Ashleigh met Matthew in Beaufort when she was a Charleston-based wine representative and he was the Beaufort Inn’s wine buyer. So when they began planning their wedding three years later, wine became the accent to an affair meant to highlight Beaufort’s rich history and landscape. They chose the Parish Church of St. Helena—literally part of the Old South, as it was founded in 1712—and Beaufort’s Waterfront Park. “We wanted to keep the focus on the outdoors,” says Ashleigh, an event coordinator for Bluffton’s Hampton Hall Community Clubhouse, who enlisted the help of family, friends, and day-of coordinators to create a “natural and elegant” yet casual affair. In the end, hospitality reigned as the Beaufort residents welcomed a mostly out-of-town guest list to their homespun nuptials.
Cake: Sherri’s Edible Designs, Catering & rentals: The Downtown Catering Company, Bluffton, Ceremony location: Parish Church of St. Helena, Beaufort, Day-of coordination & design: Leah McCarthy of The Downtown Catering Company, Bluffton & Lisa Martello of Avia Hotels, Savannah, Florals: Branches Floral, Hilton Head, Photographer: Karyn Iserman, Reception location: Waterfront Park, Beaufort
