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...
Each issue of Charleston Weddings is born from scrolling through hundreds of online wedding photo galleries, and one of our favorite things to see is how grooms get in on the action. If either you or your man are looking for ideas for how he can to participate in your nuptials—and by “your nuptials” we mean his and yours—here are some favorites.
Eat Up
It’s super sexy when a man is passionate about life. In weddings, that usually plays out with the groom’s cake (at least in the South), a dessert that takes the shape of something he’s wild about—a trout if he’s into fly-fishing, for example. But why confine his interests to a single dish? After Jimmy Snyder wed Kelley Rada on September 3, 2011, at the Cottage on the Creek, guests were presented with his dream: a bacon buffet station where Foodie Truck co-owner (and former FIG sous chef) John Amato offered everything from confit of suckling pig and pork liver to bacon tuile. The table was such a hit that John was carried around the reception on the shoulders of the male attendees.
Make an Exit
Most dudes like mechanical things, so it only makes sense to let them handle the exit vehicle. We’ve seen boats and all manner of limos, but how about Paul Hotze, who tracked down a vintage motorcycle and sidecar to whisk Chloe Byers away from their wedding December 31, 2011 (see page 88)? Check out our online resource guide for a host of exit options.
Brand It
Whether it’s driving a flag into a mountain or putting a ring on your finger, guys like to stake their claim. This tendency can show up in men’s wedding apparel with monogrammed cuff links, but we also love when a fellow has his wedding date embroidered into his groom’s suit. Engrave the same inside a wedding band and voilà! No forgetting your anniversary.
Sign, Sealed, Delivered
Guys who are too nervous to say their own vows or intimidated by bearing their souls before an audience often wow (and woo) their brides by sending them a sentimental note the day of the wedding. Typically delivered by hand by a best man, maid of honor, or planner, some of the most moving wedding photographs we see are of brides reading these notes quietly before all the hubbub of a ceremony.
Kirsten Rose Photography
