Sarah and Matt - Lowndes Grove

Today's mixture of sunshine and rain made me think back to a beautiful wedding that I planned last June! All day the setup for Sarah and Matt's wedding had gone so smooth then one hour before the outdoor ceremony the sky opened up. It was pouring rain but thankfully about 15 minutes before the guests were set to arrive the clouds broke and the sun came out. We brought out brooms, mops, towels and began the quick clean up and ceremony flip. We moved the ceremony chairs to a dryer location and with the beautiful background of the Ashley River we were able to still give them the outdoor wedding of their dreams…

Thank you to Renee Brock for sharing these beautiful images!
Check her out at www.reneebrock.com

L-O-V-E...

Today is Valentine's Day and everyone has different ideas about how to celebrate! My husband and I usually do a card and nice dinner as our celebration! But on a holiday all about LOVE, I definately think back to our wedding day and how Blessed we were to be surrounded by LOVE! LOVE for each other, our families and our friends! Here are a few of my favorite images from our wedding day!

Happy Valentine's Day! I hope you day is full of LOVE!!

Super Bowl Sunday Snacks that work at Saturday Night Affairs...

When considering the menu, I encourage brides not to over think it! If you are drawn to a classic menu item then ask the caterer if there is a way to take that item, dress it up and serve it during cocktail hour! Your guests will appreciate a classic and you will get to eat something you love on your wedding day! Here are a few examples of some of my favorite snacks that could go from super bowl Sunday to a Saturday night affair…

Pigs in a Blanket…FISH Catering serves this favorite as Franks in a Puff Pastry served with whole grain mustard!
http://www.patpropllc.com/

Chicken Fingers…Good Food Catering serves this favorite as Pecan Encrusted Chicken Breast Strips marinated in bourbon & brown sugar, served with honey mustard sauce!http://www.goodfoodcatering.net/

Grilled Cheese Sandwiches…Granville’s Catering serves this favorite as Mini Vermont White Cheddar Pimiento Grilled Cheese Sandwich!
http://www.granvillescafeandcatering.com/

Chips and Dips…Hamby Catering serves this favorite as Hot Artichoke Dip with Melba Rounds! http://www.hambycatering.com/

The sky is the limit on this so be creative!

Once you have determined your menu with your caterer then it’s time to schedule the tasting! This is meant to be a fun part of the planning process and to give you a sneak peek at what you can expect to see at your wedding! On TV the tasting goes like this…the bride and her future spouse arrive, the caterer brings out each item, the happy couple takes one bite and everything is perfect…well here in real world every tasting is not going to go that smooth, items are not always going to taste just as you thought and you may decide you want to adjust the menu! THAT IS OK!! I always encourage brides to speak their minds at the tastings because this is the last time before the wedding to make sure everything taste perfect for your big day! For example, if something is too salty or not salty enough, say so! If you thought the size of something would be smaller or larger, say so! Any good caterer will appreciate the feedback because they want your wedding to be perfect for you and for you to be happy with the final product!

These are a few of my favorite things...

I love taking an everyday item and repurposing it! It is fun to be creative with items and make them work for you! I tend to be drawn towards the pieces that feel more eclectic and vintage. Here are a few of my favorite things…

1.Mason Jars…they can be used as candle holders, favor jars or specialty cocktail glasses!

2.Cake Stands…they can hold centerpieces, family photos or favors! This would be really cute for a wedding, bridesmaid luncheon or rehearsal dinner too!

3.Tea Cups….they can be used as cake toppers or you could float a single bloom in one as an accent on tables! At my wedding, I used my grandmother's teacup as my cake topper as a way to honor her on my wedding day! I like to think she was there the whole day!

4.Birdcages…they can be used to hold cards on the gift table or as a guest book where each guest can leave wishes for the bride and groom! And thanks to spray paint we can make them match or compliment any color scheme!

5.Postcards…they can be used as fun save the dates, left in a welcome bag with the itinerary for the wedding weekend, or they can be at the wedding for guests to leave a message to be mail to the bride and groom later! It is always fun to drop those messages in the mail while the newly weds are on there honeymoon knowing that when they return they will have tons of loving messages waiting on them at their new home!

Have a Blessed day!

Something Old, Something New...

If you have ever been in an bridal suite hours before a wedding then you have probably heard some variation of the saying "Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue." Since this is a older tradition very few people these days realize that there is actually another sentence at the end of this saying. The whole saying is "Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue. And a silver sixpense in her shoe."

The Something Old is meant to symbolize the bride's link to her family. Generally the "old" item is a piece of family jewelry or a piece of a family garment. Any bride would be luck to receive this pair of antique earrings.

The Something New is meant to symbolize good luck and success in their new marriage. Generally the "new" item is the wedding dress but can also be a wedding band or new jewelry that was purchased for the wedding. I adore this Anne Barge dress...

The Something Borrowed should be "given" to the bride by a happily married friend which will symbolize the friend giving some of their marital bliss to the bride to carry into their new marriage. It can be a piece of jewelry, a sorority pin to be pinned into the lining of the gown or a hankerchief that all of your friends have carried on their wedding day. I was a Kappa Delta at the College of Charleston so if I had "borrowed" a sorority pin it would have looked like this.

The Something Blue is meant to symbolize faithfulness and loyalty towards your husband. Traditionally the garter has the blue detailing but these days it can be found on shoes and under garments too!


The Sixpence in her shoe is meant to symbolize wealth and finicial security in the future. It is said that for the sixpence to bring the most luck it should be in the left shoe!

Have fun putting your "somethings" together!

Fresh Start...

There are few things in life I enjoy more than a new year. The idea of a fresh start and a clean slate has alway excited me! When I was in school I always loved going to the store and picking out new school supplies that were going to help me be organized and efficient. There was and is something magical about making the first notes on a new page of a new book. Luckily for me, I work in a profession that allows me to make fresh notes on the new pages of bride's lives everyday!! Here are a few resolutions for wedding planning in 2010...

#1 Don't be afraid of color! You can use color in so many different ways from linen on tables and bars to throw pillows on lounges to cocktails in hand! Take your colors and milk them for all they are worth! If you are not sure about pairing colors then let the artists pave the way for you...check out a color wheel...you can use colors side by side together or you can use colors directly across the color wheel from each other!

#2 Be Inspired! Willie Wonka had it right when he said "if you want to view paradise, simply look around and view it." Inspiration is everywhere...a flower, a painting, an album cover, a throw pillow, a candy wrapper, ect. Here are a couple inspirations that I plan on using this year...

I love the mixture of rustic barrels and modern sofas!

I adore this painting by VanGogh - "Peach Tree in Bloom." I can see ice peach linens with natural wood chivari chairs with mercury glass containers spilling with white and ivory blooms. I can see using branches to display placecards
and having baskets of fresh peaches as favors...

#3 Learn something NEW everyday! When you are planning a wedding it is the perfect time to do research and really to ask questions! You could sign up for a subscription to a new wedding magazine, read a new blog every week, attend a local truck show or just take notice at an event you attend! When I attend an event, I am looking at everything from the lighting to the flowers to the trays the food is passed on!

#4 Be 10 Minutes Early! Always a good rule of thumb. It shows respect for the person you are meeting or the appointment you have and it will keep your heart rate down because you won't be stressed about being late causing you to be healthier in the long run!

#5 Make it personal! Your personality is reflected in your home, your clothes and should definately be reflected in your wedding! Take a moment and make a list of some of the special moments in your relationship...where did you get meet, where did you get engaged, was there a special treat that he always brought you, ect? Then find a way to bring those items into the wedding. For example, my husband (Kyle) and I met at the Piggly Wiggly Grocery Store so as a surprise I had the Piggly Wiggly Mascot at the rehearsal dinner to greet guests!


The most important thing to keep in mind when starting a new year or a new chapter of your lives...look around and be thankful for the Blessings each day brings!!

Thank you for an amazing 2009 and best wishes for an amazing 2010!!

Jill and Michael - The Historic Rice Mill Building

5 Days before Thanksgiving Jill and Michael were surrounded by family and friends at The Historic Rice Mill Building and they had plenty to be thankful for…especially the weather! It was November 21st in Charleston but it felt like June and the sky was an amazing blue! The couple exchanged vows on the back patio of the Rice Mill Building where 115 guests were seated comfortably in slatted wood chairs. The pew markers were fabric sashes that matched the linen on the entrance and cake tables. It was a beautiful service and “the force” was definitely with them since Jill had her childhood Princess Leia doll tied to her bridal bouquet as her something old. After the ceremony, guests were greeted with a cocktail hour and a stations reception with the catering provided by Good Food Catering. Jill wanted every guest to have a seat so we did family style rectangular tables where guests were assigned a specific table but could then sit at any seat within that table. The menu included a Wadmalaw Island Mixed Green Salad with julienned vegetables, blueberries, candied pecans and vidalia onion vinaigrette; Deep Fried Turkey with giblet gravy; Brown Sugar and Dijon glazed ham studded with mustard greens; Lowcountry Shrimp & Grits, Sweet Potato Puree with candied pecans, Roasted Asparagus and Sauteed Julienned Vegetables. Yummy!! Needless to say if anyone left hungry it was their own fault! :0) After dinner the guests danced the night away to the sounds of DJ Rob Duren and enjoyed a slice of heaven from Elaine’s Events – Cakes of Distinction. Best wishes to Jill and Michael and thank you for letting Peacock Events be a part of your special day! Thank you to Rod and Tara at Red Shutter Studio for capturing the evening and sharing these images…

The beautiful Historic Rice Mill Building!

The bridal bouquet with Princess Leia as Jill's "something old."

The groom's boutonniere!

The bridesmaid bouquets!

The family style rectangular seating with lanterns and floral centerpieces!

The lottery ticket favor tree...there was a sign that stated that since Jill and Michael were lucky in love each guest should take a ticket to try their own luck...it was a big hit!

The Magnolia Cake was made and designed by

Elaine Mincey of Elaine's Events!

The happy couple and their bridal party in front of the Rice Mill Building!

Mr. and Mrs. Michael Lear

Best wishes in the future and thank you for letting us

be a part of your special day!!

The vendors I mentioned above can be found at the following sites...

The Historic Rice Mill Building and Good Food Catering

http://www.goodfoodcatering.net/

Elaine's Events

http://www.elainesevents.com/

DJ Rob Duren

http://www.robduren.com/

Red Shutter Studio

http://www.redshutterstudio.com/