Sweet Magnolias

Spring 2017

WRITER CREDIT:

PHOTOGRAPHER CREDIT:

Sweet Magnolias | Classic décor, romantic candlelight, and magnolia touches gathered from the bride's parents' backyard fill this Pennsylvania pair's beautiful Big Day

Photographs by:

Evan Laettner Photography

William Drinkwater & Elisa Woodward

May 20, 2016

Boone Hall Plantation

Sometimes, you make your own luck. When William Drinkwater spotted Elisa Woodward at a fellow West Point grad’s Big Day, he slyly adjusted the seating chart to cozy up next to her for dinner. Three years later, he found another spot by her side—this time, at the sweetheart table of their wedding reception at Boone Hall Plantation, where chandeliers and candles filled the site’s Cotton Dock with a glow and magnolia accents dotted the décor. “When I close my eyes and think of Charleston, one of the first things to come to mind are magnolias,” explains Elisa. Thanks to planning by Rebecca Woodland Weddings and help from Mama Woodward (who collected the verdant touches from her own yard here in the Holy City), the day was sentimental, chic, and brimming with love.

Words from the wise ...

• Forage when you can. Elisa’s mother, who lives downtown, gathered 250 magnolia pods and leaves from her yard, which Out of the Garden worked into the floral plan.

• Juxtapose your venue’s aesthetic. Grand chandeliers, gilded décor, sophisticated draping, and traditional tablescapes added formality to the

rustic space.

• Be thoughtful about fashion accessories. The maids’ multicolored BHLDN pumps brought a pop of color to the day’s mostly muted palette.

• Play with texture. Subtle, monochromatic patterns—like on dinner plates and the buttercream confection by Jim Smeal—added intrigue to the day’s design.

• Don’t hide the bride! Clear umbrellas are fashion-friendly (and photo-ready) amid spring showers.

VENDOR LIST:

Wedding planning, umbrellas: Rebecca Woodland Weddings, www.RebeccaWoodlandWeddings.com

Florals: Out of the Garden, www.OohEvents.com/Services/Floral/

Images: Evan Laettner Photography, www.EvanLaettner.com

Rentals, linens, lighting, draping: Ooh! Events, www.OohEvents.com

Tent: Sperry Tents Southeast, www.SperryTentsSoutheast.com

Tabletop décor: Polished!, www.PolishedTabletop.com

Catering, bar and wine service: Cru Catering, www.CruCatering.com

Cake: Wedding Cakes by Jim Smeal, www.WeddingCakesbyJimSmeal.com

Stationery: Embossed Graphics, www.EmbossedGraphics.com

Menus: SAS-E Ink, www.SaseInk.com

Bride’s attire: Pnina Tornai, www.PninaTornai.com (gown); Badgley Mischka, www.BadgleyMischka.com (shoes)

Bridesmaids’ attire: Alfred Sung (gowns, available in Charleston at Bella Bridesmaids, www.BellaBridesmaids.com); BHLDN, www.BHLDN.com (shoes)

Beauty: Lashes and Lace, www.LashesAndLaceCharleston.com

Groom’s attire: Jos. A. Bank, www.JosABank.com

Music: Classical Charleston, www.ClassicalCharleston.com (ceremony); Darby Events, www.CharlestonWeddingDJs.com (reception)

Transportation: ACW Limo, www.ACWLimo.com; Shuttle Hogs, www.RideLowcountry.com/shuttle-hogs

Pecan favors: Molly & Me, www.MollyAndMePecans.com

Planning by Rebecca Woodland Weddings / Images by Evan Laettner Photography

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