Having always envisioned a classic and timeless summer wedding, and loving the Charleston area, Jessica really wanted the venue itself to stand out and do the styling her wedding to Michael. Because MAGNOLIA PLANTATION is so beautiful in its own right, the couple kept everything simple and classic, choosing simple florals and colors that kept the focus on the beauty of the area, while still complementing it well. It was beautifully captured by South Carolina wedding photographer CHRISTI CLARK.
WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THIS LOCATION? Ever since I first visited Charleston, I knew I wanted to get married there. I have always dreamed of my venue having large oaks with spanish moss, and to just hold a lot of natural beauty all around. The carriage house at Magnolia Plantation was perfect because it’s surrounded with live oaks, greenery, and is right alongside the Ashley River. Having the carriage house available as the reception space was great as well because I was able to have the outdoor ceremony I really wanted, while also having a great reception space that allowed our guests to cool off from the heat.
HOW DID YOU MEET? I had just moved from Texas to go to school at Clemson, when Michael and I met through each other’s roommates as I was moving in my freshman year. From then on, we spent time together as a group for a while, and eventually started going on dates and really enjoying all the time we shared together. About two months later after going to a Luke Combs concert in Atlanta, Michael officially asked me to be his girlfriend!
TELL US ABOUT YOUR PROPOSAL: My mom and brother had just flown in to watch me cheer at a Clemson game in October my senior year. They told me that they were leaving on Sunday so we spent as much time as we could with them over the weekend. I said goodbye to them Sunday morning and then Michael and I went to church. We had plans to go on a date after church, but I did not know where we were going yet. As we were leaving I noticed we were close to the lake. Michael said we were going on a walk before we ate, so we got out of the car and started walking by the lake when I saw a small table with flowers in the distance and then I immediately knew he was about to propose! He eventually got down on one knee and it was official! My sister in law, Emily was hiding behind the trees and was able to photograph and video everything. Afterwards, we spent some time just the two of us praying and reflecting on God’s faithfulness in our relationship. Then, we left and met our family and friends at my sister in law, Madi’s house to celebrate!
TELL US ABOUT FINDING YOUR WEDDING DRESS: I had always envisioned my wedding dress to be a ballgown with a long train but I did not have any other specific ideas on what kind of dress I wanted. When I was back in Texas for winter break, I went dress shopping with my mom, sister, and some friends from home. I had some inspiration pictures that all included a lot of lace and beading, so at first all of the dresses I tried on had those details. I tried one that I loved that had a lace corset and was off the shoulder. I almost chose that dress when my friend suggested that I try on a more clean and simple style. The second I came out of the dressing room in that dress, we all knew it was the one! I chose to pair it with a long simple veil.
DID YOU HAVE ANY DIY ELEMENTS? The only DIY element I incorporated was tying our invitations together with blue ribbon and doing our own wax seals for the envelopes.
DESCRIBE YOUR WEDDING FLOWERS: Our wedding flowers were mostly white with some greenery and pops of light blue. For my bouquet, I chose to do all white roses and the bridesmaids had a smaller version of my bouquet.
FAVOURITE DETAIL OF THE DAY: My favorite detail of the day was our first touch. We did not want to do a first look, so having a first touch was perfect because it calmed the nerves we both had before the ceremony. That moment really helped me to keep my mind on the tr
ue purpose of the day as we prayed in gratitude for the Lord bringing us together!
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE OUT TO A COUPLE PLANNING THEIR WEDDING? My advice would be to enjoy the process and to not get overwhelmed about all the details because at the end of the day, marrying your person is the best and is what truly matters! My advice would also be to not hesitate to ask for help! Planning a wedding is a lot to take on and hard to do on your own!
MOST MEMORABLE MOMENT? Our most memorable moment of the day was probably when it started pouring rain during our outdoor ceremony. It was definitely unexpected but we made the best out of it and had the best time at our reception afterwards with our friends and family!
WHAT ASPECT OF THE WEDDING WAS THE MOST IMPORTANT TO YOU BOTH? The most important aspect of the wedding for us was that God’s presence would be felt and that we would keep our focus on Him as we stepped into marriage.
TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR HONEYMOON: We went to The Excellence in Punta Cana for our honeymoon because we really just wanted to relax and enjoy the beach after a busy engagement season!
IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WOULD CHANGE OR DO DIFFERENTLY? The only thing I would’ve done differently would be to ensure that the bridal suite provided was big enough for my bridal party. I had 12 bridesmaids so we definitely needed a good amount of space!
A huge thank you to South Carolina wedding photographer CHRISTI CLARK for sharing this stunning wedding with us. Capturing romantic, candid, light filled images are Christi’s signature style. She loves chasing the sunset on a wedding day and the sound of the film camera once the roll has taken its last capture. She has an empathetic approach to her couples and values being seen as a friend or family member on the wedding day. You can see more of her portfolio here.
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