Vande & Nate | Cannon Green



Although weddings are about the bride and groom trading vows and transforming into Mr. and Mrs., they’re also a great time for everyone to come together. That’s why Vande and Nate, who met when she interning in his hometown of Sarasota, Florida, filled their wedding weekend with lots of family and friend time. Read on to hear about the Lowcountry couple’s Big Day(s) from the bride herself.

The Wedding Row: Tell us about the proposal.

Vande: Nate proposed to me in Asheville, at a cabin on the side of the mountain under a full moon. He’d had the ring for three or four months and was waiting for the right moment. I was so surprised!

TWR: What kind of things did you do throughout the weekend to make sure you got to spend time with all of your guests?

Vande: We wanted the whole weekend to be a big party and to see our friends and family as much as we could, not just the wedding night. So Friday night we had a big rehearsal dinner-slash-welcome party at Mellow Mushroom downtown. Saturday, Nate had a “gents hang with the groom” and I had a “bubbly with the bride” for any female invited to the wedding. On my side, we all hung out and had brunch and champagne, and I got ready for my wedding with all of these women around me who’d had such a big impact on my life. On Sunday, the day after the wedding, we had tickets for everyone to go to the annual Boone Hall Oyster Festival, but it was super rainy, so we ended up doing an oyster roast at Bowens Island, instead.

TWR: How did you picture your wedding?

Vande: Our list went: a big party, a great band, great spirits, and great food. Everything else just fell into place. I found the dresses my bridesmaids are wearing when I was shopping for my stores [Vande owns L. Mae and Wild Mabel boutiques (@lmaeboutique and @wildmabel) in Pawleys Island, Florence, and Myrtle Beach], and I thought, “These would make really cool bridesmaids dresses,” and we just went from there.

TWR: Any funny moments from the day you look back and laugh at?

Vande: I’m one that can’t just sit down and sit back. So after we did our first look and took our pictures with the family, they told us to sit down and have a drink. Instead, I was on my knees in my wedding dress scrubbing scuff marks off the floor to help with my nerves. That’s just who I am.

TWR: Tell us about your pup. What part did he play in your big day?

Vande: His name is Riggs, and he’s a Chesapeake Bay retriever. He’s 112 pounds and three years old, and he still thinks he’s a puppy. I saw a photo of a bride and her big dog with her veil trailing behind her and knew I had to do that with Riggs. I didn’t even wear a veil in the ceremony, but I had to for our picture. He had to go back to the house afterwards and he hated it, he just wanted to be with us.

Wedding Planning: Meagan Warren Weddings | Florals: Blossom Bay Design | Photography: Magnolia Photography | Venue and Catering; Cannon Green | Cake: Sidney Williams | Ceremony Music: Gregory Guay Music | Reception Band: The Business – EastCoast Entertainment | Bride’s Gown: Made with Love from Coastal Knot Bridal Boutique | Bridesmaids’ Attire: L. Mae Boutique | Hair and Makeup: Beautiful Salon & Spa | Men’s Attire: The Groomsman Suit | Custom Wedding Bands: Ash Hoffman Jewelry

The Wedding Row

February 5 2020
The stars may have aligned when Sarah and Colin met at a popcorn stand in a Charlotte, North Carolina, bar. But it was actually the sun, moon, and earth aligning that saw them to the next step....

February 4 2020
“What is more Charleston than a spring wedding in a gorgeous historic church and a garden reception?” asks bride Ashley. Not much, we answer! And today’s post showcases all the charm you could...

January 31 2020
A couple who adventures together, stays together. Grace (from Washington D.C.) and Nick (from Greenville) met while attending Clemson University. These East Coast lovebirds went through two rounds of...

January 30 2020
Sometimes you look at a complete stranger’s wedding photos and feel sadness at the fact that you weren’t guests at their incredible event. Welcome to such a fête! Before we trigger FOMO …...

January 29 2020
We love it when we find couples and weddings with particulars you just don’t see every day. Enter Natalie and Steven. Our precious couple met each other … wait for it … in jail … as Correctional...

January 28 2020
If weddings not only celebrate love, but also heighten it with fairy tale-feeling outfits and flowers and food and dance, why wouldn’t they be the supreme spot to meet your forever love as well?...

January 27 2020
Once upon a time a South Carolina boy introduced a Maryland girl to Charleston. Little did they know the Lowcountry would become the backdrop of their love story—romantic trips, a big popped question...

January 24 2020
As a local wedding professional who travels and plans weddings all around the world with Tara Guérard Soirée, our bride Erica still feels there’s no better place to get married than right here in the...