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...
Hey Mon! We have some serious tropical vibes happenin’ on the blog today and seeing that the official start of summer is just a few weeks away, we thought it only fair to share it with you all cuties. Clay Austin did a killer job of capturing these photos at The William Aiken House while Ooh! Events knocked it out of the ballpark as per usual. But before we get ahead of ourselves and stop praising all the talented vendors involved, we have to hear more from Marissa, the new wifey in this whole equation. And go!
The Wedding Row: How did you all meet?
Marissa: We’ve actually known each other since we were 11. We were friends through middle school and high school, but things never turned romantic until after college. I’d like to say that Chris very actively pursued me.
TWR: Well, we can’t blame him for knowing what he wants. We hear you all hail from up North. What drew you to our holiest of holy cities?
Marissa: We’re both from Warren, New Jersey, but now we’re based in Hoboken. We chose Charleston because we knew we wanted destination, but we got engaged right after hurricane Irma so the Caribbean was definitely off the table. Yikes. We had been to Charleston about six months prior to our engagement fell hard for every aspect. From the weather, to the people, to the bars, restaurants, and shopping, we knew it would be a great place for a wedding weekend.
TWR: The city really is poppin’. On to the actual Big Day. Was there a theme you were aiming to achieve?
Marissa: “Tropical elegance” was the theme I was going for. With that said, I wanted to keep the palette pretty neutral and clean because of the boldness of the The William Aiken House walls and all the colorful rooms. I always knew I wanted an outdoor wedding so I’m grateful that the weather was in our favor.
TWR: We heard there as a drive-by of sorts?
Marissa: Oh my goodness. We held the ceremony outside in front of the white pergola, and as luck would have it (kidding), a car drove by while blasting the loudest rap music I’ve ever heard in my life.
TWR: Well, that’s memorable for sure. Another thing memorable? The detail on your gown. So chic.
Marissa: This Marchesa gown was one the first dresses the bridal consultant pulled for me, and before trying it on, I said, “NO WAY.” I eventually put it on and fell in love immediately. It couldn’t have been more of a “Marissa” dress with the A-line and fuller skirt, the flower appliqués, and the hint of sexy with the illusions down the center and on the sides. It was so easy to wear … I never wanted to take it off! I wish i could wear it again.
Planning + Design + Rentals : Ooh! Events | Venue: William Aiken House | Images: Clay Austin Photography | Videography: Lowcountry Wedding Films | Catering + Cake + Bar: Patrick Properties Hospitality Group | Ceremony music: Palmetto Strings | Reception music: EastCoast Entertainment | Florals: Out of the Garden | Beauty: Slate Salon
