Lowcountry Love



WRITER CREDIT: 
PHOTOGRAPHER CREDIT: 

When Devin Medd traveled to Savannah to celebrate his sister’s birthday in 2017, he had no idea his future wife would be among her friends. But Devin and Dantzler Lambert felt an instant spark, “like we were the only ones in the room,” she says. At the weekend’s close, each went their separate way—he home to Delaware and she to Charlotte—but the pair continued to talk across four states.

Despite the distance, they visited regularly for months until she took a leap of faith and relocated to Delaware. Seven years later, he proposed during a game of backyard fetch with their golden retrievers before surprising his new fiancée with an engagement party attended by friends and family from near and far.

Having grown up in Darlington, South Carolina, Dantzler had always envisioned a grand Lowcountry wedding. So when her aunt and uncle suggested their historic John’s Island estate as a venue, the idea felt like a dream come true. With most guests traveling, the couple planned a celebration showcasing the best of the Lowcountry, from a marsh-front ceremony to boiled peanuts at cocktail hour and a shrimp and grits dinner. The bride and groom were also touched to have a large wedding party beside them (the ladies in an array of dresses), including a dear friend who stood as best man in honor of her late brother.

But for Dantzler and Devin, the most endearing part may be the ability to return with family to the site of their nuptials year after year—a luxury they consider priceless. As Dantzler says, “How lucky are we to come back to this place and reminisce over such a beautiful memory while creating more for years to come?”

Top Tips

  • Lean into natural beauty. With its dramatic marsh views and stately live oaks, the property didn’t need much to shine. Enter charming, breezy décor in a palette of blue, green, and white to complement the landscape.
  • Let a pro handle the rentals. Marrying at a private residence meant everything from barware to bathrooms had to be procured—a daunting task for a couple living states away. To reduce stress, Dantzler asked event designer Emily Gregg to do her thing and only loop in the couple as needed.
  • Serve hometown faves. The day’s signature espresso martini came from the couple’s favorite bar, Starboard Raw in Dewey Beach, Delaware. And for late-night bites, guests noshed on hot dogs from Dantzler’s top spot in Darlington, The Dairy Bar.

Vendors

  • Planning & Design: Emily Ann Events & Design
  • Catering & Cake: Victors (Florence, SC)
  • Bar & Wine Service: Carolina Cocktails
  • Photography: Kassidy Gomes, Kelsey Halm Photography (drone)
  • Florals: Flora by Hannah
  • Stationery, Calligraphy, & Signage: Lewes Lettering Co. 
  • Linens: Charleston Tents & Events
  • Rentals: Curated Events, Charleston Tents & Events
  • Entertainment: Palmetto Strings (ceremony/cocktail hour), The Band Punch from EastCoast Entertainment  (reception)
  • Bridal Attire: Stella York (gown) from Gown Boutique of Charleston
  • Beauty: Micki Hairartistry (hair), Galya Makeup Artistry (makeup)
  • Groom’s Attire: Vera Wang (tux), Brackish (bow tie)

The Wedding Row

April 17 2019
Kyleigh met Nick when she was in Cardiff, Wales, getting her master’s degree. (Her friend had convinced her to give Tinder a shot, and her “first, last, and only Tinder date,” she says, was the born-...

April 16 2019
We don’t know about you, but these past few days of shorts weather have had us daydreaming about summer. Brandy McGhie, owner of local luxury event planning company Classic Planning & Design Co...

April 15 2019
Tricia and Brandon were in the same fourth grade class at Springfield Elementary here in Charleston, but their love story didn’t begin until a college football game 14 years later. The South Carolina...

April 12 2019
Designer Lela Rose has a saying we can all toast to: “Nothing says chic like matching your drink to your dress.” Fashion stylist Lindsey Nowak took that as a challenge, linked arms with Reagan Barnes...

April 11 2019
Taylor and Sam may be from Virginia and live in Waco, Texas, but the Palmetto State holds a special place in their hearts. They met at the University of South Carolina when Sam, a freshman fraternity...

April 10 2019
Thank goodness for Joe Quick—the mutual friend who lived up to his name and set up Avery and Henry when all three were in high school in Atlanta. After his pleas for them to meet went unheeded, he...

April 9 2019
Gillian and Phil met while studying abroad in Ireland. But because they attended different schools stateside (he was at the University of South Carolina, she was at The State University of New York...

April 8 2019
Here’s how Emmy and Josh explain how they became an item: “Josh had been courting Emmy for quite some, and on one evening in June at Dillon’s pub in downtown Boston, Massachusetts, he decided...