Down-to-Earth

Summer 2012

WRITER CREDIT:

PHOTOGRAPHER CREDIT:

Down-to-Earth | Lee Deas & Dave Brown, April 16, 2011, Sugah Cain Plantation

Charleston Wedding Charleston Symphony Orchestra Duvall Catering diy Elise Testone favors JCrew Rachel Gordon Tim Hussey

FROCK-TAIL PARTY: Local designer Rachel Gordon of ONE LOVE custom crafted Lee’s gown from bamboo fabric. Dave’s verdict? “It was epic.” The groom sported an off-the-rack J.Crew suit.

THE WHEEL DEAL: During cocktail hour, guests enjoyed bites from the food truck Hello My Name Is BBQ.

SOW NICE: Lee’s father filled favor pots with soil and paper leaves embedded with wildflower seeds.

BOOK IT: The couple’s monogrammed, faux-vintage vow books came from the Etsy shop BraggingBags. The mosaic ring box belonged to Lee’s grandmother.

PIE SAFE: Lending the dessert spread a no-frills family-style feel, blueberry mascarpone, lemon, and Nutella-flavored mini-pies from Duvall Catering & Event Design were placed on cake stands, wooden blocks, and the tabletop itself. “Our motto was to do everything our way and to not do anything expected,” says Lee, who skipped having a traditional cake.

DIY DIRECTIONS: Wooden signs painted by Duvall hinted at the day’s down-to-earth vibe.

SET THE SCENE: “The location is breathtaking and guests loved strolling the grounds or taking a golf cart to explore,” says Lee. “It was its own character of the day that people could interact with at their leisure.”

OUTDOOR ORBS: A windy storm rolled through just before the ceremony began, so most some décor, including colorful prayer flags, were taken down or moved under the tents by Lee’s family. These twine balls, however, remained hanging with rustic charm.

IT’S THE LITTLE THINGS: Duvall Catering & Event Design fashioned a twine-garnished wildflower boutonniere to complement the groom’s off-the-rack J.Crew suit. The bar, which was stocked with the couple’s drink of choice, Red Stripe, was open for guests before and during the ceremony.

PRETTY AS A PETAL: Ring bearer Aaron and flower girls Jade and Iris, all cousins of Lee’s, made happy with wildflower bouquets.

MEMORY LANE: Lee says that when they were dating, she and Dave used to borrow their friend’s vintage Chevy to ride around Folly Beach. They made the truck their exit car for a sentimental touch.

CYBER SNAGS: The couple, who says they turned to Etsy for many of their décor odds and ends, found this handcrafted burlap banner from the shop Victorian Station [etsy.com/shop/victorianstation].

CLASSIC TRIMMINGS: Cloudy tincture bottles and succulent arrangements dressed up the wooden tables with organic charm.

EASY DOES IT: Event planner Shari Knight Gillum, who helped design the wedding , described the day’s décor as, “simple yet meaningful.”

GRAB A BUNCH: Duvall Catering Events & Design loosely gathered wildflowers for colorful, natural bouquets.

DOWN-HOME COOKIN’: The couple had the Hello My Name Is BBQ food truck roll up during their post-ceremony cocktail hour. In addition to their diverse buffet offerings, Lee says they wanted to give Dave’s family and friends from New York a taste of Southern soul food.

FESTIVE FARE: Lee and Dave, who say they share an adventurous, ethnic palate, chose island-inspired dishes like ceviche, paella, and mini Cuban sandwiches for their reception dinner.

UNTRADITIONAL SWEETS: Rather than choosing a towering confection for dessert, the couple opted for mini pies from Duvall Catering, giving the spread a down-home, grandma’s cooking feel.

GIMME S’MORE: Lee’s father assembled personalized, paper-bagged kits for guests to make the tasty treats.

WORK HARD, PLAY HARD: Dave, who is founder and principal of the local company Cigar Row, had a employee man a rolling station during the reception.

PET NAMES: Lee (Luscious) and Dave (Delicious) saved their spots with hand-painted wooden signage hung by twine.

Despite Dave Brown and Lee Deas’ penchant for travel (the Charleston couple got engaged on a trip to Turks and Caicos), they chose Sugah Cain Plantation on John’s Island as venue for their nuptials. With the family farm, which is owned by one of Lee’s cousins, as backdrop, the duo split the planning 50-50 and enlisted close pals to make their vision of an intimate and down-home event a reality. Both entrepreneurs in the hospitality industry, the couple went for an organic vibe when it was their turn to be fêted. “We wanted everything to look like it had come from the land,” says Lee. When the day came, rustic wooden appointments and wildflower arrangements mixed with DIY favors and vintage touches for a farm-fresh theme. “It was amazing,” says Lee. “Walking out, surrounded by all our favorite people and things.”

Vendor List

Baker: Duvall Catering & Event Designs; www.duvallevents.com
Bar service: ICEBOX BAR; www.iceboxbar.com
Bride’s attire: Rachel Gordon; onelovedesign.com
Caterers: Hello My Name is BBQ, www.facebook.com/pages/HELLO-my-name-is-BBQ; Duvall Catering & Event Design, www.duvallevents.com
Ceremony and reception location: Sugah Cain Plantation
Cigars: Cigar Row; www.cigarrow.com
Florist: Duvall Catering & Event Design; www.duvallevents.com
Groom’s attire: J.Crew; www.jcrew.com
Reception Music: Elise Testone + The Freeloaders, www.myspace.com/freeincharleston; DJ Natty Heavy, www.nattyheavy.com; Ceremony Music: Charleston Symphony Orchestra violinist, www.charlestonsymphony.com
Planner/day-of coordinator: Shari Knight-Gillum; shariknight@gmail.com
Photographers: Gately Williams Photography, www.benwilliamsweddings.com; Tim Hussey, www.timothymerrickevents.wordpress.com; Gregg Lambton-Carr Photography, www.gregglambtoncarr.com
Rentals: Event DRS; www.eventdrs.com
Stationer: Slant Media; www.slantmedia.net
Videographer: Tim McManus; www.pdastage.com

The Wedding Row

February 20 2019

Rachel & Shaun | Harborside East

The Wedding Row: Tell us about how you met. Rachel: It was in Nashville, and Shaun was there on weekend trip for a University of Georgia-Vandy football game. I was there on a whim, on an impromptu...

February 19 2019

Paxton & Ryan | Engagement Session

Ryan and Paxton chose Charleston for their engagement photos because the city holds a special place in the heart—if he hadn’t been a Citadel cadet, the two may never have met. Here’s how they came to...

February 18 2019

Allison & Josh | Wingate Plantation

Allison and Josh met at a two-stepping bar, so we would expect nothing less than a seriously Southern wedding from the two, and as you can tell from the photos, they did not disappoint. After Josh...

February 15 2019

Taylor & Bennett | Rehearsal Dinner

North Carolina natives Taylor and Bennett met when the two were sophomores at N.C. State. Five years after they had become an item, they were in Manhattan where, says Bennett, “The ring was burning a...

February 14 2019

Carly & Chris | The Dewberry

After going to the same high school in Spring Lake, New Jersey, Carly and Chris’s paths finally intersected long after graduation at a mutual friend’s house. “Late nights drinking and playing games...

February 13 2019

Emily & Daniel | The Gadsden House

Trust us when we say that you won’t find a more low-key pair than these two. Nashville, Tennessee couple Emily and Daniel wanted an intimate, family-only wedding for their Big Day, and they chose to...

February 12 2019

Stephanie & Bryan | Lowndes Grove Plantation

OK, prepare yourselves—this is a sweet one. It began when Stephanie was working at the front desk of a chiropractor’s office in the Philadelphia area, one that Bryan’s father frequented. Bryan’s dad...

February 11 2019

Katie & Zane | Harborside East

You really can’t beat Charleston’s sunset views over the water, and Katie and Zane’s nuptials at Harborside East took full advantage of just that with the gorgeous harbor as their backdrop. The...

Feature

Retro & Romantic

Meredith Sheffer & Eric Rose; May 24, 2009, St. John’s Lutheran Church & Historic Rice Mill

Feature

Rosy Future

What do you get when a bride and her groom request a Gatsby-style garden party? This florabundant fête rife with joy

Feature

The Big Reveal

The ins and outs of a surprise wedding, from a bride who pulled it off

Feature

Wedding Shower

In October 2015, it was the 1,000-year flood. This year, it was Hurricane Matthew. Bummer for Big Days? We think not. See how this couple—one of many—proves love trumps any storm that rolls into Charleston

Feature

Elope at the Beach

The new wedding? Small and stylized. Check out this faux wedding and reception for retro-flavored inspiration

Feature

Down-to-Earth

Lee Deas & Dave Brown, April 16, 2011, Sugah Cain Plantation

Feature

In Due Season

The Cotton Dock at Boone Hall Plantation stuns in rustic glamour for a pair of Mount Pleasant natives' big happy day

Feature

Mamma Mia!

New York Times best-selling author (and Sullivan’s Island resident) Dorothea Benton Frank pens a hilarious and hearfelt must-read for MOBs and MOGs

Feature

Cyber Shops

Holy City artisans head online to sell their wedding wares via Etsy

Feature

Open-Air Elegance

Head to Spring Island for a stunning open-air fete where style meets sweet Southern details

Feature

Oh, Happy Day!

A Floridian couple celebrates their “I dos” with an Old South meets New South reception

Feature

Oh, Happy Day!

A Floridian couple celebrates their “I dos” with an Old South meets New South reception

Feature

Garden Party Chic

Clouds of airy baby’s breath let the Lowcountry landscape shine in this long-anticipated celebration

Feature

Cyber Shops

Holy City artisans head online to sell their wedding wares via Etsy

Feature

Pop-Up Flower Party

Feature

A Work of Art

A Charleston bride marries her beau at her childhood home amid family, friends, and 4,000 floating roses

Feature

Morning Glory

Feature

Cool Thinking

A Florida pair's florabundant summer wedding marries an outdoor garden-party feel with the cool comforts of an indoor venue

Feature

Lovely Lavender

Minna Tolosa & Shea Tighe April 24, 2010, St. Mary of The Annunciation & Lowndes Grove Plantation

Feature

Backyard Bliss

Top event planner Tara Guérard helps one classy couple host an at-home reception with grace and style

Down-to-Earth

The Wedding Row

RELATED ARTICLES

Popular Tags

Search form

Down-to-Earth

The Wedding Row

RELATED ARTICLES

Popular Tags