This Couple Celebrated Their Charleston Nuptials on the Porch of an 18th-Century Estate

On Location

The William Aiken House, full of greenery-covered nooks and crannies, provided the ultimate backdrop for the couple's nuptials—and played right into their theme of Southern romance.

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Special Sleeves

Paula hit the jackpot when it came to wedding dress shopping—she chose the very first gown she stepped into: a form-fitting number from Sarah Seven. "I tried on a couple of dresses, but nothing compared to the first—I decided on that one," she says. She always expected to choose a wedding dress with sleeves, so she went ahead and had them added to the garment. Naturally, they ended up being her favorite detail.

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Something Borrowed

The bride wore the same earrings that her mom and aunts wore at their weddings; she borrowed a veil that each of her sisters-in-law donned on their big days.

Wedding-White Bouquet

Paula's mostly-white bouquet, arranged by Urban Petals, was comprised of ranunculus, sweet pea, and barely-blush peonies.

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The Groom's Look

Terence went with a navy Hugo Boss suit on the wedding day; he paired his ensemble with a matching navy shirt and tie, also from Hugo Boss.

Coordinated Bridesmaids

Paula and Terence's wedding party consisted of the couple's closest friends and siblings. The bridesmaids wore dresses from either BHLDN or Show Me Your Mumu and stuck to neutral colors; a few wore solid colors, while others chose floral gowns.

Petite Bouquets for the 'Maids

The bridesmaids' bouquets—no two were the same—were smaller renditions of Paula's.

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The First Look

Paula and Terence parted ways after sharing welcome drinks the night before the wedding; they came together again the next morning, meeting in Charleston's historic district for their first look. "The first look was way more meaningful and special than I ever would have guessed," Terence says. "It was one of the best moments of the entire day. I felt so happy, in love, and excited to finally be with Paula for the day."

Quaint Ceremony Setup

The ceremony took place outside, in front of the property's black shuttered windows and large door. The couple worked with Urban Petals to decorate the ceremony area with white petals, floral arrangements, and a statement greenery wreath, which marked the altar.

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On the Aisle

A violin and cello duo played as guests were seated and the wedding party made their way down the aisle. Paula's father escorted her to the altar to Sting's "Field of Gold."

A Spiritual Service

At the start of the non-religious, but spiritual service, the officiant—a close friend—began with a moment of silence, asking guests to stretch their hands outward towards the couple "to send us their love," recalls Paula. The duo then exchanged vows they wrote together, making sure to incorporate themes of support, commitment, and shared values.

After they were declared husband and wife, they recessed back up the aisle to "Can I Have This Dance" by Francis and the Lights to get everyone into the party mood.

Find Your Seat

The couple had fun with their escort cards, creating scrolls with each guest's name and attaching them to Champagne glasses.

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Stylish Guests

Paula and Terence's guests were a stylish bunch—most donned colorful ensembles, which suited the semiformal event style.

To the Porch

The reception took place both inside the William Aiken House and on the porch; the dance floor was located outside. A total of 15 tables were set up for dinner, with round tables inside and rectangular tables outside. While the tables inside held lush centerpiece arrangements and tapered candles, the couple wanted a simpler look for the tables outdoors, which held tea candles and smaller vases with single stems.

Blooming Tablescapes

Tables that did feature traditional floral arrangements were just as stunning as their simpler counterparts; the abundant blooms, including peonies, sweet pea, and garden roses, were placed in brass vessels, which referenced the silverware.

Colorful Place Settings

Each place setting included a blush fabric napkin, a colorful patterned plate, and gold cutlery.

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Plenty of Food

Along with passed hors d'oeuvres, guests enjoyed a tasty dinner that featured braised short ribs or quinoa stuffed peppers, twice-baked potatoes, and herb-roasted squash and zucchini. For dessert, the couple offered mini donuts and mason jars filled with blueberry crumble.

As if that wasn't enough to keep guests full, the duo also served buffalo chicken biscuits and grilled cheese later in the evening.

A Simple Cake

The couple worked with the venue to make a simple round two-tier confection, which they sliced into during their cake-cutting ceremony.

The First Dance

When the newlyweds first met in Charleston, Terence played Paula music from the artist Kygo, who has since become one of their favorite musicians. It was only natural for them to share their first dance to Kygo's remix of "Wait" by M83 right after dancing with their guests to "Firestone," another one of the band's hits.

There was one other special musical moment of the evening: "It's become a tradition amongst our friend group to end our weddings with 'I Will Wait' by Mumford & Sons. Everyone was on the dance floor jumping up and down to this song—it was electric!"

Sources

Photography, O'Malley Photographers

Venue and Cake, William Aiken House

Event planning, Kelly Strong Events

Day-of coordination, Peper Events

Flowers, Urban Petals

Catering, Patrick Properties Hospitality Group

Bride's gown, Sarah Seven

Hair and Makeup, Wedding Hair by Charlotte

Bridesmaids' dresses, BHLDN; Show Me Your Mumu

Groom's suit, Hugo Boss

Music, DJ Megan Taylor; Palmetto Strings

Rentals, EventWorks; Other Brother Entertainment;BBJ Linen

Lighting, Lowcountry Entertainment