From the Heart



WRITER CREDIT: 
PHOTOGRAPHER CREDIT: 
From the Heart |
Christina Edwards & Matthew Johnson
October 21, 2023 / Post House Inn
 
Christina Edwards and Matthew Johnson connected on a dating app when Christina was “looking for someone who can hold their own at family game night,” specifically dominoes. Challenge accepted, though no games were played during their first date sharing beers at Holy City Brewing; they talked and laughed for hours. Eighteen months later, Matthew proposed during a re-creation of that first date, and thus their wedding tagline became, “It started with a beer.”
 
As a New York event planner, Christina knew the ins and outs of planning a wedding and sought out her favorite vendors. Since the couple wanted an intimate, dinner-party vibe for their 60-person wedding, they selected Post House Inn in Mount Pleasant for its cozy, coastal ambiance and set about curating a beautiful event full of heartwarming personal touches.
 
For the courtyard ceremony, rows of amber Chiavari chairs and Technicolor blooms coordinated well under the striking red and white awning. Cocktail hour featured passed hors d’oeuvres and a raw bar, while the reception tables were awash with jewel-toned colors and mismatched goblets. Their wedding cake was simple and classic, while the groom’s hummingbird cake came in the shape of a cooler with odes to some of his favorite things. But it was the personal mementos that proved to be the most memorable, including the individual handwritten letters that awaited each guest at their place setting. The couple presented sentimental gifts to parents, incorporated a memorial area to recognize lost loved ones, and gave custom candles as their wedding favors to create a core memory associated with their joyful wedding day, which was filled with love and laughter. 
 
Top Tips
• Choose your vendors wisely. Spend time picking out your vendors, since they will be the people executing your big day vision. Take time to get to know them and what they stand for. “Find vendors that align with your and your partner’s values, and you’ll love the results,” says Christina. 
 
• Keep it tight. If you’re considering a small invite list, the pros include more quality time with your guests. Over the weekend, the Johnsons had a rehearsal lunch, welcome party, wedding, and a departure brunch with 64 of their nearest and dearest, allowing time to really connect with each and every person. 
 
• Create a core memory. The Johnsons created their own custom scent at Candlefish, which they used at the wedding and for their wedding favors, since scent presents a sensory experience known to trigger memories.
 
Vendors
 
Planning & Design: Experience Holy City  
Venue & Catering: Post House Inn
Photography: Kailee DiMeglio Photography
Florals: Roadside Blooms
Stationery & Signage: Kate Eliza Creative, Studio R (custom watercolor)
Cake: ABCD Cake Design
Rentals: Snyder Events
Linens: Stradley Davidson
Entertainment: Other Brother Entertainment
Videography: Haley Sirisky Videography
Wedding Day Aide: Cacky’s Bride + Aid
Bridal Attire: White on Daniel Island (boutique), Anne Barge (gown)
Beauty: Lashes & Lace

The Wedding Row

October 23 2018
If how they saved their wedding foretells how they’ll live their marriage, we have every confidence in Jess and Geno. (And yoo-hoo to you other hurricane season brides, listen up extra close.) The...

October 22 2018
The Wedding Row: Tell us about how you two met. Kathryn: Hunter and I met through mutual friends in the fall of 2011 at a bar called Town Hall in Washington D.C. It was the “Clemson bar”...

October 19 2018
With couples getting anointed “Mr. and Mrs.” every weekend in the myriad nooks and crannies of Magnolia Plantation & Gardens, the site’s seen more than its fair share of wedding day décor. And as...

October 18 2018
Becca and Tanner started dating when she was at Sweetbriar College and he was at Hampden Sidney College. Seven years after they started dating, they were happily ensconced in Charleston while he...

October 17 2018
TWR: Where did you meet? Madison: At work. A role in my job “allowed” me to go to Paul’s desk every day. Four months of professional interaction and happy hours led to us dating. TWR: When did you...

October 16 2018
If you’re a bride-to-be whose addicted to happily ever after stories; if you’re a romantic looking for some fuel to add to your hope tank; or if you have a friend who falls into that category (and...

October 15 2018
Katie and Mike met through work (she was the chief of staff for the Republican National Congress and he was her predecessor), so it made sense that his proposal was touched by politics as well,...

October 12 2018
Wimberly Fair not only has one of the coolest names (yep, it’s her real moniker) in the wedding world, she’s also one of Charleston’s biggest, most whimsical talents. Today she shares about the...