The Perfect Blend

Winter 2020

WRITER CREDIT:

PHOTOGRAPHER CREDIT:

The Perfect Blend | Learn how, despite cultural or religious differences, tying the knot can pay homage to your individuality as well as your union

wedding wedding gown Big Day White budget Jazz rehearsal dinner gown groom rehearsal

Love has no boundaries (this we know; it’s 2020), but what is less known is the fact that one in six people marry someone of a different ethnicity. To unite and celebrate cultures, there’s no better time than the wedding—or rehearsal dinner, in this case. Charleston residents Brittany Mathis and Daku Siewe did just that, setting aside the actual Big Day to honor the bride’s traditional, Southern roots (think beautiful white wedding gown, Southern fare, jazz music) while using the rehearsal dinner at The Room on Meeting Street as the time to observe Daku’s vibrant Cameroonian heritage. The bride, groom, and guests donned traditional African attire; Daku’s mother selected the color, pattern, and fabric and had the ensembles handmade in Cameroon. Every detail from the tabletop décor down to the menu were on par. They even incorporated a pre-wedding Cameroonian tradition whereby Brittany, blindfolded, was escorted around the room and tasked to identify her husband-to-be by just his voice, which she did successfully to convivial applause. No doubt, we’d be cheering, too.

Tips for the Mixer

Talk It Out: Although opposites may attract, if you are coming from different backgrounds, it’s advisable that you discuss the biggies (you know, money, child-rearing, faith) before heading down the aisle. Bonus points for talking with a professional. This can help ground a marriage and strengthen it down the road.
Offer Explanation: It’s not always necessary but if you or your beloved are incorporating traditions that are unfamiliar to a majority of guests, consider clueing them in through invitations or programs. Tight on budget? Have your officiant announce during your ceremony instead.
Consider Your Choices: While it may make sense for some couples to simply meld their respective traditions into wedding day festivities, for others, having two separate events—like Brittany and Daku—that are solely dedicated to each background may be a better solution.
Be True to You: It’s easy to get lost during the planning process, especially if you are opting for a blended wedding, so make sure that you and your significant other also incorporate your own likes and dislikes. It’s your day, after all

Images by Richard Bell Photography // Day of Coordination: Everything After the Ring // Venue: The Room on Meeting Street // Linens: Amazon // Florals: Bonnie Green Design

The Wedding Row

July 16 2019

Meaghen & Brett | The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island

The Wedding Row: So, tell us how it all began. Meaghen: We met at Fisher College back in 2005. It was my second semester and Brett had just transferred in. He frequented the house parties my...

July 15 2019

Lindsey & Bryan | Legare Waring House

Back in high school, Brian stood at the top of his football field’s bleachers and screamed into a megaphone while holding a 10- foot sign. All in the hopes that this cute cheerleader named Lindsey...

July 12 2019

Kristen & Shane | Palmetto Bluff

A mutual friend and a 90s cover band are to thank for uniting Kristen and Shane back in 2016. The two, while listening to some live tunes, were introduced and it seems they have never looked back....

July 11 2019

Mary Lake & Tyler | Hibernian Hall

A week before Mary Lake was to depart for her freshman year at Clemson University, a mutual friend introduced her to Tyler, a fellow Charleston-ian, and a fellow incoming Tiger. Having written off...

July 10 2019

Natalie & William | Magnolia Plantation and Gardens

These two Terps Alumni (that’s the University of Maryland, for those fans only familiar with the SEC) Natalie and Will dated for six whopping years before getting engaged. Over their stint of time as...

July 9 2019

Anne-Kyle & Drew | Lowndes Grove Plantation

You’re now welcome to board the love story that is Anne-Kyle & Drew. Now, this first sentence may not make sense at the moment but trust us, the meaning will hit you in just a second. These two...

July 8 2019

Megan & Chase | The Gadsden House

It’s not like we needed it (we already live on the surface of the sun), but this wedding warms our hearts up to the highest degree. Megan and Chase exchanged their vows last fall at the Gadsden House...

July 2 2019

Claire & Jay | The Creek Club at I’On

Claire and Jay are one of those couples that we just want to be friends with. They exude cool and have that “it” factor that makes you love them instantly (even though we have never met them). But...

Feature

Pretty as a Picture

Add a soft touch to your Big Day with watercolors from Hatch Cove Designs

Feature

DIY Plus Professional Polish Make a Perfect Union

Emily Mullins & Pepe Diaz-Llaneza; October 18, 2009, Magnolia Plantation and Gardens

Feature

Earthy Elegance

There’s nothing like an at-home wedding for sentimentality … and to save your bottom line!

Feature

Affairs to Remember - Art Deco Decadence

Time travel to the elegance of the 1920s in this imagined reception that's rife with ideas

Feature

Marry & Bright

Christmas takes on a Lowcountry twist at this pair’s sparkling holiday nuptials

Feature

Vintage & Violet

Ashley Ward & John Muller, Jr.; November 22, 2009, Boone Hall Plantation

Feature

Shoreside Celebration

Marissa Williams & Robert Phipps, September 2, 2011, Mount Moriah Missionary Baptist Church & The Sand Dunes Club

Feature

Cultural Union

Colorfully ornate details and subdued elegance marry beautifully in this Indian-American wedding

Feature

Rustic, Remote, & Romantic

Liz Eggers & Adam Becker; May 17, 2008, Dewees Island

Feature

April Flowers

Bridesmaids in boldly colored gowns blooming with floral patterns? You gotta see all this gorgeousness to believe it

Feature

Citrus Goes Chic

Meredith Cammerer & Patrick Stanton; June 17, 2009, Kiawah Island Resort

Feature

Great Taste

One of Charleston’s top food-and-wine couples host a rehearsal dinner where local flavors reign supreme

Feature

Suite Spots

Celebrate saying “I do” in one of the Lowcountry’s most singular, luxurious suites

Feature

Lip Service

Tips on the achieving the most kissable lips.

Feature

Fine Print

Feature

Big Doings

A pair of crafty engineers plan a DIY wedding for the ages... and a bride scores a start-up business in the process

Feature

Your Day, Your Way

One of the Lowcountry’s most iconic venues might be known for massive weddings, but see how they are throwing open their storied gates for microweddings and elopements