Fresh Effect

WRITER CREDIT:

Charleston Weddings Staff

PHOTOGRAPHER CREDIT:

Erin Sage Photography

Fresh Effect | Jacki Petrozelli & John Bainton, March 31, 2012, The Inn at Palmetto Bluff

wedding Bella Bridesmaid Big Day chapel Bluffton bow White weddings lulakate palmetto bluff

WHERE THE HEART IS: The bride and groom exchanged vows at the Inn at Palmetto Bluff’s Waterside Chapel.

WARM WELCOME: “I wanted to keep the flowers simple and elegant,” says Jacki. “We chose a color palette of whites, creams, and greens and selected season flowers.”

TO HAVE AND TO HOLD: Florist Sue Burton mixed white parrot tulips with Baby’s Breath and other seasonal blooms.

GOING TO THE CHAPEL: “The property sits right on the May River, so it incorporated our love of the water!" says Jacki.

RING AROUND THE POSIE: Boxwood wreaths tied with cream-colored silk ribbons wove the receptions preppy palette into the ceremony

ALL IN LINE: Florist Sue Burden finished the bridesmaids’ hydrangea bouquets with bright blue and white striped ribbon.

HUNG WITH CARE: Greens added freshness to the Waterside Chapel’s antique and understated interior.

EASY DOES IT: For ceremony décor, Sue fashioned wreaths from boxwood leaves.

STAMP OF APPROVAL: Ceremony programs by stationer Lettered Olive were capped with an emblem of an ancient oak.

MATCHY, MATCHY: Though John and his groomsmen donned their own black tuxedos, they were kept uniform with each other (and the wedding’s pallete!) in blue Vineyard Vines bow ties and cummerbunds.

YOU MAY KISS THE BRIDE: Reverend Lou Lunardini of Bluffton officiated the nuptials.

THE REAL DEAL: “We had gone back and forth on whether we should do a ‘first look’ with our photographer,” says the bride. “We opted against it because we wanted that ‘special moment,’ and boy, did we get it!”

COME RAIN OR SHINE: The Inn at Palmetto Bluff offered hors d’eouvres during cocktail hour.

HANGING OUT: Spencer Special Events used palette-matching ribbons to hang escort cards from arrangement branches.

MAP IT OUT: In lieu of a guest book, John had the idea to lay out a map of the Lowcountry for guests to sign.

HIGH-END: The evening’s color scheme complemented the River House Ballroom’s white and beige interior.

A LOVELY LANDSCAPE: Clear and mercury glass vessels held simple arrangements and candles at varying heights.

FRESH EFFECT: Beige table linens set the backdrop for arrangements of white tulips and white and green hydrangea.

LET’S EAT: King tables were arranged around the River House’s plantation porch.

TOP THAT: The dessert was embellished with the couple’s custom monogram and Swiss dots.

WHITE WONDER: Minette Rushing Custom Cakes made a two-flavored buttercream confection of red velvet and chocolate caramel cake.

CHEERS! The newlyweds—who shared a first dance to Frank Sinatra’s “The Way You Look Tonight”—departed amid guests’ sparklers.

With a pile of shared passions—from boating and skiing to golfing, cooking, and entertaining—it’s no wonder Jacki Petrozelli and John Bainton hit it off when introduced at a happy hour in the spring of 2010. After a year-long courtship spent sharing those common interests, John proposed to Jacki aboard The Drifter—his 22-foot lobster boat—during a sunset cruise around the Norwalk Islands of Norwalk, Connecticut, where the couple lives. When it came to picking a place for their nuptials, Jacki says she knew just the spot—Bluffton, South Carolina, where she grew up vacationing with her family. For a venue, they chose The Inn at Palmetto Bluff, which offered the Waterside Chapel for their ceremony and the River House Ballroom for the reception. Of The Inn, Jacki says: “It was so charming, and perfect for John—he and his friends could arrive to the chapel by boat!”

On the Big Day, nautical touches like that, along with Vineyard Vines groomsmen attire and a map of the Lowcountry laid out for guests to sign, mixed with a clean palette of fresh green, bright blue, white, and cream, to deliver the simple, preppy effect that Jacki had envisioned for the day. With that came a heaping dose Southern charm, says Jacki: “The Inn has a gracious ‘old South’ feel, with big oaks, Spanish moss, gas lanterns, the ruins of an old plantation and lots of quaint porches with rockers. As the night came to a close, the happy couple departed through a tunnel of sparklers, and afterward, guests retreated to the River House’s outdoor fire pits, where s’mores, bourbon, and cigars were served. Of the day Jacki says, “Honestly, I don’t think I’d change one thing.”

Vendor List

Baker: Minette Rushing Custom Cakes; www.savannahcustomcakes.com
Bridal attire: Oscar de la Renta from the Plumed Serprent Bridal; www.plumedserpentbridal.com
Bridesmaids’ attire: LulaKate from Bella Bridesmaid; www.bellabridesmaid.com
Caterer: The Inn at Palmetto Bluff; www.palmettobluffresort.com
Ceremony and reception location: The Inn at Palmetto Bluff; www.palmettobluffresort.com
Ceremony music: Alyssa Jae Duo (strings), via Hilton Head Entertainment www.hiltonheadentertainment.com and Rosemary DeWolfe, vocalist
Florist: Sue Burden; www.sueburden.com
Groom and groomsmen’s attire:Vineyard Vines bow ties and cummerbunds; www.vineyardvines.com
Hair: House of Color; www.houseofcolorsalon.com
Wedding coordination: Kelli Corn of The Inn at Palmetto Bluff; www.palmettobluff.com/weddings; Amanda Spencer of Spencer Special Events; www.spencerspecialevents.com

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