william aiken House wedding with bold draping — Curating unforgettable and flawlessly executed events since 2001

Our Team

A Charleston Bride has the experience and influence to create one-of-a-kind events that are executed flawlessly with their extensive vendor Partnerships throughout the southeast

**A Charleston bride**
Award winning Charleston
wedding planner

Since 2001, A Charleston Bride has been one of the leading wedding planning firms in the Southeast. Following our founder, Melissa Williams’ philosophy and approach to planning, we leave no stone unturned when it comes to details and organization. From complex logistics to award-winning event design, we work as a team to create the ultimate destination weddings for our clients. Hospitality and thoughtful guidance throughout the planning process are at the heart of what we do.

inquire

Testimonials

Kind Words

Testimonials

“We will be forever indebted to Chloe and the entire A Charleston Bride team.

They helped us create the most beautiful and amazing wedding weekend we could ever dream of and more.”

—Emily & Nick

"The A Charleston Bride team helped us plan our dream wedding weekend!

Every detail from the florals to the food to the overall guest experience was perfectly planned and executed, we wouldn’t have been able to do it without them.”

—Christine Pompa

"I would recommend ACB to any bride looking for a stress-free and fun wedding planning experience.

They are extremely experienced, knowledgeable, kind, organized, and everything else you would want from a wedding planner.”

—Madeleine Twiford + Brendan Guiry

"They are truly a cut above the rest.

I would not hesitate to recommend their services to anyone planning a wedding in the Charleston area.”

—Lia Diamond, Mother of the Bride

"We can't believe how much was done behind the scenes that we had no idea about.

All thanks to Amanda's incredible work and truly unparalleled skill as a planner."

—Kirsten Sundeen + Jack Paccione

Our Event Professionals

wedding Planning & Design

AMANDA SMITH

owner, wedding planner + designer

Amanda grew up in Edisto Beach, South Carolina. After graduating from College of Charleston in 2011 with degrees in Business Administration and Arts Management she dove into the hospitality industry working in restaurant and hotel management which led her to find her passion for event planning. She has over fifteen years of luxury planning and design experience and is dedicated to finding the perfect balance between logistics and creativity within each event. Amanda is devoted to creating one of a kind events that create lifelong memories for her clients and their loved ones!

CHLOE EWING

WEDDING PLANNER + designer

Chloe was born and raised in Greenville, South Carolina. After graduating with a business degree from Clemson University in 2015, she moved to Charleston and immediately began working in the event and wedding industry. She brings over eleven years of planning and design experience to the ACB team and is committed to steadily guiding her clients through the planning process while making the experience both relaxing and enjoyable.

Abby Frye

WEDDING PLANNER + designer

A native of Columbus, Ohio, Abby has called the Lowcountry of South Carolina home for almost twenty years. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree from the College of Charleston in 2013. Since then, she has pursued her passion for hospitality and events while working alongside several well-known, luxury wedding planning firms in the Southeast. Abby’s attention to details, thoughtful approach, and overall, calm and friendly demeanor allows her to create truly unique and timeless event experiences for her clients to remember for a lifetime.

Carly bartel

OFFICE MANAGER + PLANNING ASSISTANT

Hailing from Virginia Beach, Virginia, Carly moved to the Lowcountry in 2021 to attend the College of Charleston, where she recently graduated with a degree in Communications and a passion for event planning. Her love for events began with planning sorority functions, which led her to pursue her first of many internships in the wedding industry. Throughout college, she continued to gain valuable experience through internships, freelance opportunities, and hands-on roles, ultimately leading her to A Charleston Bride. Carly’s organizational skills, adaptability, and strong communication style allow her to support both clients and colleagues with ease, and she finds joy in helping transform ideas into meaningful celebrations.

As Seen On

Celebrating the legacy of our founder

Melissa Williams

Melissa graduated from the College of Charleston with a degree in Business Administration and quickly found her love of event planning. She founded A Charleston Bride in 2001 and was one of the first full service planners in the area, a true trailblazer in the industry. Over her 21 year career she helped hundreds of brides plan their perfect day. Her streamlined techniques and systematic approach to planning carved the path for countless other event professionals and are the fundamentals that our team follows today. We are honored to carry on the legacy that she built. Her impact will be carried on forever in all events that we produce.