Wedding News to Use

Summer 2020

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Wedding News to Use | Add panache to your wedding festivities and fashion with these finds

fashion bachelorette diy wedding wedding RMS Beauty Big Day bouquets bow Shop weddings diy gown favors kate mcdonald veils rehearsal rehearsal dinner RENT RMS Sephora

Toast With the Mostess

Direct My Bar (843/789-9257; DirectMyBar.com) wants you to raise your glass with flair, whether now for a small gathering—hello, engagement party—or down the road for your big day. The boutique beverage service offers easy-to-book packages with custom options, and this month they debut their pale blue mobile bar, “Off the Wagon” (get it?). Aside from tasty libations, what sets the group apart is its super stylized setups and nattily dressed servers. The team accommodates health regulations and preferences du jour (think disposable cups or extra glasses rented per person to ensure clean glassware with each pour; passed drinks to avoid lines or clumps of guests; etc.). Given the uncertainty of late, they’ve lowered deposit fees into 2021.

A Shore Thing

“Why go bar hopping when you can hop on a boat?” That’s the brilliant, timely slogan for Crusin Tikis of Charleston (843/771- 8454; CruisinTikisCharleston.com), the brainchild of husband-and-wife team Steve and Gisel McManus. Rent out their 16-foot-diameter floating tiki (it holds six guests), and Steve will tug you and yours throughout Lowcountry waters. Want to land on a barren island? Done. Cruise the harbor at sunset? Just ask. It’s BYOB (bites and beverages); they supply an ice-filled cooler.

Cute for the Whole Crew

Love Rainbow Row? How about poplin? If you answered in the affirmative, head to Cannonborough Collective (CannonboroughCollective.com), where The Tiny Tassel (TheTinyTassel.com) now offers adult-sized renditions of the shop’s popular Urban Baby pieces. Talk to boutique cofounder and TTT designer Mimi Striplin about suiting up the whole wedding party (bulk orders are 15 percent off, and she can share leads for bow ties and pup collars from the same patterned fabric); the looks are great for this year’s casual weddings and ideal for rehearsal dinners or showers.

Veiled Beauties

Beyond the usual (sophisticated Southern bridal gowns) debuts this spring, the local couture queens of Kate McDonald Bridal (843/805-7193; KateMcDonaldBridal.com) also released two first-time collections worth noting. One is a suite of hand-painted veils and another is a parade of “Mother of Occasion” ball-gown skirts; both star heirloom quality statement pieces that are at turns flattering and fashion-forward.

Pop-up Flower Party

Hire Dani Motley of Salt and Stem (@saltstem_chs; SaltandStemFlowerCo.com) and she’ll load up her ’72 Ford pickup and head your way with buckets of blooms and whatever else is needed to coach you through crafting floral arrangements—be those bouquets for a DIY wedding or favors for a flower-crown bachelorette party. Follow Salt and Stem on Instagram to find out what public events, markets, and more Dani will visit next (her to-go bundles range from $5-$35). To book her truck for one heck of a photo op (engagement photos, anyone?), DM Dani.

Get Your Glow On

RMS Beauty (RMSBeauty.com) has done it again—released a slew of must-have products that real-deal reviewers and pros alike can’t stop raving about. The Charleston-based brand, carried at Sephora and elsewhere, is known for its safe, “clean” products, and the latest goodies are all about glowing. We love the long-lasting, shimmering face and body powder that works on all skin colors (right); the quad of sheer highlighter creams; and the new shade of gold that was just added to the Living Luminizer collection.

Images by (drinks) Cushla Beasley & (2, The Tiny Tassel) Aneris Photography & (tiki) courtesy of the vendor; Images (2, salt and Stem) by Tiffany Bitner Photography & (2) courtesy of the vendors

The Wedding Row

April 5 2019

Jessica & Jay | Middleton Place

Jessica and Jay met online and dated long distance (she was here in Charleston, he was in Connecticut) before she made the move up North. The two came back to visit the Holy City often, though, and...

April 4 2019

Lauren & Alex | The Gibbes Museum

Food plays a part in every aspect of this Atlanta, Georgia, couple’s relationship, from the first time they met to their Big Day at The Gibbes Museum of Art. It’s fitting, Alex says, as he owns that...

April 3 2019

Styled Shoot | The Cedar Room

We’ve all seen photos of Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra’s Jodhpur, India, nuptials by now, thanks to how social media was lit up with the bright colors and ornate designs of their festivities. But...

April 2 2019

Liz & Kevin | Folly Beach

When the bride owns a wedding and event planning company, you know her Big Day will be something remarkable. Such was the case for Liz, owner of Elegant Aura in Boston, Massachusetts. After her...

April 1 2019

Tiffany & Jayce | Charleston Library Society

Usually no one gets a word out of a barkeep regarding his or her personal life, so today’s an extra special treat considering the groom du jour is Jayce, longtime bartender and bar manager at Edmund’...

March 29 2019

Jacquelyn & Conor | The Dewberry

Jackie and Conor both went to College of Charleston, but they didn’t meet until the New Year’s Eve after graduation. That’s when both were secretly set up by mutual friends (and Jackie’s sister) at...

March 28 2019

Mary Jane & Alex | The Gadsden House

Magic brought Mary Jane and Alex together. No, really, it did—they met while working at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, part of Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida. Five years later, while on...

March 27 2019

Liz & Chris | Engagement Session

Here’s how the writer-bride talks about meeting her now-hubs on their wedding site: “Liz and Chris lived in the same apartment complex. The ‘boys upstairs’—as they were lovingly known by the girls in...

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Modern Icon

A Charleston local returns home to say “I do” in one of the city’s hautest historic spots

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Perfect Picks

Go bold when you pick mix-and-match cocktail dresses for your bridesmaids, like this Charleston bride

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Chill Out

Stay calm, cool, and collected at your summer wedding with these great products

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Death Do Us Part

Set the tone for a rockin’ Halloween wedding

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Leave a Good Impression

Commemorate your wedding with a landmark gift to the city that’s hosting your “I dos”

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Say “I Do” Like a Local

Insider tips for the ultimate Charleston insider wedding

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Blending Your Brood

Follow these tips from this been-there, done-that newlywed couple whose wedding seamlessly melded mom, stepdad, and sons into one happy family

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Tiers of Joy

Wedding cakes may be a centuries-old tradition, but that hasn’t stopped them from evolving right alongside wedding design. Here, we share a few swoon-worthy styles by local pastry chefs.