Written By Melissa Reardon
Photographs By Lucy Cuneo
A transplant from Virginia, Weston “Wes” McAfee vividly remembers the first time he saw his future bride-to-be. Charleston native Dana Elaine...
Although weddings are about the bride and groom trading vows and transforming into Mr. and Mrs., they’re also a great time for everyone to come together. That’s why Vande and Nate, who met when she interning in his hometown of Sarasota, Florida, filled their wedding weekend with lots of family and friend time. Read on to hear about the Lowcountry couple’s Big Day(s) from the bride herself.
The Wedding Row: Tell us about the proposal.
Vande: Nate proposed to me in Asheville, at a cabin on the side of the mountain under a full moon. He’d had the ring for three or four months and was waiting for the right moment. I was so surprised!
TWR: What kind of things did you do throughout the weekend to make sure you got to spend time with all of your guests?
Vande: We wanted the whole weekend to be a big party and to see our friends and family as much as we could, not just the wedding night. So Friday night we had a big rehearsal dinner-slash-welcome party at Mellow Mushroom downtown. Saturday, Nate had a “gents hang with the groom” and I had a “bubbly with the bride” for any female invited to the wedding. On my side, we all hung out and had brunch and champagne, and I got ready for my wedding with all of these women around me who’d had such a big impact on my life. On Sunday, the day after the wedding, we had tickets for everyone to go to the annual Boone Hall Oyster Festival, but it was super rainy, so we ended up doing an oyster roast at Bowens Island, instead.
TWR: How did you picture your wedding?
Vande: Our list went: a big party, a great band, great spirits, and great food. Everything else just fell into place. I found the dresses my bridesmaids are wearing when I was shopping for my stores [Vande owns L. Mae and Wild Mabel boutiques (@lmaeboutique and @wildmabel) in Pawleys Island, Florence, and Myrtle Beach], and I thought, “These would make really cool bridesmaids dresses,” and we just went from there.
TWR: Any funny moments from the day you look back and laugh at?
Vande: I’m one that can’t just sit down and sit back. So after we did our first look and took our pictures with the family, they told us to sit down and have a drink. Instead, I was on my knees in my wedding dress scrubbing scuff marks off the floor to help with my nerves. That’s just who I am.
TWR: Tell us about your pup. What part did he play in your big day?
Vande: His name is Riggs, and he’s a Chesapeake Bay retriever. He’s 112 pounds and three years old, and he still thinks he’s a puppy. I saw a photo of a bride and her big dog with her veil trailing behind her and knew I had to do that with Riggs. I didn’t even wear a veil in the ceremony, but I had to for our picture. He had to go back to the house afterwards and he hated it, he just wanted to be with us.
Wedding Planning: Meagan Warren Weddings | Florals: Blossom Bay Design | Photography: Magnolia Photography | Venue and Catering; Cannon Green | Cake: Sidney Williams | Ceremony Music: Gregory Guay Music | Reception Band: The Business – EastCoast Entertainment | Bride’s Gown: Made with Love from Coastal Knot Bridal Boutique | Bridesmaids’ Attire: L. Mae Boutique | Hair and Makeup: Beautiful Salon & Spa | Men’s Attire: The Groomsman Suit | Custom Wedding Bands: Ash Hoffman Jewelry
