13 Jan Kisty & Mark {Carolina Yacht Club}
This lovely Carolina Yacht Club fete photographed by Captured by Kate is a wedfabulous little gem that is making me a quite the happy little wedding blogger. Charleston wedding cake designers take confections to an entire new stratosphere. This cake had me at hello. Hello gorgeous work of art that also happens to be a wedding cake. I am super smitten with how the lace on the bride’s gown and the heirloom brooch are perfectly reflected in the intricate details deigned by Jim Smeal.
Kristy shared some insights behind all of the personal touches of the wedding weekend.
“…The intention of the wedding was to recreate an 18th century esthetic, with modern conveniences, all within historic locations, where everyone could walk to each event or hail a pedicab. The wedding had so many historic and family traditions beginning with the weeding weekend location in historic Charleston, from the wedding at the wonderfully old St Michael’s church to the South Carolina Society Hall and the garden of the Meeting Street home. The friends of the bride’s mother all wanted to have a wonderful bridesmaid’s luncheon celebrating family and tradition by contributing their favorite family pieces; a large a antique English silver punch bowl and ladle, recipes from Richmond Virginia, antique blue and white English porcelain, English sterling flatware, old English lace table linens and an antique Christmas ornament at the bride’s plate for her 1st Christmas. The bride’s chair was adorned with palmetto fronds, roses, garden greens, baby’s breath and tulle. At the bride’s table a historic English sterling epergne with palmetto trees, an antique Tiffany cake server with little lady bugs perched on the handle for cutting the bride’s cake, hand selected silver charms for each bridesmaid to pull from the cake, Nantucket baskets to carry at the wedding and Nantucket basket charms and bracelets for the flower girls, handmade jewelry from the bride to her maids, old Scottish thistle champagne flutes for toasting and family pieces of Charleston silver made in the 18th century, for serving the luncheon. The luncheon menu consisted of recipes from Charleston Receipts, and of course cheese tassies. All of the flowers throughout the house were carried into town by the mother of the bride’s friends and arranged beautifully around the house and for the luncheon.
The theme at the Rehearsal Dinner was South Carolina history and coastal references, from table seating arrangements celebrating the barrier islands and points of interest to antique candelabras and crystal vases on each table loaned by friends and family. At the rehearsal dinner the bride’s brother sang a Jack Johnson musical tribute to the bride and groom. Flowers were chosen for their appropriateness to the South.
At the wedding, the bride’s family decided to wear jewelry pieces handed down by grandparents over generations. On the modern side, the Father of bride brought his boat to dock at the Yacht Club to offer evening harbor tours for family, and guests and fishing on the morning of the wedding.
The wedding at St. Michael’s Church was officiated by St Michael’s Rector Al Zadig, and Father Paul Norris from Atlanta. The organist played selections by 18th century composers throughout the ceremony. The historic church bells of St. Michael’s rang at the exit of the bride and groom. Cocktails at the reception were designed by the mother of the bride to celebrate her new son in law’s love of ice tea, and her daughter’s love of champagne and black raspberries.
Jim Smeal repeated the image of the family cameo on the cake and the bridal lace, the cake had wild raspberry filling .
The bride and groom had Charleston bakery, Baked make dozens of Charleston Whoopie Pies for take home treats.
The bridesmaids came from Atlanta, Richmond, New Orleans, and Jackson Mississippi, each offering their southern traditions throughout the luncheon with advice for a long and happy marriage. All of the calligraphy was done by the mother of the bride’s good friend from Wrightsville Beach,NC. The groomsmen celebrated during the bridal luncheon with a men’s gathering with many toasts, at the men’s bar at the Carolina Yacht Club, hosted by the bride’s stepfather, cigars were enjoyed afterwards down by the boat slips.
The bride celebrated her own 30th birthday, her Aunt’s 60th birthday, her sister and brother in law’s 10th wedding anniversary and her sister’s month old newborn with a Charleston Sip and See the day after the wedding and a baby’s first library shower, and her brother’s acceptance into MUSC Dental School. There was much to be thankful for that weekend.
The bride’s family had friends and family from all points of the states attending. The house was filled with friends and family and new babies throughout bringing much merriment and a few dented car doors resulted from squeezing through the narrow gates leading to the parking areas. The family Labrador, Traveler, was a welcome addition and greeter with his coordinating satin bow, and the nightly arrival of the Charleston night herons roosting in a two hundred year old live oak in the garden chased by hoot owls, made for a wild night after dark.”
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Photographs by Captured by Kate | Wedding Ceremony Venue: St. Michael’s Episcopal Church | Wedding Reception Venue: Carolina Yacht Club | Wedding Dress: Greenville Bridal Gallery | Bridesmaid Dress: Bella Bridesmaid | Accessories: Bride wore family heirloom jewelry- large cameo from paternal grandmother and earrings from mother. Bride’s pearl bracelet and bridesmaids/mother of the bride earrings and pearl necklaces were from AM Jewels | Shoes: Stuart Weitzman | Wedding Planner: Bride’s mother | Florist: Greg Foster | Wedding Cake: Jim Smeal | Band: Still Cruzin’ | Make up: Lash de Luxe
