Subtle Sophisticate

Spring 2013

WRITER CREDIT:

PHOTOGRAPHER CREDIT:

Subtle Sophisticate | Laura Phillips & Jack Murphy, May 19, 2012, Mt. Pleasant Presbyterian Church & The William Aiken House

Charleston Wedding wedding William Aiken House Snyder Event Rentals Bella Bridesmaid Big Day White calligraphy Co ooh! events Flowers Fish maddison row Lettered Olive

Subtle Sophisticate

WINNING PAIR: Jack's tux from Grady Ervin & Co. paired perfectly with Laura's formal Romona Keveza gown from Maddison Row.

HANDIWORK: Bridesmaid Rosalyn McKoon hand-stenciled the couple's green monogram on muslin favor bags of grits.

A TISKIT, A TASKET: Sweetgrass baskets held ceremony programs, which guests picked up as they entered the church.

SOUTHERN FLAIR: Dainty hydrangeas and roses were bedded in cotton and Spanish moss to add a Lowcountry touch to standard aisle liners.

BUNCHES OF BLOOMS: Laura's bouquet of pink and white peonies and roses was tied off with the sash from her mother's wedding dress. Bridesmaids carried ranunculus and palmetto roses.

HOW DASHING: Cotton bolls from Jack's family farm made charming boutonnieres.

MEMORY LANE: Laura’s favorite moment of the day? “Jack’s sweet face waiting for me at the end! We both felt a lot of love in that church!”

WARM WELCOME: Don crafted cotton boll wreaths for the church doors. After the ceremony they were moved to the reception at The William Aiken House.

FRUIT ON TOP: Newnan, Georgia, florist Don Nixon used fresh green pears to accent crisp hydrangeas, peonies, ranunculus, and roses.

HOMESPUN: The mother of the groom sewed accent pillows with elegantly subtle prints from GDC Home to lend a personal touch to sofas from Ooh! Events.

METALWORK: Sterling silver trays adorned each table. “What made them so special for me was the fact that they weren't rented,” explains Laura. The bride had them rounded up from family friends in her parents’ hometown, Newnan, Georgia.

DIFFERENT STROKES: Since each table’s décor was inspired by its one-of-a-kind sterling silver tray, every one was a unique combination of white blooms, pears, and votive candles.

GARDEN PARTY: Laura envisioned a reception that felt like she was entertaining guests in her own backyard, and the result was a laid-back, but upscale affair. Clean, white linens and tasteful centerpieces suited the William Aiken House’s lush green surroundings.

THINK FRESH: On each table, delicate Queen Anne’s Lace sprouted from gleaming mercury glass.

GUESTS, LOUNGE: Laura rented couches from Ooh! Events in neutral colors that fit the feel of the William Aiken House. “I wanted it to appear as if we just pulled furniture from the house out onto the lawn,” says Laura.

JACK OF ALL TRADES: Though not a florist by profession (he directs a Center for Visual and Performing Arts in Newnan, GA), family friend Don Nixon created beautiful, towering arrangements, like the pink orchids that greeted guests as they entered Mt. Pleasant Presbyterian.

SAY CHEESE: The bride passed along her grandmother Boody’s pimento cheese recipe to the chefs at Fish so they could whip up the family favorite. “No one makes a better pimento cheese than Boody,” boasts the bride.

ALL TIME FAVES: Fish Catering served Southern staples like crab cakes, shrimp ’n’ grits, and mac ’n’ cheese (made with orzo and truffle oil), while sandwiches and crispy shoe string fries made for perfect dancing fuel.

PICTURE PERFECT: Fish Restaurant pastry chef Susie Ieronemo created a towering vanilla cake with spiced buttercream filling. “I sent a picture to the pastry chef, and she created exactly what I wanted,” says Laura.

CAN’T GET AWAY: Laura and Jack grew up spending summers on the South Carolina coast with their families. “It just made sense for us to get married where we felt at home,” says Laura.

JOY RIDE: Post-reception, the newlyweds departed in true Charleston style, sitting back as a bike taxi took them to the Restoration on King to rest up before their two-week honeymoon in South Africa.

February 2013

Real-Life Weddings

Receptions

Road trips led to romance for Atlanta residents Laura Phillips and Jack Murphy who got to know each other carpooling to visit mutual friends in Charleston. After the couple became engaged, they planned a Holy City wedding with a reception at The William Aiken House dressed in white and crisp spring greens (Laura’s favorite color), plus accents of pale blue. For décor, Laura told planner Mary Sue Henderson of Southern Protocol that she gravitated toward simple, formal looks. “I thought of my mom and grandmothers polishing their silver, pulling out crystal and mint julep cups, and filling vases with beautiful flowers,” says Laura. Jack’s mother picked cotton from the family’s farm in Stuckey, South Carolina, to tuck into everything from boutonnieres to wreaths. On the Big Day, white flowers joined green pears atop sterling silver trays borrowed from friends, and Laura’s grandmother Boody’s pimiento cheese sandwiches were served. “It just seemed very natural and serene,” says Laura.

Vendor List

Baker: Fish Catering; www.fishrestaurantcharleston.com
Bridal attire: Romona Keveza, Maddison Row; www.maddisonrow.com
Bridesmaids’ attire: Amsale, Bella Bridesmaid; www.bellabridesmaid.com
Calligrapher: Elizabeth Porcher Jones and Calligraphy by Paige Tanenbaum; www.elizabethporcherjones.com, www.calligraphybypaigetanenbaum.com
Caterer: Fish Restaurant; www.fishrestaurantcharleston.com
Ceremony location: Mt. Pleasant Presbyterian Church; www.mppc.net
Day-of coordinator: Cacky’s Bride Aid, www.cackysbrideaid.com
Florist: Don Nixon
Grooms/Groomsmen Attire: Grady Ervin & Co.; www.gradyervin.com
Linens: Event Works; www.eventworksrentals.com; GDC Home; www.gdchome.com
Makeup: EQ Makeup; www.eqmakeup.com
Musicians: Right to Party; www.eastcoastentertainment.com/artist/right-to-party
Planner: Mary Susan Henderson, Southern Protocol; www.southernprotocol.com
Reception location: The William Aiken House; www.pphgcharleston.com
Rentals: Event Works, Snyder Event Rentals, and Ooh! Events; www.eventworksrentals.com, www.snydereventrentals.com, www.oohevents.com
Stationery: Lettered Olive, www.theletteredolive.com

The Wedding Row

February 20 2019

Rachel & Shaun | Harborside East

The Wedding Row: Tell us about how you met. Rachel: It was in Nashville, and Shaun was there on weekend trip for a University of Georgia-Vandy football game. I was there on a whim, on an impromptu...

February 19 2019

Paxton & Ryan | Engagement Session

Ryan and Paxton chose Charleston for their engagement photos because the city holds a special place in the heart—if he hadn’t been a Citadel cadet, the two may never have met. Here’s how they came to...

February 18 2019

Allison & Josh | Wingate Plantation

Allison and Josh met at a two-stepping bar, so we would expect nothing less than a seriously Southern wedding from the two, and as you can tell from the photos, they did not disappoint. After Josh...

February 15 2019

Taylor & Bennett | Rehearsal Dinner

North Carolina natives Taylor and Bennett met when the two were sophomores at N.C. State. Five years after they had become an item, they were in Manhattan where, says Bennett, “The ring was burning a...

February 14 2019

Carly & Chris | The Dewberry

After going to the same high school in Spring Lake, New Jersey, Carly and Chris’s paths finally intersected long after graduation at a mutual friend’s house. “Late nights drinking and playing games...

February 13 2019

Emily & Daniel | The Gadsden House

Trust us when we say that you won’t find a more low-key pair than these two. Nashville, Tennessee couple Emily and Daniel wanted an intimate, family-only wedding for their Big Day, and they chose to...

February 12 2019

Stephanie & Bryan | Lowndes Grove Plantation

OK, prepare yourselves—this is a sweet one. It began when Stephanie was working at the front desk of a chiropractor’s office in the Philadelphia area, one that Bryan’s father frequented. Bryan’s dad...

February 11 2019

Katie & Zane | Harborside East

You really can’t beat Charleston’s sunset views over the water, and Katie and Zane’s nuptials at Harborside East took full advantage of just that with the gorgeous harbor as their backdrop. The...

Feature

Breath of Fresh Air

The Cedar Room on East Bay gets a cool, girly makeover with this summery wedding

Feature

Fall Lightens Up

Catherine Elcock & Aaron Schwartz; October 31, 2009, Lowndes Grove

Feature

Love Can’t Wait

An intimate oceanside affair, with only five months lead-time

Feature

Moving Memories

Lowcountry wedding videos take a turn toward the hip

Feature

Peachy Keen

Score ideas in spades with this hands-on reception that was, indeed, a labor of love

Feature

Graphic Design

<p> Ashley Reid and John Martin, October 15, 2011, Kensington Plantation</p>

Feature

Where Butterflies Gather

Two local nature lovers proclaim their eternal "I dos" surrounded by earthy and elegant elements

Feature

Crowning Glory

Throw a flower-crown bridal luncheon with a little help from your friends

Feature

A Perfect Fit

Teenage sweethearts trade the Tar Heel State for their favorite getaway and host an open-air party for close friends and family

Feature

Enviable Bridal Florals in Shades of Lavender

Feature

Romance Rules

Fast friends leads to one stunning special day at Lowndes Grove Plantation

Feature

Simply in Love

Brilliant florals and a clean, crisp palette set the stage for a Florida pair's Big Day on Edisto Island

Feature

A Walk to Remember

Four-legged friends bring a Tar Heel couple together...and to the Holy City

Feature

Pretty as a Picture

<p>Add a soft touch to your Big Day with watercolors from Hatch Cove Designs</p>

Feature

Saving the Day - 4

Local event planners share their expertise on how to avoid or overcome wedding-day mishaps.

Feature

Romance Reimagined

This stunning, floral-bedecked soirée at Hibernian Hall defined organic modern romance

Feature

The Good Life

Limoncello & citrus sweets take over this wedding at Middleton Place

Feature

It’s Personal

The perfect playbook for your DIY bash

Feature

Get Inspired: Artfully Cool

Feature

Bulb Favors

Give the gift of growth with these simple favors, designed by Annie Mueller of A New Leaf Studio. Choose a flower that has special meaning to you and share it with friends and family