Over the weekend, I had the good fortune of photographing two fantastic weddings. There were a few similarities: both starred brides named Sarah, cupcakes were the confection of choice, and mandolin players made an appearance both days. Otherwise, their weddings were very different from each other, yet perfectly styled by and for each bride. Even the weather, affected by a wedding crasher named Sandy, added to the contrast of the weekend festivities. Just when I think Charleston weddings and trends can start to blend together, this weekend, full of various emotions and unexpected moments, was a wonderful reminder of the fun and beauty I have the pleasure of documenting.

This is just a glimpse of the weekend. Full blog posts will be in the works in several weeks, but I couldn’t resist sharing a few!

Saturday, Sarah and Arthur wed at a private escape on Goat Island, just over the Intracoastal waterway from the Isle of Palms. The cozy cottage where she and the ladies got dressed would not have accommodated 90 guests, so the island contingency plan included tents. With sailors and Canadians among the guests, a little rough weather didn’t really faze them, but I couldn’t help but feel for Sarah as she left the salon and donned her Gore-Tex to schlep gear and gown to the ferry. As we unloaded in the rain and made our way down a slippery dock, we tried to keep our chins up. An hour later, the rain stopped. For good. It was perfect and relaxed and wild. I heard one guest say that he felt like he was on the TV show “Lost.” Closing our eyes and hearing the 30mph winds whip up the palm fronds, only the bluegrass band gave our proximity to civilization away.

This sunset? Crazy beautiful! Even though the rain subsided hours earlier, the cloud cover remained like a blanket. Until this. What a wedding gift! Red sky at night, sailors delight.

On Sunday afternoon, hurricane Sandy was already churning up the Atlantic coast, leaving only breezes and clear skies in its wake. What a perfect autumn day for Sarah and Adrian to wed at Magnolia Plantation! I had not seen these two since our initial meeting, but I knew Sarah would be a graceful bride. The couple met in New Orleans, and the fact that they are so tender-hearted made for lots of tearful embraces throughout the day. Their garden ceremony was accompanied by string musicians in the gazebo, and the two combined sand from beaches on both the Atlantic and Pacific coasts before exchanging vows. Dinner and dancing on the veranda followed, and unique touches included pashminas for the guests and a favor of their handcrafted home brew.

If you enjoyed this post, please click “like” below and help me share Lowcountry beauty with your friends and future newlyweds. Check back for the full story of these two wedding days once I finishing editing the goodness. Thanks for visiting!