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...
A spring break trip to the Bahamas turned especially memorable for Kentucky native Allison Thompson when she met Christopher (“Chris”) Unger, of Massachusetts. After casually chatting about Boston—where Chris lived and Allison was hoping to intern the following summer—the two exchanged email addresses, then parted ways to return to their respective colleges. Months later, Allison scored the internship, and when she arrived to Boston, reached out to Chris. The pair soon scheduled their first date, which Allison says was, “The moment that started the rest of our lives.” A decade of dating later (four years of which were spent long-distance), Chris surprised Allison on a “low-key, pizza Friday night” with a bended knee proposal.
As their guest list included folks from all over the North and South, the couple opted for a destination wedding. “After my first trip to Charleston, I knew that one day it would be the perfect wedding destination,” says Allison, who grew up visiting the Lowcountry on vacations with her family. With a color scheme—green, yellow, and navy blue (the bride’s favorite color)—and a love for special details in mind, the couple then enlisted Tiffany Snyder of Loluma to orchestrate the evening.
And on May 12, 2012, after exchanging vows in the French Protestant (Huguenot) Church, the newlyweds and their guests made their way west on the Peninsula to the Governor Thomas Bennett House. From a bold stationery suite crafted by dodeline design and fresh fruit and chevron-patterned accents, to the bride’s Romona Keveza gown and dangling chandeliers, the evening was filled with modern-meets-traditional elegance. After a cocktail hour in the venue’s grassy backyard and a Southern-style dinner indoors, the couple continued the celebration with their friends and family on the tented outdoor dance floor. Says Allison of the night, “Having the opportunity to have everyone together for the weekend was amazing.”
Vendor List
Baker: Cupcake; www.freshcupcakes.com
Bar service and rentals: Snyder Event Rentals; www.snydereventrentals.com
Bridal attire: Romona Keveza from Kleinfelds New York; www.romonakeveza.com
Caterer:Cru Catering; www.crucatering.com
Ceremony location: French Protestant (Huguenot) Church; www.frenchchurch.org
DJ: DJ Natty Heavy; www.nattyheavy.com
Florist:Loluma; www.loluma.com
Groom and groomsmen attire: Bloomingdales; www.bloomingdales.com
Hair & makeup: Paper Dolls; www.mycharlestonweddinghair.com
Music:Charleston Virtuosi (ceremony strings) and Bill Peterson (vocalist); www.charlestonvirtuosi.com
Photographer: Aesthetiica Photography; www.aesthetiica.com
Planner: Tiffany Snyder ofLoluma; www.loluma.com
Reception location: Governor Thomas Bennett House; www.governorthomasbennetthouse.com
Stationer: Dodeline Design; www.dodelinedesign.com
Transportation:Absolutely Charleston; www.absolutelycharleston.com
Videographer: Siegel Films; www.siegelfilms.com
