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

January 29 2019

Mason & Alex | Boone Hall Plantation

What do you get when you mix a love for the outdoors with the inherent girly-girl style that comes when you run a hair and makeup company? Mason and Alex’s well-rounded wedding, of course! Bride...

January 28 2019

Chanel & Alex | Engagement Session

Chanel and Alex’s courtship reads like a rom-com, so buckle in for the ride. The two (he’s from Boston and she’s from Atlanta) met during their sophomore year at College of Charleston when Alex...

January 25 2019

Styled Shoot | Magnolia Plantation & Gardens

We love it when neighbors from “Off” come to Charleston with a fresh look at some of our favorite old stomping grounds to give brides ideas anew. That’s what we’re showcasing today, thanks to...

January 24 2019

Mindy & Matthew | Lowndes Grove Plantation

New Yorkers Mindy and Matt picked Charleston for a destination weekend a scant few months ago (his biz partner is based here, so they’d fallen for the city some time before). In proper Big City style...

January 23 2019

Meghan & Beau | Private Downtown Club

There are wedding hashtags, then there are neon signs for wedding hashtags! Meet Meghan and Beau, who are not only aces at hashtags but also so bold as to commission a neon sign reading #...

January 22 2019

Mary & Reid | Fenwick Hall

Ever wonder how a super fancy blockbuster wedding gets pieced together while still coming off as personal? We took a look at Mary and Reid’s fantastic Fenwick Hall wedding, planned exquisitely by...

January 21 2019

Devin & Scott | Lowndes Grove Plantation

So does all the heart candy in stores have anyone else out there seeing red–in the good way? Us, too. Thus we bring you Devin and Scott’s enchanting wedding at Lowndes Grove Plantation...

January 18 2019

Caitlin & Michael | The William Aiken House

Can we just say we love how Caitlin and Michael operate? The pair, who live outside Indianapolis, Indiana, wed on a Sunday last summer with a handful of family and little ones in tow at The William...