Megan and Greg brought their family and friends to Lowcountry to celebrate their wedding. With the help of Ashley Rhodes Events the day was filled with sweet, personalized details and gorgeous design. We especially love the “Maude-a-Colada” bar in honor of the groom’s mother, the silhouette portrait station and a bow tie bar with 100 (!) options to chose from. Central Park Flowers brought in some serious color with the lush garland and bright centerpieces and Ashley Seawell Photography was on had to capture all the beautiful moments of day. Enjoy!
What made the wedding special and unique?
Palmetto Bluff & the entire Lowcountry were such a beautiful setting. Our families are from Pennsylvania and Maryland and so the physical location was so unique to all of us. Everything from the weeping trees to the flowing river is so calming. With so many people coming from out of town we tried to make it a full weekend of experiences; from a clam bake on Friday to hanging out poolside to the actual wedding. One particularly unique aspect was the wedding ceremony itself; the wedding was set to be in a quaint little while chapel at Palmetto Bluff and as we were preparing to go down the aisle, there was a torrential downpour and the guests were not able to get to the chapel. We had to postpone the wedding by 30 minutes. Upon entering the chapel, the music was supposed to be a soft soloist. To the surprise of the groom, Meghan had booked a full gospel choir as a gift to the groom and surprised everyone as they entered signing “Going to the Chapel”. Everyone was crazy about the choir. After the ceremony the rain had completely passed and there was a giant rainbow stretching across the sky. Greg’s mom had passed in October and had really wanted to attend the wedding. We think this was her way of letting us know she was there.
Tell us about the gown and where/how you found it!
My gown was Nisha by Vera Wang; it was simple and classic but unique. There was a very clean line in the front and the back had bows with a peep hole in the middle. I went with my sister and best friend to New York to shop for a dress. My first stop was Vera Wang and this dress was the very first I tried on. I fell in love instantly. I thought it was just because it was the first dress I had on but as I spent the day in the city, I compared every dress to the first one. That night we went to dinner in Hell’s Kitchen and over some wine we discussed the day. I realized that I was absolutely in love with this dress and called to make an appointment to come back first thing in the morning to buy it.
What were some touches added to make it personal?
Maude-a-Colada: Greg’s mother had passed away and was unable to make it to the wedding. She was such a fun and loving person, so we decided to try to honor her in a way that was fun and not sad. Her favorite drink was a Pina Colada and so we created a “Maude-a-Colada” Bar to honor her.
Bow Tie Bar: Almost all of our guests were from up North so we thought it would be fun to encourage them to embrace the southern charm and tradition of the bow tie. After the wedding ceremony, we had a “bow tie bar;” men were encourage to swap out their traditional ties for a bow tie. We had 100 options available for them to choose from. There was a step by step guide of how to properly tie a bow tie as well as people on hand to help everyone figure it out. It was such a fun element.
Silhouette Portraits: We wanted for not only the guests to walk away with something custom and fun but also for the guest book to be unique. We brought in a silhouette artist who did everyone’s silhouettes and they got a copy to keep and a copy to put in the guest book for them to sign next to.
What was the most memorable part of the day?
The most memorable part of the day was staring into the eyes of the man of my dreams and letting it sink in that this big party was more than just that; it was an opportunity for us to stand with everyone we cared about and choose to share the rest of our lives together. He is the most caring and loving man I have ever met. It was also amazing to have a rainbow after our ceremony. They say rain is good luck, which we are so grateful for, but the rainbow was such a beautiful sign that everything was meant to be. We will never forget that moment or day.
Tell us how you met and became engaged.
Greg and I were both involved in fundraising for a gala which benefited the American Cancer Society. The mission fundraising portion of the event benefited a camp for children with cancer called Camp Can Do. Although we were on the same board, Greg and I never were in the same place at the same time until attending camp to create a mission fundraising video. Once there, we had the opportunity to meet some incredibly amazing individuals, and one girl in particular touched our hearts. We spent a lot of time with her in the arts & crafts area sharing stories and laughs.
Greg expected that no matter what he planned that I would figure it out, so he planned a very unique dinner party. He had planners come in and take out all of their furniture on the first floor. They turned our home into a romantic Tuscan setting with lighting that transitioned from sunrise to sunset. All of my closest friends and some family were invited. There was even a harpist. While there, in front of everyone, Greg got down on one knee, expressed all his love and gratitude to me and proposed. Of course the answer was yes and we spent the night celebrating with everyone close to us.
Photography: Ashley Seawell Photography // Planning and Design: Ashley Rhodes Events // Floral Design: Central Park Flowers // Ceremony, Reception, Catering: Palmetto Bluff // Cake: Savannah Custom Cakes // Shoes: Christian Louboutin // Dress: Vera Wang // Invitations: Minted // Hair and Makeup: Bride’s Side Beauty // Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Adrianna Papell