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...
Beyond formalizing coupledom, weddings are about joining your families. And with rehearsal dinners traditionally being the domain of mothers of the groom, planning one can be ground zero bonding with your in-law-to-be. So it went with bride Libby Proctor and groom Byrd Miller’s mom, Liza, when the two women organized the pre-wedding celebration at the Historic Rice Mill. First, they agreed on the premise, to put Byrd at the forefront. “We wanted the rehearsal dinner to be a reflection of Byrd and everything he loves,” says Libby, “from the vibe to the décor to the menu.” And working with Gathering Events, they did just that. Since Byrd’s a hunting and fishing enthusiast with a soft spot for his dog Cache, the groom’s cake was modeled after his pup, butler cards were shimmering metal fish, and cattails cropped up alongside pheasant feathers in the florals. “Everything just flowed so well and struck just the right masculine tone,” says Libby. And as for the collaborating? “My mother-in-law is awesome,” she gushes.
