Written By Melissa Reardon
Photographs By Lucy Cuneo
A transplant from Virginia, Weston “Wes” McAfee vividly remembers the first time he saw his future bride-to-be. Charleston native Dana Elaine...
Ryan Coverdale & Suzanne Kerns
May 16, 2015
Middleton Place
Ten years after Suzanne Kerns met Ryan Coverdale, they re-connected at a wedding and he soon followed her to Charleston, where she began a fellowship at the Medical University of South Carolina. “With each bike ride, sunrise run, surf session, and night out,” says Suzanne, “our love for the city—and for each other—grew.” A year later, on a lark, she tried on the bridesmaid dress that kindled their romance and turned around to find Ryan waiting with ring in hand. After that, the two batted around ideas and settled on a wedding motif. “Ferns symbolize new life,” says Suzanne, noting they are abundant where the couple has lived: New Zealand, Charleston, and now Seattle. Add that the bride found a fern-covered gown and teamed with Party.Love.Birds and Tiger Lily Weddings, and everything aligned. Months later, their Big Day at Middleton Place was as lush as the landscape and as rollicking as the couple themselves.
TOP TIPS
Take It from the Kernses ...
• Reduce your ecological footprint. Middleton Place sources its produce locally or from organic farms, which was important for Suzanne and Ryan.
• Some venues charge a clean-up fee for flower girl petals, so try ribbon wands for a less expensive, less complicated alternative.
• A traditional cake, garter toss, and even shoes for the groom weren’t important to the couple. Stay true to yourself, like they did with a dessert bar, heart-shaped piñata (filled with tiny liquor bottles and temporary tattoos), and bare feet (for him).
• Stick with a theme. Bridesmaids each carried a bundle of a different kind of white flower.
Event design, décor, signage, flower girl ribbon wand: Party.Love.Birds, www.PartyLoveBirds.com
Photography: Sean Money + Elizabeth Fay, www.SeanMoney-ElizabethFay.com
Venue, bar service, catering, cake: Middleton Place, www.MiddletonPlace.org
Florals: Tiger Lily Weddings, www.TigerLilyWeddings.com
Linens, rentals: Ooh! Events, www.TheArtOfCreating.com/OohEvents
Bride’s attire: Luly Yang (gown), www.LulyYang.com
Beauty: Gibson Hair + Makeup, www.CharlestonHairAndMakeup.com
Groom’s attire: groom’s own (suit), The Tie Bar, www.TheTieBar.com (tie)
Lighting: Technical Event Company, www.TechnicalEventCompany.com
Procession and cocktail music: Ann Caldwell and the Magnolia Singers, www.AnnCaldwell.com
Reception music: Electric Western Records, www.ElectricWesternRecords.com
Sound equipment: OtherBrother Entertainment, www.OtherBrotherEnt.com
