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...
Never underestimate a group of creatives armed with 13 football fields worth of fabric. Event draping companies like The Social Spool Co. regularly materialize a bride’s wishful thinking into wedding day reality. And for these textile professionals, hanging yards upon yards of velvet, satin, chiffon, or tulle to reimagine a venue is all in a day’s work.
“We can really mix things up with colors, patterns, and textures to fit each client’s personality,” says Caroline Rayman, who runs The Social Spool Co. alongside event planning veterans Leigh Warren, Amanda Neiring, and Jordan Lessley. Consider two of their recent weddings, both held under the clear-top tent at Lowndes Grove but with dramatically different looks. “One is crisp and tailored, and the other is more swaggy and whimsical,” she adds.
For Phoebe Frank and Colter Phillips’s garden-inspired celebration, the Social Spoolers utilized almost 1,300 yards of sage and ecru sheers woven in a crisscross pattern to add dimension and lend a feeling of timeless romance to the space. They finished the look with textural valances and drapery cuffs. While lots of draping is intended to cleverly cover the industrial aspects of a venue (think tent poles, electrical outlets, and cords), carefully designed layouts can also add to the beauty of a venue. At this late November reception, lush, overlapping curtains perfectly framed the wintery marsh views through the tent’s waterfront entrance beside the Ashley River.
In contrast to that organic vibe, Sara Scruggs and Troy Woodward chose a sleek and formal aesthetic for their Lowndes Grove reception just a few months later. The bride wanted “a modern take on classic,” so the Spool crew hung bold, contrasting neutrals in tight bands along the tent frame to create a clean, elevated feeling. They used the same ecru sheers here but lined them with black satin and woven valances to achieve a streamlined appearance.
For Rayman, one of the most rewarding aspects of the job is seeing the bride and groom watch their venue transform. As the couple gets ready for their big day, the tent, too, gets a glow up. From little details like custom tablecloths to big impacts such as ceiling swags and velvet backdrops, The Social Spool Co. works its magic on venues small and large. And if the mother-of-the-bride really wants custom pillows sewn from her daughter’s wedding fabric? Well, the Social Spoolers can make that happen, too.
