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...
November 8, 2025 • Governor Thomas Bennett House
It was Charleston’s Recovery Room—the legendary dive bar long boasting the title of world’s highest seller of PBR cans—that first brought Chloe Ewing and Zach Grimes together in 2020. Three years later, the couple jet-setted to Florence, Italy, for a weeklong getaway. Having studied abroad there, Chloe keeps a special place in her heart for the city—a fact that gave her a sneaking suspicion a proposal was imminent. Five days in, however, there was no sign of a ring. But patience proved a virtue on their final evening. After the pair climbed to the Piazzale Michelangelo with a bottle of wine to watch the sunset, Zach popped the question as the Tuscan sun dipped below the horizon, painting the city in gold.
The duo initially toyed with an Italian destination wedding but ultimately decided to tie the knot back home in Charleston, providing an easier trip for family and friends and an opportunity to show off their favorite spots in town. Plus, as a seasoned wedding planner with A Charleston Bride, Chloe was uniquely suited to help craft a master class in guest experience. They selected the historic Governor Thomas Bennett House as their base and started planning their dream day with the help of her coworkers.
The November wedding’s aesthetic took cues from one of the bride’s favorite spots, The Living Room at The Dewberry, with its mix of textures and rich, moody hues. Meanwhile, design touchpoints from the couple’s own home, like an abundance of potted orchids, grounded the airy tented reception with residential warmth.
Chloe and Zach worked with Cru Catering on a menu steeped in Italian influences. Cocktail hour featured interactive prosciutto-carving and mozzarella-pulling stations that guests still talk about, says the bride. In lieu of standard bread service, tables were treated to fresh focaccia with whipped feta and local honey, followed by an unforgettable pasta course featuring a recreation of a Florentine favorite: pear and pecorino ravioli. Every element was effortlessly high-low and perfectly suited to the couple—down to late-night caviar-dressed hot dogs and pre-ceremony sips that celebrated their dive-bar origin story: cans of Pabst Blue Ribbon passed on antique silver trays with custom cocktail napkins that read: “It all started with a PBR.”
