Written By Melissa Reardon
Photographs By Lucy Cuneo
A transplant from Virginia, Weston “Wes” McAfee vividly remembers the first time he saw his future bride-to-be. Charleston native Dana Elaine...
September 21, 2025 • Lowndes Grove
They say life imitates art, but for Sara Levin and C.J. Erickson, it’s more specifically the plot of a beloved rom-com. “If it hadn’t happened to us, I’m not sure we’d believe it,” she says. Their love story started with a blind date gone wrong (a friend set Sara up, but the guy canceled at the last minute). The friend insisted they instead catch a screening of Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear Window—one of Sara’s favorite flicks—at the Terrace Theater. Seated next to them was C.J., who couldn’t help but insert himself into the girls’ playful banter. When the movie ended, Sara turned to invite him to a post-film dinner next door at Bar George, only to find he’d slipped out. She lamented, “With my dating luck, that was probably my future husband.” On the way home, the girls stopped for a nightcap at The Mill in Park Circle—and there was C.J. “Clearly the universe wants us to hang out,” Sara told him. So she added her number to his phone under “Sara Hitchcock,” and the rest is history.
Fittingly, C.J.’s proposal took the pair back to where it all began. In the lobby of the Terrace, with his late mother’s wedding ring in hand, he dropped to one knee and took Sara’s breath away. Happy tears from the couple—as well as complete strangers buttering popcorn—quickly ensued. At his suggestion, they later stopped next door at Bar George for a celebratory drink, where their families and friends were waiting to celebrate the engagement. C.J. had, in fact, pulled off a double-feature surprise.
The couple lives just blocks from stately Lowndes Grove, making it the perfect choice for their cinematic-style September nuptials. They partnered with close friend Alexa Kay of Alexa Kay Events on planning their dream day: a retro, funky fête soaked in bright color and enriched with an abundance of personal, whimsical touches. A bespoke six-foot dollhouse replica of the Rear Window set served as the seating chart. Floral arrangements by Roadside Blooms exploded in sunset hues, with ombre aisle markers leading to a chuppah draped in a family heirloom mantilla. And orange blossom mocha affogatos from Prophet Coffee’s mobile truck—a favorite spot and frequent date venue—fueled an unforgettable late-night dance party at the American Theatre, where none other than Rear Window rolled in the background on the big screen.
