him. For the next three hours, the newly affianced duo cruised the local waters on a sailboat, relishing the moment. Says Olivia: “Best day ever.” Indeed. The two, who met in college in Ohio and now live in Dallas, invited everyone to Charleston once again, this time for a wedding that was planned by Charleston Weddings with Allison at Magnolia Plantation & Gardens. With invites and signage designed by the bride’s college pal, guests from 10 states, a ceremony officiated by and peppered with cousins, and a cake baked by a one-time neighbor, it was a community effort with a stylish bent. (As for the latter, check out that scrumptious palette of blush, raspberry, and green, and Olivia’s Hayley Paige gown … nice!) “I’m not a sappy, emotional person,” says Olivia, “but I couldn’t stop crying when I saw Sam for the first time. I happy-cried at least five to 10 times, which I still cannot believe.” Sounds like a day glorious enough to maybe rival their engagement, even?

Wedding Photography: Dana Cubbage Weddings | Venue: Magnolia Plantation & Gardens | Planning + Coordination: Charleston Weddings by Allison | Floral Design: Duvall Events | Cake: family friend | Wedding Dress: Hayley Paige from Kleinfeld Bridal | Hair + Makeup: Paper Dolls Wedding Hair + Makeup | Bride’s Shoes: Badgley Mischka | Bride’s Jewelry: Kendra Scott | Bridesmaids Dresses: Watters | DJ: Melodic Entertainment | Men’s Attire: The Black Tux | Catering: Duvall Events  | Rentals: Duvall Events | Lounge: 428 Main | Stationery: BKay Kreative

The Wedding Row

November 2 2018
It might not have been “love at first sight” for Travis and Jessie, who met at their apartment community in High Point, North Carolina, but it surely ended up turning into something special. At the...

November 1 2018
Halloween is over, so no tricks here, just treats! From showstopping wedding gowns to an inspirational storybook love story, we’ve rounded up our top five Instagram posts from October. Follow @...

October 31 2018
Sara and Mike, who met through mutual friends after moving in the same Washington D.C. circles for years, plan to say “I do” with the help of Charleston’s Gregory Blake Sams Events in the coming...

October 30 2018
One of the boons to hosting a destination wedding here in Charleston? Giving your guests a true taste of the city. So it went for Washington D.C. residents Jessica Friedes and Garrett Nichols, high...

October 29 2018
Lauren and Blake crossed paths in Summerville, South Carolina when she was nannying for a coworker of his. They started dating and fell in love, they say, while boating on Wappoo Cut when a...

October 26 2018
Dreary Fridays like today call for a little dose of sunshine, don’t you agree? Well, you’re in luck because this proposal session of a lifetime—no exaggeration here—is bringing not only the sun, but...

October 25 2018
If you ask Evan how he met Borden, he would say that they crossed paths while studying at Wake Forest University. However, if you ask her how their story got started, she would say they met two years...

October 24 2018
Tucked away on the grounds of Charleston’s first settlement, Charles Towne Landing, The Legare Waring House is surrounded by rich history and romantic views of lagoons, rolling lawns, and oak allees...