Sublime Elegance

Summer 2013

WRITER CREDIT:

PHOTOGRAPHER CREDIT:

Sublime Elegance | European elegance meets bohemian-chic sensibility for this fête at Lowndes Grove Plantation

Charleston Wedding The Maxx wedding Ben Silver Lowndes Grove Plantation veil ooh! events Flowers gown Fish Garden Lowndes Grove modern trousseau Shoes

Sublime Elegance

NATURAL INSTINCTS: Lorianna wore a 2008 Liancarlo gown and custom-made Modern Trousseau veil. Mark donned a Tallia suit.

WISPY WONDER: Ooh! Events arranged the bride’s bouquet with garden roses, delphinium, anemones, ranunculus, stock, chamomile, and astilbe. In memory of her late grandmother, Lorianna wrapped her grandmother’s rosary around her bouquet.

MEANT TO BE: “I saw a picture of a model wearing this bracelet on the Australian wedding site The Lane (www.thelane.com) and I had to find it,” says Lorianna. “The designer is Samantha Wills (www.samanthawills.com).”

LUXURY & LACE: After a long day of dress shopping, Lorianna made a last-minute appointment at Claire Dratch bridal salon in Bethesda, Maryland, where she found her dream Liancarlo gown. Though it was a sample from 2008, Lorianna had it tailored to fit, and then glammed it up with vintage jewelry.

TAKE TWO: Lorianna switched from her 1920s-styled custom Modern Trousseau veil to a crystal and floral ribbon headpiece from “Icing on the Cake” for the reception.

DAPPER GENTLEMAN: Mark dressed up his Tallia suit with a light blue tie and braces from Charleston’s Ben Silver.

FINISHING TOUCHES: “I had planned on wearing a flower crown during the whole reception but when I saw this piece by Icing on the Cake, it just was perfect,” says Lorianna, who got the find from Elysium Salon.

CHARLESTON CLASSIC: An old-fashioned Charleston green trolley transported guests to the ceremony at Lowndes Grove Plantation.

STYLED CHILD: Lorianna and Mark’s ring bearing nephew wore vintage-inspired newsboy pants, a cotton top from H&M, and Blue Pony suspenders.

COUNTRY CHARM: Straw fans were placed on chivari chairs, giving a French country feel to the outdoor ceremony.

SIMPLE SETUP: “I didn’t want to overdo the wedding with too many design elements,” says Lorianna. Simple, soft décor elements—like the wooden entrance table decorated with a white eyelet tablecloth and straw baskets filled with programs—enhanced the ceremony’s pastoral mood.

HEAVENLY MUSIC: The ceremony vocalist wore a floral crown by Ooh! Events.

HALO EFFECT: Flower girls wore waxflower, cha- momile, spray roses, and ivy crowns by Ooh! Events.

WATERFRONT BEAUTY: “Lowndes Grove had so many elements we love—water, Spanish moss, a gorgeous house, not to mention the most amazing view of the sunset,” says the bride. “It’s amazing how little you need when you have a setting that beautiful!”

OPEN-AIR AFFAIR: “Draping the tent frame in cool white fabric allowed for ample natural light, and when the sun set, candles and chandeliers created ambiance,” says Lorianna.

ALFRESCO ELEGANCE: Ooh Events! arranged white tables and chivari chairs by the water so that guests could enjoy the Ashley River while taking their cocktails and hors d’oeuvres.

READY TO ROLL: For cocktail hour and the reception, Ooh! Events set up a mirrored bar and rustic rolling bookshelf, and Fish restaurant served the food and spirits.

PINK FIZZ: “I loved that we served champagne with a dash of Chambord at cocktail hour,” says Lorianna. “It gave it a little different taste and a blush color that I liked.”

BEVERAGE CART: An antique gold beverage cart hosted a pyramid of glasses for a polished, elegant display.

LANDSCAPE ARTISTS: Baby’s breath tucked into ferns created an airy hedge along the aisle.

COMFORT ZONE: Ooh! Events designed the backyard reception lounge as a homey and intimate outdoor living room with a hanging daybed, simple statement chairs, printed fabric pillows, and a rustic wooden chandelier.

BLANC BEAUTY: “I did not want a color scheme,” says the bride, so the designers went with a muted, airy color palette of soft champagne, cream, and just a drop of blush. Tabletops were kept simple with white linens, clear glassware, and light pink roses for centerpieces.

ALL IN THE FAMILY: Lorianna and Mark, each having three siblings, chose their sisters and brothers to be their bridal party. The bride’s two sisters wore bridesmaid attire of their choosing—neutral colored dresses with a little glitz that fit the wedding’s overall style.

PLAYFUL COMPANY: The whimsically dressed flower girls and ring bearers took a break from playing outside to pose for a picture with their Aunt Lorianna.

SUNSET SMOOCH: After the 4:30 p.m. ceremony, the blissful bride and groom took waterfront photographs on Lowndes Grove’s dock.

CREATIVE MINDS: Ooh! Events took a unique spin on the idea of a reception tent, replacing the traditional canvas canopy with swaths of fabric. When the day turned to night, bulb strands, chandeliers, and candles cast a warm glow on wedding goers.

FLOAT AWAY: Printed pillows dressed up the hanging bed.

BENEATH THE STARS: The tent frame transformed the outdoor space into a room setting, while the fabric and lighting gave the illusion of a tent top open to the stars, says Ooh! Events’ Lisa Thomas. Bride Lorianna says the open-air tent was the party’s most striking design element.

SEALD WITH A KISS: After the cake cutting, Lorianna slipped into a flirty dancing dress—from online Australian boutique Esther—and donned one of Ooh’s floral crowns for a fanciful, romantic look to end the special night. Wrapped up in love, the newlyweds snuck a kiss beneath the canopy of shimmering lights.

June 2013

Real-Life Weddings

Photographs by:

Virgil Bunao Photography

Lorianna Ferrogine & Mark Stickler
October 19, 2012
Lowndes Grove Plantation

Sometimes in love, if you take a backseat, fate intervenes. Take Annapolis, Maryland’s Lorianna Ferrogine and Mark Stickler, who met while sharing a cab during a blizzard. Three years later, the couple was engaged and turned to Ooh! Events to design their wedding at Lowndes Grove Plantation. Lorianna hoped for a marriage of European garden elegance and carefree Bohemian chic, which Ooh’s Lisa Thomas embraced. “If you’re willing to try new things, it’s fun to balance differing design elements,” says Lisa, who created a “barefoot in the French countryside” vibe. Dressed in a light palette of champagne, cream, and blush, delicate accents like tall, wispy flowers, comfortable lounge furniture, and an open-sky tent filled the plantation grounds with Lowcountry luxury and French country warmth.

Vendor List

Baker: Sugar Bakeshop; www.sugarbake.com
Band: The Maxx; www.eastcoastentertainment.com
Bride’s gown and shoes: Liancarlo from Claire Dratch (gown), www.clairedratch.net; Zara Collection (shoes), www.zara.com
Bride’s reception dress: Esther Australia; www.esther.com.au
Bride’s veil and headpiece: Modern Trousseau Charleston (veil), www.moderntrousseausc.com; “Icing on the Cake” Charleston (headpiece)
Caterer: Fish; www.fishrestaurantcharleston.com
Ceremony and Reception Location: Lowndes Grove Plantation; www.pphgcharleston.com
Groom’s attire: Tallia (suit); www.talliaorange.com; Hugo Boss (shoes); www.hugoboss.com; Ben Silver (braces); www.bensilver.com
Makeup: Bellelina; www.bellelina.com
Musicians (ceremony and cocktail hour): Classical Charleston; www.classicalcharleston.com
Photographer: Virgil Bunao Photography; www.virgilbunao.com
Planners, rentals, linens and florist: Lisa Thomas and Jerri Heater, Ooh! Events; www.oohevents.com
Stationery: The Paper Trousseau in Severna Park, Maryland; www.thepapertrousseau.com
Video Extras: Wedit flip clams; www.wedit.com

Lori and Mark (Trailer) from Virgil Bunao on Vimeo.

The Wedding Row

November 28 2018

Lacey & Jason | Engagement Session

The Wedding Row: How did you and Jason meet? Lacey: We met at work and I had no interest in him at first. I had affectionately called him “Eyebrow Man” given the thick, bushy unibrow...

November 27 2018

Aly & Dan | Charleston Belmond Place

The Wedding Row: Let’s start from the beginning … Aly: Like many modern-day couples we swiped right, engaged in some initial messaging, and decided to go out on a date. We met at a sushi restaurant...

November 26 2018

Styled Shoot | Wingate Plantation

To help you ease into the work week after Thanksgiving (raise your coffee if you’re still dreaming of turkey and dressing and naps), join us as we say “Hello” to one of Charleston’s newest wedding...

November 23 2018

Jennifer & Brad | Legare Waring House

The Wedding Row: Alright, start us from the beginning. How did you and Brad meet? Jennifer: We met in the Fall of 2013 unexpectedly through mutual friends at my all-time favorite Mexican restaurant....

November 21 2018

Andrea & Gustavo | Anniversary Session

Boy, do we have a sweet one for you all. In the spirit of the Thanksgiving holiday (ah, tomorrow!), we’re feeling extra thankful this year–not only for our readers, but for the talented weddings...

November 19 2018

Taylor & Andrew | Boone Hall Plantation

Taylor and Andrew met one another when they were at Georgia Southern University (she was on the swim team and he was the pitcher on the baseball team). Fast forward to four years later, Taylor was...

November 17 2018

Charleston’s Top Bridal Boutiques

We don’t know about you all, but when the weather’s chilly and with the holidays are right around the corner, there’s nothing we want to do more than pop inside the most hoppin’ boutiques around town...

November 15 2018

Samantha & Sean | Cannon Green

Get ready, gals, because today’s couple is bringing some serious glamour to the blog. After Richmond natives Samantha and Sean got engaged (he surprised her with a sparkly something during a girl’s...

Feature

Something Yellow

Cheerful color pops throughout this stylish soiree

Feature

Modern Romance

An interior decorator bride and her groom celebrate their marriage in an historic space dressed in avant-garde style

Feature

Wander the Wedding Quarter

From sweets to save-the-dates, the shops on Cannon and Spring streets are wedding-central

Feature

Meant to Be

An army lieutenant from Burlington, Wisconsin, and a fashion designer from Hickory, North Carolina, host a modern fête amid centuries of history

Feature

Paperwhite

Crisp, clean, & contemporary design marry in this eco-smart reception shoot from Soirée by Tara Guérard

Feature

Raise Your Glass

<p> Say cheers with a signature drink with roots right here in the Lowcountry</p>

Feature

April Flowers

Bridesmaids in boldly colored gowns blooming with floral patterns? You gotta see all this gorgeousness to believe it

Feature

Saving Graces

Pressing flowers came into fashion in 18th century Charleston. Today, it’s thriving again thanks wedding bouquets

Feature

Poems

Feature

Love It!

Easton Events’ inaugural wedding at Lowndes Grove Plantation imparts ideas worth emulating

Feature

Just the Two of Us

Forget the courthouse, Pure Luxe Bride’s intimate “Curated Elopements” offer all the trappings of a wedding without the hassle of planning it.

Feature

Open-Air Elegance

Head to Spring Island for a stunning open-air fete where style meets sweet Southern details

Feature

Cultural Union

Colorfully ornate details and subdued elegance marry beautifully in this Indian-American wedding

Feature

A Soulful Love

A pair of college sweethearts exchange vows in the Holy City with a perfectly pared down celebration at McCrady's Restaurant

Feature

Nail Tips

Get a polished look without a lot of fuss

Feature

East Meets West

Melissa Harrington & George Lin; October 31, 2009, St. Michael’s Church, Carolina Yacht Club

Feature

Up the Cozy Factor

Decorator-styled details ruled this wedding and reception in the tiny fishing village of Beaufort, South Carolina

Feature

Big Top Goes Black Tie

Charleston's Gaillard Center grand ballroom plays host to a wild, wonderful, over-the-top wedding to remember

Feature

Pin Up, Girls

Give your gown some sparkle, fasten your sash in place, or simply dress up your bouquet wrap. However you enlist them, these keepsake brooches are ready to report for duty