Golden Girl

Fall/Winter 2014

WRITER CREDIT:

PHOTOGRAPHER CREDIT:

Golden Girl | Sweetgrass Social's Meredith Severs turns to her favorite color—gold!—for an ornate celebration

Charleston Wedding wedding wedding cake Wedding Cakes by Jim Smeal William Aiken House Bella Bridesmaid wine Coren Moore EventWorks gown Fish maddison row inspiration Kate Spade Monique Lhuillier Paper Dolls Social Stems

Make sure gold text on stationery is as legible as it is glam, as is this suite by Sixpence Press. Image by The Connellys.

Groom’s attire from Berlin’s. Boutonniere by Charleston Stems. Image by The Connellys.

Add sparkle to a bouquet with sequined ribbon, like Charleston Stems did. Image by The Connellys.

Groom’s and groomsmen attire from Berlin’s. Image by The Connellys.

Bouquet by Charleston Stems. Image by The Connellys.

Bridal gown by Monique Lhuillier from Maddison Row. Bridesmaid attire by Coren Moore from Bella Bridesmaids. Flower girl dress by Coren Moore from Bella Bridesmaids and tights by Gymboree. Florals by Charleston Stems. Hair by Allure Salon. Makeup by Paper Dolls. Image by The Connellys.

Flower girl dress by Coren Moore from Bella Bridesmaids. Floral headpiece by Charleston Stems. Image by The Connellys.

Ceremony program by Sixpence Press. Image by The Connellys.

Image by The Connellys at Second Presbyterian Church of Charleston.

She wore Monique Lhuillier from Maddison Row; he wore a tux from Berlin's.

“When you are working with a strong color like gold,” says bride (and planner) Meredith, “do a mock-up in the space with a set of the tablescape elements, linens, and chairs to see how the whole picture works together.” Here, golden tablecloths and chiavari chairs are a natural extension of the room’s gilded frames. Image by The Connellys.

Image by The Connellys.

Wedding design and coordination by Sweetgrass Social Event & Design. Florals by Charleston Stems. Rentals by EventWorks. Linens by La Tavola. Venue, The William Aiken House. Image by The Connellys.

Wedding design and coordination by Sweetgrass Social Event & Design. Rentals by EventWorks. Linens by La Tavola. Florals by Charleston Stems. Bar, catering, and wine service by Fish Restaurant. venue, The William Aiken House. Image by The Connellys.

Guests signed ornaments for the couple's first Christmas tree as man and wife.

Wedding design and coordination by Sweetgrass Social Event & Design. Sofa from Snyder Events. Tables from EventWorks. Florals by Charleston Stems. Venue, The William Aiken House. Image by The Connellys.

Tent from Snyder Events. Linens by La Tavola. Rentals by EventWorks. Cake by Wedding Cakes by Jim Smeal. Image by The Connellys.

Cake by Wedding Cakes by Jim Smeal. Image by The Connellys.

SIMPLY STUNNING: For Meredith Sever and Dan Tanton’s December 2013 fête, Wedding Cakes by Jim Smeal fused patterns from the stationery suite and the bride’s gown with gold—the reception’s star hue—for a brilliant confection.

Rim coupe glasses with gold sugar for thematic (and edible) trimming. Image by The Connellys.

Cover small cocktail tables—rather than large dining tables—in your priciest and showiest fabric to save money and pace your style statements. Linens by La Tavola. Rentals by EventWorks. Image by The Connellys.

Signage by Sixpence Press. Bar from EventWorks. Tent from Snyder Events. Bar and wine service by Fish Restaurant. Image by The Connellys.

Bridal gown by Monique Lhuillier from Maddison Row. Groom’s attire from Berlin’s. Venue, The William Aiken House. Image by The Connellys .

Getaway car from Tri-County Transport. Image by The Connellys.

Meredith Severs & Dan Tanton
December 14, 2013
Second Presbyterian Church & The William Aiken House

“Some people are afraid to use metallics, but I am not one of those people,” laughs Meredith Severs. That applies to the galas she throws as the owner of Charleston’s Sweetgrass Social Event & Design, as well as to her own December wedding to beau Dan Tanton, who’d proposed a year earlier at Thanksgiving dinner. The inspiration behind their gilded fête? “When I was a little girl, my grandfather nicknamed me ‘piece of gold,’” she explains. “He has since passed away, but his piece of gold got to have a golden wedding!” Indeed, Meredith transformed The William Aiken House into a palace, her golden touch manifesting in a formal dinner lit by luxurious chandeliers and served on shimmering flatware, with guests seated upon cushioned metallic ballroom chairs fit for kings and queens. Throw in a dance floor smattered with gold flecks, and it was a veritable sparklefest. Laughs Meredith, “Dan gave me the green light, and I went all out!”

Vendor List

Bridal Gown: Monique Lhuillier, Maddison Row, www.MaddisonRow.com

Bridal Accessories: Kate Spade, www.KateSpade.com

Bridesmaid Attire: Coren Moore, Bella Bridesmaids, www.BellaBridesmaids.com

Cake: Wedding Cakes by Jim Smeal, www.WeddingCakesbyJimSmeal.com

Catering, Bar, and Wine Service: Fish, www.PPHGCharleston.com

Florist: Charleston Stems, www.CharlestonStems.com

Flower Girl Attire: (dress) Coren Moore, Bella Bridesmaids, www.BellaBridesmaids.com; (tights) Gymboree, www.Gymboree.com

Getaway Vehicle: Tri-County Transport, www.TCTSLimo.com

Groom’s and Groomsmen’s Attire: Berlin’s, www.BerlinsClothing.com

Hair Stylist: Beth Bell, Allure Salon, www.AllureSalonInc.com

Linens: La Tavola, www.LaTavolalinen.com

Locations: (ceremony) Second Presbyterian Church of Charleston, www.SecondPresbyterianChurch.org; (reception) The William Aiken House, www.PPHGCharleston.com/venues/view/william_aiken_house

Makeup Artist: Paper Dolls, www.MyCharlestonWeddingHair.com

Musicians: Classical Charleston, www.ClassicalCharleston.com; Loose Chain, www.EastCoastEntertainment.com/artist/loose-chain; Spiritually Yours Gospel Choir, (843) 270-2111

Photographer: The Connellys, www.TheConnellys.com

Rentals: Eventworks, www.Eventworksrentals.com; Snyder (tent and sofa), www.SnyderEvents.com

Stationery and Signage: Sixpence Press, www.SixpencePress.com

Wedding Design: Sweetgrass Social Event & Design, www.SweetgrassSocial.com

The Wedding Row

April 5 2019

Jessica & Jay | Middleton Place

Jessica and Jay met online and dated long distance (she was here in Charleston, he was in Connecticut) before she made the move up North. The two came back to visit the Holy City often, though, and...

April 4 2019

Lauren & Alex | The Gibbes Museum

Food plays a part in every aspect of this Atlanta, Georgia, couple’s relationship, from the first time they met to their Big Day at The Gibbes Museum of Art. It’s fitting, Alex says, as he owns that...

April 3 2019

Styled Shoot | The Cedar Room

We’ve all seen photos of Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra’s Jodhpur, India, nuptials by now, thanks to how social media was lit up with the bright colors and ornate designs of their festivities. But...

April 2 2019

Liz & Kevin | Folly Beach

When the bride owns a wedding and event planning company, you know her Big Day will be something remarkable. Such was the case for Liz, owner of Elegant Aura in Boston, Massachusetts. After her...

April 1 2019

Tiffany & Jayce | Charleston Library Society

Usually no one gets a word out of a barkeep regarding his or her personal life, so today’s an extra special treat considering the groom du jour is Jayce, longtime bartender and bar manager at Edmund’...

March 29 2019

Jacquelyn & Conor | The Dewberry

Jackie and Conor both went to College of Charleston, but they didn’t meet until the New Year’s Eve after graduation. That’s when both were secretly set up by mutual friends (and Jackie’s sister) at...

March 28 2019

Mary Jane & Alex | The Gadsden House

Magic brought Mary Jane and Alex together. No, really, it did—they met while working at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, part of Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida. Five years later, while on...

March 27 2019

Liz & Chris | Engagement Session

Here’s how the writer-bride talks about meeting her now-hubs on their wedding site: “Liz and Chris lived in the same apartment complex. The ‘boys upstairs’—as they were lovingly known by the girls in...