Barbara Beach Designs

Friday, April 27th, 2012

Remember those darling kids who walked the runway of Charleston Fashion Week 2011? We do! They rocked designs by local children’s clothing designer Barbara Beach, who we recently reached out to for custom flower girl dresses. We are so impressed by what Ms. Beach is doing that we had to share her incredible work with all of you.

Seeking inspiration from the magazines of Paris and European Vogue, Barbara mixes Parisian style with Charleston charm to create whimsical pieces for both boys and girls. Shabby chic meets bohemian luxury in these darling looks for both everyday wear or wedding attire.

Photograph by Jorg Meyer for Charleston Weddings Magazine

Photographs by Jorg Meyer

Visit Barbara’s website and blog for more information on ordering your custom flower girl dresses today!

All photographs by Jorg Meyer. Top photograph from Charleston Weddings Magazine.

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Creative Wedding Favors

Monday, April 23rd, 2012


Think back to the most memorable wedding you have attended. What stands out the most about this wedding- was it the bride’s dress, the food and drinks, the band? Or was it the fun had on the dance floor and at the reception with the bride and groom surrounded by their friends and family? A wedding is not a wedding without the company of precious loved ones, all dressed up and in attendance to support the happy couple. Give thanks to your guests for being a part of your special day with wedding favors that are both personal and thoughtful.

 

Food is always a great favor option and food trucks are all the rage!  Have your favorite food parked out front as your guests leave offering them a little midnight snack. Diggity Donuts is one of our faves!  Or, you could go savory with the Taco Boy truck below…

Who doesn’t love cupcakes? Satisfy your guests’ sweet teeth by sending them home with cupcakes in a jar! This is a great do-it-yourself favor for you baking brides out there. Simply fill small jars with your favorite cupcake ingredients, print labels if you would like to customize them, and attach cutlery with string or ribbon.

Cupcakes in a Jar DIY Wedding Favor Ideas

Image from Elizabeth Anne Designs

Personalized local jars of honey like the ones below are a small but sweet gift that will let guests know you appreciate their love and support.  This particular bride was concerned with the dramatic decrease in honey bee population and included this information in the hang tag.

More yummy edible favors below…

These are just a few ideas for wedding favors that you can give your guests. Tell us, what wedding favors did you give at your wedding?

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Lindsey + Taylor

Thursday, April 19th, 2012

Happy anniversary to A Charleston Bride favorites Lindsey and Taylor! What a stunning wedding these two had at the William Aiken House in downtown Charleston. A custom-theme of organic and vine inspirations was seen on the butler cards, ceremony programs, and menus. Crystal chandeliers adorned with flowers hung from the trees and and candles illuminated the tents and alter. This created an incredibly romantic, modern yet classic style and motif. But none of these fine details did glow brighter than the beautiful blushing bride, Lindsey. We wish you two all of the best!

Photos by Richard Israel.

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Top Charleston Venues

Monday, April 16th, 2012

To say that Charleston, South Carolina is a beautiful place would be a vast understatement. The charming (yet tricky) cobblestone roads, the ever-ringing church steeples, and the grand historic plantations make our city one of the top wedding spots in the United States. Thought picking out a wedding dress was hard? That seems to be the easy part of planning for our Charleston brides! Selecting the perfect venue to host the perfect day is quite the tough choice here in Charleston where we are surrounded by such beauty and grace.
To aid our brides and blog readers in their search for their dream spot we’ve selected our top Charleston wedding venues below.

Lowndes Grove on the banks of the Ashley River brings the grandeur of Southern plantations right to the heart of downtown Charleston. This hidden gem, located in the Wagner Terrace area, is the last great waterfront estate in all of the United States. Having once housed Theodore Roosevelt on one of this visits, this 1786 home has two piazzas and broad terraces made of bluestone, brick and oyster tabby. The beautifully landscaped lawns along the Ashley River are the perfect place to walk down the isle in Old Southern style.

Runnymede Plantation is home to a very large, very old, very breathtaking oak tree that has been standing tall for over 1,000 years. Beyond The Oak, as they call it, are magnificent grounds where wildlife roams free, century-old trees form a glorious canopy, and that gorgeous Spanish moss sways in the wind that softly blows by from the nearby Ashley River.

The William Aiken Houseis the perfect wedding venue in the heart of downtown Charleston. Located right on King Street, this house has been featured in magazines such as Vouge and Town and Country and played a part in the film, The Notebook. Martha Stewart Weddings named it THE wedding venue of the State of South Carolina. The gorgeous Gothic-style carriage house is the perfect place for newlyweds to spend their first night as husband and wife.

These are just a select few of our favorite locations here in Charleston. If you have any questions regarding any local venues, please feel free to give us a call at 843.853.6402 and we'd be happy to help you find the perfect location for your wedding day.

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Emily + Jonathan

Wednesday, April 11th, 2012

A happy one year anniversary goes out to Emily and Jonathan Love, who were married last April in a beautiful ceremony at Cypress Trees Plantation. The couple was married under magnificent oak trees dating back to the 1700s, then indulged in cake and cupcakes and danced the night away under lantern-lit tents of white. At the end of the night, guests snacked on cookies from South Africa, where the groom was born, the United Kingdom where he grew up, from South Carolina, where the bride grew up, and also from New York, where the two now live together. Exposed wood tables, chalkboards, and hand-sewn burlap table runners gave this traditionally elegant wedding a do-it-yourself, yet timeless, feel.

Happy anniversary, Mr. and Mrs. Love- we wish you many more love-filled years.

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Easter Inspired Weddings

Saturday, April 7th, 2012

Easter is a day full of gardens, pastells, and candy- why not combine these into an Easter inspired wedding? We think a color palette of aquas, pinks, and golds, along with fun candy accents and glitter egg bombs can be the perfect way to have an Easter wedding without it being themed or cheesy.

Select bridesmaids dresses in soft pinks, lavenders, and blues. You can mix and match for an Easter egg-like effect or keep them all in one uniform color.

Easter and sweets go together like Santa Claus and Christmas. Satisfy your sweet tooth with cupcakes and candy galore! Use pastel colors for cupcake frosting and select candies in yellow, pink, and purple. We also love the idea of a soft pastel-colored cake.

An Easter wedding would be incomplete with eggs used somewhere in the details- but where? To avoid being over the top, use eggs tastefully in your table centerpieces. We love Ruffled‘s glitter egg bomb idea- fill colorfully decorated eggs shells with glitter for the newly wed couple’s final exit.

Aqua and Gold Easter Inspiration

Aqua and Gold Easter Inspiration

A white tulip bouquet is the perfect Easter wedding bouquet. They are clean, fresh and still representative of spring. If color is what you are looking for, add robin egg blue to your bouquet.

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Spring 2012 Updo Trends

Tuesday, April 3rd, 2012

After going to Charleston Fashion Week’s Bridal Show last Saturday, we’ve been giddy about this spring’s trendiest up-dos and hairpieces. Braids, asymmetrical buns, and vintage-inspired looks were all over the runways of both Charleston Fashion Week and the 2012 spring bridal market shows. We’ve collected our favorite looks for you along with some up-do style tips. Enjoy!

Braids are everywhere this season. Braids can add detail to any hairstyle, from wearing your hair down to a chignon. Use extensions or hair pieces to add fullness and length to your braids.
Berenice Bejo, 2012
Berenice Bejo wore this beautiful braid up-do that finished in a casual knot to the 2012 Academy Awards. This look is perfect for a warm spring wedding.

Kristin Cavallari, 2012
Kristin Cavellari’s hairstylist, Marcus Francis, says to keep the look loose to avoid being too coiffed or prom-ready.
Vintage inspired ‘dos along with tea-length dresses and winged eyeliner are one of spring’s hottest trends. Look to hairstyles by Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly for inspiration.
This Carolina Herrera model rocked a slightly-messy French twist-beehive at the Spring 2012 bridal market show. We so adore this look!

Low, loose buns worn on the side of the head are all over the runways and red carpets this season. This very chic look can be worn very casually or formally. We like it best paired with a very detailed dress or veil. 

http://hairstyleideas.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/0210-dianna-agron-bun-hairstyle-side_bd.jpgDianna Agron’s messy side-bun would work perfectly with a detailed hair piece or veil.
Tanesha at Affair Hair does the majority of ACB brides’ hair and has just begun her own collection of hair pieces and accessories. Her initials pieces are a fun way to personalize your accessories on your big day.

Another huge trend this season is the cage veil. These romantic and retro-inspired pieces can be soft and subtle or ultra-glamorous with details such as feathers or rhinestones.

Whichever look you choose, make sure it goes along with your own style and have fun with it! 

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