Hang Around



WRITER CREDIT: 
PHOTOGRAPHER CREDIT: 
Hang Around | Add an ethereal element to your ceremony site or reception venue with swaths upon swaths of fabric
Image (above) by Anne Rhett Photography
 
When veteran planner Leigh Warren tried to step back from the wedding industry to raise her twins, area vendors kept calling for help with sewing projects for receptions and interiors alike. As her blossoming side hustle as a seamstress-for-hire took off, she needed a partner-in-crime to keep up with demand. Enter fellow wedding biz vet Caroline Rayman. The pair teamed to create The Social Spool (@thesocialspool) and today focus on marrying innovative designs and textiles with fresh Southern style.
 
From custom table linens to fanciful draping (the latter being event-speak for hanging swaths of billowy fabric as partitions, ceilings, installations, and more), these two mavens transform most any space into an extravagant, artistic setting. “The more freedom we have to combine different textures and color combinations,” says Leigh, “the more we can bring a unique quality to each event.” So far, Leigh and Caroline have hung 3,500 yards of fabric—nearly the length of 30 football fields.
 
Leigh and Caroline start each installation by taking measurements of the site, then sketch a design, sort out the math, source fabrics, and sew everything from table runners to pillows to window treatments and more. In the hours leading up to a wedding and reception, you’ll find them unpacking custom pieces and teetering on ladders while weaving, stapling, and, yes, draping hundreds of yards of fabric. Under their hand a bare tent becomes an elegant hall and a vacuous warehouse space turns into a ballroom. As for cost? The Social Spool gals advise you plan for draping to cost between eight to 15 percent of your wedding’s overall budget. 
 
And what happens to the leftover fabric? Leigh and Caroline launder, reuse, and repurpose fabric when possible or they donate material to Charleston Stage, the Holy City’s own theatre production company. Now that’s a repeat performance we can get behind. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
MORE CHARLESTON DRAPING PROS
 
 

The Wedding Row

February 8 2019
One of the things about being wedding-obsessed is that we’ve seen (more than) our share of Big Days thrown here in Charleston. So for us to pass on a post to you, it’s got to be an event that was...

February 7 2019
Emily and Alex’s Big Day may look effortlessly picture-perfect (thanks to the expert styling skills of Blythe Hill at Hill & Co. Creative), but according to Emily, there was a moment before the...

February 6 2019
Beer, pizza, and donuts each play a pivotal role in Brent and Lauren’s romance, which hit a majorly high note last fall when they wed at Magnolia Plantation and Gardens. But before we get to the big...

February 5 2019
If, after looking at these photos, you find yourself scrolling down to the vendor credits to see which planner was at the helm of this traditional-meets-artsy fête at The Cedar Room, you won’t find...

February 4 2019
There’s a lot you can tell about a wedding from photos—the color palette, what kind of dress the bride wore, how amazing the cake was—but we’ve learned that the best wedding info often comes straight...

February 1 2019
Watch out, Lowcountry, there’s a new wedding venue down the road. Previously a private home, Coosaw Plantation sits just outside Beaufort, making it a short (and scenic) drive from Charleston. And as...

January 31 2019
There are so many cool details about this couple and their sleek black-tie wedding by Bouquets and Bowties that we hardly know where to start. How about let’s back up for a sec and start with the...

January 30 2019
We got a live one, y’all! You know when we get a great first-person(s?) story from a couple that we like to let them tell their tale. Well, meet Kingslea and Preston. Get ready to take notes because...