At Home Down South

Summer 2013

WRITER CREDIT:

PHOTOGRAPHER CREDIT:

At Home Down South | Romance rules at this sophisticated, shabby chic soirée

Charleston Wedding The Cotton Dock at Boone Hall Plantation wedding Boone Hall Plantation Boone Hall bouquets dresses ooh! events diy gown

At Home Down South

EVERYTHING HAS A PURPOSE: The team at Ooh! Events are masters at repurposing vintage vessels. Here they use glass medicine bottles and a Tetley tea tin for floral vases.

LESS IS MORE: Patterned paper flags and cutouts (use a shaped paper-punch, found at any craft store) were simple but impactful flourishes for treats made by Cupcake.

GOOD BONES: Lauren’s number one budget tip to brides-to-be? Choose an “amazing venue” like the Cotton Dock and you don’t need to over-decorate. This well-loved sideboard suits the rustic setting, its old bricks, and unfinished pine walls.

LIGHT SHOW: Rustic lanterns echoed the theme for the day: country barn wedding.

SHABBY CHIC: Burlap ribbon with finished (rather than frayed) edges epitomized the day’s refined rustic look.

DIY DONE RIGHT: Lauren and Johnny say that about 40 percent of their wedding was homemade, including the invitations that they designed on their own.

SWEET WELCOME: While the couple commissioned this wreath, you can tackle it easily on your own with a wreath form from craft store and lush (and inexpensive) Baby’s Breath.

WORDS OF WISDOM: A quote from George Sand (“There is only one happiness in life, to love and be loved.”) set the mood.

BIG TIME: Instead of a traditional wedding cake, Lauren and Johnny shared a “mega” by Cupcake.

BUDDY SYSTEM: The bride’s little brother, Pierceson, lends a helping hand to his flower girl compatriot, even toting the tot’s bouquet. When you have little ones (like this one-and-a-half-year-old) in the wedding party, buddying them up with an older pal ensures a better time for all.

HOLD MY HAND: “If I could say anything to other brides,” says Lauren, “I would just say have fun. Things will go ‘wrong’ in your wedding, but it’s OK—someone will be there to help you fix whatever it is so you can focus on the main thing: getting married to your husband!”

SOOTHING SHADES: “My husband and I like very simple things in life and chose those colors for our wedding because they fit our personalities,” says Lauren of the color palette.

SAGE ADVICE: “When it started raining, I just realized it was not in my hands anymore and that I should just go with it because I was marrying the love of my life,” says Lauren.

LADIES’ CHOICE: Lauren’s bridesmaids wore different dresses that were all floor length but in different shades of pinks, nudes, and creams.

POP OF COLOR: Johnny and his groomsmen added interest to their khaki Men’s Warehouse suits with orange-tipped shoes by Clae.

BIG IMPACT: To keep the budget in check, Lauren ordered flowers wholesale from Horst and used big blooms—like blue and white hydrangeas and cream-colored garden roses—alongside pretty filler, like Baby’s Breath.

GROUNDED: “We’ve come so far together!” says Lauren of her romance with middle-school sweetheart Johnny.

SIMPLE PLEASURES: Lauren carried a bouquet of white garden roses, which paired perfectly with her Nicole Miller gown.

TRIED & TRUE: In keeping with the antiqued look of the setting, the couple used an old chest from Ooh! Events and wicker sofas for a homespun lounge seemingly pieced together with family heirlooms.

BIRDS OF A FEATHER: Homey knickknacks were placed here and there to up the cozy factor and keep costs down (home décor is less pricey than a floral arrangement.)

BOX WINE: Hinting at a French wine cellar, bottles large and small were nestled into boxes that were filled with moss and tea lights. If you replicate, be sure the flames won’t ignite the box or the moss.

PAIRED DOWN: A patinaed French country bar overflowed with sweets from Cupcake.

MARK THE SPOT: To celebrate their love of reading and the sea, the couple gave guests mermaid and ribbon bookmarks as favors.

LITTLE BITS: (above) Lace-wrapped Mason jar votives gave a homemade spin to elegant hurricane glasses.

NIGHT LIGHT: Ooh! Events’ crystal mini-chandelier contrasted with the rustic surroundings.

June 2013

Real-Life Weddings

Photographs by:

Riverland Studios

Johnny Harbin & Lauren Jones
September 7, 2012
The Cotton Dock at Boone Hall Plantation

After dating throughout middle and high school, Myrtle Beach natives Lauren Jones and Johnny Harbin’s paths split. But three years later, when Johnny moved to California where Lauren was living, they picked their romance back up and in due time, Johnny proposed. They chose Charleston for the wedding location—it made sense for their East Coast families—and went about organizing a day rife with Southern charm and a country barn aesthetic that, when paired with elements rented from Ooh! Events, ended up having a French flair. Lauren tackled some DIY aspects (like the wedding party bouquets), while Ooh! streamlined the overall shabby chic look. When the day arrived, all was in place, rain clouds unfortunately included. After a torrential downpour, though, the skies cleared, and the two exchanged vows in “the prettiest light I had ever seen,” says Lauren.

Vendor List

Baker: Cupcake; www.freshcupcakes.com
Bride's Gown: Nicole Miller gown; www.nicolemiller.com
Bridesmaids' Dresses: Etsy.com; Rachel Pally, www.rachelpally.com;Rebecca Taylor, www.rebeccataylor.com
Catering: Holy City Catering; www.holycitycatering.com
Event Coordination, Design: Ooh!Events, www.oohevents.com
Florals: Wholesale from Horst Wholesale Florist, www.horstflowers.com
Groom's & Groomsmen's Attire: Men's Warehouse suits, www.menswearhouse.com; Clae sneakers, www.clae.com
Linens & Rentals: Ooh! Events; www.oohevents.com
Photographer: Riverland Studios; www.riverlandstudios.com

The Wedding Row

November 25 2019

Christina & Evan | Lowndes Grove

When you keep ending up in the same spot and locking eyes with someone, it starts to become obvious that it’s meant to be. A coffee shop is where it all began for Christina and Evan back in college...

November 21 2019

Lindsey & Anthony | Old Wide Awake Plantation

Tinder has really been killin’ the whole matching game recently for our cutie couples. Clemson University grads, Lindsey and Anthony, matched on Tinder their sophomore year, which led to Anthony...

November 18 2019

Fallon & Will | Magnolia Plantation & Gardens

Two words that come to mind when looking at Fallon and Will’s intimate elopement at Magnolia Plantation and Gardens: whimsical and elegant. (You’ll shortly see why.) These Delaware natives go way...

November 12 2019

Checovoia & Josh | Magnolia Plantation & Gardens

Tennessee natives Checovoia and Josh have Tinder to thank for bringing them together. His famous first words to his eventual sweetie, “You look so happy!” And from seeing all the smiles shared at...

November 11 2019

Blair & Matt | Engagement Session

After a weekend of weddings and travel, we are back on this chilly fall Monday with the cutest downtown Charleston e-sesh featuring Blair and Matt. These lovebirds met the summer of last year (via a...

November 5 2019

Lindsey & Brady | Private Residence

“When you aren’t trying so hard and least expect it … it happens,” says bride Lindsey of finding her perfect guy, Brady. The couple shared some insight into their lives and the inspiration for their...

November 4 2019

Jocelyn & Bryce | Magnolia Plantation & Gardens

Jocelyn and Bryce were friends from club swim team during their high school years, but it wasn’t until Señora Hill’s Spanish class that their romance was brought to life, and the two have been saying...

November 2 2019

Mary Tyler & Zach | Lowndes Grove

Right out of college, Mary Tyler met Zach in a Raleigh, North Carolina, workplace. The two got close and remained friends for two years before finally making it official. A couple months into their ‘...