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...
Middleton’s Octagonal Sunken Garden—so named for its four-quadrant, eight-sided configuration—is tucked just off the Greensward and overlooks the Ashley River. When dressing the stunning, wide-open space with a fantasy reception, Lisa Thomas of Ooh! Events made full use of the spread with a mind toward creating party flow. “I divided it into two sections with bars and lounge seating and another section for a tented dining area,” she says, “then I set aside the fourth section for the dancing tent.” Known for her deft (and playful) use of color, whimsy, and chic antique appointments, Lisa then showered the area with a rainbow of florals, crystal, and china. To anchor the quirky hues, she opted for furniture in solid colors.
At a Glance...
Décor: Multi-colored rentals from Ooh! Events’ warehouse paired with china and glassware from Polished! to create pops of color.
Tents: Sperry Tents Southeast erected two tents: one with a clear top for an open-air garden party vibe and a second of indigo sailcloth that glowed when the moon shone through its unpainted stars.
Flowers: Out of the Garden draped chandeliers in vines.
Catering: To complement the color-rich setting, The Restaurant at Middleton Place offered house-cured heritage pork belly with succotash and saffron corn purée.
Cocktails: ICEBOX bottled custom-made handcrafted strawberry-mint lemonade fizzes.
Dining Menu
The Restaurant at Middleton Place
Drinking Menu
ICEBOX
Resources
Band: The Bluestone Ramblers, www.TheBluestoneRamblers.com
Bar: ICEBOX, www.IceboxBar.com
Catering: The Restaurant at Middleton Place, www.MiddletonPlace.org
Décor, Design, and Rentals: Ooh! Events, www.TheArtofCreating.com
Florals: Out of the Garden, www.TheArtofCreating.com
Lighting and Sound: AV Connections, www.AVConnectionsSC.com
Location: Octagonal Sunken Garden at Middleton Place, www.MiddletonPlace.org
Papergoods: Ancesserie, www.Ancesserie.com
Photographs: Marni Rothschild Pictures, www.marnipictures.com
Place Settings and Crystal: Polished!, www.PolishedTabletop.com
Tents: Sperry Tents Southeast, www.SperryTentsSoutheast.com
