South Carolina Aquarium Wedding from Richard Bell Photography

We sure do love South Carolina Aquarium weddings!   So much so that we were lucky enough to feature it in our most recent issue.  You may remember our gorgeous Southern Sparkle shoot we shared in our premier issue of A Lowcountry Wedding Magazine.  It was outside on the Deck with gorgeous views of the Charleston Harbor.  Pretty breathtaking if you ask me!  Well, this gorgeous ocean-inspired wedding from Ashley Nicole Events and Richard Bell Photography incorporated everything we love about the South Carolina Aquarium.  A stunning evening ceremony overlooking the Harbor and the Cooper River Bridge, a festive octopus cake and whimsical fish-filled aquariums at every turn.

From the Bride: "Brian and I love aquariums, sea life and conservation, so the aquarium was a no-brainer choice for us. Every place we visit, we make a point to visit the aquariums too- it's our tradition. Plus, my sister works as the PR director for the Aquarium, so she really sold us on the venue! We wanted to incorporate aspects of ourselves and our loves into our wedding and reception, which is a mix of art deco and the ocean. Interesting combo, I know! My dress is a Jenny Packham and screamed art deco to me. I paired it with a vintage Eduardian pin from the 1920's which is being made into a pendant. Brian and his groomsmen (and one groomswoman!) wore a Vineyard Vines cummerbund set with their tuxes (and a flower accent for the groomswoman) that featured little blue crabs (Brian's favorite!) on a coral background. Brian's boutonniere is held by an electroplated crab claw in silver. The bridesmaids wore a one-shouldered After Six gown in jade that has ruching that went hand-in-hand with my dress. Our colors were jade, coral and a deep blue...mirroring the colors of Mother Ocean. We wanted nature to play a large part in our celebration, so we decided to wed under the stars on the Aquarium's veranda. In addition to our love of fish, we also love Phish, the band. We incorporated small, subtle tokens featuring Phish throughout, including our first dance (Show of Life), lyrics from Phish songs on each table and our favors: donations to both the waterwheel foundation (Phish's charity that gives back to various programs throughout the nation) and the sea turtle hospital (of the SC aquarium)"

Charleston Wedding Vendors

Photographer:  Richard Bell Photography  //  Bakery: Abbie's Bakery  //  Event Designer: Ashley Nicole Events  //  Transportation:Classic Carriage Works  //  Event Planner: Duvall Events  //  Floral Designer: Pretty Petals of Charleston  //  Event Venue: South Carolina Aquarium  //  Makeup Artist: Stella Nova

Dying to see more Lowcountry Wedding inspiration?

Check out the premier issue of A Lowcountry Wedding Magazine featuring 13 of our favorite coastal celebrations including:

-Christine + Derek’s Elegant Omni Hilton Head Wedding

-Jennifer + Carl’s Grande Dunes Ocean Club Wedding

-Brian + Ashley’s Creek Club at I’On wedding

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Charleston Wedding {Aaron + Caroline} Creek Club at I'On

I get super excited when a killer team of wedding vendors team up to for a big ol' Lowcountry bash.  That's exactly what happened when Ashley Nicole Events joined forces with Richard Bell Photography for Aaron + Caroline's gorgeous Creek Club at I'On wedding this year.  During the wedding planning process, Bride Caroline was studying in Chile (yes, all the way in Chile!), so the mother-of-the-bride stepped up to the plate to design this beautiful Southern affair with the help of Ashley Nicole Events. The talented team of Wildflowers Inc. created  vibrant arrangements in shades of purple, orange and pink to accent the lovely Summer day.

Charleston Wedding Vendors

Event Designer & Planner: Ashley Nicole Events  /  Venue, Catering & Bar: Creek Club at I'On  /  Photography: Richard Bell Photography  /  Stationary: Dodeline Design  /  Rentals: Snyder  /  Florist: Wildflowers Inc.  /  Cakes: Charleston Cakes Etc.  /  Exit Boat: Geechee Girl  /  Music: DJ Wade - Other Brother Entertainment  /  Welcome bags & Favors: Ashley Nicole Events

Dunes West Wedding {Catherine + Jeremy}

We're knee-deep in wedding season and we couldn't be more excited about all the gorgeous Lowcountry weddings that have been rolling across our desk.  There's *almost* too much pretty to share!  With the help of Ashley Nicole Events, Catherine + Jeremy married this past Fall at the lovely Dunes West in Charleston, South Carolina.  Catherine's mother-in-law designed all of her bouquets, boutonnieres and the dreamy shabby chic decor with a southern beach twist!  Thanks to Grace Hill Photography for capturing all the beautiful details.

Charleston Wedding Vendors

Photographer:  Grace Hill Photography  /  Event Designer:  Ashley Nicole Events  /  DJ:  The Music Maker DJ  /  Bakery:  One Smart Cookie  /  Event Venue:  Dunes West Golf Club

Hiring a Wedding Planner {Ashley Nicole Events}

This week we've shared some serious inspiration from some of our favorite Charleston wedding vendors for your big Lowcountry Wedding!  We had Magnus + Rachel's Charleston wedding engagement at Marion Square, Meghann + Jordan's stunning wedding at The Sanctuary and Christine + Garrett's College of Charleston e-session!  To wrap up this week we're welcoming Charleston wedding planner Ashley, of Ashley Nicole Events, to give us some much needed guidance on just why you need to hire a wedding planner.  She addresses many common questions and even shares a few personal experiences that will have you running to hire a planner!  So, ladies, let's welcome Ashley Nicole Events...

The Importance of a planner

Who will tell me when to walk down the aisle? Who will help decorate while I’m getting dressed? Who will make sure all of my gifts are gathered when the reception is over?

These are some of the questions I get all the time from brides, moms, dads, and friends of the family.  At the end of a reception I get these questions followed by “without you this would have never gotten done”.  A planner has many roles the day of the wedding and throughout the planning process.  From being the “go between” with the couple and vendors to being the DJ announcer because the “Friend” that you decided to use didn’t want to DJ anymore.  There is always something that is going to arise that a planner will assist with and make sure everything still runs smoothly.

Here are a few stories and how I remedied the situation:

Just recently, while handling a “day of’ wedding, there was a cake crisis.  The room was a little on the stuffy side and not to mention about 200 bodies were in this room.  The 4 tiered cake had begun to slip, thus cracking the entire bottom layer.  With the help of the catering manager and my assistant we moved that baby out from the center of the room as fast as we could.  The top three layers had to be taken off, then placed back on the cake stand, and the bottom layer re-iced to make it look presentable.  The bride and groom had no idea this was even happening until a few days after the wedding.  I received a phone call from the bride thanking me for saving her cake!

I received a phone call from a couple that was getting ready to wed that very weekend.  They needed help with the ceremony coordination and a few other things.  Normally I don’t just do ceremony coordination, but I certainly didn’t want to leave them high and dry to do it on their own.  So I agreed.  We went for our final walk though and the bride asked the venue manager about placement of the candles.  He told her they did not handle those things and recommended hiring a planner for the “little things that are always forgotten”.  Enter planner.  This poor bride just needed help with a placement of a few items, so I agreed to help.  I wanted to make sure her day was just the way she envisioned it in her mind.  And so it was.

These are just some of the stories from my personal experience and trust me there are many, many more.  Having a friend designated to handle certain things throughout your wedding day is not the best plan for any couple getting married.  Often times that friend may get tired or bored doing what you have asked them to do and completely quit on you.  Then what?  What if your limo is a half hour late?  Who will handle getting another limo or even a refund while you are on your honeymoon?

Here are a few questions and answers that I hope will clear up the misconception of having a planner vs. someone else.

I can’t afford a planner; it’s just not in the budget!

Everyone is budget savvy these days and quite frankly I can see why.  To put on a wedding is very expensive.  That is why hiring a planner is a key element.  A true planner (and I’ll get to that below) has relationships with many wedding professionals in the area.  They will help negotiate with your dj, catering company, photographer, etc to stay within your budget.  But you say, I still can’t afford one.  Well think about it this way.  If a planner costs $2500, and she has helped save you $700 from the photographer’s package, $400 from the rental company, $800 off the venue, and $600 off the dj service, then you have just paid for your planner!! Plus I’m sure there will be more savings throughout the remainder of the planning process.

Why can’t the catering manager/venue manager handle it?

He or she already has plenty on his/her plate.  From making sure the cocktail hour food is out and ready for those hungry guests, to making sure the servers are clearing tables and replenishing the food as needed.  A venue manager is there to make sure the music isn’t too loud and the staff is doing as told.  They don’t want to have to worry about 105 candles being lit before the guests arrive or making sure all other vendors are there at the time they are supposed to be.  A planner will do all of those things for you.  Check in vendors and make sure they are on time and have everything they need and were supposed to bring.  FYI – a lot of catering and venue managers say they help out with all of this stuff, but remember, they will make sure all of their duties are completed before getting to your list of to do’s.

True Planners vs. hobby planners

I mentioned it briefly above, but having a true planner that plans weddings on an everyday basis is key.  Anyone can call themselves a planner, but someone that is a professional will have special connections with well known wedding vendors.  Plus, planners are familiar with venues and their special requirements. A person who does it for a hobby might not know the particular requirements and might be the cause of you not receiving your deposit back or even worse.  Stick with a professional!

I have a plenty of blogs bookmarked and my Pinterest board is overflowing with great ideas, I can handle this myself.

Who doesn’t love Pinterest?  I certainly do.  It is full of amazing ideas from previous weddings and styled photo shoots.  But wouldn’t it be nice to get fresh new ideas from someone who knows whether or not that centerpiece will go with the theme or ideas you have chosen?  A planner not only is there the day of, but we are available throughout the whole planning process.  We want to make your vision come to life.  You see something in your mind and want it a certain way, we will make that happen.  Planners also bring fresh new ideas to the table.  New color schemes that you would never have thought to put together.  Layout processes, centerpieces, rentals, how big of a tent do I need, I need my dress steamed, so on and so forth.  These are all things a planner will do to make sure everything runs smoothly.  This is a season in your life that you should enjoy and a wedding planner will help take the stress out of planning

So all in all, it is a great idea to have a planner.  Be it a full wedding planner/designer, or a day of coordinator.  It will make things much easier on you, your family, all the wedding vendors involved, and help you enjoy this special time in your life!  It is well worth the ease of mind to have someone taking care of all those little things you forgot or to help sort through all those pins you have been working on over the past year.

“Designing an event is more than just the planning; it’s turning your dreams into reality!”

-         Ashley Nicole Events

Dunes West Golf Club Wedding {Lane + Michael}

It's no secret that all of us love a good Lowcountry wedding, and when a handful of talented Charleston wedding vendors are involved, it makes it that much sweeter!  Richard Bell Photography was behind the lens as Lane + Michael said 'I do' on the lawns of Dunes West Golf Club.  Ashley Nicole Events was on hand to handle all of the details, while Sara York Grimshaw Designs set the mood with her stunning florals.  Thanks to Lane for giving us a little insight into her fabulous Charleston wedding... A. When Michael and I began planning our wedding, we didn't really have a clue of what we wanted...but what we DID know was that we wanted it to be a "southern style" wedding that would make all of our guest feel "at home" and leave Dunes West having a great meal and enjoy dancing to some classic hits! Most of our guest were from Georgia and South Carolina and LOVE southern, family traditions. Pulled Pork/Collard Green Eggrolls and Sweet Tea...can't get much more southern than that! As a little girl I can remember my grandparents would ALWAYS drink tea out of mason jars and also store jams. This family tradition, along with Pinterest, gave us this unique idea. Pinterest has been an AMAZING resource for wedding planning! We decided to go with blues and coral/orange color scheme. Michael LOVES Clemson football and bowties...so we "tied" those two together! One last REALLY cool thing we did is a "Late Night Donut" stand with shot glasses of milk! We felt that our guest would enjoy this yummy surprise after dancing all night!

Charleston Wedding Vendors

Photographer:  Richard Bell Photography  /  Hair Stylist:  Vanity Salon   /  Event Planner:  Ashley Nicole Events  /  Floral Designer:  sara york grimshaw designs  /  Musicians:  Palmetto Strings  /  Dress Store:  Bridal House of Charleston  /  Band:  Still Cruzin'  /  Venue Location:  Dunes West Golf Club