Heartfelt and Homemade

Spring 2013

WRITER CREDIT:

Lucy Morrison

PHOTOGRAPHER CREDIT:

Juliet Elizabeth

Heartfelt and Homemade | Ashton Vazquez & Jared O'Connor, March 30, 2012, Magnolia Plantation and Gardens

Charleston Wedding Juliet Elizabeth Photography wedding Snyder Event Rentals Shop diy Monique Lhuillier Pronovias

PRIVATE PRACTICE: The lovebirds enjoyed a sneak peek of one another before the ceremony began. "Jared kept the honeymoon under wraps until he saw me in my wedding dress," says Ashton. "The first words out of his mouth were 'Paris and Rome'; I burst into tears. Having an hour to laugh, relax, and snuggle up to him before we said our vows was beyond amazing."

THE REST IS HISTORY: Says Ashton, “My favorite thing about my engagement ring is that the diamond was my grandmother's. My grandfather proposed to her with it, then my mom wore it, and when it came time for Jared to propose, my mom gave him the diamond to give to me.”

SWEET SCENT-SATION: March has special meaning for the couple--it's when Jared first professed his love. "It's also one of the most beautiful months in Charleston, since it's when the azaleas bloom," says Ashton.

TO THE LETTER: Ashton, who designed their stationery, accented their programs with vivid aquamarine lettering.

THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX: The bride found wire birdcages at Michaels for $4 each. To suit the reception's color scheme, she spray-painted them gold. The typewriter was an antique rustled up from her parents' garage.

SUIT UP: The groom and his companions wore Men’s Wearhouse. Junior groomsman Gavin added age-appropriate flair to his get-up with black-and-white Converse.

COUNTRY TIME: Dusty Miller, eriostemon, and Queen Anne's lace complemented garden roses in bouquets by Charleston Blooms.

KIDS RULE: “Family is very important to us, and I didn't want to have a wedding where kids were excluded!” says Ashton. To help toward that end, she made activity bags just for them.

CUTIE PIES: Bridesmaids Elizabeth, Ella, and Gwyneth wore long, flowing Monique Lhuillier frocks from Nordstrom.

FINAL TOUCHES: Trendy skinny ties and pink azaleas picked straight from the bush tied the look together.

SUBLIME FIND: "I went with an antiqued, handmade look because I wanted it all to fit in with the location," says Ashton.

YOU'RE WELCOME: Guests were offered Irish kissing bells and a program when they arrived at the ceremony.

HANDYMAN HELP: In addition to staining the wooden “Ceremony” and “Reception” signs, Jared pitched in by building corn hole boards and planning the rehearsal dinner. Says Ashton, “He was a huge help!”

CARRIAGE HOUSE RULES: "I loved the wagon wheel chandeliers," says Ashton of the carriage house's rustic décor.

GOOD FEELING: Instead of adhering to a strict palette, Ashton played around with texture, resulting in elements like this woven pillow and the program with elegant cut-outs affixed to it.

STIR IT UP: Inspired by a blog, Ashton made pink "Team Bride" and blue "Team Groom" drink stirrers.

SAVE MY SEAT: His and her burlap banners from Etsy's Funkyshique hung on the couple's chairs.

FINGER-LICKIN' GOOD: Barbecue from Tidewater Catering suited the wedding's laid-back feel and introduced the couple's far-flung families to Southern fare.

SWEET THING: Ashton's cupcake obsession led to a dessert buffet of red velvet, pumpkin spice, chocolate, and almond-flavored cupcakes, along with cookies and crispy rice treats from Cakes by Kasarda.

SUGAR RUSH: Ashton’s mom and sister-in-law teamed up to bake feel-good favorites like cookies and Rice Krispies Treats for the dessert bar.

WHERE THERE'S SMOKE: "Jared loves to smoke cigars with his dad," says Ashton, "so we thought it would be nice for the men to relax, have a drink, and enjoy a cigar at the reception."

SIMPLY IRRESISTIBLE: "Our couple's cake was so good we couldn't bear to leave it in the freezer for a year," says Ashton, "so we ate it when we got back from our honeymoon!" A cake topper banner accented the confection, while a note told guests it was only for the newlyweds. A garland of ribbons wrapped around a wooden crate took its dais from rustic to romantic.

MAY I HAVE THIS DANCE? Ashton's fear of a wedding with no dancing was unwarranted; after the couple's solo turn, guests joined them in spades.

HAPPY ENDING: Says Ashton, “About a month before our wedding, my mom got a fortune cookie that said, ‘Over prepare, then go with the flow.’ She gave it to me and it was my mantra leading up to the wedding day. In the end, your wedding is about you and the person you are marrying.”

Photographs by:

Juliet Elizabeth Jones

Their courtship began in Montana (in Mr. Taft’s driver’s education class), endured three proms, and lasted through four years at the University of South Carolina. Then, a decade after the Columbia, South Carolina, residents’ first date, Ashton Vazquez and Jared O’Connor decided to tie the knot. Says Ashton, “I think we always knew that what we felt was real and withstanding, but we wanted to wait until we had landed steady jobs and could afford the wedding—and honeymoon—of our dreams.”

And while Jared was ready to pop the question, he had to hold on just a bit longer when his New Year’s Day proposal plan fell through after Ashton got a terrible cold and fell asleep surrounded by tissues. The next morning, he placed the diamond ring Ashton’s grandmother had worn on the Christmas tree and waited until she spotted it. “It took me all day,” laughs Ashton, “but I finally noticed and said, ‘Yes!’”

As her grandmother had lived in Charleston for years, the city has always held a special place in Ashton’s heart, and Magnolia Plantation and Gardens easily caught her eye. After booking the location, the bride (who is a graphic designer by trade) took DIY planning by storm. A little more than a year spent scouring through thrift stores and wedding blogs paid off. On March 30th, guests were greeted with a setting dressed in baby’s breath and golden birdcages, rang Irish kissing bells for good luck as the couple walked down the aisle, watched the “I dos” under Magnolia’s grand oaks, and dined in the plantation’s cozy carriage house. Says Ashton, “I loved everything about our wedding—it was truly an amazing day!”

Vendor List
Baker: Cakes by Kasarda; www.cakesbykasarda.com
Bridal attire: Pronovias from Carolina Couture; www.carolinacouture.com
Bridesmaids’ attire: Monique Lhuillier; www.shop.moniquelhuillier.com
Caterer: Tidewater Catering; www.foodforthesouthernsoul.com
Florist: Charleston Blooms; www.charlestonblooms.com
Groom’s and groomsmen’s attire: Men's Wearhouse; www.menswearhouse.com
Linens: Snyder Event Rentals; www.snydereventrentals.com
Musician: Michael Peifer; www.acousticmusiccharleston.com
Photographer: Juliet Elizabeth Photography; www.julietelizabeth.com
Rentals: Snyder Event Rentals: www.snydereventrentals.com

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